Welcome to Third Grade!  

Teachers: Ms. Commers, Mrs. Vincent, & Ms. Witt 

Math Workshop 

The NEW math curriculum adopted by Saint Paul Public Schools is called HMH Into Math. With HMH Into Math, students build productive perseverance in problem solving and apply knowledge to higher-level mathematics and beyond. Into Math focuses on meeting the needs of the whole child, inspiring students to see themselves as doers of mathematics and instilling a positive attitude toward math.

The third-grade teachers are spending the first couple weeks of math getting to know the students as mathematicians and setting expectations for math time. Once we are in a good routine, your child will begin to participate in flex groups.

What is a flex group?

A flex group is a small group of students working on targeted, differentiated math skills. The skills practiced in flex groups may be below, at, or above the third-grade level. Teachers determine which skills need to be practiced based on pre-assessments, along with daily observations. Your child’s specific needs will be met in flex groups.

Get your 3rd grader started on practicing multiplication facts at home this fall! The sooner your child becomes fluent in their multiplication facts, the better!!!

Reader's Workshop 

In Reader’s Workshop, your child will participate in a short 10-15 minute mini-lesson daily. The lesson will focus on a strategy that will prepare them to be a stronger reader. After the lesson, students will practice using their reading strategies independently, in guided reading groups, and in book clubs. Then, we will wrap up Reader’s Workshop with a share time. During share, students will talk with each other about reading and the strategies they practiced for the day.

Our weekly newsletter will inform you of the strategies being practiced in class. 

It is expected that students read 30 minutes at home each night.

Writer's Workshop 

Your child will participate in a short mini-lesson that focuses on the craft of writing. Then, there will be work time where the students will practice with a clear writing goal in mind. At the end of our work time, we will meet to share our work and progress. 

Published work that has been revised and edited will come home at conferences or other school events. Some of our writing will be published on our iPads. (Look for a copy on Seesaw.) Students take great pride in their “published” pieces of writing!

This year, some of the writing units we will cover include monster stories, procedural writing, shared and independent research, personal narratives, poetry, book reviews, and realistic fiction. 

At home, encourage your child to write you a letter, a fiction story, a personal narrative, a list of facts, directions on how to make something, or a poem. Most of our homework will be about reading and math, so any way to build writing into your evening or weekend routines will help your young writer!

Friday Folders 

Your child has a yellow plastic folder, which is their “Friday Folder.”  It is important for your child to develop responsibility with this folder.  When it comes home, it should be emptied, and returned to school on Monday, ready to use again.

Paper copies of our weekly newsletter, other paperwork from the school, and any unfinished work will be sent home in this folder. Please return any forms and other paperwork in the Friday Folder.