Curriculum Overview

Language Arts

The goal of the third grade reading program is to have an active Litercy Classroom where the class is excited about what they are learning.  The program will enable students to master their reading skills through literature, plays, fluency and expression for both oral and silent reading.  Our goal is to get the students to understand that their thinking matters and design instruction that engages them in the learning process.  We will respond to their needs and challenges  through our assessment data and will continue throughout the year to watch, keep track of, and document our students' learning, stepping in with additional support as we determine it's needed.

Writing and Grammar

The students will be learning  basic grammar and mechanical skills and will be applying these skills in their writing. They will be keeping a journal which will also be used with the reading program. They will use creative writing to expand simple sentences into a story with a topic sentence, supporting details, and an ending. Students will learn different forms of writing and learn to summarize, give opinions, compare and contrast different reading selections. 

Math

Everyday Math
“Everyday Mathematics was developed through the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project in order to enable children in elementary grades to learn more mathematical content and become life-long mathematical thinkers.”  

            The Bright   School ’s elementary mathematics program is Everyday Mathematics.  This program focuses on expanding the range of mathematics experiences and ideas.  Mathematics is integrated into both the ongoing daily routines of the classroom and into other subjects.  Everyday mathematics includes a broad range of mathematics content, from numbers and computation through geometry, statistics, probability and algebraic relationships.  The program is geared to develop problem solving strategies and mathematical concepts built on a strong computational skill base.  Emphasis is placed on establishing links from past experiences, sharing ideas and strategies, using and comparing equivalent expressions, expressing numbers in context, and learning about the reversibility of most things.

            Third Grade Everyday Mathematics content emphasizes the following content strands, skill, and concepts:

·     Numeration Counting patterns; place-value; reading and writing whole numbers through 100,000,000; fractions, decimals, and integers.

·       Operations and Computation Multiplication and division facts extended to multi-digit problems; working with properties; operations with fractions and money.

·       Data and Chance Collecting, organizing, and displaying data using tables, charts and graphs; exploring concepts of chance.

·      Geometry Exploring 2- and 3-dimensional shapes and other geometric concepts.

·       Measurement and Reference Frames Recording equivalent units of length; recognizing appropriate units of measure for various items; finding  the areas of rectangles; using multiplication arrays, coordinate grids, thermometers, and map scales to estimate distances.

·       Patterns, Functions, and Algebra Finding patterns on the number grid; solving number puzzles required two rules; exploring the relationship between multiplication and division; using parentheses in writing number models; naming missing parts of number models.

·       Problem-Solving Approach Routines, games, explorations using manipulatives that develop critical thinking.

        Social Studies

Social Studies is the study of our world, its history, geography and people.

Third graders learn social studies content through a study of Communities.  Communities are places where people work, play and live.  We begin with a study of our school and classroom community.  Next, we study the Powhatan Indians and the inhabitants of Jamestown, a community of the past. A study of Chattanooga follows with emphasis on economic development.  Students learn map skills, geographic features, and the impact they have on how and where people live.  They learn about natural resourses, renewable and nonrenewable, and their relationship to economic development.

The social studies curriculum is tied closely to the language arts reading and writing objectives.

Social studies content is taught using books, videos, websites, and field trips.

The curriculum is standards based and their knowledge of the material is assessed through group cooperation projects, book reports, stories, puzzles, and quizzes.