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| Home > Parents > Curriculum > Elementary > Third Grade |
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| Third Grade Curriculum |
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Third grade instructional programs
in Palo Alto schools are committed to helping each child meet the
academic and intellectual competencies expected at this grade level
and become active, engaged learners in a classroom setting. The
following summary of the instructional program provides an overview
of the third grade year. The third grade program builds on the skills
and knowledge children have learned in preceding years. It encourages
critical thinking, creativity and respect for self and others. The
manner of instruction—motivation, grouping, pacing, reinforcing
and reteaching—is determined by each teacher as he or she
works to meet individual student needs. Expectations are, of course,
modified or expanded to meet a child’s needs and abilities.
Curriculum standards are what all grade-level students are expected
to know and be able to do by the end of a school year. Key standards
of third grade education are highlighted below. If you would like
a complete description of PAUSD standards, you may download Curriculum
Standards for Third Grade ( 
1MB).
If you have questions about curriculum, please contact your child's classroom teacher.
Jump to:
Reading-Language Arts | Mathematics | Science | Social Studies
Visual & Perfoming Arts | Physical Education | Library Media Program
In third grade, each student will . . .
Reading-Language Arts
Reading and Writing Skills
- read for enjoyment and to gather information
- read aloud with fluency
- choose appropriate chapter books for literature and other
reading materials
- read grade-appropriate material with understanding
- use knowledge of word analysis and comprehension strategies
to decode unknown words
- use context to predict the meaning of unknown words
- spell words from grade-level lists correctly
- engage in all steps of the writing process
- compose in narrative, descriptive, expository styles; write
letters
- organize writing into paragraphs
- edit own work for correct spelling and punctuation
- use cursive letter forms
- begin to use word processing to write
- write independently with fluency
Speaking and Listening Skills
- follow complex directions
- focus on speaker and respond appropriately
- express ideas clearly and concisely, with correct grammar
- take part in group discussions and stay on topic
Mathematics
Number Sense and Operations
- recognizes equivalent representations for the same number
(up to four-digits) and generates them by composing and decomposing
numbers (e.g., 1352 may be represented as 1000 + 350 + 2)
- understands the place value of whole numbers up to 10,000
- knows the addition facts (sums to 20) and the corresponding
subtraction facts
- finds the sum or difference of two whole numbers between 0
and 10,000 with or without regrouping
- uses arrays to do multiplication and repeated subtraction
to do division
- memorizes the multiplication table for numbers between 1 and
10
- understands and uses the inverse relationship between multiplication
and division
- solves problems involving addition and subtraction of money
amounts in decimal notation
- compares fractions represented by drawings or concrete materials
to show equivalency (1/2 of a pizza is the same as 2/4 of another
pizza of the same size)
- adds and subtracts simple fractions in context (e.g., 1/8
+ 3/8 is the same as 1/2)
- understands that fractions and decimals are two different
representations of the same concept
Algebra and Functions
- selects appropriate mathematical symbols to make an expression
true (e.g., +, -, x, ÷, >, <, =)
- represents and solves simple functional relationships (e.g.,
find the total cost of multiple items given the cost per unit
or 120 minutes = _ hours)
- recognizes and extends a linear pattern by its rules
Measurement and Geometry
- estimates and measures the length, liquid volume, and weight/mass
of given objects using the appropriate tools and units
- measures area and perimeter of regular shapes using a variety
of tools (e.g., squares, ruler, grid paper)
- identifies, describes, and classifies polygons and 3D geometric
objects
- recognizes and creates shapes that are congruent and/or have
symmetry
Data Analysis and Probability
- conducts simple probability experiments by determining the
number of possible outcomes and makes simple predictions
- represents data using tables and graphs such as line plots,
bar graphs, line graphs and venn diagrams
Problem Solving and Mathematical Reasoning
- uses a variety of methods, such as words, numbers, symbols,
charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, and models to explain mathematical
reasoning
- explains and justifies solutions using correct mathematical
vocabulary
Science
Scientific Thinking Processes
- work individually and as a team-member to collect and share information
- conduct simple investigations to test a hypothesis and record results
- begin to predict probable outcomes; use facts to support conclusions
- begin to communicate scientific information through written materials, pictures, graphs, charts, or models
Encounter the "big ideas" of Life, Physical, and Earth Sciences through participation in units of study: The Baylands, Sound, and Earth Materials
- recognize that a habitat is a home for living things
- explain how an estuary is a habitat and its chief characteristics
- observe the unique characteristics of brine shrimp
- draw a food chain as an example of interdependence in a habitat
- recognize that human practices can affect the well-being of other species, and that it is important that humans respect nature and conserve natural habitats and resources
- recognize that sound is a form of energy and that it comes from the vibrations of various materials
- investigate how sound is made and how it travels through various media
- demonstrate that the pitch of a vibrating object is related to its physical properties
- know that the solid material of Earth's crust is made of rock and that rocks form and change within a cycle
- show that rocks are made of minerals and that minerals are made of one material; recognize some properties of minerals (e.g., luster, hardness, color)
- recognize that these properties can be used to find out which minerals make up a rock
Social Studies
Participate in classroom activities around the year-long theme, Continuity and Change
- understand our nation as a democratic, pluralistic society through literature representing multiple perspectives and a wide range of people
- describe physical and human geography and use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to organize information about people, places and environments
- understand the ways in which physical geography, including climate, influences how the local Indian nations adapted to their natural environment
- research and make timelines of local historical events
- understand national identities, religious beliefs, customs, and various folklore traditions (with focus on the Ohlone Indians)
Visual & Performing Arts
Visual Arts
- identify how foreground, middle ground, and background are
used to create the illusion of space
- mix and apply tempera paints to create tints, shades, and
neutral colors
- distinguish and describe, representational, abstract, and
non representational works of art
- compare and contrast selected works of art and describe them,
using appropriate vocabulary of art
Music and the Performing Arts
- read, notate, listen to and describe music
- sing songs with accuracy and use hand percussion instruments
to play rhythmic and melodic ostinatos
- sing and play songs from diverse cultures
- make judgments about the quality of a musical performance
- describe how music communicates ideas and moods
Physical Education
- participate in running, skipping, jumping, hopping games, and activities
- increase ball control capacity
- participate in group games and folk dancing activities
- demonstrate good health practices (e.g., nutrition, exercise, rest, health care)
Library Media Program
- Information Literacy: Students learn to find, evaluate and use information in meaningful and responsible ways
- Library and Information Usage: Students learn to practice ethical and responsible behavior
- Literature Appreciation: Students learn to choose, enjoy and respond to a wide variety of literature
Revised August 2006 |
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