Classroom Procedures
Maroon Folder:
The maroon folder is one source of communication. Please check it daily for notes from the school. Please send notes in the “return to school” section of the folder. Also, please keep anything in the “keep at home” side of the folder. The conduct sheet should always "live" in the front plastic cover. The book log should "live" in the back cover.
Money: ALL MONEY should ALWAYS be sent in a sealed envelope. The reason for the money, student’s name, and the teacher name on the outside.
Email:
Email is the best way to communicate. Please allow adequate time for a response. Please list the student’s first name, last name, number, and date in the subject area date!
Homework:
The students are expected to write down their homework daily in their planner. You can also access the homework from the website if needed. It is updated DAILY at 3:15pm!
Graded Papers: The school requires the graded papers go home every two weeks. (I try to send the graded papers every week.) Please sign and return the following day or send a note that you need additional time to look at the folder. Parents please look at the papers with your child and DISCUSS THEM TOGETHER!!!! When discussing graded papers please acknowledge what they did WELL!!!!! Please look at what is missed and ask if they understand. A very good question to ask your little one is, "What else do you need from yourself, your parents, and Mrs. P to become more successful?"
Parent Command Center: The parent command center is a site that you can access that will have all of your child's grades. Please contact the office to obtain a login/password information sheet. You will receive an automated phone call if your child has a failing grade. Please check the parent command center if the call is unclear. Please be specific when emailing a question about grades.
Answering questions: When your child is writing an answer to a question remind them to
use a complete sentence that restates the question. Include correct capitals and punctuation.
ex. What month does summer begin?
incorrect format: may
correct format: Summer begins in the month of May.
Conduct sheet: Please initial the conduct paper every day! It is in the front of the MAROON homework folder.
Please sign the bottom FRIDAY afternoon and return MONDAY morning!!!!! The students receiving a D or F in conduct or work habits will receive an afterschool detention.
Attendance: Students can NOT miss more than 13 days of school and be eligible for promotion. Check outs and tarries count against students attendance.
JACKETS/SWEATSHIRTS/SWEATERS- Students may only wear MAROON jackets,
sweaters, and sweatshirts inside the building. Students need their name on
the tag of the sweatshirts/jackets. I ask them if they take if off outside of the class to tie it in a knot around their waist.
If they take it off in the class then the chair needs to "wear" their jacket.
Pens/Pencils- The students may use a blue or black pen in the classroom except in Math and on tests.
Birthdays-The students may bring cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. Drinks are also allowed (Capri suns and juice boxes are the best).
Please send enough for the entire class. If there isn't enough for each student to have one then I will have to send it back.
Cookie Cakes and King Cakes are awesome (my favorite) but please precut them into 25 slices before coming.
Please see the school handbook for additional rules and procedure.
Lanyards:
ID’s and Textbooks – Each morning from 9:15 – 9:30 will be the time designated to send students to the library to purchase an ID’s
($5.00 for permanent or $1.00 for a temporary ID (one day use).
Box Tops, Sunny D Labels, Campbell's Soup Labels, Coke Rewards are all collected in the classroom. Please donate those labels/lids to the school. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!!!!!!!!!
General Classroom procedures:
Reading:
We will begin a new story every Monday (as the schedule allows). We will work on different skills throughout the week and learn vocabulary words from the story. The skills we are working on each week can be found in the Readers and Writers notebook. The skills can also be found on the "Family Times" paper that is glued into the vocabulary notebook each week.
VOCABULARY:
Vocabulary tests are on FRIDAY. (Unless otherwise noted due to scheduling changes such as field trips, programs, etc. )
The students will use the glossary to define the words on Monday. The vocabulary words can also be found on the website for entire year.
Weekly Reading Test Grades:
The weekly reading grade is divided into 4 parts.
- Comprehension 16 points
- Constructed response 4 points
- Vocabulary 7 points
- Word analysis (phonics) 5 points.
This is a total of 32 points each week. (This could vary slightly depending on the number of vocabulary words, comprehension question, etc.)
I break up the reading grade into 4 parts because it is easier for me to analyze to identify strengths and weaknesses by seeing the different reading skills individually.
My typical Reading test procedures:
I give the students one section of the test at a time. I prefer to give smaller chunks of the test at a time rather than multiple pages at once. The test is divided into sections vocabulary, phonics, comprehension, and constructed response. A several page stapled package at one time can be very overwhelming. Typically we start with the Comprehension test first when they are the most refreshed. In the comprehension section they first receive the questions to read first and highlight/mark any important or clue words. Reading the questions first help give purpose for reading and the students know what they need to look for in the reading passage. Then I give the little ones the reading passage. The students are expected to underline the proof for each question within the Reading passage. This is a very important reading strategy!!!!!!!!! We then take a short refresher "brain break"!!!!
Vocabulary is typically next followed by word analysis section. (I don’t like giving the little ones to much at one time. I don’t want them to be overwhelmed.) On Friday I give them a page at a time. I prefer to give chunks at a time rather than 6 pages at once.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any clarification on the above information.
READING:
READING TESTS ARE ON FRIDAY: Students will take a vocabulary test and a "cold read" test. A "cold read" test is a test in which students are given a passage to read that they have not seen before. They are then asked questions pertaining to the story that test the skills learned that week. Students are not tested on the story from the textbook, but the skills learned.
READING LOG:
Daily Required Reading: Students are required to read for at least 20 minutes at least 5 nights a week. Students are to read picture books and/or chapter books that they have at home or have checked out from the school library, our classroom library, or the public library. Please keep a list of titles of the books they have read for the month on the book log form. If they lose the book log form please write the books read on a sheet of paper. They should read at least 10 books a month. There will be an 10 point grade each month for the reading log. The books should be on level. The students will need to read both chapter books and picture books. The students will have their reading level in their blue ar composition book. Their reading level is determine by an online star test each 9 weeks.
The READING/BOOK log is EXTREMELY important! Please encourage this!!! Please note this is on the homework sheet EVERY single DAY!!!! If the children read 10 books each month they will also receive a “Book It” Pizza Hut coupon that will entitle them to a free personal pan pizza (if you pick it up). Any additional books over 10 will receive additional signatures that your little one can redeem each 9 weeks for treats such as candy, crazy hair, crazy hat, etc.
AR Reading GRADE:
Each nine weeks there are two AR grades. One grade will be given for a non-fiction book on level. One grade will be given on a fiction book on level.
Spelling:
Students have all five weeks words for each unit in their orange Spelling folder. Spelling words are on the website for the entire year.
I have emailed out the list of Spelling words for the entire year at the beginning of the year. Tests are on Thursday. Check out this AWESOME website for a fun way to practice spelling words www.spellingcity.com !!!
Math:
Holey Card:
Holey card is nightly homework. Please time the students each night. The students should complete both sides of the entire card on a piece of paper they will turn in the following day. They will need to log the time on their holey card chart and parents need to initial the chart.
Addition facts:
At the beginning of the year we will review addition facts. There will be a weekly timed fact test. The students will write there facts 2 times each for nightly homework.
There will be a weekly timed test on Friday.
Multiplication facts:
Multiplication facts are huge in third grade!!! After we complete our addition review we will move to multiplication
There will be a weekly timed fact test. The students will write there facts 5 times each for nightly homework.
There will be a weekly timed test on Wednesday.