Back to School Night

rd
3 Grade
2007 – 2008

Mrs. Lee
Room 25

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Lee
 Welcome to Room 25!
I am delighted to be your child’s teacher and I look forward to working with your child
as well as with you! I hope you find the following information useful in understanding your
child’s class and what is expected of your and third grader. The standards, goals, and
curriculum of this class are based on the Cupertino Union School District’s course study for
these grades.
Inside this packet you will find information on:
− Curriculum
− Grades and Reporting
− Newsletters
− Homework and Help
− Book Reports and Morning Talk Assignments*
− Field Trips
− Student Star
− Quizzes and Tests
− Lunch
− Birthdays
− Thursday Folders
− Schedule for Room 25
* Required to sign and return
In addition, you will find handouts called Independent Strategies, and Helping At Home. This
is a great resource for you.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. The best way to reach me during
the day is via email at lee_ada@cupertino.k12.ca.us. Email is a great way for communication
if you need to notify me of upcoming events, such as doctor’s appointments or vacations. I
would advise to schedule appointments after school. Email is also a way to let me know if
your child was unable to do his homework due to a special family circumstance, etc. If email
is not a way for communication, you may also leave me a message at 252 – 5414, ext. 225
and I will return your call as soon as possible. The best time for individual
conferenc es is after school.

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Curriculum
(Please see appendix for Content Standards for 3rd grade.)
Reading: We are using Houghton Mifflin Reading anthologies. Along with the
reading of a wide variety of stories this series provides students with activities, which
encourage real life skills and strategies while developing their critical and creative thinking.
The grammar component to this series also focuses on improving students’ proofreading
skills.
We will also use a variety of trade books to supplement our reading program along
with the districts recommended core literature books: Muggie Maggie, Molly’s Pilgrim,
Charlotte’s Web, Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, A weed is a Flower, and Paul Bunyan.
There will be a variety of other tall tales, and stories that have been favorites at this age.
Our focus on comprehension, vocabulary building and the reading of a variety of books
from different genres are further encouraged through our Reader’s Workshop teaching
program at Garden Gate and the requirement of book reports throughout the year.
Language Arts consists of written and oral language.
Written language includes writer’s workshops (expository and narrative), poetry,
letters and journals. Cursive will be taught as part of the curriculum and good penmanship
will be expected in the year. As a warm up to language and grammar, students will use a
“Daily Paragraph Editing (DPE)” in which they correct sentences, use proper grammar, learn
vocabulary, etc. Students will write independently using prewriting (brain storming), rough
drafts, peer editing, adult editing, and finally the final draft. Each student is graded on the
use of his or her writing time in addition to the rough copy of the creation.
Oral language includes speaking in front of the class for book reports, and Morning
Talk presentations (sharing).
Spelling will have two components this year. All students were assigned the Rebecca
Sitton’s high frequency word list basic list during the beginning of the year, but will be moved
to a more difficult list as the year continues. Students will be expected to spell the high
frequency words correctly all the time, not just on the Friday dictation tests. The second
component involved spelling words most frequently used in books and in subjects learned in
class (i.e. vocabulary words used in a story). New words will be given weekly. See the
enclosed letter regarding spelling. You will also find the “No Excuse” words.
Mathematic lessons will come from Houghton Mifflin mathematics textbooks, “Math
Daily Warm Ups”, and various supplemental math resources. By the end of the year, students
will know how to add, multiply, divide, count money, estimate, measure, label geometric
shapes, apply fractions, and solve word problems. “Math Daily Warm Ups” reinforces
concepts learned and familiarizes students with important math vocabulary.
Ultimately, our goal is students who are critical thinkers and can explain why and how
they solve problems rather than just getting the correct answer.
Social Studies will use the Scott Foresman Social Studies Series Third grade students
will learn about many types of communities with an emphasis on Santa Clara County and
Native Americans--mainly Ohlone. We will also study our government and important people
in the development of our government. Second grade students will learn about important
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events that happen recently verses a long time ago. They will learn about basic concepts of
government and economy.
Science will include 3 major units this year: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and
Earth Sciences. This should be an exciting time for the students because most of the units
emphasize hands on learning and all students will participate in the experiments.
Our Physical Education program will encourage students to do exercises and learn
skills useful in a variety of sports where they use large motor skills. This year our physical
education program will be taught by a parent volunteer. Students should wear tennis shoes
or comfortable shoes to participate without injury.
Art will be based on the Spectra Art program and will be taught every other week by
parent volunteer(s). Other art projects or crafts will be integrated into all subject areas.
Computer /Library time will be once a week. We will begin with 45 minutes per
week for computers. In addition to this time, students will be receiving keyboarding skills for
six weeks later this school year. Within the classroom students will be using alpha smarts to
type their final creative stories. The library is open to our class for 30 minutes per week.
Mrs. Ketcham will teach music onc e a week. Mrs. Ketcham is a wonderful
music teacher.

