Third Grade Immersion English Class

InformationTeacher: Laura Pforts

Room 3

Contact Information: lpforts@dsdmail.net or 801-402-2600

Welcome to

This year will be a busy year where we read and write everyday as well as work on becoming more independent workers and learners. These are all important skills as we work towards getting everyone ready to move onto fourth grade. Hopefully everyone is ready to work hard and learn a lot this year. It will be a great year as we all work and learn together.

This year in third grade English class we will focus on:

how to

write in

cursive.

how to be a better writer.

how to be a better reader.

Daily ScheduleWe attempt to keep to a schedule but this schedule may change based upon the needs of the students or special events at the

school.

Monday-Thursday• 8:40- First Bell

• 8:50- Tardy Bell

• 8:50-9:30- Language Arts

• 9:30-10:15- Reading

• 10:15-10:30- Recess

• 10:30-11:05- Writing

• 11:05-11:15- Clean-up

• 11:15-12:00- Prep

• 12:00-12:10- Switch

• 12:10-12:50- Lunch and recess

• 12:50-1:15 Language Arts

• 1:15-2:10 Either computer lab or Language Arts

• 2:10-2:25 Recess

• 2:30-3:15 Reading

• 3:15-3:25 Clean-up

• 3:25 Dismissal

Friday• 8:40 First bell

• 8:50 Tardy bell

• 8:0-9:10 Self Starter, Announcements, Pledge

• 9:15-10:00 Language Arts Assessments

• 10:00-1010 In the Spotlight

• 10:10-10:15 Clean-up

• 10:15 -10:30 Recess

• 10:20-10:55 Fun Friday!

• 10:55-11:00 Switch classes

• 11:00-11:15 Self Starter

• 11:15-12:00 Language Arts Assessments

• 12:00-12:10 In the Spotlight

• 12:10-12:50 Lunch and recess

• 12:55-1:20 Fun Friday!

• 1:20-1:25 Clean-up

• 1:25 Dismissal

Our Class Rules•Rule 1: Be respectful to everyone and everything.

•Rule 2: Be responsible in all you say and do.

•

Behavior BasicsWe have high expectations for behavior so that everyone can do their job and learn a lot each day. Our time together each day to learn is so short that behavior which distracts or keeps any of us from

doing our job can not be allowed.

• Everyone starts each day with a clean slate

• Students record their behavior choices on the provided sticky note; positive choices receive smiley faces ( ) and poor choices receive strikes (x).

• Students receive a reminder about poor choices being made before they receive any strikes

• 2 strikes for the same poor choice results in the student having to spend part of the next recess conferencing with the teacher and practicing the appropriate behavior.

• 3 strikes for the same poor choice results in the student spending part of the next recess conferencing with the teacher prior to them contacting a parent to discuss their poor choices.

• Any further problems will result in teacher’s choice of consequences which could include time to think and reflect in a quiet area, visit with administration, contacting parents.

• Any incidents of bullying, fighting, or physical aggression towards someone will be referred directly to the office to be handled by an administrator.

Basic Homework Information• Weekly reading log

• Read good fit books at least 15 minutes a day, 4 days a week

• Read to someone, with someone, or listen to someone read to you-it all counts

• Weekly log goes home on Tuesday and is due the following Tuesday.

• Share behavior calendar with parents nightly, please keep this in the provided homework folder

• 1 book talk per term, due dates and instructions sent home with time to complete.

• Homework folder provided by Mrs. Pforts, please use this tool

Homework plays an important part in helping students become better readers and writers as well as helping them their build school responsibility skills.

50 Book Challenge• Enrichment opportunity for everyone!

• Read a variety of 50 good fit books by the end of the school year.

• Read books at home, at school, or anywhere to count them towards reaching the goal.

• Track your progress in your 50 book challenge log and on the class tracker.

• Earn a prize when you complete the challenge.

• Extra special prize for the entire class if everyone completes the 50 book challenge by the end of the school year.

