Common Core Standards: https://iowacore.gov/iowa-core/grade/3
Religion: Third graders take part in the school Mass liturgies by singing, serving, and reading aloud. They travel to Eastern Star Nursing Home once each month to visit with the elderly for their service project. Students have various charities and drives (can mountain day is an example) to collect for the needy. Students learn to recognize and truly live the Christian values taught in the classroom.
Reading/Language: In third grade, students are transitioning from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." This is accomplished by building a love of reading through exposure to various genres, fiction and nonfiction, and daily reading. Students make a diorama of a favorite book. They write narratives, expository texts, opinion / persuasive essays, poetry, and letters throughout the year. Some of their best efforts are compiled into a published hardback book. Students also write and illustrate original fairy tales and create their own photo albums complete with narratives explaining the pictures.
Social Studies: In third grade, students learn about various types of communities, geography and map skills, Native American cultures, early explorers of the Americas, structure of government, and immigration. There are also studies of economics in terms of understanding needs vs wants and the importance of making good economic decisions.
Science: Third graders participate in the scientific method of inquiry based learning by utilizing the FOSS (Full Option Science System) curricula of Structures of Life, Water & Climate, and Motion & Matter. In addition, we observe wildlife around our school, making scientific observations and predictions: monarch caterpillars into butterflies is an example of this. Students produce an invention by identifying a problem and creating a solution. Students prepare a presentation of their invention and the invention process for various audiences including other students, parents, teachers, independent judges, and possible state reviewers.
Math: Students study the areas of multiplication, division, place value concepts, mental math procedures, number sense, area, perimeter, fractions, word problems, measurement (linear, volume, mass) and collecting and interpreting data.
Special Area Classes: Physical Education, Health, Computer, Art, Music, Library