Mrs. Anderson's Class

Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions 
of students and parents.

1. How do I help my child become a better reader?
2. Is it important to memorize math facts?
3. What kind of reading should I be doing at home?
4. How do I help my child study for science without a science textbook?

How do I help my child become a better reader?

1. Make sure that your child reads independently every day.  It 
is also a 
good idea for your child to read to you, and for you to read to 
your child.  
2. Always check to see if your child has a JUST RIGHT book--it 
should not be 
too easy or too hard.
3. After your child reads, occasionally ask him/her to tell you 
about what 
they read.  You can have your child tell you about any tricky 
parts or words 
in the book.  Help them clarify(figure out) those parts.  
4.  Ask your child to list some character traits that the 
characters in the 
book exemplify.  Have them give examples of why they chose those 
character 
traits.
5.  It is also very important to have your child try to figure 
out meanings 
of unknown words by clues given in the sentence.  A richer 
vocabulary results 
in better reading comprehension.
6.  When your child reads aloud to you, make sure they are 
reading smoothly 
as though they are talking.  
7.  Show your child that reading is important and valuable to you 
by having 
them see you read, taking them to the library or book stores, and 
ordering 
books from the book club your child's teacher uses at school.
8. In addition to all of the above, please read and use the 
Active Reading 
Strategies I have provided on this website.  We use those 
strategies 
everyday, everytime we read!  Practice them at home with your 
child and use 
the Active Reading Strategy Words frequently.

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Is it important to memorize math facts?

1. YES!  Even though you may not see daily written homework 
reviewing math 
facts, it is important that your child takes 10 minutes a day to 
play some 
sort of math review game.  These review activities can range from 
simple 
flashcards, to fact worksheets, to computer games, or simply just 
sitting at 
the kitchen counter with another person and calling out facts!  
The Everyday 
Math Program stresses the importance of fact power through game 
playing and 
Fact Minutes.Knowing the facts now, will make it much easier for 
your child 
to work at a higher level later in problem solving and two and 
three step 
computation.

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What kind of reading should I be doing at home?

I really prefer for students to be reading books that are Just 
Right for them 
when reading at home.  This means that your child is reading the 
book 
smoothly and understanding what is going on in the book.   I also 
welcome the 
reading of appropriate magazines. Of course, there are times when 
you read to 
your child.  This is also acceptable for reading time, but it 
should not 
be THE ONLY type of reading your child is doing.  Finally, 
anytime your child 
is studying for a test and reading from the Social Studies or 
Health 
textbooks, it can count for the 15 minute requirement.

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How do I help my child study for science without a science textbook?

Science in the third grade is very much "hands on" and 
experiment based.  
There are times when we do take some notes in the science 
notebook, in 
addition to handouts that are given to the students.  Much of the 
work we do 
in science is through prediction, observation, guessing and 
testing, and 
discovery.  Students are actively engaged in the concepts that 
they have to 
master and are frequently exposed to these areas throughout the 
year and 
different grade levels.  It is important for your child to try to 
listen, 
participate, and write down important key notes during the 
science lesson.  I 
always provide students with what they should copy down in their 
science 
notebook.  Use this reference notebook to study.  Also, I have 
been 
summarizing each science lesson that we have been doing so you 
can look and 
see what is going on in class.  Ask your child frequently about 
what they did 
in science even if there is no science homework for that night.  
At this 
level, it is vital for children to find delight and interest in 
the wonder of 
science as opposed to just reading about it in a book.  
Furthermore, Chittick 
Book Room has added science trade books to its collection.  These 
trade books 
match with most concepts in our science units.  I will be using 
these books 
to reinforce what the children are learning in science during 
reading time.

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