Third Grade

Handbook

Legend Springs
Elementary
Dear Families,

We want to welcome you and your child to the third grade!

We are looking forward to working with you and your child to make this an
exciting year for all of us! Enclosed you will find a variety of information
regarding policies and expectations. Please read over each section and save
this information for future reference. We have done our best to be clear on all
points; however, we realize there is always room for questions. Please feel
free to approach any one of us at anytime.

Our goal, as classroom teachers, is to facilitate each student’s learning and

enhance his or her overall growth and desire to learn. Student growth and
development is related to a cooperative and supportive classroom
environment. It is our hope that this year will be a most exciting and
rewarding time for your child in his or her journey to success in learning.

Every child’s success in school is dependent upon many factors. The most
important factor is the student, parents and teacher working together to
provide the most supportive program of education. Ongoing communication is
an essential part of your child’s success in school. Your feedback is welcome
and your participation is encouraged!

Thank you for your support and cooperation. We are going to have a great
year!

Sincerely,

Third Grade Teachers

 Curriculum Overview
Curriculum in all of the third grade classrooms follows the Common Core
Standards.

English Language Arts (ELA)

Reading is the most important and perhaps the most challenging skill young
children acquire. The primary focus in third grade reading instruction is to
continue to build reading skills and increase fluency and comprehension using
the common core standards.

1) Literature: Key ideas and details, craft and structure, integration of

knowledge and ideas, and range of reading and level of text complexity.

2) Informational Text: Key ideas and details, craft and structure, integration
of knowledge and ideas, and range of reading and level of text complexity.

3) Foundational Skills: Phonics and word recognition, and fluency.

4) Writing: Text types and purposes and production, distribution of writing,

research to build and present knowledge, and range of writing.

5) Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and collaboration, presentation

of knowledge and ideas.

6) Language: Conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and

vocabulary acquisition and use
 The Daily 5
The Daily Five is a research based method of structuring the reading
block so every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks.
These tasks focus on those skills that will have the biggest impact on student
reading and writing achievement, as well as fostering children who love to
read and write. Students receive daily whole group instruction as well as
independent practice time to read and write independently. The Daily Five is
comprised of the following:

Read to Self
The best way to become a better reader is by practicing each day, with books
the students choose and are a "Good Fit". These books may include books
from the class library, or poetry. Students will read books independently from
their Book Bags. These book bags are composed of books they choose from
leveled book boxes. Students will "shop" for new books weekly or when
needed.

Read to Someone
Partner reading allows for more time to practice strategies, helping to build
fluency, check for understanding, and hear their own voice and time to share
in this learning community. They may read the Reading Street selections or
books from each others’ Book Bags. Each student will have the chance to be a
"Coach".

Listen to Reading
Hearing good examples of literature and fluent reading expands your
vocabulary, builds stamina and helps you become a better reader. Students
will be able to listen to books via the CD player with headphones; teacher
read books or the computer.

Word Work
Expanded vocabulary and correct spelling allow for more fluent reading and
writing thus speeding up the ability to comprehend what is read and get
thinking down on paper.

Work on Writing
Just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is by practicing
writing each day. Students work on an existing writing piece or write about a
topic of choice.
 I PICK "Good Fit Books"
The students are taught from day one about choosing and selecting books that are
just right for their reading level. They are called "Good Fit Books".

1. I pick a book

2. P urpose (What's my purpose for choosing this book?)

3. I nterest (Does this book interest me?)
4. C omprehend (Can I comprehend what I'm reading?)
5. K now (Do I know most of the words?)

Check for Understanding

This is a comprehension strategy that teaches children to stop frequently and
check, or monitor, if they understand what they are reading.

Often as readers, children are so aware of reading accurately that they forget
to take time and think about what they are reading, checking to see if they
understand the text. Advanced readers can develop the habit of reading
through the text without monitoring if they were aware of Checking for
Understanding (comprehending).

This vital strategy is not only one of the first we introduce, but is also one we
model frequently throughout the year.

