Mrs. Zolan's 3rd Grade Classroom - A Journey of Learning

1. Welcome! Please take a moment to look through your child’s journals and the forms on your desk! Also, use the post- it to write your child a note for them to see in the morning. You can leave it on the desktop!

2. A little bit about Mrs. Zolan… My family and new Husband at our wedding!

3. What is a day in Zo-Land like? • Morning Work • Specials • Writer’s Workshop (Snacks) • Math Workshop • Lunch-10:53-11:23 • Recess • Reading Workshop • Social Studies/Science • Spelling/Cursive/Grammar • Pack-Up / Jobs / Read-Aloud • Dismissal

4. Morning Work Please make sure your child is on time to school each day. We begin our day at 7:15. Your child is late at 7:50. We use this time for completing unfinished work, writing in a journals, practicing spelling words, and completing word problems.

5. What are Interactive Journals? • We will use these for Science, Social Studies, Math, and Reading. • These are notebooks that make our learning interactive and FUN! Students take ownership of their journals, and it becomes a sort of portfolio of learning. The students also use them to study! • Foldable quiz fun!

6. Reader’s Workshop • WorkshopFormat: -Mini-Lesson: Model a strategy with a text. I have a read aloud every single day! -Practice: Students work on applying the strategies from the mini-lesson during this time. Sometimes they read independently, one on one with the teacher, or in a small group. They will also work in their Reading Notebooks during this time. -Closing: Gather together to share behaviors practiced and new knowledge gained. • What books are we reading? Your child should be reading books on his/her independent reading level and working with the teacher on his/her instructional level (one level above his independent). • Students are expected to read for 30 minutes each night.

7. Reader’s Workshop • What is important about 3rd grade reading? Your child should be reading a Just Right Book – not too hard /not too easy. What should happen when my child is reading at home? He/She should sometimes read with you (you listen for fluency check) and sometimes read alone (you do a comprehension check—ask them questions or have them retell.)

8. Writer’s Workshop • Workshop Format: -Mini-Lesson: Model a writing skill on charts or within mentor text. -Practice: Students practice applying what we’ve learned independently. -Conference: Several students meet with the teacher one on one each day. -Closing: Gather together to share writing pieces and learn from each other. • What should my child be able to do this year? • Use the Writing Process • Use Resources in Classroom to Support their Writing • Write complete and complex Sentences • Uses Capitalization & Punctuation correctly • Spell 3rd grade words correctly • Write with Legible, cursive Handwriting • Use the 6 Traits of Writing • Write a Variety of Genres (narrative, persuasive, and informational)

9. Math Mini-Lesson:Students work on listening skills during the lesson in which the teacher introduces or reviews important skills and strategies for the day’s work. Practice:Students spend time applying the skills and strategies learned during the mini-lesson portion of the workshop. They will work independently, with partners playing math games, in groups working through word problems, and on certain days, with me. What is one way my child can practice at home? IXL This an amazing program that Bullard has purchased last year. It covers a variety of topics. Please be on the lookout for your child’s password.

10. What will I learn because……….. • Review of number sense (rounding to 10’s and 100’s) • Addition and Subtraction strategies • Multiplication (properties) • Division • Multi-step problems (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) • Area and Perimeter • Quadrilaterals

11. Science What will my child learn? • Rocks and Minerals • Soil, Erosion, and Weathering • Heat • Animal and Plant adaptations • Georgia regions and habitats • Pollution and recycling How can I help at home? • Read and review SCIENCE JOURNAL that comes home. Be on the lookout for e-mail from our room mom, Alisia Lowe for items needed for experiments and activities.

12. Social Studies What will my child learn? • Democracy, Greek Influence, and Olympics • American Heroes: Paul Revere, Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mary McLeod Bethune, Thurgood Marshall, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ceaser Chavez. • Resources (capital, natural, and human) • Personal Finance with Goods & Services • How can I help at home? • Read and review the Social Studies JOURNAL that come home.

13. What about Homework? Each Night: • Read! Read! Read! Read library books, classroom books or books from home. • Weekly Packet • Spelling • Most evenings, your child will have some sort of assignment to complete. These should be completed by the student and checked over by you. Help your child to be responsible by reminding them to put it into their binders in the “HOMEWORK” section before bed. • If you or your child is having problems with the homework, please let me know and I will be happy to help! Homework is always a review of classworkshould take no longer than 30 minutes to complete (not including reading).

14. Parent News Notebook! • Each Friday your child will bring home his or her Parent News Notebook to share with you all that he or she has learned each week. Please be sure to write them back before the next Friday. They love to read your letters! *Print neatly.. and keep it simple! (no cursive…yet!)

15. What is the behavior expectation in Zo-Land? (Class Dojo) • Respect: Respect every ONE & every THING • Listen: Listen to the speaker and ask questions for understanding • Focus: Work and focus on the assignment given • Follow Directions: Follow directions right away • Self-Control: I have self control when I choose to… ~control my talking ~control my body • Responsibility: name on paper, bring binder, return homework, return library books, and keep track of belongings

16. Zo-Land Store! • What is it? An afternoon when the Zo-land store opens where the students can spend their Bullldog Bucks! • When are they? October, January, March, and May (end of every quarter) • What do the students do? Spend their hard-earned Iveytown dollars on treats, drinks, gift cards, and goods! • What is needed for it to be a success? YOU! Our Room Mom, will contact all parents who want to volunteer themselves, send in items or do both! • Kate Daniell is our fabulous room mother this year!

17. Important Reminders • Transportation All changes must be in writing WITH SIGNATURE and done by 1:30. • Tardy: Students who arrive in the classroom after 7:50 are tardy. • Attendance and Absences: Please notify me in advance if you know your child will be absent for an appointment. Please send excuse notes for absences. • Check-Out: If you know your child is getting checked out, please try to send a note that morning. Advance notification is very helpful. Students must be checked out by 1:40. • Birthdays: On your child’s birthday, you may send in a special treat (cupcakes, brownies, cookies, etc.) if you wish. Please try to notify me in advance. We will be eating them with our class in the room or outside if weather permits. • Snacks: Please send in a snack every day!

18. Important Dates • SLO Test- August ? • CogATtesting: September 29-October 1 • IOWA testing: October 5-8 • Conference Week: October 19-23 • Tellus Museum: October 13th • 3rd Grade Market Day: December 11 • Science Day- March 4 • 3rd Grade Economics Day: March 31 • Possible Field Trip to the Little White House (Warm Springs, Ga) • EOG testing: April 13-22 • Field Day: May 11 • EOG-R testing: May 18-20

19. Mrs. Zolan’s Blog • Go to Bullard’s webpage: http://www.cobbk12.org/bullard/ • Then click on Faculty/Staff and click on Emily Zolan • Visit my blog for updates, helpful links throughout the year, and best of all… photos of all the fun we are having in 3rd grade!

20. Before you leave… Remember to write your child a note on the post-it!  Thank you so much for coming!! Have a great night!