Don’t Worry About a Thing…

Cause Every little thing is gonna be alright

The third grade teachers would like to welcome you to a wonderful year of learning and fun! We believe that teachers and parents working together can help students reach their highest potential.

EducationB.S. in Recreation and Park Administration

from Illinois State UniversityEarly Childhood classes from College of

DuPageMaster’s of Education from the University

of St. FrancisPreschool teacher for 5 yearsSubstitute in Dist. 204 for 9 years8th year teaching 3rd grade at May Watts

“The Family”

“Maggie”The Grand-doggie

Parent Communication –

Classroom phone number is 630-428- 6746

Email: shelly_baumann@ipsd.org

Feel free to contact me with anytime with questions, concerns, or simply to tell me your child is a happy third grader!

If you need so get a message to me or your child right away, call the office.

Third Grade Blog and 3BA Class Blog-

Whenever possible, new information will be posted on the blogs by Monday morning. Please check the third grade blog for curriculum information, test dates, spelling lists, special events, and links. Check the 3BA class blog for any important announcements or information specific to our class.

Volunteers-

Throughout the year, the third grade team will be requesting volunteers for a variety of activities. We will notify you as the need arises. Keep checking the blog and your e-mail for details.

Assignment Notebooks –

All students received one assignment notebook for the year.

If there is no homework, the students will write “none”. This alerts the parents that there truly is no homework for that day.

At the beginning of the year, (1st quarter) I check every notebook to make sure they are writing everything down.

By Second quarter, it’s the students responsibility to write down assignments and turn them in on time.

Homework –

Homework is designed to supplement classroom instruction.

Third graders should expect between 15 to 30 minutes of homework a night.

Third graders should read “Just Right” books every night.

They should also practice their math facts as much as possible.

Usually there is no homework given on Friday.

Please allow your child to do his/her own work.

Grades –

The grading scale for District 204 is a follows:

A+ = 100% A = 92-99% A- = 91% B+ = 90%

B =82-89% B- =81% C+ =80% C =72-79% C- = 71%

D+ = 70% D = 66-69% D- = 65% F = 64%

Students grades will be based on a combination of test scores, quizzes, in-class assignments, project, oral retellings, journal responses, and class participation.

Instruction –

Language Arts- Our balanced literacy program includes:

•Whole group/small group instruction

•Comprehension

•Guided reading

•Fluency practice

•Reading to self, reading to others, and listening to others reading/read aloud

•Word study/vocabulary

•Spelling

•Writing

•Grammar

Each week, your child will practice different strategies such as predicting, using context clues, summarizing, and creating mental images.

Instruction (cont.)–

Writing-

•Quick writes (3-5 minute writing prompts)

•Fully developed paragraph using a topic sentence, details, elaboration, and a conclusion

•Using proper grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

•Introduced to the writing process

•Brainstorming and creating graphic organizers to generate ideas

•Children will learn how to write narrative, informational, and opinion essays

Instruction (cont.) –

Spelling-

•Pretest determines which list the students will study

•Typically given on Fridays

•Lists are provided on the blogs and on Spelling City

•Login and password for Spelling City is: maywatts, maywatts

Instruction (cont.) –

Otter Creek-

•Math fact fluency program

•Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts

•New Common Core curriculum states that third graders need to master all of their facts by the end of the year

Instruction (cont.) –

Science and Social Studies-

•Subjects alternate throughout the year

•Science Units are Bones and Muscles, Simple Machines, Habitats, Matter, and the Moon

•Social Studies Units consist of Communities, Government, People who shaped our Lives, Immigration/Migration

Instruction (cont.)–

Cursive- The students will continue to practice cursive and will be expected to write some assignments in cursive by 4th quarter.

Current Events-

•Third Grade News Teams

•News reporter jobs are: Anchor Person, Book Critic, Commercial, Food Critic, Movie Critic, and Sports Reporter.

•See blog for details

weekly graded workparents sign and return the next day

If a child received a grade below 70%, parents need to sign

Make Up Work-

•Parents need to notify the office of all student absences

•Homework may be requested if your child is absent for three (3) or more days because of illness.

•Reasonable due dates are set for makeup work, study guides, and tests.

•No homework will be given for vacations.

Thanks for coming!

Miss Anco, Mrs. Adams/Mrs. Brayton, Mrs. Baumann,

Mrs. Kiselyk, and Ms. Pedersen