Language Arts

Language Arts Curriculum builds on itself all year. Generally the same outcomes are taught all year, but the expectation is raised as skills are expected to become stronger throughout the year. There are some topics/skills not introduced until later in the year when students' skills are strong enough.

Reading

Students have access to a classroom library and school library to choose books at their reading level. Everyday students will be reading, specially during: DEAR, guided reading groups and when work is completed. We will also have a time during the day for a read aloud novel.

Concepts in Language Arts will include reading comprehension and fluency, spelling, grammar, and different forms of writing. Themes will often be integrated with other subjects such as Science and Social Studies.

During our Book Clubs time, students work in small groups for Guided Reading, Words Their Way, and reading to each other. We continue to focus on reading comprehension, writing complete sentences, and working with words.

In Writer's Workshop, students receive instruction in various forms of writing. Mini-lessons in class focus on specific skills for planning, organizing information, editing, and more. We also use this time to learn and review punctuation, spelling, and writing proper sentences and paragraphs.

Grade 3 Reading Curriculum Outcomes (progress reported on all report cards)

• Reads fluently and accurately

• Demonstrates understanding of grade level reading material

Writing

We will begin by reviewing and expanding on sentence writing. Once students have mastered this skill, we will begin to work on paragraph writing, and later in the year this focus will shift to story writing.

Grade 3 Writing Curriculum Outcomes:

• Generates a variety of sentences (December report card)

• Uses a variety of strategies to organize ideas and information prior to writing (all report cards)

• Produces a paragraph that includes a topic sentence and supporting sentences (March report card)

• Uses descriptive language to add detail to writing (March and June report cards)

• Edits own work for capitals, punctuation, spelling, grammar and clarity (December report card focus: capitals and punctuation, March report card focus: capitals, puncutation, and spelling, June report card focus: all)

• Creates stories with a variety of beginnings, detailed settings, characters and events (June report card)