Grades & Reporting

For quizzes, projects and tests, six-point rubric will be used in grading your students.
More information about the rubric system will be provided during parent conferences. For
other assignments, , ,− will be given according to completeness and effort. (See Appendix)

Newsletters
Classroom newsletters will be sent home once a month. They usually are sent home in
the green folders the first week of every month. In the newsletter will be information on
upcoming events, what we’ve accomplished last month, praise reports and even volunteer
opportunities. The newsletters are a great way for you to stay informed.
If you want more up to date information on homework, field trips, assignments, etc., we
hope to have a group email list for you to ask questions.

Homework
The main purpose of homework is for your child to foster responsibility and
accountability. Homework will also foster a love of reading, review basic skills, and build
study habits. There are many folds to homework (please see additional handout on homework
that is in your student’s homework folder):
1. Homework is given in a packet on Mondays and is due Fridays. The packet will list
their homework assignments and you will need to initial each assignment as they are
done. The packets will include reading, math, and spelling. Other subjects such as
cursive (or print), science, social studies and grammar will be included accordingly.
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 2. Unfinished work from class will sometimes be sent home to complete. These
unfinished assignments are due the NEXT day.
3. Reading Logs should be completed Mondays-Thursdays and are DUE Fridays. This
should be turned in along with the homework packets.
4. Home Journ als are a great way for you to keep connected with your student. They
will write you a letter on Fridays to tell you how their week went. They should explain
to you what they learned and ask you questions. Please take some time over the
weekend to write them back. It is important for them to know you are interested.
Homework assignments are NOT accepted late unless a parent note is sent in explaining why
the assignments weren’t completed. Students will use their recess time to complete missing
homework assignments so they will receive the benefits from the assignments. If homework
is finished early, encourage your child to start his/her book report by reading or starting the
written assignment.
For help in homework, you can visit:
http://aolatschool.com/
http://www.kidsclick.org/
http://www.kidinfo.com/
Students are REQUIRED to do their own work, both in class and outside of class.
You may help students by guiding them, and NOT giving them the answers.
With that said, YOU MAY NOT DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND/OR BOOK
REPORTS. Students will not learn effectively that way.
Make sure they have a place for them to do their homework at home. This place
MUST be quiet and they are NOT to be disturbed (i.e. kitchen or dining areas are
commonly where students get distracted the most). A good place for them to
work is at their own desk in their own room.

Book Reports and Morning Talk Assignments

BOOK REPORT and MORNING TALK ASSIGNMENTS HAVE DUE DATES in the APPENDIX!
Book reports are a part of the curriculum and are valued highly in this class!
Throughout the year, students will have the opportunity to select books from different genres
for a report. For more information, see handout on book reports. All book reports are due on
the last week of each month and exact dates of when book reports will be accounced at the
start of the month. To ensure the validity of the book report, please do not DO the book report
for your child, but instead help in needed areas. For example, proof reading. (See Appendix)
Morning Talks are great for exercising oral presentation skills. Each student will be
required to talk about ANYTHING they are comfortable talking about. See handout for
possible talk subjects. They are required to informally talk to the class for 5 minutes. This
should be fun and it is very informal. Students need to do 2 talks per grading period so see
the schedule. (See Appendix)

