Third Grade

Samantha Bates


Stephanie Danuser


Audrey McConnell


Melanie Tatum

THIRD GRADE

Third grade is a very busy school year for students. Many things are concentrated on during the year such as adding and subtracting three- and four-digit numbers, time and money, multiplication facts, parts of speech, the writing process, reading comprehension, the Earth, and communities around the world.

Students are taught good test-taking skills in third grade. Georgia Milestones will be taken in the spring.

We encourage parents to stay involved by looking at weekly papers, reading newsletters, and volunteering in the classroom. Your support and involvement is needed and appreciated. We can produce productive students with your help!

Third graders are making the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. They read much more widely on a variety of topics. The third-grade students increase their abilities to read aloud with fluency and comprehension. Third graders read more thoughtfully, discover more details, extract deeper meaning in what they read, and read more complex texts. They enjoy a variety of genres, including fiction and non-fiction texts and poetry. Third graders are more able to work independently on research projects, making their writing more sophisticated and meaningful. With some guidance, they use all aspects of the writing process in producing their own compositions and reports.

By the end of the third grade, students are aware of the importance of the conventions of language. Third graders understand the importance of spelling and the importance of correct language. Third-grade responses to questions are more logically developed as students show evidence of expanding language with increased vocabulary and a wider range of language structures. Students are ready to engage in abstract discussions as they respond to text and to life experiences. Students also write in a variety of genres.

Math:

By the end of grade three, students will understand place value. They will further develop their understanding and their skills with addition and subtraction of whole numbers and decimals. They will also expand their knowledge base of multiplication and division of whole numbers. Students will understand the concepts of length, perimeter, area, and time. Students will broaden their understanding of characteristics of previously studied geometric figures. They will solve problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting data. Instruction and assessment should include the use of manipulatives and appropriate technology.

Science:

Students will learn about the scientific process and inquiry in third grade. We will study the habitats of plants and animals in Georgia. Students will also learn about rocks and minerals. fossils, heat energy and magnets.

Social Studies:

Students learn United States history by studying the origins of American democracy. The historical strand compares ancient Greek democracy in Athens with that of the United States. The geography strand relates primarily to the people discussed in the history strand. In the government strand, students begin the study of the foundations of a republican form of government. The economics strand continues the introduction of basic economics concepts.

Students will also complete in depth studies on the following American figures who contributed the rights of all citizens:
Paul Revere (independence), Frederick Douglass (civil rights), Susan B. Anthony (women’s rights), Mary McLeod Bethune (education), Franklin D. Roosevelt (New Deal and World War II), Eleanor Roosevelt (United Nations and human rights), Thurgood Marshall (civil rights), Lyndon B. Johnson (Great Society and voting rights), and César Chávez (workers’ rights).

Complete list of Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) @ www.georgiastandards.org