THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

2007-2008

LANGUAGE ARTS:

The most important goal in language arts is to enable each child to communicate as effectively as possible. Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking strengthen necessary skills.  Students will also be challenged through regular instruction to develop processes for critical and creative thinking skills. The five areas of concentration are: productive thinking, communication, forecasting, decisions making and planning.

SPELLING

Students will be working with the Houghton Mifflin Reading Program, which includes spelling.  This program promotes the formal teaching of reliable patterns and rules enabling students to spell a high percentage of English words without memorization.  This program will be supplemented with the addition of high frequency writing words and context words as needed. Students will gain experience in using dictionaries, arranging words alphabetically, and identifying compound words, base words, homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms.

LITERATURE/READING

 We use the literature-based Houghton Mifflin Reading Series for our core reading development.  A combination of group and independent reading activities promote growth of skills in comprehension, word recognition, story analysis, vocabulary development, and appreciation for literature.  Students will learn about the different categories of books such as realistic fiction, fantasy, folktale, poems, plays, mysteries, and biographies and other non-fiction works.  Students will be read to daily with emphasis placed on comprehension skills. Skills in using a library are taught through regular library lessons at our St. Mary's library.  The Accelerated Reader Program, and the SRA Program will be used to enhance classroom as well as outside reading.  The students will also read and participate in novel studies as a class with emphasis on comprehension, vocabulary and pleasure.

HANDWRITING

Students will work toward mastery of upper and lower case letters in cursive.  Emphasis is on the proper formation of the cursive style, uniformity and correct spacing as taught through the Handwriting Without Tears program.

SPEAKING

Students will enhance speaking skills by participating in class discussions, expressing opinions and ideas and by giving oral book reports.  Students will also have opportunities to participate in dramatic presentations. Emphasis is on developing fluent, organized and meaningful oral expression.

GRAMMAR

Included in our instructional materials IS the Silver Burdett & Ginn World of Language..  Daily Oral Language will also be used.  We will be working on these parts of speech: nouns, subjects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and pronouns and prepositions.  Students will be given practical application of the basic writing skills: creating complete sentences and forming paragraphs, identifying and using the basic parts of speech, and using punctuation correctly. The Houghton Mifflin workbook will also emphasize language skills for writing and speaking.

COMPOSITION

Students will continually be involved with creative writing as they write from their own experiences, write from their observations, and write from extended literature activities. As their written expression develops, five steps to writing will be implemented: prewriting, writing, revising, proofreading and publishing.  Students will write summaries, book reports, stories, poetry, and three paragraph essays.

MATH:

The third grade math program uses Everyday Mathematics, a rigorous curriculum that has been extensively researched and proven to build students’ mathematical knowledge from the basics to higher-order thinking and critical problem solving. This program is supplemented by Rocket Math (basic facts program). Third grade math focuses on the use of mathematics in real life situations.  Students use simulations and games to learn and practice new concepts.  Social studies and science connections are stressed.  Our math program covers a broad range of mathematical content, in addition to numbers and arithmetic. Math at the third grade level emphasizes the following content strands, skills, and concepts:  Numeration, Operations and Computation, Data and Chance, Geometry, Measurement and Reference Frames, Patterns, functions and Algebra.

SCIENCE:

St. Mary’s science curriculum is a hands-on approach to learning the fundamental processes of science. Through direct laboratory, classroom and outdoor experiences, students will be exposed to observing, measuring, recording, classifying, interpreting, analyzing, inferring, predicting, and investigating. The third grade science curriculum will focus on the earth/space, life and physical sciences and has been developed with the National Science Education Standards as its foundation.  Hands on Elementary Science, AIMS, Science Studies Weekly and Delta Science Modules have been used in the development of activities and learning experiences. The topics covered include: soil, Earth’s resources, classification of organisms, matter, light and sound energy.  Students will be responsible for participation in outdoor education, conducting lab investigations, keeping lab notebooks and completing various assessments throughout the year.

SOCIAL STUDIES/GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY:

Using reading strategies, thinking skills, class discussions, and interactive simulations, the third grade students will be introduced to: history (world and American), geography, communities, humanities and citizenship.  Students will study communities in the United States . A historical perspective of how communities evolve will be gained from a study of Ancient Greece, Rome, and Europe in the Middle Ages.   Third grade American History studies will feature a unit on Native Americans. Students will be tested on the information and skills they have learned and reviewed.  A map skills book, Map Essentials, globes, worksheets, field trips, resource materials and class and individual projects will be used to strengthen geography concepts.

THIRD GRADE SPECIALS

SPANISH:

Welcome to the world of foreign-language learning at St. Mary’s School! Third-graders attend Spanish class twice a week to build upon reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Our core curriculum follows themes and exercises from the textbook Teach Them Spanish by Winnie Waltzer-Hackett. Games, creative dialogues, songs, and poems are fun ways that we build upon and reinforce new vocabulary and grammar points.

At least once a month, we highlight regions and/or celebrations of special importance to the Spanish-speaking world. Supplementary readings, documentary videos, traditional music, and guest speakers are all “windows” through which our students expand their worldview in Spanish class. Through foreign language education at the elementary level, our students grow in their awareness of and respect for other people, cultures, and traditions.

FINE ARTS:

• Students will experience rhythm, pitch, rhythm instruments, Orff instruments, elements of basic music theory, and a number of singing and movement activities using the Orff Schulwerk approach. Students will learn about orchestral families, cultural music, composers and their music, experience performance opportunities and have hands-on instrument experience. Students will be able to produce music with body, voice, instruments and read basic music notations. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of music and musical styles and will perform in front of others.

• Regular art classes include experiences in drawing and painting, basic art techniques, imagery and guided art and 3-dimensional art. Various arts activities will be incorporated into the regular classroom curriculum as well.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

Our PE program provides the learner with unique fundamental knowledge, interaction, and physical skills appropriate for each age level.  Our units consist of drills, exercise, physical activities and games. Units are as follows: perceptual-motor development, President’s fitness challenge, dance & movement, archery, relays, volleyball, jogging and cross country. Our goal is to equip the students with knowledge and a desire for lifelong physical activity. Students are encouraged to engage in physical activity outside of the classroom through various forms of team sports and exercise.

COMPUTER EDUCATION:

Students will have the opportunities to work in the computer lab and experience a variety of age appropriate software and internet sites to enrich and compliment classroom learning.  The primary objectives and goals for the computer education at this level will be:  computer terminology, internet unit, keyboarding skills,  continued skills in word processing (Microsoft Word) and publishing (Print Shop) and introduction to presentation software(Microsoft PowerPoint).

RELIGION:

The students will attend Chapel twice weekly and actively participate in the service.  The Chapel curriculum is derived from the BIBLE and The Book of Common Prayer.  The Wednesday elementary chapel will use The Book of Common Prayer and the focus will be on the Lectionary Readings.  The Monday morning chapel services are taken from The Book of Common Prayer Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families. This devotion follows the basic structure of the Daily Office of the Church.  Portions of Psalms, scripture readings and collects (prayers) are read at this service in addition to The Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed.  A time for  prayer is provided as well as a time for singing.

Religious education classes will include resources from the Episcopal Children's Curriculum, The Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education and the Bible and will include a basic study of the Bible and Bible stories with emphasis on character development. Core value traits are used to develop positive, healthy, and spiritual students.

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