Colton 3rd and 4th Grade Pages

To the Third and Fourth Grade!

Mrs. Schultheis
bschultheis@colton.k12.wa.us

Mrs. Moser
nmoser@colton.k12.wa.us

Meet the
Third and Fourth Grade Teachers

This is Brenda Schultheis’ and Nora Moser’s tenth year of team teaching third and fourth grades at Colton School. Their combined teaching experience is approaching 56 years. Nora teaches reading, writing, spelling, and social studies in the mornings and Brenda teaches math and science in the afternoons.

Brenda Schultheis earned her teaching credential and Masters in Reading degree from Eastern Washington University. Recently, Brenda helped produce the WEST-E reading endorsement exam and scoring guide. This test measures the content knowledge required of candidates seeking a reading endorsement to their WA credentials. She has taught in Spokane and Colfax.

Nora Moser earned her teaching credential from the University of California, Santa Barbara Graduate School of Education and her Masters degree at Washington State University. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2002 and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at WSU, facilitating cohort groups of teachers seeking their National Board Certification. She has taught in California and LaCrosse, Washington.

3/4 Grade Supply List
Colton Elementary School
2009-2010
Mrs. Moser and Mrs. Schultheis

Personal Items
Please label with your child’s name:

   √        Backpack
√        1 Three ring binder with 1 inch rings
√        1 Spiral notebook (about 70 pages or more)
√        2 Pocket folders, with pockets on the bottom
√        Crayons and/or markers
√        Scissors
√        Pencil box or pencil pouch
√        Old shirt for art
√        PE shoes with non-marking soles

Collected and Shared Items
Please do not label:

√        3 Dozen number 2 pencils
√        4 Glue sticks or one 8 oz. bottle of glue
√        1 Large box facial tissue
√        1 Box of Ziplock-type bags--any size (optional)
√        1 Package hand wipes (optional)

Parents: This is a recommended list of supplies that are meant to last your child the entire school year.

Please bring what you can on the night of our Ice Cream Social, August 28 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

General Classroom Information
Grades 3/4

Nora Moser and Brenda Schultheis

Length of Day: School begins at 8:25 a.m. and ends at 2:55 p.m. Students are asked to come to school no earlier than 8:10, as there is no one on recess duty until then.
Weekly Reports: Every Friday your child will bring home Weekly Reports—one describing the morning activities and one for the afternoon. Please read them over (they are great conversation starters!) and if you have any questions or comments please include a note in the Friday Folder. Please help your child remember to return the Friday Folder (signed by you) to school on Monday.
Self-Evaluation of Learning: Every Friday your child will also self-evaluate his or her learning for the week and bring home an "I Learned" sheet.
Homework: 3rd and 4th grade students will have homework every Monday - Thursday evening. Your child will have a homework folder to help transport papers back and forth.
Healthy Snacks: If students wish to bring a healthy snack (crackers, cheese, fruits and vegetables, dried meats, etc.) we usually have a snack time in the morning. We don't allow candy, pop, chips, etc. for snacks.
Special Person of the Week: One student per week is our Special Person of the Week. During the week, he or she is line leader and is given extra time on Friday mornings for special sharing. Sharing may be something like reading a favorite book aloud, sharing photos, singing a song, dancing, bringing in a parent, bringing in a pet, or teaching us something. (If a student wishes to bring in an animal to share, prior arrangements need to be made and we request that the animal have all shots and have a temperament appropriate to a class full of eager students!) Please help your child come up with something special to share on his or her day. The Special Person of the Week will also compose a “Look What Our Class Learned This Week” newsletter that will go home on Friday.
Recesses: Students are outside during recess. Please send your child with weather appropriate clothes.
PE Shoes and Art Shirt: Students need to have a pair of non-marking PE shoes that will be reserved for inside wear. They also need an old, oversized shirt to help protect their clothes during art activities.
Birthdays: Treats may be sent or brought to school and will be served during lunchtime. Summer or holiday birthdays may also be recognized on a school day -- please contact us for an un-birthday date.
Book Orders: Book order forms will be sent home periodically during the school year. These are inexpensive books of good quality. Money and orders need to be returned to school in an envelope marked "Book Order." Make sure to write your child's name on the order form. All checks need to be made out to the book company.
Parties: We celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day. We also have a picnic the last week of school. If you would like to assist with any of these parties, please let us know.
State Tests: Both third and fourth graders take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests (WASL) during the last two weeks of April. These are very challenging tests and last several days. Please do not schedule any appointments during these important weeks.
Student Use of Telephone: School telephones are not available for general student use. With teacher permission, students may use the phones for necessary calls. Social arrangements need to be made before leaving home in the morning.
Bus: If your child is riding a different bus home with a friend, please write and sign a note to let us and the bus driver know.

