Third Grade School Program

A comprehensive, literature-based reading series is the basic text used in third grade. Areas of emphasis include reading comprehension, reading for enjoyment, and following written instructions. Novels, outside reading, book reports, and projects are required.

Language is both a separate and an integrated subject. Students study grammar and usage, composition, vocabulary and editing, as well as reading and analyzing literature. Listening, speaking and study skills, and the mechanics of writing, are emphasized.

Third graders continue to do work in the four basic operations with advanced work in multiplication and division. Students learn geometry, fractions, graphing, forms of measurement, and problem-solving skills.

Social Studies emphasizes the geography and history of communities of the world, including Las Vegas. Students are also introduced to economics and local, state, and federal government.

In science, the students study the engineering process, forces and motion, life cycles and inherited traits, fossils, wind, and patterns.

The art curriculum integrates the four disciplines of art education: art history and culture, aesthetic perception, creative expression, and art criticism. Each lesson exposes students to works of fine art, history and culture, creative art production activities, and critical thinking. Students will be introduced to artist profiles and children’s book illustrators. These skills are built upon annually with a greater degree of difficulty as students advance through the upper grades.

Singing in tune, dancing, and playing percussion instruments to the beat are a continued focus. The soprano recorder is introduced. Note values, musical terms, and expanded musical knowledge through use of the smartboard and computer music programs are an added reinforcement.

The program includes physical fitness, large and small muscle motor coordination, relay skills, teamwork, and instruction in team and individual sports. Health units are taught throughout the year. Cooperation, skill building, teamwork, participation, and sportsmanship are emphasized.

Students will become familiar with basic knowledge of how computers work, hardware, software, and terminology for use of computer and related technology efficiency. Emphasis will be on developing keyboarding skills and creating Microsoft Office Suite projects. Age-appropriate discussions of online safety and proper computer etiquette will be covered. Students create digital stories, games, tools, and scientific models while learning the basics of programming.

Elementary Spanish focuses on a variety of themes which will be reintroduced and expanded upon in successive years. These themes build vocabulary, sentence sequencers, communicative competence, and comprehension, and include: Greetings, Family, Animals, Numbers (0-70), Community, School Life, Food, Body Parts, Seasons, Weather, Calendar, Colors and Cultural Awareness lessons taught through stories, songs and videos.

The library curriculum is based on information access and problem-solving skills. Students learn how to locate and access information from databases to apply to classroom research projects. Literature appreciation is also emphasized through class discussions. Students can choose from over 28,000 titles on our library shelves and in our e-book collection from the digital Overdrive/Sora library.