When students are Reading to Someone, their job is listening and retelling
what their partner just read. When they switch, the other student reads as
their buddy listens and retells.

Building Stamina
Many parents are amazed to hear their child speak about building "stamina".
It's not a typical word you hear third graders say! When I begin teaching The
Daily 5 parts, the first time I model, instruct, and demonstrate how to do this
skill, the students start on their own for 3 minutes. Every day we add one
minute or more, eventually building their stamina to 30 minutes. The students
"build stamina" for each of the Daily 5 parts.
Homework
Reading homework consists of reading 20 minutes or more each night
(including RazKids or literature books). There will also be 20 minutes of
assigned Reading homework each night.

Writing
Next to reading, writing should be the most exciting skill to improve on this
year. Students will build their basic writing and spelling skills through mini
lessons and activities to become more effective writers. There are many
aspects of writing that we will focus on this year.

The first is the writing process itself. The students will have an ongoing
writing folder which holds the assignments they will be working on each day
to improve familiarity with the writing process. The focus for the writing
process includes:

Prewriting Editing
Writing Publishing
Revising

Another focus in writing is grammar. Students will understand how to

recognize and form a complete sentence with subject and predicate, follow
basic capitalization rules, proofreading strategies, and other grammar terms
like:

Subject/verb agreement Prepositional phrase

Punctuation 8 parts of speech

An additional focus in writing is spelling which will include phonemic patterns

and spelling rules, such as:

using ‘i’ before ‘e’ dropping the final ‘e’

changing final ‘y’ to ‘i’ doubling final consonant

One more focus in writing is working to include the six recognized traits to a
well written piece. These are:

Ideas Word Choice

Organization Sentence Fluency
Voice Conventions
 Lastly, there are many different types of writing. In third grade, we will
be working on some or all of these genres:

Argumentative/persuasive Narrative
Informative/explanatory texts Comparison/Contrast
Cause/effect Description

Math
The third grade teachers at Legend Springs use the enVision Math Program.
This is a comprehensive program classified into topics. The topics include:
data/graphs/probability, numeration, adding whole numbers, subtraction
number sense, subtracting whole numbers to solve problems, multiplication
meanings and facts, multiplication fact strategies, congruence and symmetry,
division meanings, division facts, patterns and relationships, solids and
shapes, understanding fractions, customary measurement, metric
measurement, perimeter/area/volume, time/temperature, and discrete
math.

Each lesson focuses on hands-on learning, guided and independent practice,

problem solving and connections to literature. Homework will be assigned
Monday - Thursday. The goal is 90% mastery of all lessons. Module
assessments will be given for a grade at the end of each module and
sometimes at the mid-module break. In addition there will be Module Topic
quizzes given for a grade.

We will also be incorporating math centers to enrich problem solving and

critical thinking skills and a daily exit ticket to keep learned lessons fresh in
their mind.

Homework
Math homework consists of:
Math worksheet
 Social Studies
In third grade we will use the Harcourt Social Studies Series to explore many
aspects of the Arizona State Standards.

Character Counts Biographies Civics and Government

Exploration Civil War/Reconstruction
Ancient Greece/Rome Immigration Economics Maps/Geography

We will also be using the Weekly Reader/Scholastic Weekly Magazines that

incorporate the Social Studies Arizona State Standards for third Grade.

**In third grade there will be a large emphasis on the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship as well as identifying the traits of good
character.

Science
The Foss program provides a science curriculum which includes the study of:
structures of life, earth materials, and physics of sound.

We will continue to focus on the inquiry process of science and how to predict
and record outcomes. We will practice organizing data and communicating
results of an investigation.

We will also be using the Weekly Reader/Scholastic Weekly Magazines that

incorporate the Science Arizona State Standards for Third Grade.

Technology
Technology is integrated into all curriculum areas. We will attend the
computer lab weekly with supervised internet instruction during research
units. Our classroom is equipped with student computers to extend their
technology experience during center/workstation time.
 Classroom Procedures and Other Stuff
Communication
The best way to communicate with your teacher is by emails.

