Hello Families,
Homework is here! Some of you have been asking for it and others may possibly be dreading it, and we are here to reassure you that the third grade homework has been designed to be a gradual, positive, and supportive transition for the Temescalians (and you).

Each Monday a packet will go home in your child’s school-home folder (Friday Folder) with some information for you to read over, as well as homework pages that will be due Friday. The goal of homework in third grade is to extend learning, develop responsibility, and to become comfortable with the concept of homework independence.

Just Right!
Here are some tips to get your third grader off to a great start with their homework:

• Set up a dedicated homework space free of distraction and supplied with the basics: pencils, lined paper, blank paper, and a children’s dictionary. Art materials like colored pencils may also come in handy.
• Help your child get started and check in, but don’t get sucked into sitting there the whole time.
• Spread out the homework through the week and help your child set goals for each night (10 minutes for math? 10 minutes for word work?) and then set a timer to help keep them on track
• Homework writing should only be done in pencil and demonstrate your child’s very best handwriting and be in complete sentences.
• Homework should take no more than 25 minutes, plus 20 minutes of reading.

Too Much?
If it is feeling overwhelming for your child, taking too long, and/ore resulting in tears, STOP… and then let us know. We are laying a positive foundation, and will work together to help your child settle into this new routine.

Not Enough?
There are many other ways for your children to practice important skills and dig deeper with their third grade learning. Look through math and word work suggestions attached. You can always ask us for other project and journaling ideas.

If you have any questions about homework let us know, and please keep in touch as your child starts on this new stage in his/her development in becoming a more independent learner.

This is a video of me talking through the homework packet. (This video is from January 2023 so please disregard the announcements part on the sheet from 1/9/23)
– Introduction, tips, and expectations (0:00 -4:02)
– Reading log (4:03 – 10:34)
– Spelling practice (10:35 – 15:29)
– Closing (15:30 – end)

Finally, while Stephen was away, a “Health class video game” was introduced to the kids and many were clamoring for the website.
It’s called Interland, and it covers topics of internet safety, as well as being upstanders and how to share information.
https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/interland

Upcoming events:
January
15 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school, no childcare)

February
10 – Lunar New Year
12 – 16 Friendship Week
14 – Valentine’s Day
19 – 23 February Break