3rd Grade Curriculum Overview

Third Grade

Third grade means a transition from primary elementary to intermediate elementary. This year prepares students for new responsibilities and encourages them to work toward learning independence. Third grade students study civics and democracy, exploring their place in the third grade community, the Denver JDS community, and the world as a whole.

Reading-

One of our primary goals for our students is to foster a love for reading. Students learn about different genres of books, engage in literacy “book club” groups, and investigate reading comprehension strategies including questioning and inferencing. The emphasis of our reading comprehension is metacognition: students learn how to determine the importance of information they read and self-monitor for fluency and understanding. We encourage students to use a range of strategies when drawing meaning from the text, recognize and discuss elements of different text structures, and make critical connections between texts. We reinforce our learning and engage students’ comprehension skills with read alouds, independent reading, and pair reading. Students study fairy tales from various cultures and authors to identify common elements and unique characteristics that will be included when they write their own stories. Students learn about various features of non-fiction texts, as well as read National Geographic and other content area magazines which are integrated with our science and social studies units.

Writing-

Third grade writers work on increasing their stamina with focused writing. Students strengthen their skills in the six traits of good writing which include ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Students also learn mastery of different parts of speech, focusing mainly on nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Students showcase their learning by writing “juicy” sentences using the different parts of speech in our Melvin Bubble project. In connection with our narrative unit in reading, students use descriptive language and practice organization as they write personal small moment memoirs. Students write original fairy tales and informative/explanatory texts. During our project-based unit on Fairy Tales, students employ the 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking to construct an original fairy tale. We conclude the year by writing non-fiction texts. Students research, plan, and compose paragraphs on given topics with the  foundational understanding that writing is used to inform, entertain, and communicate a variety of ideas and opinions using a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

Core Skills:

1. Reading

   1. Knows and applies grade-level phonics skills to decode words

   2. Reads with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension of grade-level text

   3. Determines the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text

   4. Asks and answers questions to demonstrate understanding of a text

   5. Recounts stories, fables, folktales, and myths; determines central message and explains how it is conveyed through key details

   6. Compares and contrasts the themes, settings, and plots of stories 

   7. Asks and answers questions using evidence from the text

   8. Uses text features and search tools to locate relevant information

   9. Recounts the details in a text and explains how they support the main idea

   10. Compares and contrasts important points and key details from two texts on the same topic

2. Writing

   1. Writes opinion pieces supporting a point of view with reasons

   2. Writes informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly

   3. Writes narratives using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences

   4. Develops and strengthens writing by planning, revising, and editing

   5. Conducts short research projects that build knowledge about a topic

   6. Takes notes, categorizes information, and lists sources

3. Speaking and Listening

   1. Engages effectively in collaborative discussions

   2. Determines the main ideas and supporting details of information presented in diverse media and formats

   3. Reports on a topic or presents an opinion using relevant facts, speaking clearly at an understandable pace 

4. Language

   1. Demonstrates command of grade-level English grammar and conventions when writing and speaking 

   2. Demonstrates command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

   3. Uses strategies to determine the meaning of words and phrases; accurately uses grade-appropriate vocabulary

Math

Using the Math in Focus curriculum, our mathematicians work their way through various concepts that strengthen their number sense, computational skills, and depth of mathematical understanding. We explore comparing and ordering numbers up to 10,000, including how to read, write, and represent numbers up to 10,000 in various forms. Our mathematicians then add and subtract numbers up to 10,000 using “stack math” and regrouping strategies. We learn how to read, label, and draw bar models to illustrate and solve two-step, real world problems. Students learn how to use various strategies to strengthen their skills in multiplication with a focus on understanding fact families. These fact families help students understand how multiplication problems can be used to solve related division problems. Later in the year, students work with the metric system learning about length, mass, and volume. Our mathematicians are introduced to fractions, and practice reading, writing, and identifying fractions of wholes, identifying equivalent fractions, writing fractions in simplest form, and comparing/ordering fractions. We conclude the year exploring the difference between area and perimeter and how to find each on a given grid. We interpret graph and line plots and are introduced to geometric shapes. 