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

3rd Grade Website: http://www.dvusd.org/ls-thirdgrade

• Important Dates
• Newsletters
• Curriculum

Legend Springs Website: http://www.dvusd.org/legendsprings

School Supplies
Donated school supplies are appreciated, but not required. Teachers will
provide standard classroom supplies for student use in the classroom. Check
the website for suggested supplies. We ordered Scholastic News bi-weekly
magazines for each student. To help cover the cost, a $5 donation would be
greatly appreciated.

Classwork
It is important that good work habits are encouraged. Each student will have
ample work time to complete assignments and ask questions. If the work is
still not completed, it may be sent home and will be due the next day.

Birthdays
Birthdays are special times for all students. It is acceptable for your child to
bring small, store-bought birthday treats to share with the entire class on his/
her special day. Summer birthdays with be recognized near the end of the
school year. If your child is planning a birthday celebration outside of school,
he/ she will not be permitted to distribute invitations while inside the
classroom, unless the entire class has been invited.
 **Please be aware of any food allergies within the classroom**
Baked/Processed Birthday or Celebration Treats List
ALL classrooms at Legend Springs School are nut-free areas. This includes
foods processed in a factory that also processes nut-containing foods.
Unfortunately, most bakery items, including cupcakes and donuts, are included
in this group of foods, so they are not allowed. If there are other allergies in
your child’s room, you will receive another note at the beginning of the year
outlining these additional precautions.

To keep all our students safe at school, baked/processed birthday or celebration

treats brought to school to be shared in class must be one of the following:

• Barnum’s Animal Crackers – Original

• Rold Gold Pretzels
• Chips Ahoy – Chocolate Chip, Reduced Fat, Candy Blasts, Chunky, Chewy,
White Fudge Chunky, Mini
• Keebler Vanilla Wafers – Original, Mini
• Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies
• Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs – Oreo Thin Crisps, Chips Ahoy Thin Crisps, Lorna
Doone Shortbread, Cookie Crisps
• Nabisco Biscos Sugar Wafers – Creme Filling
• Nabisco Classics –Iced Animal Cookies, Oatmeal, Soft Oatmeal Raisin, Iced
Oatmeal, French, Vanilla Crème
• Oreos – Original, Reduced Fat, Double Stuff, Cool Mint, Golden, Golden Double
Stuff, Chocolate, Golden Chocolate, Sugar Free, Berry Burst Ice
Cream, Halloween, Triple Double, Double Stuff Heads or Tails, Mini
• Nutri Grain Cereal Bars – Blueberry, Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon, Blackberry,
Mixed Berry, Raspberry, Cherry Pomegranate, Strawberry Acai
• Special K Bar – Blueberry, Strawberry, Chocolatey Drizzle, Raspberry
Cheesecake, Vanilla Crisp
• Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats – Original
• Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups or Fruit by the Foot
• Fruit Gushers
• Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks – Dora the Explorer, Scooby-Doo,
SpongeBob Square Pants, Shark Bites
• Dole Fruit Bars – Variety 12 Pack (Strawberry, Grape, Raspberry)
• Luigi’s Real Italian Ice – 6 Pack Varieties: Cherry, Lemon, Lemon & Strawberry,
Mango, Watermelon & Blue Raspberry
• Marino’s Italian Ice – 12 Pack Varieties: Blue, Bubble Gum, Cherry, Chocolate,
Cola, Grape, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Orange, Pineapple,
Rainbow, Strawberry, Tropical, Watermelon

OR ANY SNACK LISTED AS NUT-FREE ON THE SNACK SAFELY SNACK LIST AT:
http://snacksafely.com/safe-snack-guide
 Thank you, Michele Hart, RN [email protected]
Sack Lunches on Early Release Days
There is no time to eat sack lunches. We normally do not eat lunch until
12:20, so it doesn't seem to be a necessity when we release students at
12:05. If you would like your child to purchase a sack lunch and save it for
after school, let their teacher and they will schedule time for your child to
purchase a lunch during transition time. Otherwise, we are not allowing time
for students to leave instruction time to eat their sack lunches. Thank you for
understanding.

