Thriving Thirds News

Dear Third Grade Families,

It was quite an eventful week in the area of testing. We took our beginning of the year screener: AIMS Web for both math and reading. Now we are looking at the data to see how to best service each student. It was our first BIG test of their knowledge and they did great! We encourage a growth mindset and try to instill thinking such as I can't do it YET, I can improve with lots of practice, I can do hard things, etc.

We gave you some parent homework this week, we put it in your child's yellow take home folder. This assignment will give you an opportunity to introduce your child to us!

We look forward to seeing you at Curriculum Night to give you some insight into what your child will learn this year!

Also, you don't want to miss out on the first opportunity to sign up for clubs and parent conferences!

Sincerely,

Third Grade Team

Ms. Disney, Mrs. LaPoint, and Mrs. Thomas

Reading:

• We will identify real life connections between words and their use.
• We will recognize characteristics of realistic fiction.
• I will distinguish between first and third person.
• I will make, correct, and confirm predictions based on text features and genre characteristics.
• I will use context clues to determine word meanings.

Writing:

• We will differentiate and decode the short vowel sounds for a, e, i, o, u.
• We will learn patterns for short vowel sounds.
• We will identify the subject and predicate of a simple sentence.
• We will brainstorm words and phrases on a topic.
• We will make connections and use background knowledge to prepare to read.

Social Studies:

• We will identify and compare how local communities and other communities meet their needs for governments, education, communication, transportation, and recreation.

Math:

• We will represent one- and two- step problems involving addition and subtraction of whole numbers to 1,000 using pictorial models, number lines, and equations.
  

Science:

• We will record the physical properties of matter.

• We will describe and classify samples of matter as solids, liquids, and gases.

Here you can find out what skill your child is working on. There will be examples, terms to know, and a Tic- Tac Toe: Try this at Home Board!

Terms to Know:

○ regrouping: the process of composing 10 ones into the tens place (addition) or decomposing a ten into 10 ones in the ones place (subtraction)

○ fluency: the ability to perform math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) and solve problems quickly and accurately

Explore Days:

We will do many explorations in class to help your child learn these concepts from firsthand experiences. Encourage your child to share these experiences with you and to teach you what he or she has learned. Ask your child to identify examples of what he or she is learning in everyday life, such as minutes of playtime per week, number of cookies made for a party, or beads that are used to make bracelets.

Check out your childs yellow folder to find a sheet called "Reading Cafe". Here you are able to be more involved with their reading by helping them to understand what they read! Pick a question a day and answer the question. Have them answer in complete sentences and give you evidence for how they knew the answer! (Examples can be found on the sheet!)

Progress Learning is another EXCELLENT resource! Each student should have finished their Diagnostic Test and now should be on the tab called MY GALAXIES! These are going to show you what they need to continue to work on and what they already understood (stars).

You will find pictures and updates of all the fun things we are learning and doing in 3rd grade on our Twitters! Follow us! Also, check out the hashtag #DESisBest to see what is happening around Dove!

Amber Disney

• Email: amber.disney@gcisd.net
• Twitter: @disney_des

Taryn LaPoint

• Email: taryn.lapoint@gcisd.net
• Twitter: @DES_LaPoint

Leah Thomas

• Email: leah.thomas@gcisd.net
• Twitter: @leahmt3

August 31: Back-to-School Information Night! (Curriculum Night)

• 5:00 Staff Introductions and PTA Meeting in Cafeteria
• 5:45-6:15 (Session 1)
• 6:30-7:00 (Session 2)

September 1: Dove Spirit Shirt Day!
September 4: Labor Day Holiday- No School
September 7: Boosterthon Fun Run Kick Off Pep Rally

September 8: Dove Spirit Shirt Day!

September 12: Yearbook Picture Day!!

September 14: CEC Meeting After School in Learning Commons 3:30-4:45

September 15:

• Dove Spirit Shirt Day!
  
• Boosterthon Fun Run!!

September 18: Professional Learning Day (Student Holiday)

September 22:

• Dove Spirit Shirt Day!
• Back to School Picnic 5:00-7:00pm @ Dove Park

September 29:

• Dove Spirit Shirt Day!
• All-School Assembly to Recognize our Students of the Month

• Please make sure your student's Chromebook is charged and ready to go for the next day! We will be using these to supplement our learning DAILY!
• Also, if you haven't already, please send headphones with your student.

If your child wants to bring a snack, please pack a healthy snack! Spoon free foods such as carrots, fruits, pretzels, etc are encouraged! **No Peanuts!

Unhealthy foods such as chips, cookies, donuts, candy, etc. will not be allowed and we will ask your child to save it for home. If you have any questions, please email your child's teacher.

This year all of DOVE students will be using the CHAMPS system in their classrooms and common areas to set the expectation of behaviors expected. CHAMPS stands for Communication, Help, Movement, Participation, and Success. Before a different activity or going into a common area teachers and students will review the expectations for each of the letters "CHAMPS" so that all students can be successful!

Dove's 4 Bs for Behavior Expectations

BE Respectful

BE Responsible

BE Safe

BE Ready to Learn

If your child is absent, please notify your child's teacher via email or call the school at (817) 251-5700.

It is required for Dove to keep track of absences and the reasons why. Thanks for your cooperation!

All visitors who wish to visit at Dove or be a part of events such as field trips, Friendship Day, class parties, Field Day, Book Fair shopping, the Fun Run, and more need to have a cleared background check every year.

We encourage ALL VISITORS to do this at the beginning of each school year to avoid any conflicts with attending events at our school!

More information about the process and the online application can be found HERE.