Room 3 Independent Study Information Sheet
When your child is absent he or she needs to complete Independent Study to make up for that absence. Independent Study is work done at home, completed by the student with the guidance of a parent or other responsible adult. Please remember that we can only give attendance credit if you turn in a completed and signed Independent Study log along with the completed work. You may download one here - remember to complete both pages and sign.
Ø How much Independent Study does your child need to completely account for an absence?
The time requirement for Independent Study credit for third grade is 275 minutes (4:35). There are five major areas of study in which students participate everyday. These are: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Reading, Physical Education, and Science and/or Social Studies/ History. Some coursework should be completed in each area for every day of Independent Study.
Ø What kinds of activities can be considered appropriate for each subject area?
Most of the time, I will provide a packet of appropriate activities to be completed for a single day’s absence. However, if you are providing the Independent Study activities on your own, here are some guidelines for each subject area:
English
Language Arts: Activities include Grammar work (nouns, verbs, adjectives,
pronouns, punctuation, syllables, subjects and predicates), Spelling, Writing
(summary, compare/contrast, description, directions/instructions – in complete
paragraphs), and Vocabulary (defintions in and out of context). Also,
appreciation of performances may be considered if the activity is summarized or
reflected upon in writing.
Reading:
Activities include reading books, stories, magazine articles or newspapers and
logging and reflecting upon the reading. Often, this is done with comprehension
sheets that list questions (inferential, details, cause/effect, summary).
Mathematics:
Activities include practicing math facts (multiplication 1-10, division 1-10),
grade level appropriate worksheets, or real-world application (counting money,
creating a budget, computing the cost of groceries, etc.). Be creative! Provide
explicit details about the activity and attach any physical articles that may
result.
Science:
Activities need to be documented with physcial articles such as worksheets,
written summaries of the activity, or photographs with accompanying
captions/descriptions. Many household activities are considered science, as long
as the scientific method is observed. Cooking is a great way to combine science
and math! Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar is another exciting way to
experience everyday science.
Social Studies/
History: Activities need to be documented with physcial articles such as
worksheets, written summaries of the activity, or photographs with accompanying
captions/descriptions. Reading and responding to material in this content area
may be considered for credit. Viewing of historical or socially relavant
documentaries or informative educational programming is acceptable, so long as a
summary of learning (such as a written reflection) is provided.
Physical/
Health Education: Traditional physical education activities may be documented by
you with a simple notation of the activity and the amount of time spent. Also,
consider discussing a nutritionally balanaced menu for mealtimes, letting your
child plan a healthy snack, or learning about other health-related components.
Those activities should be documented with captioned photographs, written
reflections and/or summaries.
Online
Activities: Access to online educational activities in any of the subject areas
may be allowed, but will not count for more than 60 minutes of credit for any
one subject area. Activities include online games that are specifically designed
to enhance learning and practice a specific educational skill (i.e. math facts,
spelling, vocabulary). Online exploration of a particular topic of interest via
Internet Research may be counted under the appropriate subject area provided
that a completed product (i.e. summary, informational brochure, etc.) is
attached.
Ø What are some resources where can I get my own Independent Study?
For access to grade level appropriate worksheets, you may try the following websites:
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com
http://www.tlsbooks.com/thirdgradeworksheets.htm
http://www.education.com/worksheets/third-grade/
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/worksheets/
To generate your own grade level appropriate worksheets, try:
http://www.worksheetworks.com/
For some fun online exploration and activities, try:
http://www.analyzemath.com/ Mostly math activities; requires adult guidance to get started
http://www.321know.com/grade3.htm Math specific to third grade content.
http://www.aaaspell.com/grade3.htm Spelling activities and language activities.
http://www.aaawhere.com/geog-usa.htm Geography and other social studies content.
There are many other appropriate resources from which you may create your child’s Independent Study. Please be sure to include all worksheets or other applicable articles or products that represent time spent on specific learning tasks.
I will make every effort to have ready packets of Independent Study aligned to our daily work. You may come on the morning of your child’s expected absence and pick up a packet to be completed that day. These packets will be sent home following your child’s absence if you did not already pick one up.
If you are unsure of any Independent Study work, or have questions, please contact me at school via phone or email.
Thank you,
Miss Davis
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