Curriculum

THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM

AT A GLANCE

RELIGION - The text we use is Silver Burdett and Ginn, Blest Are We. Students learn social and conflict resolution skills through our Second Step and Steps to Respect programs. Religion is taught every day, as well as integrated into every aspect of our school day. Students come to know experientially all we believe as Catholics. Daily prayer reinforces the values being taught formally. Students will memorize the Gloria, The Apostles Creed, The Jesus Prayer, and The Memorare.

LITERACY - Third grade literacy curriculum consists of a combined strategy of subject areas, building upon earlier learning and further development in the areas of reading, writing, and communication. We use a basal reading series, Reading, which is published by Scott Foresman. Phonics skill lessons will be taught from our reading series. Writing is modeled for students and daily writing allows opportunity for practicing new skills. Students are asked to engage in all steps of the writing process including: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, illustrating, and publishing. They will follow these steps using the Six Trait Writing model which includes: editing and revising based on ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Daily Oral Language gives students practice on punctuation, verb tense, capitalization, and grammar. Weekly spelling lists are derived from the Zaner-Bloser Spelling Connections and words from other curriculum areas. Third graders will learn cursive writing using the Slingerland method. We emphasize neat cursive writing as an effective communication tool. Writing, reading, and communication skills are used throughout the whole curriculum.

MATH - We use the Silver Burdett Ginn text, Mathematics and the Toolkit for mathematics instruction, along with a variety

of other math related materials, including math games and manipulatives, trade books, and writing activities. The students learn both computation and problem solving strategies. Writing and math skills are connected to problem solving in preparation for the 4th grade WASL. These skills are reinforced throughout the curriculum.

Overview

Review addition and subtraction facts.

Carrying and Borrowing (Regrouping)

Problem Solving

Time/Money

Standard Measurement

Multiplication

Division

Graphing

Fractions

Geometry

SCIENCE - Students use Foss Science Systems. At the third grade level, this consists of three interactive kits: The Human Body, Measurement, and the Physics of Sound. These kits employ hands-on, real world science with multimedia materials and active learning at its core.

Physics of Sound - Students learn about how sounds are made and how they travel from origin to ear. This unit will also include a component about light and how it travels.

Measurement - Students learn metric measurement through hands-on learning experience.

Human Body - Students learn about how their bodies work through a focus on the bones and muscles. Students will work on a research paper related to science this year.

SOCIAL STUDIES - We begin the third grade year with a unit on communities. The students will learn about classroom, school, church, city, state, and country communities We will be learning about city government and will take a trip to the Mayor's office. This unit of study also address map skills. Students will learn how to read and draw maps. Skills learned during this unit will be built upon throughout the year. Next, we will complete a unit on Northwest Coast Native Americans. The students will learn about their homes, travel, food, artwork, and traditions. We will be incorporating at least one field trip into this unit. During this year, third graders will learn about peacemakers, both famous and lesser known. This will lead directly into our next unit on influential African Americans. Third graders will also learn about women of past and present who have contributed to history. In the spring the third graders will also work on environmental awareness activities and learning good nutrition habits.

FINE ARTS - Students learn art history through featured artists and art styles. After learning about a particular artist or style of art, the students replicate the work to the best of their ability. Students will be learning about the artwork of the Northwest Coast Native Americans as part of a social studies unit during the first part of the year. In addition, students will be learning about the lives and works of famous artists Jacob Lawrence and Georgia O'Keefe. Art is also incorporated into

other subject areas.

RESEARCH PROJECTS-Third graders will be working on at least 2 research projects during the year. These will be related to a curriculum area determined by the teacher.

**Music, Physical Education, Library Media Center, and Spanish are taught by specialists.