Welcome to Third Grade! Mrs. Lorenzi’s Class

1. Welcome to Third Grade!Mrs. Lorenzi’s Class

2. A little about Mrs. Lorenzi • 12th year at Longfellow (same grade…same hot room! ) • Grew up in Forest Park • Received my bachelors and masters degrees from NIU • Live in La Grange with my husband, two daughters (5 months and 2) and our Rhodesian Ridgeback.

3. Communication • Voice Mail: (708) 524-3060 ext. 8120 • Email: slorenzi@ op97.org(preferred) *Please let me know if you did not receive an email from me. • Notes in assignment notebook (checked every morning) • Family Letters (reading, social studies, math) • Webpage will include nightly assignments in addition to other pertinent information via the Lorenzi Leads—please visit regularly! • Unsatisfactory progress reports- distributed at conferences • Report Cards (December, March, June) • Family Conferences (October and February)

4. Assignment Notebooks • Goes home every night along with red take home folder and chapter book • Homework log -signed by Mrs. L and parent/guardian • Parent signature means a parent has checked over the assignments and that all assignments are complete • Reading Log (record chapter books here) • Various other pages in the back(writing, reading, etc….)

5. Homework • Routine—same time, same place every night (organized, quiet—possibly play classical music?) • Check backpacks before bed to ensure everything is ready to go • Assignments are due next day unless noted otherwise • Use time wisely in class—get signed off quickly—get homework done! • Incomplete assignments are marked late-watch for “Oops Slips” • Signatures and corrections required on 1’s and 2’s • “While you were Out Folders” • Sunrise Study Hall and Academic Study Hall available • We will ease in to homework load through September!  • 15-30 minutes of homework per night (varies per child) plus 20 mins. of pleasure reading (encourage them to read aloud)

6. Post Office • Mail comes home daily in the red take home folder • Check folders daily—Bring Right Back and Left at Home (students are responsible for checking their personal mail box) • Please reflect over graded assignments

7. Mrs. Lorenzi’s Top Twenty • “The whole point of Ms. Martin’s Top Twenty is to be respectful to others. We like the Top Twenty because they are like rules but they are very specific so we know exactly how to act. It also helps people stay civilized. It stops people from going wild and crazy. It keeps people in line figuratively. It also takes respect to a whole different level.” -Caleb and Adrien

8. Morning Meeting/Afternoon Wrap Up • Interactive morning message—incorporates daily oral language using editing marks • Special announcements • Overview of the day • Sharing time (current events, etc….) • Read Alouds/Book Hooks/Book Reviews • Allows us to ease into and out of each day together. It’s against the law to say you did nothing at school today!

9. Rewards and Consequences • Behavior Cards (for individual behavior) Green-Good Behavior; Yellow-Warning; Red-Parent Contact/Office Referral • Star Chart (for class behavior) 100 stars—class party!! • Team Points Chart Points added for being ready on time, working well together, etc… • Bear Necessity Slips and Raffle-kids can nominate others • Group Points/Rewards • “Clap-offs” • Sportsmanship Ribbons • “Job Well Done” plant • Individual notes/cards/lunch with students • Weekly Awards, etc…… WE CELEBRATE SMALL SUCCESSES TO KEEP CHILDREN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT LEARNING AND PROUD OF THEIR WORK

10. Reading • Treasures Themes: Let’s Learn (Why is Learning Important?) Neighborhoods and Communities (How do community members work together? Express Yourself (How do writers and artists express themselves?) Our Teams (What makes a strong team?) Those Amazing Animals (What makes each animal unique?) **I have a power point presentation I can email to you on Treasures if you’d like, just let me know. • Fiction and nonfiction stories, leveled readers, literacy work stations, “Do Done Folders” have a weekly contract in them with activities listed for the week., grammar and practice workbooks. • Chapter book requirement 2 per month (or longer multiple credit books), recorded in assignment notebook. Five Finger Rule: –0-1 fingers (too easy ) 2-3 fingers (just right) 4-5 fingers (too hard) • Passport to reading: Meets 4 times a week with various teachers. It’s a school wide initiative, that meets the needs of all students. The initial screening process is underway and lessons will start on October 1st. Groups are fluid and change often.

