Academics

Subject Areas

 

Religion:

The students will attend Mass of Tuesday and Thursday each week. In addition to our consumable Religion textbook, we use the Bible in class to research Bible Questions, as well as study for Bible Question tests. Throughout the year, the students will be responsible for learning/reviewing the following prayers:

 

• Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Apostles Creed, Grace,
• Act of Contrition, Consecration to Mary

 

Main Topics for the year include: The Catholic faith, Vocation & Healing, Bible Stories, Response to God, and Devotions

 

Confession is also a major objective in the third grade. Students will concentrate on the steps of Confession, memorizing the Act of Contrition, and the examination of conscience.

 

Reading: The following materials will be used to enhance your child’s reading abilities: Open Court text and Spelling/Vocabulary curriculum, literature recommended for various reading levels (list attached), and Accelerated Reading tests. We will concentrate on one story per week in our Open Court texts. Each Friday, the students will receive their spelling list for the following week. This list is composed of spelling and vocabulary words important to the story at hand. Students are responsible for taking their book home, reading the story to a parent, and having a parent sign the form in the front of their text. The students are also responsible for having all of their textbooks in class EVERY day.

 

• Accelerated Reading: Two books should read and tests taken and passed per month. (One fiction and one non-fiction beginning in January) Students must pass each test with a 70% of higher. If he/she scores lower than a 70%, that student should allow enough time to read another story and take a test by the last day of the month.

Main topics for the year include: Predicting, Making Inferences Summarizing, Classifying, Categorizing, Making Connections, Visualizing, Asking Questions, Main Ideas and Supporting Details, Cause and Effect & Sequencing

 

Spelling:

Spelling lists will be given out on Monday. Your child will attach this list to their Spelling spiral. For homework, each week, the students will practice writing their words four times each on loose leaf paper (this is due on Wednesday). Every Monday, we will take a Pre test, and the students who score a 100%, will not have to take the written test on Friday with the Pre test score being recorded in my gradebook . That student will still be responsible for the Wednesday homework, though. Spelling workbook pages will be assigned to enhance the patterns and rules associated with the word list. Each student will keep a personal spelling dictionary in their desks to use as a resource during all other subjects.

 

Math:

We use a combination of tools for Math instruction. We use our Harcourt math text books primarily to introduce and practice concepts. We also have two computerized tools available: Accelerated Math & Math Facts in a Flash. The students will be responsible for knowing all math facts after they have been introduced (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). Major concepts for third graders include: carrying numbers with addition and subtraction, borrowing numbers, rounding and estimating, fractions, multiplication, division, telling time, and money.

 

Handwriting:

All work is to be done neatly! If work has been turned in that is not neat, it may be returned to the student to be written legibly. All work is subject to a handwriting grade. We practice our handwriting skills in class with the use of our Zaner-Bloser workbooks. Beginning in 2007, the students will complete all of their work in cursive handwriting.

 

Science/ Social Studies:

Students are required to keep a notebook for these two subjects. The notebooks contain notes, lesson summaries, and lesson reviews. In Science, students will complete an animal research project. This project will consist of students using assigned resources to locate information. Researching skills will be taught at school, but may require additional limited help from you at home. In Social Studies, the students will research Christmas traditions in December. A written report will be assigned, and students will give an oral presentation to the class. A map skills book will be used in conjunction with our Social Studies text book to enhance mapping skills.

 

*Main Social Studies Topics for the Year Include:

Mapping, What is a Community, Where People Start Communities, Communities grow and change, People Working Together, Living together in a community/state/nation, and the Many People of a Community

 

*Main Science topics for the year include: Plants & Animals, Earth’s Land, Investigating Matter, Exploring Energy and Forces

 

 Kathy’s Art:

Once a month, the students will have Kathy’s Art. We need two parent volunteers per class to help with this activity. The dates and times can be arranged through our room parent!

 

Agenda:

The students will be provided with an agenda book in which to keep their assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to write down these assignments and take home the necessary books to complete them. I will assist them with this task in the first few weeks of school—after that, they must assume the responsibility. Their agenda book should come home each night and returned to school each morning (regardless of whether or not homework was assigned). Throughout the day, the students will be recording the learning objectives we are striving to meet; please ask them to tell you about these. (Rather than saying they did ‘nothing’ at school, you can ask them about how well they achieved the days’ objectives.)