Third Grade
Carrie Brown
About Me
Hello Prairie Crossing Families!
My name is Carrie Brown and I am so excited to be your child’s teacher this year! Let me share a little bit about myself. This will mark my 30th year of teaching! While living in New York, I received my Bachelor’s of Education at Buffalo State College and Master’s in Special Education at LeMoyne College. I started out my career teaching 4th Grade in New York. From there, I moved to Santa Monica, California and taught1st Grade for over seven years. My final stop had me trading in the beautiful ocean views and beaches of Southern California for the majestic mountain views in Colorado.
I spent five years teaching both 1st and 3rd Grade in the Cherry Creek School District. I simply loved being there. However, I could not pass up an opportunity to teach at my neighborhood school at Prairie Crossing. Parker is a wonderful place to live, raise a family, and educate your child. I have enjoyed living in this wonderful, scenic state with my husband Abe and 16 year old twins, Connor and Addy.
I just love being a mom and that naturally transfers over to the classroom. It is my goal that every child feels loved, safe and secure in their school, just as they do at home. I am excited to help your child on their educational and social journey!
The best way to contact me is via email: carrie.brown@dcsdk12.org
Daily Schedule
Class Information
Reading
Comprehension strategies such as schema (background knowledge), inferring questioning, making connections, determining importance, and summarizing will be the focus in reading. We will also work on fiction and non-fiction text. Having students read independently both at home and at school is very important to practice and apply these skills. Students will apply and enhance these skills while reading within the content area and participating in reading groups.
Writing
We will be looking at the different genres and practicing them in writing. The genres include descriptive, narrative, expository, poetry and opinion. Sentence structure, grammar, organization, and conventions is our focus. Student will write in a draft book and publish some writing.
Math
Our Math Curriculum is Ready Math. Math this year will begin with place value and move into multiplication and division. Fractions, geometric relationships, data will also be addressed. Mastering basic math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is a priority. Practicing facts can be accomplished by your student using Xtra Math, flash cards, and math activities. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENT PRACTICES MATH FACTS DAILY. Knowing these facts will help your student in all areas of math.
Science
Motion, such as balanced and unbalanced magnets, electricity interactions, life cycles, animal groups and weather makeup our Science curriculum. Creating and participating in Science experiments allows students to critically think, understand and develop a sense of inquiry.
Social Studies
Civics includes branches of government and civic responsibility. Influential people within the communities will allow students to connect to people in their lives. Geography will look at land forms and tie in with our rocks and minerals in science. Students will also participate in Market Day for Economics.
Snacks
Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle with water ONLY and a snack each day. Please make sure that your child also brings in a healthy snack. No candy, cookies or soda.
Behavior Expectations
Our classroom is a respectful, caring and safe environment. Students are encouraged to make good choices with their behavior. Most behavior situations are handled with a conversation with the student. We focus on the strong link between academic success and social-emotional learning. Every child’s needs — academic, social, emotional, and physical—are all equally important. Academic excellence and rigor is critical to your child’s education. Equally important is teaching them how to take turns, listen respectfully, work effectively with a partner or group, be a problem solver and critical thinker.
Birthday Celebrations
For your students birthday celebration his/her name will be announced during the announcements and his/her picture will be displayed on our closed circuit TV in the lobby. At Prairie Crossing one of the expectations is that students not share birthday treats, therefore PLEASE DO NOT send in birthday treats.
Communication
Communications is key to making your student's 3rd grade year successful. The best way to contact me is through email as I check it several times per day.
Grading
Work sent home with a check mark means that I have looked at the work. Work with a number such as 14/15 or a 1, 2, 3, or 4 is work that I have taken a grade on.
1 - Does Not Meet Expectations
2 - Approaching the Expectation
3 - Meets the Expectation
4 - Above the Expectation
Karena Williams
Classroom Information
Reading
Comprehension strategies such as schema (background knowledge), inferring questioning, making connections, determining importance, and summarizing will be the focus in reading. We will also work on fiction and non-fiction text. Having students read independently both at home and at school is very important to practice and apply these skills. Students will apply and enhance these skills while reading within the content area and participating in reading groups.
Writing
We will be looking at the different genres and practicing them in writing. The genres include descriptive, narrative, expository, poetry and opinion. Sentence structure, grammar, organization, and conventions is our focus. Student will write in a draft book and publish some writing.
Math
Our math curriculum is Ready Math. This year math will begin with place value and move into multiplication and division. Fractions, geometric relationships, data will also be addressed. Mastering basic math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is a priority. Nightly practice of math facts at home will help your child in all areas of math.
Science
Motion, such as balanced and unbalanced magnets, electricity interactions, life cycles, animal groups and weather makeup our Science curriculum. Creating and participating in Science experiments allows students to critically think, understand and develop a sense of inquiry.
Social Studies
Civics includes branches of government and civic responsibility. Influential people within the communities will allow students to connect to people in their lives. Geography will look at land forms and tie in with our rocks and minerals in science. Students will also participate in Market Day for Economics.
Snacks
Students are more than welcome to bring a healthy snack to eat during our recess. A disposable container may be helpful for your child as they eat their snack outside. There are plenty of trash cans on and around the playground. Students can also bring a water bottle to school each day. Water will be the only drink students will be allowed to bring in the classroom. This will help prevent messy spills, as well as encourage students to make good choices while remaining hydrated.
Seesaw
We're going to use a tool to share what we're learning in class called Seesaw. This is a digital journal for specifically for your child where we will upload their work throughout the year. Students love uploading their work for their parents to see. You'll be able to "like" and comment on the different things they upload! I will also be uploading pictures and videos of things we're learning in class or fun pictures from our field trips and school events your child is involved in. Please look for information regarding Seesaw at the beginning of the school year on how to sign up. Once you sign up, you can download the Seesaw Parent app for iPhone or Android, or access your child's journal on the web.
Communication
As I send newsletters, I will send you an email about what’s going on in our classroom that week. If you need to contact me for any reason, please feel free to email me at kawilliams@dcsdk12.org.