Grade Three Curriculum
The curriculum is aligned with Maine’s State Learning Results.
Reading/Language Arts
Reading instruction in third grade occurs throughout the day. Direct reading instruction includes decoding skills, literary comprehension and analysis, prediction and vocabulary development. As teachers, we choose from varied materials including fiction and non-fiction books, poetry, essays and articles. Whenever possible, the reading material chosen enhances the other areas of study within the classroom. All third graders will be involved in an in depth study of two books from the core literature list:
Sarah, Plain and Tall, and
Stone Fox.
Writing in third grade also occurs daily. The children are exposed to a variety of writing experiences including; Writer’s Workshop, journal writing, letter writing, creative writing and expository writing. Third Graders explore and incorporate the
Step Up To Writing program and the
6 Traits writing program.
Language arts instruction focuses on communication through writing, listening and speaking and is often designed to complement reading lessons. Children receive direct instruction in the mechanics of language including spelling, grammar and punctuation as well as cursive penmanship. Teachers may vary the materials used for instruction, designing lessons suitable for the individual student. Children are given periodic writing prompts to ready them for fourth grade MEA’s.
Mathematics Teachers use the Everyday Mathematics program for math instruction.
In third grade, children review and build upon previously learned concepts, as well as learn many new concepts. Frequently, new ideas are introduced through the use of manipulatives, skill based games, real life situations and paper-pencil activities.
Major topics of Third Grade Everyday Math include: adding and subtracting whole numbers, measurement, multiplication and division, place value in whole numbers and decimals, geometry, fractions, data collection, and probability.
Social Studies
The community is the focus of the third grade social studies curriculum. Children become aware that people must work together in order to have a prosperous and successful community.
Children compare and contrast their community to others around the world with a concentration on Mexico.
Map skills are a very important part of the curriculum. Creating and interpreting various graphs, charts and maps are part of the third grade study.
In third grade there is also a concentration on United States geography and the structure of our government.
Science
The third grade science program consists of four required units: Habitats, The Solar System, Magnets, and Electricity.
Hands on experiences by the students are a large part of our focus. For example, during the study of Habitats, the third graders visit the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. The children see animals found in Maine and learn facts about them using a teacher made scavenger hunt. In addition, they view a video about an eagle, owls and other birds. Students then dissect owl pellets and discuss their findings. Each student also completes a research report on a biome. Instruction on how to do a research report is covered with them before one is assigned.
The children do experiments, observe, collect data and draw conclusions. Students are actively involved in testing the elements of their world. They learn to ask good questions and find their own answers.
Spelling/Word Study
We use the Word Study Program that concentrates on the total construction of the words in our language. It uses multisensory language techniques and reflects phoneme and syllable segmentation.
The children first focus on consonant and vowel sounds. There is a spelling test each Friday. The test is made up of words to which the children can apply the “word construction” rules they have learned. We sometimes use nonsense words that help the children to focus on the sounds they hear. The test also consists of words that come from the M.S.A.D. 71 high frequency word list.
The students will learn interesting points about words and will come to understand our language.
Field Trips/ Programs
Permission slips or notices are sent home prior to an event with details of the day, time and admission fees.
A trip to Sea Road School is scheduled in late spring to help the children’s transition into the fourth grade.
Lunch Money
Lunch money is brought the first day of each week to purchase lunch, milk and juice for the week and lunch menus are sent home each month. More information is available in the first day packet.
Scholastic Book Club
Our classroom uses the Scholastic Book Club almost every month. You are certainly not obligated to purchase books, but many are reasonably priced. Through the book club we are able to obtain free materials for our classroom. If you are interested, please make checks payable to the
Scholastic Book Club. No Cash Please!
Standardized Tests
Standardized tests are administered to third graders. The NWEA’s (Northwest Education Assessments) are administered district-wide on the computers in October and April. MEA’s (Maine Education Assessments) are administered state-wide in March.
Homework Policy
There is homework at the third grade level. Students have at least 15-20 minutes of homework each day, Monday through Thursday. Homework is not given on Fridays or during vacations. Individual teachers assign homework in the curriculum areas. There are occasional long-term projects.
Math facts and spelling words can be practiced when an assigned task in not given. We encourage all children to read a self-selected book for a minimum of 15 minutes each day.
Students in third grade use a homework binder and an assignment book provided by the third grade. Both are to be brought to and from school and home each day. Teachers go over all assignments and the children copy the assignment from the board into their assignment book. When the work has been completed, they check it off. Reminders about long-term projects are placed in the assignment book as well. Children place any sheets they need and notices in their homework folder. We encourage you to establish a time each day when your child can share the contents of the assignment planner and the homework folder with you.