Core Skills:

Mathematics

1. Mathematical Habits of Mind

   1. Makes sense of problems and persevere in solving them

   2. Reasons abstractly and quantitatively

   3. Attends to precision

2. Operations and Algebraic Thinking

   1. Understands the relationships, applies concepts, and interprets problems of multiplication and division within 100

   2. Solves problems involving the four operations

   3. Identifies and explains patterns in arithmetic

3. Numbers and Operations in Base Ten

   1. Uses place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100

   2. Fluently adds within 1000 with and without regrouping 

   3. Fluently subtracts within 1000 with and without regrouping

4. Numbers and Operations: Fractions

   1. Understands and represents a fraction on a number line

   2. Compares fractions and understands equivalent fractions

5. Measurement and Data

   1. Interprets and draws picture graphs and bar graphs to represent data

   2. Understands concepts of area measurement and solves problems involving area and perimeter

6. Geometry

   1. Understands that shapes in different categories may share attributes 

Hebrew

Our Hebrew language faculty worked diligently to design a comprehensive K-12 Hebrew curriculum tailored to meet the needs of our students. The goal was to create a curriculum that not only holds relevance and significance for our learners but also allows for seamless integration of Hebrew with other subjects, promoting authentic interdisciplinary learning. This emphasis on interdisciplinary learning aligns with Denver JDS's commitment to innovative education.

The curriculum follows a proficiency-based approach, focusing on developing students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension skills. The ultimate goal is to achieve fluency, enabling students to effectively communicate in the language. To facilitate this, we have embraced more authentic materials that provide opportunities for students to practice these skills in real-life scenarios. Oral language development is emphasized from an early age and continues throughout the student's Hebrew learning journey. Hebrew classes primarily utilize the target language, as immersion has proven to be the most effective method for foreign language acquisition. Our dedicated Hebrew teachers ensure that students are exposed to high-quality, developmentally appropriate input during their class time. We employ constantly updated units designed to cater to the specific needs of our students. These units incorporate authentic Israeli texts, art, media, and music, which not only enhance language learning but also introduce our students to the rich cultural aspects associated with the Hebrew language.

Core Skills:

Hebrew

1. Listening

   1. Comprehends comments, instructions, statements, questions, and simple conversations on familiar topic areas

   2. Comprehends the main ideas and some details of texts containing information that was taught

2. Speaking

   1. Speaks in simple and formulaic sentences on familiar topics while applying learned vocabulary

   2. Speaks using detailed and creative language

   3. Speaks in Hebrew during discussions and games

3. Reading

   1. Demonstrates phonemic awareness of print and script letters

   2. Decodes print and script words

   3. Reads grade-level texts aloud with fluency and accuracy

   4. Comprehends the main ideas and some details of texts that contain learned vocabulary on a familiar topic

4. Writing

   1. Writes formulaic sentences on familiar topics

   2. Writes simple, short, connected sentences using learned vocabulary

   3. Uses details when writing

Judaic Studies

The third grade Judaic Studies program focuses on character development through an emphasis on middot (Jewish values) with both learning and hands-on activities. Torah study continues focusing on developing and improving reading and translating skills, how to navigate a chumash and locate specific text using the correct vocabulary, and weekly discussions of parshat hashavuah (the Torah portion traditionally read each week). The stories we look at in chumash are often tied to the general studies units to help frame the students’ thinking and questions. The Jewish holidays are also a focus of the year, allowing the students to add onto their previous study and make personal meaning of these days. During Tefilah students have the opportunity to lead the Tefilah service and engage in dialogue exploring personal connection and competency in the prayer service.

