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Third

Third Grade Teachers

Ms. Barber, Ms. Bell, Ms. Hilliard, Ms. King, Ms. Waseem, Ms. Watts, and Ms. Pinckney

 

Third Grade Curriculum at a Glance:

Reading

The student:

  • predicts using prior knowledge, captions, and headings

  • uses strategies to determine meaning and increase vocabulary

  • develops vocabulary, monitors reading on or above grade level by rereading, self- correcting, summarizing, and questioning

  • identifies main idea, details, makes inferences and identifies the sequence of events, author’s purpose, examples of fact, fiction or opinion, and recognizes and understands comparison and contrast, cause/effect and sequence of events

Writing

The student:

  • writes using the writing process and the six writing traits of ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and conventions

Social Studies

The student:

  •  studies communities and Ancient Civilization

Science

  • investigates several science units using scientific observations and skills

  • explores different science topics including life science, earth science, physical science, and space and technology

The Nature of Matter

The student:

  • determines the physical properties of matter using metric measurements that incorporate tools such as rulers, thermometers, balances.
  • understands that physical changes in the states of matter can be produced by heating and cooling.
  • knows that the weight of an object is equal to the sum of the weights of its parts.
  • uses a tool to observe and study minute details of objects (for example, hand lens).

Energy

The student:

  • knows objects that emit heat and light.
  • knows different forms of energy (for example, heat, light, sound).
  • knows that the Sun provides energy for the Earth in the form of heat and light.
  • knows that heat can be produced by chemical reactions, electrical machines, and friction.
  • uses a variety of tools to measure the gain or loss of energy.
  • knows that when a warmer object comes in contact with a cooler one, the warm object loses heat and the cool one gains it until they are both at the same temperature.
  • knows that some source of energy is needed for organisms to stay alive and grow.
  • knows ways natural resources are important.
  • classifies resources as renewable or nonrenewable.
  • knows that alternate energy sources (for example, synthetic fuels, geothermal energy) are being explored using natural and mechanical processes.

Force and Motion

The student:

  • describes the motion of various objects (for example, forward, circular, wave).
  • understands the characteristics of waves (for example, crest, trough, length).
  • knows the six types of simple machines (screw, inclined plane, wedge, pulley, lever, and wheel and axle).
  • knows that an object may move in a straight line at a constant speed, speed up, slow down, or change direction dependent on net force acting on the object.

Processes that Shape the Earth

The student:

  • knows that smaller rocks come from the breaking and weathering of bedrock and larger rocks.

  • knows that approximately 75 percent of the surface of the Earth is covered by water.

  • understands the stages of the water cycle (for example, evaporation, condensation, precipitation).

  • understands the processes of weathering and erosion.

  • knows that land forms change over time (for example, earthquakes, volcanoes).

  • knows that reusing, recycling, and reducing the use of natural resources improve and protect the quality of life.

Earth and Space

The student:

  • knows that days and nights change in length throughout the year.

  • knows the patterns of average temperatures throughout the year.

  • knows the frequency of the lunar cycle is approximately 28 days.

  • knows the Sun is a star that is much nearer to the Earth than the other stars.

  • knows characteristics of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

  • knows the relative positions of all the planets

  • knows that, in addition to the Sun, there are many other stars that are far away.

Processes of Life

The student:

  • understands the various ways that animals depend on plants for survival (for example, food, shelter, oxygen).

  • knows the common and distinguishing characteristics of groups of vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians).

  • understands similarities and differences among plants.

  • understands that although plants and animals are different, they also share common characteristics (for example, they both have structures for reproduction, respiration, and growth).

How Living Things Interact with Their Environment

The student:

  • knows how organisms with similar needs in a climatic region compete with one another for resources such as food, water, oxygen, or space.

  • knows behavioral and structural adaptations that allow plants and animals to survive in an environment.

  • understands that energy is transferred to living organisms through the food they eat.

  • knows examples of living things that are classified as producers, consumers, carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. 

  • understands that plants and animals share and compete for limited resources such as oxygen, water, food, and space. 

knows that the size of a population is dependent upon the available resources within its community.

The Nature of Science

The student:

  • knows that it is important to keep accurate records and descriptions to provide information and clues on causes of discrepancies in repeated experiments.

  • plans and investigates an experiment that defines a problem, proposes a solution, identifies variables, collects and organizes data, interprets data in tables, charts and graphs, analyzes information, makes predictions, and presents and supports findings.

  • uses various kinds of instruments to collect and analyze information (for example, meter sticks, timing devices, graduated cylinders, force meters, pan balances, calipers, microscopes, cameras, sound recorders, hot plates, magnets, collecting nets).

  • knows that to work collaboratively, all team members should be free to reach, explain, and justify their own individual conclusions.

  • knows that to compare and contrast observations and results is an essential skill in science.

  • uses sketches, diagrams and models to understand scientific ideas.

  • makes predictions and inferences based on observations.

  • uses charts and graphs to understand patterns of change.

  • understands the relationships between science concepts and the history of science and the contributions of scientists.

  • uses reference materials to obtain information related to science concepts.

  • knows that data are collected and interpreted in order to explain an event or concept.

  • understands that scientific information can be presented in several ways (for example, using numbers and mathematics, drawings, words, graphs, tables).

  • understands how scientific discoveries have helped or hindered progress regarding human health and lifestyles.

  • knows that, through the use of science processes and knowledge, people can solve problems, make decisions, and form new ideas.

Mathematics

The student:

  • uses number sense to master all basic facts, read, write, compare numbers

  • knows the value of a given digit to hundred thousand

  • explains and demonstrates the meaning of multiplication and division with remainders

  • uses measurement to measure length, weight, capacity, area, perimeter, volume, time and temperature

  • calculates and compares types of measurement

  • estimates area, perimeter, and volume of rectangular shape

  • selects the appropriate unit and tool of measurement for a solution

  • uses geometry and spatial sense to understand symmetry, congruency and reflections in geometric shapes

  • explores flip, slides, tessellations and 180 degree turns

  • compares area and perimeter using concrete and graphic materials

  • knows how to identify, locate and plot ordered pairs of whole numbers

  • uses algebraic thinking to describe, extend and create visual geometric patterns

  • analyzes, explains and states the rule for number patterns

  • uses models and graphs to solve equations and inequalities

  • know that an equation is a number sentence stating that two quantities are equal

  • uses data analysis and probability to identify parts of a graph and interprets displays of data

  • interprets and compares information from pictographs and bar graphs

  • identifies the mean, median, mode and range in a set

  • uses technology to compare data and to construct and discuss patterns

  • determines the number of possible combinations of items

  • calculates the probability of an event and represents all possible outcomes

  • designs questions for a survey, depicts the data in a graph and explains the results

  • uses statistical data to recognize trends
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