ELA Modules: Our school has implemented NYS modules in ELA. These modules contain curriculum that will help our students meet the Common Core Standards. The New York State Department of Education recommends the implementation of these modules. The ELA module promotes collaboration, close reading of complex texts and using the text to support both verbal and written answers. Module 1 is “Reading Around the World” (learning to appreciate reading). Module 2A is Adaptations and the Wide World of Frogs. Module 4 is “The Earth and Water”. Each Module has a connection to Science and/or Social Studies.
Math Modules: Third grade teachers utilize the N.Y.S. Math Modules as a way to meet the Federal Common Core Standards. Students will develop an understanding of the properties of multiplication and division of whole numbers through activities and problems involving equal-sized groups, arrays, and area models. Your children will learn strategies to assist them in becoming fluent in single-digit multiplication and its related division facts.
Our students will use place-value understanding (hundreds, tens and ones) and properties of all four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) to identify and explain mathematical patterns and perform multi-digit calculations.
We will guide students through the solving of problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects. Your children will learn how to represent and interpret this data.
Our students will compare and classify geometric shapes by their sides and angles.
They will develop an understanding of fractions as parts of a whole, especially unit fractions, which are fractions with a numerator (top number) of 1; such as ¼ .
Students will relate their fraction work to geometry by expressing the area of part of a shape as a unit fraction of the whole.
Grammar- Third Grade uses the Language Arts program by Macmillan and McGraw. Grammar is an area of focus in the common core standards. This year your child will learn how to write and identify statement, question, command and exclamation sentences, along with using the proper punctuation marks at the end of a sentence and capitals at the beginning. Students will also learn how to create compound sentences, fix fragment and run on sentences. Besides focusing on writing skills, the students will also learn how to identify and use subjects, predicates, verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives and adverbs properly.
Lead 21- In reading, children are grouped according to their individual reading levels, so we can suit the needs of each child. To help us accomplish this goal, our school uses the LEAD 21 series by The Wright Group. This series has many interesting fiction and non-fiction stories that relate to a unit theme. At the end of each week, your child’s comprehension will be assessed through questions and vocabulary that relate to the story that was read and discussed together in a small group. We also read chapter books throughout the year that help to expose your child to all the genres.
Social Studies: The focus of third grade social studies is world communities. We will also work on map skills as part of our study. Much of this happens in the ELA Modules. Our study of world communities will begin with the geography of the world, delving into why civilizations settled where they did in ancient times. Students will study the cultures of world communities though learning about their symbols, flags, traditional tales, art, music, and celebrations. We will learn about natural resources and how they are used and traded. Students will also learn about how world communities are changing, as well as discuss some of the problems facing the world’s communities today. Finally, students will explore the different governments of the world to learn how countries govern its citizens.
Science: Third graders enjoy learning about Forces, Life Cycles and Traits of Animals and Plants, Environmental Impacts on Organisms, Weather and Climate, and Engineering Design.