Third grade is an exciting year at Laura Ingalls Wilder. Our curriculum is filled with new skills and concepts that will engage the eight and nine year old learner. In designing our curriculum, we have integrated social studies and science topics into our reading and writing program. For example, while studying the Solar System in science, we enjoy reading and writing a variety of fiction and non-fiction selections about space. Other units of study a third grader may look forward to are Simple Machines, Biomes of the World, The American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution, Immigration and Migration, Maps and Globes, and a comparison of world capitals with our nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

Our math curriculum reviews critical skills such as addition and subtraction, and introduces the students to the concepts of multiplication and division. We also study units on geometry, time and money, fractions and measurement. Problem solving strategies are emphasized through the use of daily math journals and weekly family math activities.

The following is a brief description of the “basics” of third grade:
PAPERS will be sent home weekly on Thursdays in our “Bear Facts Folders”, including contents of each student’s mailbox, school-wide information, and a Bear Facts sheet. Teachers will comment on the Bear Facts sheet about their student’s week and we invite parents and students to communicate with us. Please take a moment on Thursday evening to fill in the sheet (write a note to your child about their work, or to the teacher if there is a concern), clear all loose paperwork from the folder, and have your child return the folder on Friday.

Homework
Homework will consist of spelling lists that go home weekly, vocabulary lists, practicing math basic facts, and extended activities for work introduced in class. Additionally, we ask that all 3rd graders read for 20 minutes each night. Our goal is to help the children begin to develop successful study habits. We ask your help in scheduling a time for your children to work quietly each evening.

Assignment Notebooks
We will be using assignment notebooks this year to help your students be more organized with their homework, as well as to keep you informed about what’s happening here at school. We will have your children copy the homework information in their assignment notebooks each day. Please review the homework with your child and sign the page each evening. We feel certain this will help the children be more consistent with the homework process.

Language Arts
Reading: The third grade reading program draws from a variety of sources. Reading is integrated with our social studies and science units by using appropriate novels and basal stories. Reading texts include Castles of Sand and On the Horizon (Silver Burdett and Ginn), as well as a variety of others. Novels directly relate to the subject studied in other classes. Both fiction and expository readings are incorporated. Third grade teachers work to make the children independent readers and therefore comprehension checks are used frequently.

Periodically, the children will be grouped according to needs. The groups are divided according to QRI assessments, teacher observation, and class performance. At all times, we are trying to encourage the development of lifelong readers and to instill in them a love of learning.

Each student is asked to keep a library book at his/her desk at all times for independent reading.

Out of school we ask that children read 400 minutes per month. This amounts to 20 minutes per night during the school week. We will be sending home a reading calendar monthly. It’s important that you encourage your child with this activity. Each child is responsible for turning this calendar into his/her teacher at the end of each month.

Writing
The writing program is taught, developed and assessed across the curriculum. It consists of many layers:

· Creative writing is developed during writers’ workshop

· Paragraph and expository writing are developed with instruction in what we refer to as the Big Mac paragraph and the Power Mac paragraph

· Six traits, which include ideas and content, organizational conventions, sentence fluency, word choice and voice is incorporated into all writing lessons

· D.O.L’s (Daily Oral Language) – proofreading and editing activities

· Two column notes – note taking skills

· Book reports

· Poetry

· Written response

Spelling
The spelling program consists of core (no excuse) words (we call these Spiff words), pattern words (grammar/phonics rules are used in these), and bonus/challenge words (words often used in other areas of the curriculum), For students in the 4th grade core words we have added an activity called “Bee Spelling”. Words are chosen from a National Spelling Bee list. The children have to define, use and illustrate these advanced words.

The correct usage of core words in everyday writing is the strongest factor considered in the spelling grade on the report card.

Math
Topics to be covered in 3rd grade math include: place value, addition and subtraction with renaming, multiplication and division, problem solving, metrics, money, time and graphing. In order to further reinforce math skills and problem solving, we will be sending a Math Home Link (purple sheet) with your child weekly. We will pre-test each chapter and the students will be grouped according to their needs for each unit we cover this year. We hope this will help better meet the needs of all students.

Social Studies
In Social Studies, third graders will study about:

· The American Revolution (the causes and the people who led it)

· The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution (what each document means to Americans)

· The branches of our nation’s government

· The immigration and migration process (how Denver became a city)

· The basic economic principles (goods, services, and the principle of supply and demand – our “funny money” unit)

Science
The third grade science units of study are:

· Life Science – Living systems and the environment (including habitats of the world)

· Physical Science – Matter and Energy (states of matter and simple machines)

· Earth Science - basic components of the Solar System and features of the Earth’s surface

· Health – nutrition, dental health, drugs and alcohol


Social Studies and Science units focus on a variety of skills such as the use of the inquiry method, forming a hypothesis, and comparing and contrasting information.

R.A.P. Club
R.A.P. stands for Responsible Adventurous People. Every 3rd grader will go to RAP on Friday from 2:45 – 3:30 if they have been responsible and kind during the week. Our RAP’s are fun, educational and will be incorporated into our curriculum.

If a student receives three X’s they will miss RAP. An X might be a missing homework assignment, talking in the hallway, not returning their Bear Facts folder by Wednesday, etc. When a 3rd grader misses RAP they write a plan on the RAP sheet so hopefully they’ll not miss another RAP. This RAP sheet will go home on Friday and be returned by Monday to their teacher with a parent signature. If it isn’t returned by Monday the student will get an X. If a student receives 5 behavior X’s in one week they receive a pink sheet (schoolwide discipline form) which will result in a detention here at school..

RAP Club is a motivating way to help your child become more responsible and also a reward for good behavior, finishing homework on time, etc. We ask for your support in this responsibility building program.

Distracting Materials
Students are discouraged from bringing toys, skateboards, radios, or any materials that may be distracting for use inside or outside the school building. Special toys are often lost or misplaced, leaving a heartbroken child. There may be special times when permission is given by the teacher to display a treasured item.

We look forward to working with your children this year. Please feel free to call or send a note if you have any questions.