Grade 3

Reading: 90 Minutes Daily

Students are instructed in both whole and small group settings. They work cooperatively to enrich their content knowledge through a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. Students also spend time focusing on phonics, grammar, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. These skills are taught using the McGraw Hill’s Treasures reading series. Teachers facilitate spelling word patterns through individualized words utilizing the Words Their Way program. We use high-quality leveled texts to support literature circles and student-led discussions.

Writing: 30 Minutes Daily

Using the Lucy Calkins Workshop Model, students are engaged in composing narrative, persuasive and informative writing pieces. Students focus on adding details, paragraphs and dialogue within their writings. Because writing is an on-going process, students are encouraged to continually work to revise and expand their writing pieces. By the spring, they will choose several compositions of their work to be bound in a book for publication.

Mathematics: 80 Minutes Daily

The Everyday Mathematics standards based curriculum is used to guide differentiated math instruction. Students engage in hands-on math activities that encourage them to work cooperatively and take ownership of their learning each day. Unlike traditional math, during each unit students are grouped by their content knowledge on the specified skills that are being taught. They spend time playing math games, using computers, reviewing previously taught math skills, as well as receiving direct instruction from two different teachers.

Science/Individuals & Societies: 45-60 Minutes Daily

Science and Individuals & Societies is taught on an alternating six-week schedule. Teachers use the IB framework to integrate FOSS modules. In third grade, students explore The Human Body; Magnets and Electricity; and Soils, Rocks, and Land Forms. They participate in hands-on experiments in cooperative groups as related to the state standards. Teacher have developed IB units of inquiry to teach Who We AreHow the World Works and Sharing the Planet (three of the IB transdisciplinary themes).

Through teaching the IB units of inquiry called How We Organize Ourselves, Where We Are in Place and Time, and How We Express Ourselves, students explore various concepts in regards to immigration and migration, economics and communications. They explore the history of the community in which they live and complete community service projects.