Welcome to Third Grade!

 

Dear Parents,

 

     Third grade is an important transitional year for your children as they move academically from primary studies to intermediate studies and responsibilities. We strive to accomplish this transition with ease and a positive attitude regarding their capabilities and achievements. The following is an overview of the academic areas and programs for this year.

 

LANGUAGE ARTS

     Our Language Arts Program integrates reading, writing, grammar, and spelling. The anthologies in our Houghton Mifflin reading series are designed to ignite the spark of inquisitiveness present in every child by using classic, contemporary, and multicultural literature to build motivated and successful readers and writers. Along with reading, vocabulary, and word analysis, the following strategies will be taught:

 

Story Elements	Cause/Effect
Main Ideas/Details	Making Inferences
Story Mapping	Classification
Summarizing	Figurative Language
Using Context Clues	Biographical Reading
Comprehension Monitoring	Predicting Outcomes
Fact/Opinion	Sequence of Events

 

 

MATH

     In Everyday Mathematics, children develop a broad background by learning concepts and skills in all these six content strands. The third-grade program emphasizes the following content:

Number and Numeration

Counting patterns; place value; reading and writing whole numbers through 1,000,000; fractions; decimals, and integers.

Operations and Computation

Practicing multiplication and division facts extended to multidigit problems; working with properties; operations with fractions and money.

Data and Chance

Collecting, organizing, and displaying data using tables, charts and graphs, using basic probability.

Measurement and Reference Frames

Recording equivalent units of length, recognizing appropriate units of measure for various items, finding the area of rectangles by counting squares, using multiplication arrays, coordinate grids, thermometers, clocks calendars, and map scales to estimate distances.

Geometry

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

 

 

Patterns, Functions and Algebra

Finding patterns on the number grid; solving Frames and Arrows puzzles having two rules; completing variations of “What’s My Rule?” activities’ exploring the relationship between multiplication and division; using parentheses in writing number models, naming missing parts of number models.

 

SCIENCE

     This year we will be using a new textbook series by Macmillan /McGraw-Hill which has a wealth of resources that bring science to life. It is called Science A Closer Look. Using the scientific method with hands on experiments, third graders focus on solid, well-balanced group science concepts based on four major blocks: Physical Science, Earth/Space, Life, Human Health

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

     Our focus in social studies is communities. We study communities at both local and national levels with a strong emphasis on map reading. Our text intertwines past communities, needs of communities, resources, inventions, transportation, communication, and government.

     We also study our own state of Illinois as we do a unit on the 'Prairie State.' In addition, the community of Western Springs is studied with a delightful, creative workbook, which is locally written. Other communities in our area are also discussed and contrasted as we tie in the city of Chicago and how the suburbs grew outward from this large city.

     In addition to our studies on communities, each grade focuses on one continent and for third grade this is South America. During our close exploration of this wonderful continent, students will be able to learn more about the people, the culture, the geography, the animals and the rainforest.

 

RELIGION

     The importance of our Catholic faith is stressed each day through prayer, song, Bible stories, and discussion. Our religion series, Call to Faith, reflects what it means to be a Catholic from the core teaching of our Faith. It also emphasizes discipleship, liturgy, worship, and unity in our Church community. The following ideas are taught:

     Creation                       Ten Commandments

     Trinity                           Bible

     The Church                  Sacraments

     Saints                           Morality

     Apostles                       Stations of the Cross

     Advent                         Christmas

     Lent                             Easter

     Prayers                         Liturgy

    

     New this year, each third grade student will be presented with a personal copy of the New American Bible (which will ‘travel’ with him/her through future years at St. John of the Cross Parish School); providing the vehicle for more scripture and liturgically-based Religion lessons.

      With our flex space, CORE teachers, and teacher aides, we are able to work in smaller groups with more individual attention given to students. This includes groups for review and also groups for enrichment. We are all looking forward to a great school year!!!

                                                    

                                                     THE THIRD GRADE TEACHERS

                                                     Mrs. Orr                Mrs. Sellinger (LA Core Teacher)

                                                     Mrs. Ostrowski     Mrs. Haney (Math Core Teacher)

                                                     Mrs. Polega           Mrs. Randa (Teacher Aide)