Third Grade

List of 5 items.

• Language Arts

  Reading

   

  Using HMH Into Reading, third grade students strengthen their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and analytical thinking skills through a variety of literary and informational texts. As students transition from learning to read toward reading to learn, they develop the ability to think critically, support ideas with evidence, and communicate their understanding effectively.

   

  Students learn to:

   

  • Read and analyze a wide range of literary and informational texts
  • Determine central messages, themes, and important ideas
  • Describe characters, settings, and plot development
  • Summarize texts and identify key details
  • Ask and answer questions using evidence from the text
  • Make inferences and draw conclusions based on textual evidence
  • Compare and contrast characters, events, themes, and topics
  • Analyze text structures such as cause and effect, problem and solution, and compare and contrast
  • Use text features and digital resources to locate and interpret information
  • Expand academic and content-area vocabulary through reading and discussion

   

  Word study and fluency instruction help students become more proficient readers by learning to:

   

  • Apply advanced phonics and word analysis skills
  • Decode multisyllabic words using a variety of strategies
  • Recognize common prefixes, suffixes, and Greek and Latin roots
  • Use context clues and word structure to determine meaning
  • Read accurately, fluently, and with expression
  • Strengthen reading stamina and independence

   

  Writing

   

  Third grade students continue to develop as writers by composing clear, organized, and detailed pieces across multiple genres. Students learn to use the writing process to strengthen their communication skills and express their ideas effectively.

   

  Students learn to:

   

  • Write narratives that develop real or imagined experiences
  • Write informative pieces that explain topics using facts and details
  • Write opinion pieces that support ideas with reasons and evidence
  • Plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing
  • Organize ideas using strong introductions, supporting details, and conclusions
  • Use transition words and precise language to improve clarity
  • Strengthen sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
  • Respond to reading through written analysis and reflection
  • Develop and refine cursive handwriting skills with increasing fluency and consistency

   

  Students are encouraged to think critically, communicate effectively, and develop confidence as independent readers and writers.

• Mathematics

  Using Big Ideas Math: Math & You, third grade students strengthen their understanding of mathematical concepts while developing fluency, problem-solving skills, and mathematical reasoning. Through hands-on exploration, collaborative discussions, real-world applications, and the use of visual models, students learn to think critically and communicate their mathematical ideas with confidence.

   

  Students learn to:

   

  • Develop fluency with addition and subtraction within 1,000
  • Build multiplication and division fact fluency and understand the relationship between the two operations
  • Solve one- and multi-step real-world mathematical problems
  • Deepen their understanding of place value and number relationships
  • Represent, compare, and model fractions, including fractions on a number line
  • Explore concepts of area and perimeter
  • Tell time and solve problems involving elapsed time
  • Work with money and apply mathematical concepts to everyday situations
  • Measure and estimate length, mass, and liquid volume using standard units
  • Collect, represent, and interpret data using graphs and charts
  • Identify and describe geometric shapes and their attributes
  • Explain and justify mathematical thinking using models, drawings, equations, and written responses

   

  Students are encouraged to explore multiple solution strategies, communicate their reasoning, and persevere through challenging tasks, helping them develop the confidence and skills needed for continued success in mathematics.

• Science

  Science in third grade builds curiosity and investigation skills through hands-on exploration.

   

  • Life science: study plant functions, adaptations, and simple ecosystems
    
    
  • Earth science: explore weather patterns, the water cycle, and Earth’s resources
    
    
  • Physical science: investigate light, sound, and simple forces
    
    
  • Begin designing small experiments, recording observations, and drawing conclusions

• Social Studies

  With Studies Weekly, third graders expand their understanding of communities, geography, and history.

   

  • Explore local, state, and national government structures
    
    
  • Use maps, keys, and scales to build geographic skills
    
    
  • Learn about historical figures and movements that shaped our country
    
    
  • Discuss economic concepts like producers and consumers
    
    
  • Continue building empathy and respect for diverse cultures and perspectives

• Culminating Experiences

  To wrap up the year, third graders take part in 3rd Grade Math Pizza Day, an integrated project that ties together math, art, writing, and public speaking.

   

  During this event, students highlight everything they’ve learned in math by working through pizza-themed problems and activities alongside their families. They also create their own pizzas out of clay and write and produce commercials for their pizza shops, combining creativity, communication, and critical thinking in a fun, memorable celebration of their hard work.