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 Field Trips
We will be going on many field trips this year. Don’t forget to chaperone!
− Musicals and Shows at the Flynnt Center (on foot)
− Whole Foods Market (on foot)
− San Francisco Symphony (bus)
− Ohlone Habitat at Deer Hollow Farm (bus or parent cars)
− Fishing in the City (bus)
− Creek Studies at McClellan Ranch (bus)
− Pen pal Picnic (on foot)

Student Star
One student will be chosen to be the “Student Star”. Everybody will get the chance to be the
star! (See Appendix )

Quizzes and Tests

Fridays are reserved for subject related quizzes.
The quizzes will take no longer than 20 minutes and should not be a concern if they have
finished their homework and classroom assignments. Quizzes will help students be familiar
with test taking techniques for future standardized tests. In general, students will have at least
a spelling quiz every week.

Lunch
Please send in lunch money in the blue envelopes provided by the office. If your child forgets
his/her lunch (or anything else) please drop it off at th e office . We will ensure that
your child gets it. Please do not come directly to the room. Thanks.

Birthdays
If you would like to send in a birthday treat for your child’s birthday, please tell me in
advance, so I know to write it into my lesson plans. We will celebrate towards the end of the
day. According to the district, the school would like healthier snacks at these parties. Please
do not send in cake, it is very messy and requires plates, napkins, and forks.

Thursday Folders
Please sign th e c over sh eet of your green f olders. This tells me you’ve received and
gone over the material sent home. You will find valuable information in this folder weekly!!

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 APPENDIX
Room 25 Weekly Schedule

Time
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
:
8:00 Daily Paragraph Editing (Language Warm Up) Quizzes
Pledge/Announcements
8:15
(Tuesday 8:15-9:00 P.E.)
8:25 Handwriting (Cursive)
(Monday 8:35-8:45 Library)
8:35
Reader’s Workshop
9:15 Writer’s Workshop
10:00 Recess
10:20 Read Aloud Class Meeting Read Aloud Class Meeting Read Aloud
Music
10:30 Math Math
Math
11:30 Lunch
12:15 Silent Reading
12:30 Spelling
Spectra Art/ Home Journals/
12:45 Social Studies Science Social Studies
Science P.E. / Free Play

2:05
Dismissal (1:30 TUESDAYS)
N ote s:
•

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 California State Standards
3rd grade
For more information, please visit: http://www.cde.ca.gov/

Math
Place value through 100,000
Add or subtract whole numbers through thousands
Identify equal amounts of money
Solve problems involving elapsed time
Collect and organize data from a survey
Identify temperature in F and C
Introduce multiplication facts for 3,46,7,8, and 9

Language Arts
Demonstrate comprehension by identifying answers in the text.
Distinguish the main idea and supporting details in expository text.
Ask questions and support answers by connecting prior knowledge
with literal information found in, and inferred from, the text.
Extract appropriate and significant information from the text,
including problems and solutions.
Recall major points in the text and make and modify predictions
about forthcoming information.
Ask questions and support answers by connecting prior knowledge
with literal information found in, and inferred from, the text.
Follow simple multiple-step written instructions

Social Studies
Continuity and Change

Science
Physical Sciences
-Matter and Energy
Life Sciences
-Structures of Life
Earth Sciences
-Sun, Moon and Stars

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Student Star!
Each student in our class is STAR! To honor them, we will choose one Student Star
every week to be our class leader. Being a class student s tar is a BI G
deal. They are responsible for leading pledge for the week, for being line leader
and for helping me out whenever possible! Their famous face and their biography
will be hung up in a special place in the classroom. When your child gets selected,
they will need to com plete the pos ter pa per a nd bring in 6 -12 photos of
themselv es and /or family . It is their special moment to share about his/her
family!

In addition, they will take home the Estimate Jar. The Estimate Jar is very cool!
They need to fill the jar with observable items (i.e. things that kids can easily
see). Other kids from the class will try and guess how many items are in the jar
for a prize. Some example items are pencils, erasers, papers, candy, etc. Let me
know how many items are in the jar once filled. The poster and jar will usually be
given on Friday and is due the following Monday.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Mrs. Lee

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 Book Reports 2008-2009

Your child is required to do four book reports. The book reports will have a written
portion (visual aide) and an oral portion. The book your child chooses has to be approved
by me at least a month before the due date. The book should have a minimum of 50
pages. We will be covering the following genres: October-Mystery, November-Fiction,
February-Biography, March-Poetry.

