Third Grade
Third grade is an exciting time. Students are developing the ability to work productively for sustained periods of time independently as well as in groups, and becoming better able to recognize and understand experiences and perspectives that differ from their own. Girls learn the classroom norms and expectations through student-generated rules, clear procedures, discussions and feedback, teacher and peer modeling, the physical classroom set-up, and specific curricular activities. An important goal is that each third grade girl consistently will show respect and responsibility for herself, others, and materials.
Our social studies-based integrated theme curriculum serves as a vehicle for learning about the economic, political, religious, geographical, and historical importance of a community's story. Students gain skills and experience in the areas of civics, geography, research, history, and government. Through active participation and exploration, they learn about and identify with the stories of people from many cultures who contribute to the ever-changing fabric of America today. Our curriculum includes discussions and activities focusing on human social behavior, history, and geography. Much work is done in small groups, providing direct experience with group dynamics, problem solving, and human behavior. Role plays, field trips, artifact displays, and other hands-on, concrete activities are utilized in order to help students attain a deeper understanding of abstract concepts, long-ago events, and faraway places. The topics covered throughout the year are Community; Culture, History & Artifacts; African American History; Historical Immigration; Contemporary Immigration; and Citizenry & Activism.
Our literature curriculum provides inspiring, rich connections to the experiences explored in theme. Third graders work in small literature groups, where they focus on specific skills such as language development, reading and reasoning, interpretive and expressive writing, comprehension of texts, and learning new vocabulary. In their literature groups, students' exchanges of ideas improve their critical-thinking skills and help them to form opinions and evaluations of plot and character. Our reading and language arts program includes daily silent reading, group story time, oral discussion of literature, and written work. Periodic individual reading time with a teacher, nightly reading time, and frequent writing in a reading journal also help to sharpen students' reading interests and abilities.
As part of our spelling and word study programs, students focus on phonics, syllabication, plural endings, contractions, prefixes and suffixes, and learn new, high-frequency words. Our spelling program includes lessons on spelling patterns and rules with accompanying weekly homework so students learn corrected spellings of grade-level appropriate words.
Throughout Third Grade, we emphasize the importance of writing with clarity, whether it is writing creatively or writing for an assigned topic. Students are asked to organize their writing (e.g., stories should have a beginning, middle, and end) and use proper punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and syntax. Third Grade includes the writing of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction; editing, proofreading, spelling, grammar, learning the parts of speech, sentence structure, and punctuation. Writing times include formal grammar lessons with practice sheets to reinforce skills. Writer?s Workshop and an Authors' Circle provide opportunities to present one's work as well as to give and receive feedback.
The third grade math program, "Everyday Mathematics," is an extension and expansion of the mathematical concepts that were presented in Second Grade. The concepts include numeration, addition and subtraction, measurement and data, multiplication and division, place value, geometry, problem solving and mental arithmetic, rules, patterns, functions, money, time, fractions, and beginning algebra skills. Math is a creative process, and we encourage our students to identify different problem solving approaches and find solutions that work best for them as individuals. Hands-on activities, games and manipulatives are used to reinforce effective problem solving processes and students' understanding of various math operations. These are used in both individual and group settings so that students can solve problems on a concrete level and discuss them on a conceptual level.
Technology is integrated into every area of our curriculum. Third Graders use multimedia software and websites for learning and for demonstrating knowledge. Keyboarding skills are introduced and students gradually transition towards the use of ?home row? hand positioning. Students also gain proficiency in various word processing, drawing, and presentation applications. Macintosh computers are available in the classroom for many purposes. During Writer's Workshop students may use a word processing program to help them get their ideas on paper or to publish a final copy. Students may also use a variety of games which require problem solving, reading, spelling, and math skills.