Core Skills:

Judaic Studies

1. Reads pesukim accurately and fluently

2. Utilizes strategies to decode biblical Hebrew text

3. Describes the basic narrative of the Torah

4. Asks and answers questions about the text

5. Describes main concepts of each holiday

6. Demonstrates an understanding of various observances of each holiday

7. Expresses personal understandings of tefillot learned

8. Engages in respectful dialogue about tefilah, including interpretations of tefillot, the experience of tefilah, and theology

9. Navigates within the siddur

10. Leads portions of a service

Science 

Students are introduced to Earth and Space science in combination with our explorations in social studies to learn about and analyze different weather patterns in various regions and how weather hazards can impact communities and humankind. We will also learn about the four seasons and the different types of weather that can be expected in various communities around the world. We will also discuss how weather has been changing from historical weather patterns. In life science, we will study the differences between predators and prey and how all animals tie into food chains and animal adaptations. Students will be able to dive deeper into this unit by choosing an animal to research. Students will research their particular animal and give a class presentation about where their animals fall on the food chain as well as how their animal’s environment affects their daily life and survival. We will conclude the year learning about physical science. We will conduct various experiments to learn about Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. Students will also see how these laws can be tested on the international space station!. 

Core Skills:

Science

1. Asks questions, defines problems, constructs explanations, and designs solutions

2. Plans and carries out investigations

3. Obtains, interprets, and communicates information

4. Knows and understands common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy

   1. Patterns of motion can be used to predict future motion.

   2. Objects in contact exert forces on each other; electric and magnetic forces between a pair of objects do not require contact.

5. Knows and understands the characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with each other and their environment

   1. Organisms have unique and diverse life cycles.

   2. Being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves and cope with changes.

   3. Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information; the environment also affects the traits that an organism develops.

   4. Some living organisms resemble organisms that once lived on Earth .

   5. Sometimes differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in survival and reproduction.

6. Knows and understands the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space

   1. Climate describes patterns of typical weather conditions over different scales and variations; historical weather patterns can be analyzed.

   2. A variety of weather hazards result from natural process; humans cannot eliminate weather-related hazards but can reduce their impacts.

Social Studies 

 Social Studies in third grade focuses on the following areas of study- Geography, History, Civics, and Economics.  During the first portion of the year, students will develop spatial understandings, perspectives, and personal connections by using various types of geographic tools such as maps. Through class discussions and activities, students will compare and contrast the characteristics of different continents, regions, and communities and how these regions have changed throughout history. We also will discover how these will vary in a given cultural, physical, political, and economic landscape. During our civics unit, students will focus on learning about the three branches of our federal government and how the government uses checks and balances. We will also learn how the same components of our federal government are used to make up our state and local government. During our studies of history, students will use primary sources of various events in our past to investigate and question to gain further understanding of why those events took place and how life today has been affected by these events. In honor of Black history month and President’s Day, we spend the month of February researching either a president or influential black American to write a report and share with the class. Students will conduct research on their topic and give a virtual presentation to the entire third grade class. Our year will conclude with the study of economics. Students will focus on the basics of economics and the free enterprise system. This unit will end with our class shuk, offering the students an opportunity to sell a product they produced to our third grade community. In addition, and throughout the year, we will be  relating our civic duty to our school Middot and use school activities such as class discussions and role playing to understand that respecting the views and rights of others are a key component of a democratic society

Core Skills:

Social Studies

1. Applies skills and processes of social studies effectively

2. Demonstrates understanding of history concepts and content

   1. Compare primary and secondary sources when explaining the past.

   2. Identify how people in the past influence the development and interaction of different communities or regions.

3. Demonstrates understanding of geography concepts and content

   1.  Use geographic tools to develop spatial thinking skills.

   2. Define the concept of region through an examination of similarities and differences in places and communities.

4. Demonstrates understanding of economics concepts and content

   1. Explain how producers and consumers exchange goods and services in different ways.

5. Demonstrates understanding of civics concepts and content

   1. Respect the views and rights of others.

   2. Describe the origins, structures, and functions of local government.

6. Demonstrates understanding of personal financial literacy

   1. Create a plan to meet a financial goal.