Curriculum

Reading:

This year, we will continue to use the reading curriculum called Treasures. It includes materials for whole group and small group instruction. We will use this curriculum to teach the following topics, in addition to phonics and vocabulary targets.

Major essential learning for third grade readers

1. Identify the main idea and supporting details
2. Understand and indentify story elements (problem, solution, events, setting, characters)
3. Draw conclusions
4. Compare and contrast books or characters
5. Identify cause and effect
6. Use meaning and context to help identify and read unknown vocabulary
7. Read with expression
8. Read and follow written directions
9. Summarize reading material

Writing:

Writing instruction is based on a program called Every Child a Writer. This program includes differentiated, small group instruction every day. Your child will learn to write to a variety of prompts throughout the year. Depending on their writing level, your child may work on descriptive, narrative, expository, letter, persuasive, poetry, research, and instructional writing.

Major essential learning for third grade writers

1. Write a complete paragraph with several specific details
2. Stay on topic
3. Write a topic and conclusion sentence
4. Vary the lengths of sentences to maintain fluency
5. Using descriptive words, similes, and metaphors to show readers what they are writing about.
6. Correct use of punctuation and capitalization
7. Use specific adverbs and adjectives

Grammar:

Major essential learning for third grade in grammar

1. Write a complete sentence with a subject and predicate
2. Identify parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, pronouns)
3. Use appropriate punctuation at the end of sentences
4. Capitalize proper nouns
5. Use dictionary to aide in spelling
6. Identify and find synonyms and antonyms
7. Identify homophones and homonyms

Spelling

Spelling will be focused on high-frequency and vocabulary words. Each week, the students will receive a pre-test of “sight” words, or words they are most likely to encounter. If they receive a high percentage correct on this pre-test, they will receive a list of content-specific vocabulary words as their spelling list. If not, the sight word list will be their spelling list for that week. Students will write their spelling words in their planners on the first day of each week so that they may study them before the test on Friday.

Math:

We will continue to use our Envision math program this year.

Essential learning for math

1. Add and subtract three digit numbers
2. Memorize multiplication facts 0-10
3. Count money
4. Make change
5. Tell time to the nearest minute
6. Determine elapsed time
7. Solve word problems in a variety of ways
8. Measure to the nearest half inch and centimeter
9. Identify fractions
10. Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator
11. Understand the basic idea of division without remainders
12. Explain the necessary steps to solve a problem

Social Studies:

Your child will learn about the following topics

1. Citizenship
2. Government
3. Regions
4. Map Skills
5. Supply and demand
6. People in History

Science:

Your child will learn about the following topics

1. The Scientific Method
2. Living Things
3. States of Matter
4. Earth’s surface
5. Water