3 rd Grade ELA

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Communication
Mrs. Gaboury 2017-2018
Email: Alisha.gaboury@lpsb.org
Text communication through the app
Remind 101, or text @mrsgabo to 81010
Notes: If you ever need to send me a
note, please write it directly in your child's
planner.
Class Website:
http://mrsgabourysclass.weebly.com/
SeeSaw learning app
Always discuss a change in transportation
with your child, and alert them to the note and
where you put it so that they are aware.
Conferences: can be scheduled through me
at any point in the school year. All
conferences will be held at 7:50am
Class Materials
Each child will be given a binder and red planner,
to use this school year, as well as classroom
supplies from each 3rd grade teacher. These
materials will be used to communicate with you about
your childs behavior, classroom work/homework
assignments AND important school events.
Students will receive behavior marks for not having
daily materials.
It is important that you check your childs planner
EVERY day. The planner should be signed &
returned to school each day.
All students have a $50 supply/activity fee. This
fee pays for all materials your child will need in the
classroom. We are also asking for each student to
bring in a few paper goods, items we go through
regularly.

Expectations & Responsibility

3rdgrade comes with big goals, big ideas, and big responsibility. Because your child will have 3 teachers
this year, organization and responsibility are huge. 3 classes, 3 assignments, 3 sets of materials, etc.
Though each 3rd grade teacher is different in her classroom procedures, we all have the same
expectations. We expect each student to come to class prepared, ready to listen, and ready to learn.

Behavior 30 in 3rd Challenge

While Freshwater does follow a school wide
discipline plan, (see student planner) each teacher
has her own way of implementing the discipline
plan as well as rewarding students for model
behavior.
We use a mark system which will be documented
daily in your childs planner. Please see planner
for more detailed information.
For positive behavior we use a money system the
students will cash in their dollars to buy rewards
The 30 in 3rd Book Challenge is my way to get
students interested in reading, as well as expose
them to different genres of reading on their own
terms. The 30 books are chosen by the students,
and are read throughout the school year. Our
ultimate goal is to cultivate a love of reading
(while increasing vocabulary and fluency, of
course)
30 in 3rd challenge graphs are located in data
folders, for students and parents to track
progress.

Homework
I am not a big believer in assigned nightly homework. However, I do believe that classroom taught skills
should be practiced/discussed at home. 3rd grade is a great time to establish good study routines and
habits. It is up to you, as the parent, how you implement this practice.
Refer to weekly newsletters inserts in take home folders, as well as student planners nightly.
 What Well Read
Standard aligned read alouds
(genre studies, skill studies, themed units)
2 Novel Studies
(Charlottes Web, Because of Winn Dixie, The
Tale of Despereaux, etc.)
3 Non-Fiction
(student led research)
4 Project Based Learning
(Shared Research, STEM, cross-curriculum)
Reading will be taught in weekly units, with the
exception of novel studies. Standards will be
taught/applied through the use of fiction and
non-fiction texts. Vocabulary will be a big focus
throughout each unit.
Focus areas:
Understanding what we read, analyzing what we
read, and responding to reading.
3rd grade is about taking learned skills from 2nd
grade and applying them to literature and
writing.
What Well Write
Opinion Pieces
(develop points of view, provide evidence or
reasons to support opinions)
2 Informative/Explanatory Pieces
(organize/group related information, develop a
topic with facts/evidence)
3 Narrative Pieces
(use details to describe real or imagined
experiences, establish situations, create
narrators and characters, use dialogue)
4 Shared Research
(select topics to research, uses resources to
gather facts, build on knowledge through
research)
Focus areas:
Applying writing process steps (planning,
drafting, revising, editing, publishing) Write for
different genres and audiences, Organizing
and developing writing for specific tasks over
varying periods of time

Grammar & Spelling

Grammar units will be focused on understanding skills and applying them in writing. Ex: understanding
rules for using commas + using commas correctly through writing prompts.

Spelling lists will be based on phonics skills. The main focus on spelling is teaching students to decode
high frequency words, using phonics based rules, and use those words appropriately in their writing.
Spelling tests will be application based, and will be given at the end of units, not on a weekly basis.

Assessments & Grading

Grades are given on a weekly basis, with the exception of writing assignments and phonics/spelling
which will be given at the end of the units of study and/or upon completion. Test papers will go home
on a weekly basis, in the student test folders. Parent signatures will be required on certain assessments.
Grades are weighted based on the following:

60% Reading
Book study comprehension, Comprehension skills, Standards based assessments, Vocabulary,
Projects/application of reading skills

40% English
Grammar assessments, Writing samples, Application of spelling skills