Dear Parents,

Welcome! It is a pleasure to have your child in room 26, a 3rd grade class. Our educational program is designed to provide a balanced and integrated curriculum stressing the academic subjects of Mathematics, Reading, Writing, and Oral Language.  Your child will be instructed in the basic academic skills as well as learning to apply these skills in a variety of subjects such as Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Health, and the Arts.

In our Mathematic program, students will become proficient in basic computational skills and procedures, develop conceptual understandings, and become adept at problem solving. Students will have a deepen understanding of place value and their knowledge of and skill with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers. Students will develop an understanding of fractions as numbers, concepts of area and perimeter of plane figures and attributes of various shapes. Students will receive an effective mathematic education that provides a balanced instructional program.

 A crucial goal for English Language Arts instruction is that all students leave third grade able to read fluently, effortlessly, independently, and enthusiastically. In third grade the emphasis is on vocabulary acquisition, comprehension strategies, text analysis, language conventions, and writing. As students learn more English language conventions and acquire new vocabulary, they will apply them in their writing assignments.

Our Social Studies, program will involve the study of continuity and change. Your child will learn more about our connections to the past and the ways in which particularly local, but also regional and national, government and traditions have developed and left their marks on current society, providing common memories. Emphasis is on the physical and cultural landscape of California, including the study of  American Indians, the subsequent arrival of immigrants, and the impact they have had in forming the character of our contemporary society.  Your child will also continue preparing to become active and responsible citizens of their communities, California and the United States.

Science in this grade includes life science (ecology), physical science (energy and matter), earth science, and investigation and experimentation. Students in grade three are introduced to some of the most fundamental patterns in nature and are taught that science makes the world understandable. Students in grade three begin to build a foundation for understanding the structure of matter and forces of interaction.  They will also extend their knowledge of ecology by learning about different environments, such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands, and the types of organisms adapted to live in each.

In Physical Education and Health our class will be working on maintaining our bodies healthy through exercise, proper diet and avoidance of drugs and alcohol. Third grade is a pivotal time in the development of students' movement skills. They will demonstrate and understand the proper form for locomotor and nonlocomotor skills. They will experiment with and explore alternative movements, such as tumbling, creative dance, and formal dance. They will get opportunities to develop proper form for manipulative skills, such as rolling, throwing, catching, dribbling, kicking, and striking. In third grade students will participate in vigorous physical activities to increase overall health.

Our Visual and Performing Arts curriculum will provide your child with a variety of experiences to develop their skills, knowledge and appreciation. The arts will include the four disciplines- Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. In third grade, these five strands will guide instruction: artistic perception; creative expression; historical and cultural context; aesthetic valuing; and connections, relations, and  applications. Through the arts, students will have a unique means of expression that will capture their passions and emotions and will allow them to explore ideas, subject matter, and culture in delightfully different ways. 

You are welcome to visit our classroom any time with the permission of the school. I am confident that we can work together to make this an excellent year for your child. I encourage you to call the office, send me an email, or a note with your child for an appointment. I look forward to seeing you. Together we can work so that your child will have a successful year. 

                                                                           Sincerely,
Ms. Rodriguez