Mrs. Wells' Reader
September 7th-11th
Topics This Week
Math-Begin rounding numbers to the nearest 10 and 100 using a number line. Some great videos with activities that can help at home are listed below.
Social Studies-The students will be working with reading and using a compass rose to follow directions with a neighborhood map.
Fundations-We will continue working with Unit 1, which is a review of closed syllables. This week, we will start working with Closed Syllable Exceptions.
Beginning of the Year Assessments
The students will take their Reading and Math MAP Assessments this Thursday and Friday morning. I will go over the assessments results individually with families during our first Parent-Teacher conference, but I have outlined some information below for you.
MAP- Parent Information
A Parent's Guide to NWEA Assessments
© 2006 Northwest Evaluation Association
NWEA - Frequently Asked Questions
What is NWEA?
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) is a not-for-profit organization committed to helping school districts throughout the nation improve learning for all students. NWEA partners with more than 2,200 school districts representing more than three million students. As a result of NWEA tests, educators can make informed decisions to promote your child’s academic growth.
Where can I learn more about NWEA?
Visit the website http://www.nwea.org/
What is the MAP NWEA Assessment?
MAP— NWEA’s computerized adaptive tests are called Measure of Academic Progress, or MAP. When taking a MAP test, the difficulty of each question is based on how well a student answers all the previous questions. As the student answers correctly, questions become more difficult. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier. In an optimal test, a student answers approximately half the items correctly and half incorrectly. The final score is an estimate of the student’s achievement level.
What subjects does MAP assess?
We are using the MAP tests in the area of mathematics and reading assessments.
How long does it take to complete a test?
Although the tests are not timed, it usually takes students about one hour to complete each test.
When will my student be tested and how often?
Districts have the option of testing their students up to three times a year. Districts typically test students at the beginning of the school year in fall and at the end of the school year in spring. Some schools may also choose to test students in the winter. At Claxton Elementary, we test in the fall, winter & spring.
Do all students in the same grade take the same test?
No. NWEA assessments are designed to target a student’s academic performance in mathematics, reading, language usage. These tests are tailored to an individual’s current achievement level. This gives each student a fair opportunity to show what he or she knows and can do. If a school uses MAP, the computer adjusts the difficulty of the questions so that each student takes a unique test.
What can I do as a parent?
Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher student achievement:
- Actively organizing and monitoring a child’s time.
- Helping with homework.
- Discussing school matters.
What are NWEA assessments used for?
NWEA assessments are used to measure your student’s progress or growth in school. You may have a chart in your home on which you mark your child’s height at certain times, such as on his or her birthday. This is a growth chart. It shows how much he or she has grown from one year to the next. NWEA assessments do the same sort of thing, except they measure your student’s growth in mathematics, reading, language usage, and science skills. The scale used to measure your child’s progress is called the RIT scale. The RIT scale is an equal-interval scale much like feet and inches on a yardstick. It is used to chart your student’s academic growth from year to year.
How do teachers use the test scores?
NWEA tests are important to teachers because they keep track of progress and growth in basic skills. They let teachers know where a student’s strengths are and if help is needed in any specific areas. Teachers use this information to help them guide instruction in the classroom.
What are some ways that I can help my child prepare for this test?
· Meet with your child’s teacher as often as needed to discuss his or her progress.
· Ask the teacher to suggest activities for you and your child to do at home to help prepare for tests and improve your child’s understanding of schoolwork. Parents and teachers working together benefits each student.
· Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home.
· Make sure that your child is well rested on school days and especially the day of a test. Children who are tired are less able to pay attention in class or to handle the demands of a test.
· Give your child a well-rounded diet. A healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.
· Provide books and magazines for your child to read at home. By reading new materials, a child learns new words that might appear on a test. Ask your child’s school about a suggested outside reading list or get suggestions from the public library.
What are some ways I can help my child with language?
· Talk to your child and encourage him or her to engage in conversation during family activities.
· Give a journal or diary as a gift.
· Help your child write a letter to a friend or family member. Offer assistance with correct grammar usage and content.
· Have a “word of the week” that is defined every Monday. Encourage your child to use the new word throughout the week.
· Plan a special snack or meal and have your child write the menu.
· After finishing a chapter in a book or a magazine article, have your child explain his or her favorite event.
What are some ways I can help my child with reading?
· Provide many opportunities for your child to read books or other materials. Children learn to read best when they have books and other reading materials at home and plenty of chances to read.
· Read aloud to your child. Research shows that this is the most important activity that parents can do to increase their child’s chance of reading success. Keep reading aloud even when your child can read independently.
· Make time for the library.
· Play games like Scrabble, Spill and Spell, Scattergories, and Balderdash together.
· Follow your child’s interest—find fiction and nonfiction books that tie into this interest.
· Work crossword puzzles with your child.
· Give a magazine subscription for a gift.
Curriculum Night
Attention All Third Grade Parents!
We will be having a VIP (Very Important Parent) meeting on Tuesday, September 8th
6:00-7:30 in the cafeteria.
We will be covering topics such as: schedules, parent support, data binders, after school help and our wonderful math grant we received from ACS Foundation. The grant will allow students to take home math manipulatives that will help them to do assignments as well as games to reinforce their learning. Parents MUST sign a contract regarding the expectation of care of materials BEFORE their child will be allowed to bring home math manipulatives. We will have contracts available at the end of the meeting on Tuesday!
We are so excited for this awesome opportunity! We look forward to seeing all of you Tuesday!
Your Third Grade Team
Ms. Currenton
Ms. Gregg
Mrs. Lemus
Mrs. Wells
Parent-Teacher Conference
I have listed additional times other than the Parent-Teacher conference day, since I will not be able to meet with everyone that day. If you are able to meet another day besides September 25th, please select that day and time. This will allow parents that can only meet on that day to have that option. On Mondays and Tuesdays during and after school, I have meetings, so I am unable to meet those days.
Classroom Blog
Above is our class blog website. The students will be using this website a lot to work on their assignments at school, and will have the option to work on them at home as well.