• Detailed information available in student’s binder as well as back to school information packet.

• Questions about this challenge, ask Mrs. Pforts.

Grades and Testing• Grades are given based on DESK standards as described on our district website.

• Grades are updated weekly and can be seen by logging into your my DSD account.

• Not all work is done for a grade and some graded work may not be sent home.

• Missing work emails may be sent to let you know that your student has not turned in/completed all of the graded work for the week.

• Some missing work can not be completed at home.

• Student led conferences will be where students share some work, grades, as well as data and goals they have been tracking. Watch for the sign up information around conference time.

• End of year testing will begin in April and finish up around the middle of May so please take this into account when scheduling things like vacations and appointments for the spring. I will give you more firm dates when I get them which won’t be until closer to the testing window opening in April.

Birthday Celebrations

• Birthdays are celebrated at the end of the day in whichever class the student is in.

• Students are welcome to bring a store bought treat to share with their class; treats are optional.

• Summer birthdays will be celebrated on their half birthdays.

• Weekend birthdays may be celebrated either the week before or after their actual birthday.

• Birthday party invitations may not be passed out during class time, please take care of that outside of our learning time.

• If you have questions about celebrating birthdays contact Mrs. Pforts.

Communication: The Key to a Successful Year

Communication is the key to a successful year so it is important that you are aware of ways I will be communicating with you and where you can get information about our classroom. I will do my best to communicate with you, but if you have questions or concerns please let me know right away so that we can get them talked out and taken care of.

• Basic classroom information and calendar can be found on my webpage

• Students daily behavior tracker

• Missing work emails

• Weekly newsletters

• Tuesday folders

• Emails

• Notes

• Phone calls

• Conferences

Interested in volunteering?

• Sign up sheets will be available at the Back to School open house for things like helping Liu laoshi tutor small groups of students with math.

• Opportunities also come up during the year to help with special projects like class parties, Chinese programs, special projects, or field trips.

• Watch for volunteer start dates and volunteering opportunities in your email box and Tuesday folders.

• PTA is also always in need of volunteers to help with projects and special events around our school.

Phenomenal Pforts Facts• Born and raised in rural southeastern Iowa• Grew up on a small farm• Husband is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant • Received bachelor of science degree in Elementary

Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha• Lived in the states of Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and

Utah• Lived in the countries of USA, Germany, and England• Has 3 children: Maggie, Melanie, and Samuel• Has 1 dog named Jasper • Loves to travel• Loves chocolate• Loves Mexican food • Loves to read• Enjoys watching karate, especially her black belt son• Iowa Hawkeyes fan• Has been teaching third grade for 10 years• Has lived in Utah since 2007• Owns a convertible Mustang in her favorite color of

red• Loves roller coasters especially Space Mountain and

the Dragon’s Challenge

My three kids: Maggie,

Samuel, and Melanie.

My dog, Jasper.

Teacher Challenge for You

I look forward to this being wonderful year of working and learning together. I love teaching and learning so I have one of the best jobs in the world. Communication is the key to a successful year so if you have questions or concerns please share them with me so that we can work on resolving them right away. If I am not aware of a problem I can not do anything to work on solving the problem. Thank you for taking the time to read and go over the information in this presentation with your student, more detailed information will be provided in the welcome packets when you come to the back to school open house or the first day of school.

Parents, please take a couple of minutes to shoot me an email to let me know you were able to view this presentation. In your email please include the answer to one of the following questions and any other information you would like to share about your student:

1. How many nights a week is your child asked to do reading homework?

2. How can you check on your child’s daily behavior?

Student challenge activity: Any student that comes to either the back to school open house or on the first day of school able to tell me the answer to at least one of the questions listed below will receive a treat.

3. How many kids does Mrs. Pforts have?

4. What is Mrs. Pforts dog’s name?

5. How many years has Mrs. Pforts lived in Utah?

6. What is something that Mrs. Pforts loves?

Good luck on this challenge and see you soon!