3Rd Grade Curriculum Outline

3rd Grade Curriculum Outline

By Summer Clements

Fieldtrips

In third grade we utilize trips in the field to support hands-on learning. They include: Felix Neck, Cranberry Acres, The MV Museum, Wampanoag Tribal Council,various on-island farms, as well as off-island trips such as Plimoth Plantation and The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum and more!If you are interested in volunteering in the classroom or attending any field trips you must fill out the required CORI information. You can do this by bringing a photo ID to the superintendent’s office and filling out the corresponding paperwork.

A Collaborative Effort

Our third grade team consists of 3 third grade teachers: Cindy Smith, Alicia Knight and myself, as well as 3 assistants: Rachel Hickey, Pat Lawrence and Terry Kominers. We also have wonderful specialists in the school: Bridget Mello is the reading teacher, Ellen Wannamaker works with students on math skills, and Sandy Joyce is our special education teacher. Professionals in the Social Skills and Bridge programs will be in our classroom daily as well. There are many specials teachers and specialists who offer support to us as a staff and to the students. Small group work is a great way to meet the needs of the children we teach. Therefore, there will be times in the school year that your child will work with some of these professionals. If you ever have any questions about our practices or people working with your child, please contact me.

Math

We use the Houghton-Mifflin Expressions math program. It involves some hands on activities, instruction using math manipulatives, work with math boards, workbooks and homework. Playing games that practice and reinforce the skills they are learning makes learning fun and meaningful. Anytime you can connect math to a child’s daily activities outside of the classroom, please do – they can gain an understanding of how math is used in everyday life.

Social Studies

We will be studying the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims, Puritans and life in Massachusetts up to the Revolutionary War. These topics are supported by our field trip to Plimoth Plantation, and the resources available at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and Wampanoag Tribal Council. Additionally, our end of the year field trip to The Boston Tea Party Museum and The Old North Church also connects to our studies in the classroom. See below about our classroom theme to learn about we are incorporating citizenship into the curriculum.

Science

Right now we are beginning to study pond life and plants. Throughout the year we will be learning about the Water Cycle and Geology too. These topics of study are enhanced by outreach with: The Trustees of Reservation, Felix Neck, and Polly Hill Arboretum. In addition, we have gardening every week where we will be learning a lot about lifecycles, plants, farming, and more. Our class is excited to learn about science!

Reading

Our reading program focuses on teaching strategies to help young readers to build skills on their level and to practice them in their independent reading books. Whole group lessons, small group instruction, individual reading books, conferences and time to practice these strategies, will all be part of our Literacy Workshop time. Additionally, we encourage students to have a chapter book they are reading independently. We are building our leveled library in the classroom that will contain books that are appropriate for your child’s independent level, but if you find a book from another library he/she is interested in reading, you may bring it in and we can check whether it’s a “just-right” book. Students are encouraged to read every night to become strong readers.

Spelling

Your child will be following a spelling program that will require him/her to practice words at home. We will use our composition notebooks to do spelling homework Monday thru Thursday nights.Quizzes will be on Fridays. We'll start the year getting familiar with these activities at school before we send them home.

Writing

We do a lot of “quick-writes”, in all subject areas, which last approximately 7 minutes. These give children the opportunity to get their ideas on paper; not to get slowed down by the mechanics of writing. We will work on certain Focus Correction Areas or FCA’s, to build skills when working on more involved writing projects. Our projects are designed to develop fiction or non-fiction writing using strong word choice and details to support the topic. This takes time and a lot of practice!

Third graders are expected to write 3 different genres (narrative, informational and opinion). We will be focusing on those areas of writing this year.

To help your child’s reading and writing development at home you can read to your child, model reading and writing experiences and encourage your child to read and write as well as generate their own topics for writing.

Social Curriculum

The Responsive Classroomis a research-based approach to teaching and learning that fosters safe, challenging, and joyful elementary school classrooms and schools. Developed by classroom teachers, RC consists of practical strategies for bringing together social and academic learning throughout the school day. Components of the Responsive Classroom approach include:

• Morning Meeting
• Rules and Logical Consequences
• Guided Discovery (how to use our class supplies)
• Academic Choice (individual choice in projects and learning)
• Classroom Organization (how the teacher displays supplies)
• Parents and Teachers Working Together (partnership)

RC has a CARES (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy and Self-control) component to encourage positive social behavior. Every time we “catch” the children making positive choices, such as the ones outlined by CARES, the class earns a cube. Once the jar is filled, the class will vote on a celebration!

Shares

Everyone will get an allotted share time for 5 minutes once every two weeks. If your child forgets their share, or doesn’t want to share, they don’t have to. During share we respectfully listen and make comments and ask questions. Please no toys or electronics! Share is an opportunity for the class to get to know each other a little better. Some of the best shares are talking shares where we get to hear small moment stories!

Theme

Our classroom theme this year is American Citizenship. The children will be noticed for being good citizens and will receive a symbol to decorate and put up on our “Good Citizenship” wall. As we move through the year, students will be able to recognize each other by giving out symbols of good citizenship to a person who treated them kind.

Rules

Together the class created 5 rules based on our Hopes & Dreams that go with us everywhere:

1. Be respectful everywhere we go

2. Listen Patiently

3. Be your own boss

4. Be kind and stand up against bullying

5. Stick to routines

Snack

Please send in healthy snack for your child to enjoy during our 10:00 snack time. Healthy snacks are important fuel for our furnaces, please keep them healthy! Luckily, our school has fresh fruit available if no snack is packed. Also, children tend to get hungry in the afternoon so you may pack a piece of fruit for the afternoon time if your child gets hungry around that time. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Homework

Homework is an extension to the learning that is taking place in class. We don’t want homework to take more than 40 minutes each night. This includes the required 15-20 minutes of reading to be done nightly as well as the math page that usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. The 20-minute reading homework varies from spelling papers, poetry reading, short passages with questions, and more. Please help support your child by providing them with a quiet place to complete their homework nightly.

We understand that life is busy and there are times when children are participating in family events making it difficult to complete homework. That's why we excuse a missed assignment here or there (1-3 times/year). However, after 3 missed assignments, homework is made up during recess time. There is a homework club available to 3rd graders after school. Please look into this option if completing homework is challenging. We wish for all children to participate in all school activities and practice being responsible. Let's support them to make this possible!

Holiday and Birthday Celebrations

If your child is having a birthday party outside of school and you are sending home invitations, please only send in invitations if the entire class is invited or all of the girls/boys so that no one feels left out. Also, please run birthday treats by me before bringing them in to school, snacks must meet healthy eating criteria this year. Please see me for some delicious and healthy options.

How to reach me:

Please call or email me anytime you have any questions. Our class phone number is listed below. The best time to reach me by phone is before school from 7:45-8:10am, and after school from 2:45-4:00pm.

(508) 627-3316 ext. 220

*In all subjects we follow the Common Core Curriculum. If you are interested in reading the Common Core Standards (the subjects and skills we'll cover this year) you can find more information at: