Classroom News

Information about Mrs. Young’s Third Grade Class

Room 21 at Central Elementary

Contact Information

If you ever have questions or concerns throughout the school year, please contact me by writing a note and sending it in to school, calling me at school (419-884-1308), using ClassDojo, or emailing me at: young.susan@lexington.k12.oh.us

Communication

I will be using my website, newsletters, and class dojo to communicate with you. This will include upcoming test dates, assignment due dates, helpful hints, special events, and classroom/ school events. Also, there is a lot of information such as the school calendar, the lunch menu, the school supply list, wonderful websites, Central's handbook, and many other things on the school’s website which is www.lexington.k12.oh.us. Check or ask to see your child’s green folder each night for student mail, graded papers, teacher’s notes, and homework.

Specials

Here is the schedule for our special classes. The children need to wear tennis shoes and appropriate clothes for physical education on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. They need to return library books on Tuesdays.

Monday- Art

Physical Education (wear tennis shoes)

Tuesday- Library

Wednesday- Physical Education (wear tennis shoes)

Library

Thursday- Physical Education (wear tennis shoes)

Connections

Friday- Music

Snacks/Water bottles

We will be having a snack time each morning. Your child is welcome to bring a nutritious snack to eat in the morning. It needs to be easy and quick to eat. It should be peanut-free. Also, the children need water bottles. Please fill them only with water.

Birthdays

We will be celebrating birthdays on the actual day if it falls on a school day. If your child would like to bring in individual prepacked treats, we will share it with the class. You may also send in a nonfood item such as stickers or pencils instead. We currently have 21 students in our class. If your child has a summer birthday, he/she may celebrate on the half-birthday or during the last week of school. Please let me know which you prefer.

Supplies

By now I hope you have received a copy of the supply list. If there is a problem, please let me know. If you are new to Central, you will need to purchase a Quick Word Book from the office for $1.50.

Donations

There are a few items that I know we will need. The children appreciate treats such as Starbursts, Life Savers, and Smarties. We will be doing a couple of edible science activities. We need individual chocolate pudding cups, individual packages of Oreo cookies and graham crackers, gummy worms, green sprinkles, and round tan cereal such as Kix. Paper plates, napkins, and spoons are also needed. If you could donate any of these items, I would appreciate it.

Homework

1. Read every night for at least 20 minutes.

2. Practice math facts starting with addition and subtraction. Later in the year, multiplication and division facts will need to be memorized.

3. Study for spelling and other tests.

4. Anything in the return side of the green folder that needs to be completed and returned.

Math

Lexington’s third grade classes use the Envision series. This is new for our school this year. There is an online component that will be helpful at home. Be on the lookout for a letter about this website. I will be giving timed addition tests soon after school starts. We will then move on to subtraction, multiplication, and division facts.

Science/Social Studies

The third-grade classes alternate these subjects. We will start a few units on earth materials. We will study rocks, minerals, and soil. We will then do social studies units on citizenship and government.

Language Arts and Reading

In class, we do a lot of whole group, small group, and independent reading. We will read various types of selections while working on comprehension, vocabulary, phonics, and fluency. The Houghton-Mifflin reading series is used throughout the year along with paperbacks and other reading materials such as Story Works and poetry pages.

Each student is to have at least one book at school to read silently. These silent reading books can be from the school library, the public library, or your house. Each child is expected to read at home 20 minutes a night.

Spelling lists will be sent home on Mondays to study for the test on Friday. Spelling will not start at least until the second week of school.

The third-grade teachers still teach cursive writing style. It is not a graded subject. The children will learn to write lower case letters and then upper-case letters. After that, we will work on joining letters together. By the end of the year, the students will be writing words in cursive!

We will also be doing various types of writing using the writing process. In addition, the students will use an English book to learn grammar skills.

Mission Statement

In closing, I would like to share the Lexington Local Schools Mission Statement with you:

“The Lexington Local Schools, through a partnership with our children’s families and our community, will provide the best possible curricular opportunities to challenge all students to reach their highest potential, to enjoy learning and to make positive contributions within their home and communities.”