Elementary School

Third Grade Curriculum Overview

Bible

Old Testament: Important people make important choices; Kingly choices in the new land
New Testament: The choice of Jesus; The young church tells the good news
Weekly Scripture memory
Integration of Biblical worldview in all subjects

Language Arts

Listening: Demonstrate active listening skills; listen and respond to a variety of literary forms; listen to information to recall, summarize, and interpret
Speaking: Use oral language to inform, persuade, entertain, and question; practice effective communication skills.
Word Analysis: Apply phonetic strategies, syllable rules, and knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones
Fluency: Use syntactic and semantic cues; apply principles of pacing and expression; participate in daily guided oral reading and independent, self selected silent reading;
Vocabulary: Learn new vocabulary in context; practice dictionary skills
Literature: Participate in guided reading and self selected reading of 50% fiction, 50% nonfiction; listen to literature read aloud
Comprehension: Read increasingly longer works for a variety of purposes; identify genre; identify elements of fiction and nonfiction; distinguish between fact and opinion; identify point of view; make predictions; compare and contrast; draw conclusions; make inferences and generalizations; recognize main idea, sequence, and cause and effect; respond to literal, inferential, and evaluative questions; identify and use figurative language; understand literary elements of character, plot, and theme
Spelling: Apply phonetic strategies; use correct spelling for frequently used words; learn and apply syllabication rules; Spell phonetic and non-phonetic words at third grade level or above; alphabetize words
Writing: Write legibly in manuscript and cursive; recognize and write complete sentences; write complete paragraphs; use the steps of the writing process to produce different types of writing including reflections, narratives, poems, letters, multi-paragraph essays, expository writing, and imaginative stories; use elaborations, increasingly descriptive vocabulary, and a variety of sentence types
Grammar: Identify and use different types of sentences; learn and apply standard rules for capitalization, punctuation, commas, apostrophes, quotation marks; identify and use nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and correct subject/verb agreement.
Reference skills: Locate information using a dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas, and globe; locate information using table of contents, title page, index, and glossary; introduction to the research process; use outlines and graphic organizers

Math

Numbers and operations: Numeration, cardinal and ordinal numbers, addition and subtraction with regrouping, review of addition and subtraction facts; mastery of multiplication and division facts; multi-digit multiplication; place value to 1,000,000; rounding
Fractions and decimals: decimal place to hundredths; fractional part of a whole and a group; mixed numbers; equivalent fractions; addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators
Measurement: Time, money, customary measurement of length, weight, temperature, capacity, area, and perimeter; metrics
Graphs: Organization and graphing of data; interpretation of bar, circle, line, and pictographs; ordered pairs
Geometry: Plane and solid figures; angles; congruence, symmetry
Estimation: Rounding; estimation of products, quotients, sums, differences
Probability: Terms and outcomes
Algebraic reasoning: Analysis and extension of patterns; concept of equality; unknowns; commutative property of addition and multiplication
Problem solving strategies

Mathematical concepts are taught with manipulatives, direct instruction, guided practice, small group exploration, independent practice, and written, oral, and performance assessments.

Social Studies

Civics: Federal, state, and local government
Economics: Goods, property, pricing, ownership
Geography: 50 states; Physical features of the United States
History: Roots of democracy; Biographies of famous Americans 1492-1850

Science

Life science: Basic life processes; Cells as building blocks; Inherited traits; Plant parts and functions, germination, preproduction; Animal classification systems, structure and function of organs; Health – skeletal and muscular systems
Earth science: Properties of rocks and minerals; formation of rocks, fossils, soil; Renewable and nonrenewable resources; Rapid earth change – storm, earthquake, effects of population; Water Cycle; Wind, air pressure, temperature; Measurement of weather changes; Weather maps; Rotation and revolution of planets, moon phases, sun and seasons
Physical science: Simple machines; Mass, volume, weight; Classification of matter; Mixtures and solutions; Physical and chemical change; Elements and atoms; Light energy, reflection and refraction; Sources of heat energy, movement of heat

Information Literacy

Orientation to the media center
Personal accountability with materials and information
Literary appreciation; story elements
Task definition
Location, access, and selection of relevant information
Organization of information using a graphic organizer
Presentation and synthesis
Product evaluation
Computer terms and operation
Basic keyboarding skills
Integration of skills with software
Internet navigation
Computer graphics
Word processing
Multimedia skills
Legal issues of electronic technology

Physical Education: Three classes per week

Personal fitness, partner and team games, non-competitive games, balance and agility, eye-hand coordination, skill development and knowledge of positions and strategies for soccer, volleyball, and basketball, adherence to team game rules and etiquette, modified competitive games, throwing and catching skills, rules and strategies for track and field events, and weekly mile run.
Application of rules and techniques, participation, and sportsmanship

Fine Arts

Art: One class per week

Elements of visual arts: value, texture, pattern, color mixing, principles of design
Media, techniques, and processes: Recognize and describe differences
Selection and evaluation of subject matter: Select subject to communicate meaning
Visual arts in relation to history and cultures: Recognize artwork characteristic of an historical or cultural context
Critical response: Recognize and explain purposes for creating artwork
Connecting visual arts and other disciplines: Use speaking/ writing skills to present or analyze artwork

Music: One class per week

Elements of music: Exploration of rhythm, melody, harmony, form, expression, tone color through singing, reading and writing notation, listening, moving, playing instruments, and performing improvised accompaniments and original compositions
Vocal Music: Singing on pitch with increased skill and accuracy, with focus on developing the head voice and proper breathing skills; exposure to singing in harmony through the use of rounds and partner songs
Listening skills: Learn how to intelligently evaluate, describe, and analyze music; recognize orchestral families and instruments; Introduction to various composers and their works as well as music of various styles, cultures, and time periods
Music Appreciation: Understanding of music in relation to the Bible, history, culture, and other disciplines