11. Writing • 6 Traits of Writing (listed in assignment book along with many other helpful writing resources) • Lots of writing about what we’re reading (goes along with Treasures curriculum) • Student write to a prompt to build writing fluency and stamina • Cursive booklet done on Wednesdays in class

12. Mathematics • Students will study addition & subtraction of whole numbers, linear measures and area, multiplication and division, place value, geometry, fractions, probability, data, and measurement. • Pre-tests given prior to each unit and kids can “test out” of lessons (will be used as a study guide at end of unit along with an additional study guide) • The Everyday Math curriculum was designed to revisit skills later in the year, therefore, not all skills will be secure after initial exposure.  2-4 lessons per week (going more in depth with Common Core Standards) • Everyday Math revisits concepts throughout the year as skills go from: Beginning, Developing, and Secure. • Students will earn two grades on every math unit test.  One will be an overall grade on all of the items on the test, and the other will be a secure skills grade on the items that are expected to be secure by the end of that particular unit of study.   • Rocket Math for computation (multiplication) • Hands on approach to learning—manipulatives • “Math Take Out” available • “Walking Math” for some students • Quizzes (“Exit Slips”) given after most lessons • Homework given nightly

13. Social Studies and Science • Social Studies Units: Citizenship, Government, Cultures, Economics, Geography, History • Lesson quizzes and chapter tests • Read Unit Family Letters that go home • Time for Kids will address current events (extra credit on Fridays) • Science taught by Ms. Ibarra-look for welcome letter • Earth: phases of the moon, day/night, solar and lunar eclipse • Physical: Newton’s Laws of Motion/Simple Machines • Life: Plant growth and Development • No textbook—lots of science literature to take home

14. Oak Park Education Foundation • Non-profit organization separate from District 97 • Provides a variety of excellent programs for our schools • Third graders participate in “Geared Up Legos,” which brings engineering, physical science, math, and technology challenges to our students. Geared Up uses Lego motorized Mechanism sets to teach exciting hands-on lessons, with students testing their own ideas and working in teams of two • Science Alliance (Global Village) – Scientist Sally • To learn more, visit www.OPEF.org 

15. Technology • Research projects conducted on the Internet • Ipod Touch Sessions, Netbook Carts • Elmo Document Readers, class projectors • Video clips to introduce new concepts, United Streaming, etc…… • Sites on my webpage • Connect Ed & Custom Typing Username: d97firstnamelastname Password: bears2011 **can access both of these from home

16. Assessments • ISATs—math and reading (March 5-8) • Fluency checks (Dibels)-three times a year • MAP Testing (Measure of Academic Progress ) Reading and Math tests taken on the computer –three times a year • Sign and return all major tests that are stamped • Weekly comprehension and spelling assessments • Math and social studies tests and quizzes (math exit slips) • Treasures unit assessment (cumulative, given every five weeks) • Informal assessments (clipboard cruising)

17. Grading System • Grading model for quizzes and shorter assignments E-Excellent S-Successful NI-Needs Improvement • Grading model for tests 4-Above grade level (exceeds grade level standards) 3- At grade level (meets grade level standards) 2-Developing to the standard (below grade level) 1 - Emerging to the standard (academic warning)

18. Common Core Standards • We are moving towards the Common Core Standards this year which have replaced the Illinois State Standards. This is a national directive to help students become college and career ready. • Visit http://www.corestandards.org for questions. • Assessment changes – ISAT’s are still here. New testing will begin in the 2014-2015 school year.

19. Fast ForWord • The Fast ForWord computer program is comprised of a family of research-based, intervention software products designed to strengthen attention, memory, processing, sequencing, and language development. • They also enhance cognitive skills that enable students to process information with greater speed and accuracy and lead to improved critical language and reading skills. • If the program is implemented with high fidelity, research has shown that students, on average, can achieve up to a two-year gain in reading in 12 weeks. • Progress will be measured by analyzing various data points. • Starting September 24th, 5 days per week for 30 minutes. • Computer adapts to skill levels of child. • More questions? Attend PTO meeting on 9/19 at 7:00 PM.

20. Odds and Ends • Water Bottles (take home each night) • Healthy snacks for morning recess • HEALTHY birthday treats (see letter); please let me know in advance when you will be sending in food and send proper materials along with the food. WE ARE A NUT FREE ZONE . You may also choose to send in and inexpensive non food item. • Please let me know ahead of time if kids are leaving early. • Answering in complete sentences (do not start with….) • Rephrase question in your answer • Encourage writing in cursive (second half of year) • School supplies should be replenished throughout the year…..look for “I Need Slips” • Checks for Scholastic Book orders

21. Parent Volunteers • Room Parent (plan and run class parties, organize snacks, etc….) • Photographer (take pictures and possibly make photo slideshows for our webpage) • Weekly Paper Grader s • Helping Hands • Personal Visit I can use parental help inside and outside of the classroom! Thank you! (Please be sure to sign in at the office if you are coming into the classroom.)

22. Third grade is a great place to bee!