LUNCH
Children will go to recess at 11:50 and lunch will be at 12:10 Children have 2
options for lunch; either buy their lunch or bring their lunch from home. If your child is
buying a lunch, you have the option to send a check or money to school for your child’s
lunch account or you can go to and add money online. https://www.ezschoolpay.com You
will need your child’s id# . Please let me know and I will be happy to give it to you.

Toys
Absolutely NO toys will be allowed in the classroom. Please help your child
remember to leave toys at home by checking his/her backpack from time to
time. If your child tries to bring something to school which is interfering with
his/her learning, it will be taken away.

Volunteers
Homeroom parents are needed to help organize 4 parties.

Fall Party, Friday, Oct. 31

Winter Party, Thursday, Dec. 18
Valentine’s Day Party, Friday, Feb. 13
End of Year Party, Wednesday, May 27

Water Bottles
Water bottles are a MUST for much of the year! Please make sure they are
small, labeled with the child’s name, and contain water only. Water bottles
must be spill proof and free of leaks. Water bottles must remain closed and
off of the child’s desk. A water bottle sleeve or carrier that has a strap is a
great way to keep the books, papers and LIBRARY BOOKS from getting wet in
their backpacks.
 Homework
Agendas
In 3rd grade, students are given an agenda to write down their homework and
to help develop organizational skills. Your child’s homework should be
written down in their agenda. This should help you know what work needs to
be completed. We would like you to sign your child’s agenda every
Thursday night.

Why assign homework?

Research provides strong evidence that, when used appropriately, home
practice benefits student achievement. Homework is a valuable tool to help
students make the most of their experience in school and move information
from short term memory to long term memory. Homework helps deepen the
student’s understanding and knowledge, providing students with opportunities
to extend their learning through independent investigation. Most importantly,
it teaches responsibility and proper study habits.

When will homework be assigned?

Homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday nights. Your child
should be spending up to but no more than 60 minutes a night across all
content areas.
• 20 minutes on math homework
• 20 minutes on reading homework
• 20 minutes reading any reading material of choice. Or RAZKIDS
Remember: Short breaks are good! Consistency is what counts!

What are your child’s homework responsibilities?

Students are expected to do their best job on each homework assignment.
Homework should be done neatly and in pencil. Homework needs to be
completed by the assigned due date. Your child should be asking you to sign
his agenda every Thursday night.

What are the teacher’s responsibilities?

We will check all homework assignments to see if they have been completed
and show good effort. We will support good homework habits by giving praise
and other incentives.
What are the parent’s responsibilities?
Parents are the key to making homework a positive experience. Therefore, it
is important that you make homework a top priority. Provide your student
with the supplies and a quiet homework environment. Set aside a time
everyday when homework should be done. Parent involvement in home
practice should be supportive of student’s learning without the expectation
that parents are teachers at home or are there to police the student’s
homework completion. Parents can listen to their students as they
summarize their learning.

What else parents can do to help your child succeed:

• Monitor your child’s reading – 20 minutes or more a night is the
expectation
• Ask your child what genre they are reading in class or other questions
• Monitor daily math homework and return to class the next day
• Weekly check your child’s grades on Power Schools
• Weekly check your child’s behavior card/agenda
• We would like you to sign your child’s agenda every Thursday night
• Encourage your child to keep their homework folder, agenda, and
backpack organized
• Explore the online reading/math resources
• Please contact your child’s teacher if you having any questions or
concerns regarding your child’s homework.
• Email/contact teachers with concerns/happy thoughts
• Help support us so we can help your child

Support our PTA

Please support our PTA. One of the easiest ways you can support them is to
join their annual membership. It is one of their main fundraisers. Joining the
PTA doesn’t mean you have to attend meetings. It is more like being a silent
partner that helps get extra supplies and technology into your child’s
classroom.

Another way you can support the PTA and your child’s classroom is to collect
Box Tops for Education. Each box top gives our PTA 10 cents. The PTA has a
year round box top drive and classroom contest.