Third Grade
Curriculum
READING, LANGUAGE ARTS, and WRITING
The Open Court Reading Program continues from Second into Third Grade. It is a research-based comprehensive reading, writing, and language arts program, which uses systematic, explicit instruction, this program helps all students master the foundational skills needed not only to move to proficiency, but also to achieve greater goals of reading independently with confidence inside and outside the classroom. Two Student Anthologies include a variety of diverse narrative and informative text selections to help students build their understanding of concepts such as: key ideas and details; writing as a craft; and the integration of knowledge and ideas. Grade 3 Student Anthologies are available digitally with audio for added fluency and vocabulary support. 3rd Grade Themes include: Respect, Extreme Weather, A Changing Nation, Animals and Their Habitats, Government at Work, Art on the Move.
MATHEMATICS
The course integrates and develops all strands of mathematical proficiency and practice including geometry, fractions, multiplication, division, and measurement. Students master multiplication and division within 100. Students add and subtract fluently within 1,000. Students will apply these operations to multi-step, real-world problems that connect to their everyday lives. Mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning of a problem and looking for entry points to its solution. Third grade units include topics covering the following core concepts: Place Value and Multi-Digit Addition and Subtraction; Lines, Line Segments, and Quadrilaterals; Addition and Subtraction Word Problems; Figures, Angles, and Triangles; Use Addition and Subtraction; Patterns; Multiplication and Division with 0-5, 9, and 10; Area and Perimeter; Multiplication and Division with 6, 7, and 8 and Problem Solving; Multiplying and Dividing Larger Numbers; Time; Exploring Fractions, Probability, and Division with Remainders; Three-dimensional Figures; Measurement; Directions and Locations. Students will use iPads daily to access and practice core concepts.
SCIENCE
Students will integrate technology, engineering, and various field trips to enhance and teach core concepts of life, earth, and physical science. Students study plants, animals, cycles on the Earth and in Space, forces, motion, matter, and energy. Through hands-on learning experiences, reading, and note taking students in this course gain a deeper understanding of the world around us, and what it means to be a scientist.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Third Grade students will learn about the impact geography, culture, history, government, and economics have across the globe and in their very own community through the Impact Social Studies Curriculum. Students will engage with maps, primary sources, timelines, and different perspectives to build citizenship skills and gain an understanding of the forces that shape their community locally and globally. Third Grade Chapters/Themes include: Why Does It Matter Where We Live?; What Is Our Relationship to Our Environment?; What Makes a Community Unique?; How Does the Past Impact the Present?; Why Do Governments and Citizens Need Each Other?; and How Do People in a Community Meet Their Wants and Needs?
TECHNOLOGY / S.T.E.M.
Students will take weekly trips to the computer lab to type up a final draft that they wrote in throughout the week. These weekly trips focus on computer proficiency and typing skills. Third graders also use their iPad daily across all curriculums. A SMART Board is integrated daily to enhance instruction. Third grade participates in National Engineering Week.