3/4 Grade
General Time Schedule:

8:10 – 8:25 Early morning recess
8:25 – 8:35 Attendance, lunch count, announcements, going over learning goals for the day.
8:35 – 10:00: Language Arts: reading, writing, spelling
                 Monday: Dictionary/vocabulary work, spelling, and reading
                 Tuesday – Thursday: direct reading instruction/work
                 Friday: Students complete self-evaluations of learning (“I Learned” sheets), complete reading tasks                  and take spelling tests.
10:00 – 10:10   Recess
10:10 – 10:25 DEAR (Drop Everything and Read)/One-on-one time with students
10:25 – 11:18: Reading/writing/social studies
                 Monday: Writing instruction
                 Tuesday - Thursday: Writing/social studies
                 Friday: Special Person sharing/newsletter work
11:22 – 12:02 Lunch and recess
12:02 - 12:42 Activity time—your child might have PE, library, computer lab, music, or art.
12:42 – 2:10 Math
2:10 – 2:55 Science

Basic Homework Schedule
3/4 Grade Students

Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night, your third or fourth grade child will have homework to complete. As a class, we discuss the importance of homework--to further develop reading, writing, and mathematical skills, as well as to learn responsibility by completing and returning homework on time. We have set up a basic schedule, which allows for a certain amount of flexibility and individual choice, including independence in choosing what books are read. As the year progresses, any necessary changes will be made in the homework schedule.

Monday: Reading and/or Writing Homework:
Reading: Students choose a book or magazine to read for at least 1/2 hour and then write the name of the book or magazine in their reading logs and a short comment about what they read. Then they put their reading logs into their homework folders and turn them in on Tuesday. Students read independently or with a parent or a sibling. Students may always check out books from our classroom library. Periodically, reading assignments may be sent home in place of reading log homework.
Writing: When students begin writing in Class Journals, they will be asked to complete rough drafts on Monday nights, so that they will have time to revise and correct spelling before final drafts are due on Thursday.

Tuesday: Math or Science Homework:
Math or science homework – To allow for busy schedules, students will be given both Tuesday and Thursday math assignments on Tuesday. Students will complete the assignments, put them in the homework folder and turn them in on either Wednesday or Thursday.
Third and fourth graders will have math homework in which someone at home is invited to participate in students' mathematics experiences. The activities are intended to promote review, follow-up, and enrichment at home.

Wednesday: Spelling or Penmanship or Writing/Class Journal Homework:
    Spelling: Students practice spelling words by writing them three times each. Students are asked to look at the word, say the word aloud letter by letter or syllable by syllable, think about the word, then cover the word and write it from memory, then check it over carefully. Students do this independently or with parent help. Then students put the spelling practice sheets in the homework folders and return them on Thursday.
      Penmanship: Students complete cursive writing practice pages and return them on Thursday.
      Class Journal Writing: A class journal is sent home on Monday night so that there is enough time for students to write a rough draft at home, revise, correct spelling, and then write a final in the class journal. Class Journal writing assignments are due on Thursday.

Thursday: Math or Science Homework:
If students have not completed both of their math or science assignments, they need to complete them tonight and turn them in on Friday.

√ Teachers will keep track of homework assignments and if any are missing, we will make a note on the weekly reports so that parents may help by encouraging their child to complete the missing assignments.

Homework Help at Home

As a parent, you can help your child by:

Helping your child choose a place in which to work. This study area needs to be well lit, quiet, and have all of the necessary supplies. (It does not need to be a large spot, but needs to be well away from radio and TV.) Whenever possible, keep the study area off limits to brothers and sisters during homework time.
Setting a time to begin homework at the same time every day. A good time is immediately after your child gets home, or perhaps immediately after dinner. Remind your child each day when he or she is to do homework.
Encouraging your child to work on his or her own (unless the assignment is a Class Journal writing assignment or something else requesting your involvement!) Check to see if he or she is doing homework at the agreed upon time. If your child needs assistance, provide it after he or she made a real effort to do the work first. If needed you might suggest that your child call a friend for help. If your child is having a lot of trouble, have him or her put the homework away and ask the teacher for help as soon as he or she arrives to school the next morning.
Choosing with your child a special Homework Drop Spot at home to help him or her develop the habit of putting completed assignments in their blue homework folders and in the same place each night. It is helpful if the homework drop spot is easy to "spot" on the way out the door in the morning.
Helping your child who needs to complete homework at another location other than home, put together a "Homework Survival Kit" containing supplies such as pencils, a book or two, construction paper, tape, glue, a dictionary, etc.

General Scoring Rubric
Grades 3/4

This general scoring rubric allows us to measure and document students' progress throughout the year as they work to meet grade level standards.

4     ABOVE STANDARD
       This level represents exceptional performance, notably above that required for meeting the        standard of the assignment.

3     MEETS STANDARD
        This level represents expected performance for the assignment. Students reaching this          level are secure and demonstrate proficiency.

2     WORKING TOWARD STANDARD
        This level denotes partial accomplishment of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental         for meeting the level of skill for the assignment.

1     BEGINNING
        This level denotes beginning or little demonstration of the prerequisite knowledge and         skills that are fundamental for the assignment.

X     NOT EVALUATED AT THIS TIME