Information on how to do individual book reports will be reviewed in class with the
children. Due dates are already assigned below!

Although your child may need some assistance with the book report, your child should
do ALL of the work.

October WRITTEN PART DUE DATE: OCTOBER 26th

Presentation days:
10/29: Veronica, Rujul, Kinjal. Frederick, Kayoung
10/30: Nolan, Pavithra, Abhishek, Cory
11/1: Eric, Jason, Akanksha, Shreevika, Nitin
11/2: Sneha, Ron, Rasika, Victoria, Andy

November WRITTEN PART DUE DATE: NOVEMBER 30th

Presentation days:
12/3: Nolan, Pavithra, Abhishek, Cory
12/4: Eric, Jason, Akanksha, Shreevika, Nitin
12/5: Sneha, Ron, Rasika, Victoria, Andy
12/6: Veronica, Rujul, Kinjal. Frederick, Kayoung

February WRITTEN PART DUE DATE: FEBRUARY 29th

Presentation days:
3/3: Eric, Jason, Akanksha, Shreevika, Nitin
3/4: Sneha, Ron, Rasika, Victoria, Andy
3/5: Veronica, Rujul, Kinjal. Frederick, Kayoung
3/6: Nolan, Pavithra, Abhishek, Cory

March WRITTEN PART DUE DATE: MARCH 24th

Presentation days:
3/25: Sneha, Ron, Rasika, Victoria, Andy
3/26: Veronica, Rujul, Kinjal. Frederick, Kayoung
3/27: Nolan, Pavithra, Abhishek, JaeEun
3/28: Jason, Akanksha, Shreevika, Nitin
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 Morning Talk Assignment
This is an ongoing assignment for the entire school year.

Each student will be required to give 6 talks or 2 per grading period.

Talks may be on any topic of interest to the student within the limits of good taste and school
policy. Talks must be at least 3 to 5 minutes in length, but may be no longer than 10 minutes.
The talk should be interesting and informative; students are encouraged to do reading and/or
research on their topic in preparation. Props and visual aids are encouraged, but not required.
Brief notes may be used, but students should refrain from reading to the audience, with the
exception of quoted passages.

Ideas for possible talks include:

Hobbies-share what you do, how to get started, background information (history of the hobby)
and other interesting bits of information

Skills- in addition to the above, demonstrate and/or teach how to do something

Travel- give information (location, climate information, geological/ historical background

sketch) about a place you have been, as well as sharing interesting sites to see, things to do,
places to stay, eat, how to get there

Personal interests- share information about and your enthusiasm for a particular interest you
have

Other- think of something you would like to know more about, research it, and share your
findings

DUE DATES:
First Trimester-
-1 talk in September and 1 talk in October. Let me know what day.
Second Trimester-
-1 talk in January and 1 talk in February. Let me know what day.
Third Trimester-
-1 talk in April and 1 talk in May. Let me know what day.

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 rd
2nd and 3 Grade Spelling

Dear Parents,

This year’s spelling program may differ from what you have seen in the past. This
program was designed to help students become more fluent writers and more
accurate spellers. Here is some information about how our spelling program will
work:

• Students will receive a weekly spelling list with at least 15 words on Fridays.
Some of the words will be words that follow a phonetic pattern and some of
the words will be from their personal list of words to learn. There will also
be words that we will call “No Excuse Words”. These are words that are
used most frequently in daily writing.

• Once students have had a “No Excuse Word”, they will be expected to spell
it correctly at all times (not just on one weekly spelling test).

• There will be a spelling test every Friday. It will consist of dictation

sentences using the words from that week and will include words that the
students have learned up to that point in the year. This will help students
retain what they have learned from week to week.

• During the next week, students are expected to study the spelling words on
their own for homework using the spelling contract. They will get a spelling
contract in their homework folders along with the words. Choose the ways
that help your child learn and retain the words.

• During class days, we will have a buddy study system for the kids to help one
another to learn their words.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Lee

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Lee