Third+Grade+Curriculum

In third grade, students continue to develop strategies to effectively use language. Through the presentation of reports and journal writing, they learn to write and speak for a specific purpose. Students learn to become strategic readers by identifying the elements of a story. They read expository material for specific information. Study skills include note taking, the use of reference materials, interpreting graphs and diagrams, and test-taking skills. Vocabulary development continues to include the refinement of phonetic and decoding skills. Word analysis strategies include: homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, analogies, multiple meanings and compound words. Students expand their vocabulary by learning strategies for identifying unfamiliar words.
 * Language Arts **

Reading comprehension skills taught include: understanding fiction and nonfiction reading selections, identifying main ideas, sequencing events, recalling details, making predictions, drawing inferences, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships. Third graders continue to learn and practice the steps of the writing process. Peer conferencing is used as a revision technique. Proper grammar, spelling, and the mechanics of writing are taught to enable students to proofread and communicate more effectively.

** Mathematics **

Third graders focus on fact families in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They continue developing strategies for multi-digit addition and subtraction problems. Learning multiplication facts through the 10s is a goal this year. Other third-grade skills include understanding large numbers in addition, working with small numbers using equivalent fractions, and decimals to the thousandths. They continue the study of geometry, negative numbers, calculator skills, telling time, and geometry. Practical application of measurement skills includes linear, weight, and capacity with customary and metric units. Students perform probability experiments that provide information for analyzing data and predicting outcomes.