Third Grade Curriculum
RELIGION:
Students grow through the Word and Spirit of God. Through Bible stories, the children see the challenges that individuals faced in Biblical times. The child’s faith is nurtured as they learn about grace and God’s forgiveness. Students are taught the forgiving love of Christ and respond in faith as they grow in God’s grace. The students learn about God’s creation, and they continue their journeys through Scripture by studying the history of the people of Israel. Old Testament stories come alive as the students see how events from long ago can be applied to their lives. The life and teaching of Christ are taught in detail, and the students are encouraged to participate actively in God’s mission of saving the world.
READING/WRITING/GRAMMAR:
The reading curriculum offers the students opportunity to experience confidence and success in reading independently. The students learn strategies and apply critical thinking skills to comprehend and analyze the stories and passages they read. Vocabulary is emphasized and broadened. Students learn vocabulary which is introduced and utilized in their stories. Students become aware of phonetic and consonant/vowel patterns in words. Spelling words are reinforced and utilized in the reading curriculum.
The Writing/Grammar curriculum is designed to help the students to develop an understanding of the grammatical structure of language, including the proper use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Students participate in a writing workshop where they receive daily practice in the writing process. The writing workshop consists of a teacher-led focus lesson, independent writing time and group sharing time. Writing pieces include personal narratives, and comparative, persuasive, explanatory, expository, and creative writing.
MATH:
The math curriculum is designed to help the students develop an understanding of number patterns and compare values of numbers. Students apply place value concepts to counting, ordering, and grouping. Students demonstrate the knowledge of basic facts in four basic operations and solve single and double digit addition and subtraction problems with regrouping. Students are also encouraged to memorize the multiplication tables. Other basic areas of math are developed such as estimation, elapsed time, measurement, fractions, and problem-solving strategies.
SCIENCE:
The curriculum has students explore how living things change and grow in their ecosystems. The students will develop an understanding of the Earth’s resources and changes in weather. The students will identify planets, moons, and stars. The students will also observe matter and how it changes. Forces, motion, and forms of energy are also taught.
SOCIAL STUDIES:
The concept of community is the focus of the third grade social studies curriculum. Students read and explore culture, economics, citizenship, geography, government, history, and technology to better understand the world. Students also study and discover various map skills. Time for Kids is a supplement used to read and discuss current events at the appropriate age level.