READING

We are using a Language Arts program published by Macmillan McGraw-Hill. This program includes all components of Reading and Language Arts including phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, writing, grammar and spelling. The materials include an anthology of authentic literature, leveled readers, take-home stories and leveled worksheets to reinforce skills.

Children self select books of personal interest during Guided Reading.  They can choose from a variety of genres and reading levels.  We encourage the children to choose a book that they can read independently by following the "5 Finger Rule."

WRITING

Writer's Workshop encourages children to choose topics that are of personal interest.  They are given the opportunity to write expository, persuasive, and narrative papers.  The skills taught during this time are correct punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling.

SPELLING

Children are given a weekly preview of spelling words.  Activities at the Word Work Center during Guided Reading allow time for the students to practice spelling patterns. At the end of the week a test is given.

MATH

At the start of the year, the students review basic addition and subtraction facts.  Multiplication facts will be introduced. The goal for 3rd grade math facts is to achieve 95% on the timed basic facts tests in May for subtraction and multiplication.

The following topics will be covered throughout the year:

• Review of place value, money, time
• Review of addition and subtraction
• Two and three digit numbers added and subtracted from two and three digit numbers
• Subtraction and Multiplication facts
• Rules of multiplication and division
• Fractions
• Geometry
  • Angles
  • Turns
  • Slides
  • Flips
  • Congruence and symmetry
• Measurement

SCIENCE

A hands on approach to learning Science is used whenever possible. Experiments are used to teach the students the skills of observing, classifying, inferring, predicting, making models, recording data, evaluating and drawing conclusions.  We study the four areas of science.  The following topics will be covered:

Life Science:

• How Plants Grow and Change
• How Animals Grow and Change

Physical Science:

• Forces, Machines, and Work
• Sound

Earth Science:

• Materials of Earth
• Clouds and Storms

SOCIAL STUDIES

The third grade social studies curriculum focuses on communities. The following units are covered throughout the year:

• Map Skills
• What Is a Community
• Where People Start Communities
• Communities Grow and Change
• People Working Together
• Living Together in a Community, State, and Nation
• The Many People of a Community

HEALTH

The following topics are covered throughout the year.

• Consumer Health
• Nutrition
• Environmental Health
• Drug Awareness
• Safety
• Human Growth and Development