Here are some of the concepts and big ideas we have recently been working on in school:
Homework isn't just for kids. I assign homework for three reasons. One is to create good work and study habits. Another is so that you can see what your child is working on in school. Finally, I assign homework to provide practice opportunities.
The best way to find out what your child needs to do for homework is to look in the agenda. Every day your child takes a few moments to copy down the day's homework in the current day's space. I will also indicate the color your child earned for the day's behavior in class. The agenda is a quick way for you to communicate with me, and me with you. I will normally save longer communication for emails or phone calls. I also occasionally write a note to your child in their agenda, to share a compliment.
Your child also has a take-home folder. Papers that have been corrected or other notes home go on the side marked "to stay at home." Homework or papers requiring other action go on the side marked "to return to school."
Homework varies from day to day, but one thing I expect every third grader to do every night is READ for at least 20 minutes. This is a school-wide expectation every evening! Third graders need to become independent in their reading, so reading to you or another family member is very important. Talk about what your child is reading! Share your enjoyment of reading! It's contagious!
- Reading/Language Arts: Writing descriptive, narrative and expository paragraphs; reader's theatre; different ways to spell vowel blends, such as using r- controlled vowels; finding text evidence; cursive handwriting practice; and determining the meaning of multiple meaning words using context clues.
- Math: Multiplication and division facts; fractions; problem-solving strategies.
- Science: Plants and their parts; 4H radish growing project; the growth cycle of plants and how they react to the sun; classifications of animals.
- Social Studies: Women's History Month, the Olympic Games; and current events as presented in Florida Studies Weekly and Time for Kids.
Homework isn't just for kids. I assign homework for three reasons. One is to create good work and study habits. Another is so that you can see what your child is working on in school. Finally, I assign homework to provide practice opportunities.
The best way to find out what your child needs to do for homework is to look in the agenda. Every day your child takes a few moments to copy down the day's homework in the current day's space. I will also indicate the color your child earned for the day's behavior in class. The agenda is a quick way for you to communicate with me, and me with you. I will normally save longer communication for emails or phone calls. I also occasionally write a note to your child in their agenda, to share a compliment.
Your child also has a take-home folder. Papers that have been corrected or other notes home go on the side marked "to stay at home." Homework or papers requiring other action go on the side marked "to return to school."
Homework varies from day to day, but one thing I expect every third grader to do every night is READ for at least 20 minutes. This is a school-wide expectation every evening! Third graders need to become independent in their reading, so reading to you or another family member is very important. Talk about what your child is reading! Share your enjoyment of reading! It's contagious!