CURRICULUM

Language Arts:

Dublin Schools use the CA state adopted Houghton Mifflin Language Arts Program. I supplement this program with other activities such as: Daily Oral Language, Sentence Editing, Spelling with Challenge words (spelling patterns), journal writing (everyday writing), book reports, reading responses, and formal writing.

I will not be grading everything every day, but spot checking for errors.

Our formal writing will include writing multiple paragraphs, narrative writing, persuasive essay, descriptive essay and letter writing. I will be assigning 5 book reports to be done every 2 months. Those will include: 3 chapter book reports (according to genre and writing areas), a non-fiction book report and a biography book report.

Journal writing is not graded, but I am looking to see if your child can transferring the skills I’ve taught into their everyday writing. I will try to write back to them at least once a week.

Math:

Dublin has adopted Scott Foresman Math Curriculum. I will supplement with many activities.

The big ideas for Math in 2/3rd Grade are adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers, story problems, and multiplication.

Your child will need to practice their math facts (adding, subtracting, multiplication and division) DAILY! We will be making flash card in class, but if you would like to purchase your own to help practice they can be found at Target, Staples, Office Depot, etc.

Social Studies:

Scott Foresman is our current Social Studies curriculum. The students will be learning about local history (Dublin Settler’s and History), Native American Settlers of this area (California and more specifically-Dublin; The Ohlone Indians), Tall Tales and their role in history, and Famous Americans (Biographies).

Science:

We adopted a new science program last year. Students will be rotating classes amongst the 3rd grade teachers and will be learning: Space and Sun; Energy and Matter; Light; Animal Adaptations and the Scientific Method.

I will be encouraging students to participate in the Science Fair Expedition that the school puts on every year. In addition, we will also have a hands-on Weekly Wizard program. (See attached notice and schedule)

Handwriting:

Students will be perfecting their Manuscript (modern) Ball and Stick printing methods as well as using a program we have called, “Handwriting without Tears”, Manuscript Cursive. I will not start cursive until after the first of the year, so if you would like to help your child at home, early, make sure you get the correct type of cursive.

PE, Fine Arts, and Library:

PE will be a 45 minute pull-out program that Mrs. Day will teach once a week. Fine Arts is also a 45 minute pull-out program of Music, Art, and Drama that Mrs. Perez will be teaching once a week. We will be supplementing PE with Game Day- an additional PE type program that we will be teaching on Fridays.

Library is a time for 2nd graders to check out 2 “Just Right” books and 3rd graders to check out 1 chapter book and 2 “just right books” for a total of 3 books. Students must return ALL books (even ones they plan to renew) in order to check out more books. We will visit the library on Tuesdays.

Techonology:

Currently we have 4 “n-station” Dell computers in the classroom. Students will be learning a typing program, searching on the internet (the district had many websites blocked for safety), practicing concepts and lessons on the computers, Accelerated Reader (a reading comprehension program) and learning the basic concepts about a computer.

Book reports will be typed after we write the drafts. Some will be done in class, some will be homework assignments.

We also have Smartboards in our classrooms that offer all the same amenities that a computer does, just on a large screen scale.

We also have a large computer lab that we will visit every so often to learn the concepts mentioned above.