• BEAR BINDER:
    Students will bring a binder to and from school each day. Inside their binder, they will keep their agenda. Each day they will record any work due to help stay organized. I will initial that they have done so. They are responsible for packing anything they need to do for homework. The agenda is a valuable tool for you because it will list work due, when a test is coming up, and other reminders. Please help your child get organized on this new system for 3rd grade. Before long they will become independent with these responsibilities. They will need your initials each night on their agenda. 
     
     
    LATE WORK:
    Work assigned will not be due until the next morning. Students will take home any unfinished work during the day for homework. It will not be late if it is turned in the following morning when they arrive. If it is not, a 10 point reduction will be made and they will finish it at school that day. If necessary, they will need to complete it at recess. If it is not done at recess, it will receive an additional 10 points off. 10 points will continue to be deducted until it is turned in.
     
    HOMEWORK MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY:
     
    Spelling Words- See separate spelling section from home page. Students should study their words and sentences throughout the week.
     
    Reading- Students will be required to read from their library book 20 minutes each evening on Monday through Thursday. Their library book will be inside their BEAR binder each day. Please help them remember to put it back inside their binder to bring it back to school each day. See the "Reading Suggestions" tab in this Website for suggestions on helping your child become a better reader.  
     
    Math- Students will be required to practice their basic math facts for 5-10 minutes each Monday through Thursday night. Short increments of fact practice increases fact fluency astoundingly. You be the judge on whether they need 5 or 10 minutes. 
     
    Suggestions to help-  Purchase flashcards at the Dollar Store (or have your child make them). Make a simple chart for your child. List ones, twos, threes...When your child masters with FLUENCY all the basic ones facts (1+0, 1+1, 1+2, 1+3) draw a star on the chart under the ones column. Go to twos and continue through 12's. When they master their addition with FLUENCY, do the same with subtraction. Praise them and reward them with quality time of their choice along the way.
     
    Here is a list of ways students can practice their math facts each evening:
     
    1. Use flash cards
    2. Study orally with parents on the way to baseball practice
    3. Pick up extra "Mad Minutes" in class from Mrs. Simon and do one at home. Then check it. Note: These can be copied for multiple use.
    4. Use websites suggested under the Favorite Links For Kids tab.  These have timed tests that can be done on the computer specially for fluency.
    5. Call Grandma and practice for 5 minutes over the phone. 
    6. Write troubled facts around the house on Post-it notes.
    7. Brainstorm other ways to practice with your child. 
     
    RE-DO POLICY:
    If students receive a grade of a 69% or below, they have the privilege of re-doing the paper for a grade change. They must be responsible on their own and follow the re-do policy. They will not get the privilege of doing a re-do if they hurried through the paper and skipped problems. I will not ask for re-do papers. Instead if students want a grade change, they will have to be accountable on their own. 
     
    Here is the procedure: Thursday, when students get their Thursday folders, they will be reminded EVERY THURSDAY, to pick up any re-do papers. They will look at their Thursday folder papers. If they see a grade below 70%, they will go to the subject shelves, pick up a new sheet, and redo the entire new sheet. Then they will staple the old sheet to the new sheet and turn it in to me for a grade change. Re-dos are due the following Friday they get them in their Thursday folder. If for some reason they "forgot" or got in a hurry Thursday afternoon, they can pick up the re-do on Friday but must turn it in by the following Monday. I will not accept it if it is not turned in by Monday.