GRADE LEVEL
MINUTES – THIRD GRADE
Oct. 14, 2002
Bellingham School District
(Handout From Meeting: Article: How People Learn)
What is our theory of learning?
v Learners actively reflect and ask questions about their world
v Learners construct conceptual frameworks by making connections, seeing relationships, considering other perspectives, and
v Learners have preconceived ideas about their world and continually confirm and correct these ideas
What are the implications for teaching?
v Teachers need to provide demonstrations of active inquiry by asking questions that expert performers/learners ask about specific disciplines. (What questions do mathematicians ask? What questions do readers ask? What questions do writers ask? )
v Teachers provide opportunities for students to learn about a subject or topic in depth. Ample time is allowed for students to grasp the big ideas, to reflect, to investigate, to question, to see relationships, and to construct new meaning.
v Teachers expect students to perform the new learning in authentic situations demonstrating the skills and knowledge as outlined in district and state standards.
This theory of learning connects with the Conditions For Learning found in our Elementary Literacy Support Guide.
Further information about How People Learn can be found at www.nap.edu
There is only one required unit to be taught this year. It is “Safe at Home, Safe Away”
Teachers provided feedback on their questions and needs regarding the implementation of Great Body Shop (see attached Q&A for Health).
v Questions that readers ask are related to the Reading Process
v Explicitly teaching questioning can include helping students understand that some questions are literal and answers are found in the text. Some questions are interpretive and answers are found in a conversation between the readers and the author. Other questions are evaluative and ask for a reader’s opinion.
(Handout From Meeting: QAR: Question Answer Response from September 2002, Reading Teacher p. 20-27)
IV. Backwards Design – Starting
with the big ideas to be learned and describing the
Performance expected from the students.
Teachers reviewed the Social Studies Guide and their grade level curriculum.
(Handout From Meeting: Curriculum and Resources for Third Grade)
Sample units for social studies were developed and shared by the
participants. These drafts will be
sent to each teacher and may be further developed at future grade level
meetings. The template will be sent
electronically to each grade level teacher.
Ø Use “Tem Minute Math with TERC – it makes a good balance
Ø Guiding Readers and Writer Grades 3 – 6 by Fountas and Pinnell
Ø “The Living” by Annie Dillard – good for adult learning about Early Whatcom County
Ø The Tree Project at Whatcom Museum Annex until Oct. 22nd
Ø Radio Museum located downtown
Teachers posted questions throughout the day. See attached for Q/A sheet.
1. How do we fit Great Body Shop, Specialist time, 2nd Steps, Reading Writing and Math, Touch Typing, Science, Social Studies, Maps and Globes, and note taking into our year?
2. What does the WASL mean to me as a 3rd grade teacher?
3. Where and how does the ITBS fit into our curriculum and how do we prepare our 3rd graders or do we?
4. Will we have anchor papers for writing to help us score kids’ writing?
5. Since 3rd grade is teaching Touch Typing and cursive, each a major time commitment. Is it possible that cursive might be better taught at a different grade level?
6. What curriculum do we really have that supports some of the math portion of the report card?
7. Is this an expectation that we teach math fact of 20-17, 20-6? We do not have math fact sheets to support student practice. Will these materials be provided?
8. Would it be possible to have two separate boxes on the report card for the math addition and subtraction? We give a timing assessment for each. It would seem ideal to have 2 boxes for the grades.
9. Can the Gates TLP Teachers meet as a group?
10. We need a current simple map of Washington with rivers and cities. Will the district supply this map?
11. Atlases in grades 3,4,5 - should we divide this curriculum into “chunks” by grade levels? What is each grade level responsible for teaching in regards to maps?
12. Our school has almost no money for field trips. Can the district provide some resources?
Teachers posted suggestions and topics for future grade level meetings.
Topics:
v Year long unit planning for social studies
v Spelling
v Writing: Teaching the 6 Traits
v Guided Reading Groups
v On line research projects
v Research Cycle at 3rd Grade
v Use of TERC and balance with computation skills
v Writing – anchor papers and determining “grade level” consistency by scoring together
v Share Read Alouds
v Math strategies for a range of learners at 3rd grade
v How to integrate social studies, technology, and health across the curriculum
v Time to share projects, ideas, and essential questions
v How to report math on the report card
v Literacy connections to science, social studies, and math
v Field Trips
v Homework at 3rd grade
Volunteer teachers will develop a plan for the next meeting in March.
Shirley Prichard
Ann Schwandt
Staci Shrum
Alderwood:Andrea Buckley, Jackie Brown Birchwood:Clint Lively, Rose Trowbridge, Rozanne Mckee Carl Cozier:Ann Schwandt, Jenny Mathieson, Chris Johnsen Columbia:Sharon Smith, Eleanor Long, Ingrid McGarry Geneva: Julia Ritchie Happy Valley:Tim Binderup, Shirley Prichard Larrabee:Andrea Roper, Amy Tisdale Lowell:Cynthia Zaferatos, Diane Tjomsland, Nicole Talley Northern Heights:Lisa Peterson, Staci Shrum Parkview:Diane Ojikutu, Kate Walker Roosevelt:Mike Webb, Sandy Olsen, Rob Graham Silver Beach:Margo Graf, Season Coppinger, Mary Foltz, Carol Alwood Sunnyland: Joan Piper ESL: Marie Little Pioneer Cabin: Jo Miller