Welcome to 3 rd Grade!

1. Welcome to 3rd Grade! Ms. Coyle & Ms. Sparano - 301 Mr. Schwalbenberg- 302

2. Welcome to Third Grade at P.S. 483! As your child transitions into 3rd grade, and becomes part of the upper elementary school, we hope to work together as a team to make it a success! By doing so, your child will develop skills necessary to becoming a lifelong learner. This year, your child will be using notebooks for all subject areas which will be new for them.

3. It is very important that your child is on time every morning. School officially begins at 8:00 A.M. Doors open at 7:40 for the breakfast program. Instruction begins promptly at 8:10

4. New York State Testing This year your student will be taking the NYS ELA and Math tests. Each test is two days long and is untimed. In an attempt to prepare our students every morning from 8:10-8:50 (first period) we will be working with differentiated groupings, meaning we will look at students strengths and weaknesses and plan accordingly. It is of the utmost importance your student arrives to school ON TIME (no later than 8 am).

5. Homework • Homework is assigned daily. At the beginning of the week your child will be given a Homework sheet listing the ELA and Math Homework for every day of the week. • Homework should be completed daily and will be checked by the classroom teacher once a week. • Students will bring their book baggie to and from school each day.

6. Talk to Me Tuesday • Every Tuesday you child will continue to bring home a Talk to Me Tuesday Folder. Inside you will find discussion prompts related to topics and activities we are learning about in class. • Math activities to engage the whole family in thinking and solving problems. • Discussion prompts around our new school wide social and emotional learning program

7. Reading • This year, your child will learn different aspects of fiction and non-fiction books. • Students will be able to identify key elements such as characters, setting, plot in order to tell what the text was about. • They will asking questions, visualizing, inferring, determining importance and using text evidence. • Students will achieve this through the Gradual Release of Responsibility. • I Do- The teacher models • We Do Together- The teacher and the students work together. • You Do Together- The students work in small groups or partnerships. • You Do Alone- Students will practice the new topic independently.

8. Reading

9. Writing • This year, in writing, your child will learn how to write a personal narrative. Students will be able to tell a story from their own lives. • Students will also learn to write persuasively. First they will write book reviews. Then they will write a persuasive essay. • Students will also use computers to complete research for their essays. • Students will follow the writing process: • Brainstorm • Draft • Edit • Review • Publish • Students will learn the following writing skills: • Writing a beginning, middle and end • Dialogue • Descriptive Details • Transition words

10. Math • This year in math, your child will learn how to add and subtract with regrouping, multiply, divide, understand fractions, compare and order fractions, find equivalent fractions, tell time, measurement of length, and area models. • Students will also be able to solve multi-step word problems. • Students will solve math problems using the inquiry based approach. Students will be presented with a problem and through productive struggle will work out the answer independently or with a partner.

11. School Wide Grading Policy • A numerical system 1-4 will be used for report card and grading purposes: • 1= below grade level • 2=approaching • 3= on grade level • 4= above grade level • The following calculations will be used to determine each students level • 0-59%= Level 1 • 60-79%=Level 2 • 80-94%=Level 3 • 95-100%=Level 4

12. Preps • Gym/Health (4 times a week) • Art (1 time) • Technology (2 times) • Music (1 time) • STEM (3 times)