LANGUAGE ARTS
Houghton Mifflin Reading series is utilized to teach the reading strategies of predicting, inferring, monitoring and clarifying, questioning, summarizing, and evaluating. Theme titles include: “Off to Adventure!”, “Celebrating Traditions”, “Incredible Stories”, and “Animal Habitats. Language and grammar skills are integrated into the reading program and focus on such topics as word structure, sentences, nouns and verbs, and dictionary skills. Additional experiences may include literature circles, genre/novel/author studies, and poetry.

Our spelling program uses the series "Words Their Way". Students are grouped appropriately receiving spelling words that are at their instructional level.

Writing focuses on Six-Traits Writing instruction (Ideas, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Organization, and Conventions).  Students work to create great story beginnings, stick to the topic, edit and revise written work, and create quality published work.  Students are taught to write basic paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details. Writing projects/pieces include personal narratives, descriptive stories, friendly letters, how-to paragraphs, persuasive essays, and poetry.

Links
Houghton Mifflin Reading
Into the Book


MATH
Houghton Mifflin “Math Expressions” is the math series used in third grade. The major emphasis is on understanding and applying math skills to real-world situations. Students are taught to solve complex story problems, including problems with too much, not enough, and hidden information. Geometry lessons are taught between regular math units. Lessons provide for continual review of previously presented material. The third grade goal for mastery of basic addition and subtraction facts is 20 problems in one minute.

Links
Math Expressions


SCIENCE & HEALTH
Hands-on activities where students become the scientists carrying out investigations highlight the third grade science curriculum. The Rocks and Minerals Einstein Kit has students exploring rocks and minerals as they conduct tests to identify mystery samples. The fall geology field trip is a highlight of our rocks and minerals unit. We visit the UWGB Arboretum, Wequiock Falls, a working rock quarry, and Bayshore Park. Students grow Brassica plants in the Plant Growth and Development Einstein Kit. The learn about the interaction between plants and animals in our environment. The spring field trip to Fallen Timbers Environmental Education Center lets students explore plant and animal environments.

Fire safety is taught in the first trimester of health. Students will learn how to reduce fire hazards and what to do in case of a fire. They will also prepare fire escape plans for their home. The digestive system is covered during the second trimester. Students will learn about the digestive system and what they should do to keep their digestive system healthy. During the third trimester, first aid is our health unit. Students will learn how to give first aid in a variety of situations.

Science Links
BBC Living Things
The Great Plant Escape
The Amazing Human Body
USFA Fire Safety for Kids


SOCIAL STUDIES
Third grade social studies focuses on communities (how communities grow and change; why communities are built in specific locations; how the environment affects communities). Students become active learners through a variety of social studies projects. The projects may include creating time lines, maps, flow charts, and inventions. A major project involves studying the life of a famous person and developing a presentation and products to be shared with classmates.