Third graders will be using all of the wonderful foundational skills they’ve gained the past three years, but they will be applying them toward analyzing what they’re reading. In other words, primary students are learning to read, but our third graders are now ready to READ TO LEARN! They will also learn to respond to reading through various types of writing.
Science
Third graders will formulate answers to questions such as: “What is typical weather in different parts of the world and during different times of the year? How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced? How do organisms vary in their traits? How are plants, animals, and environments of the past similar or different from current plants, animals, and environments? What happens to organisms when their environment changes? How do equal and unequal forces on an object affect the object? How can magnets be used?” They will learn about weather related hazards, develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles, learn that organisms have different inherited traits and that the environment can affect the traits. They will also investigate the effects of forces on the motion of an object and the cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
Math
In addition to reviewing and using previously learned math skills, some of the math topics this year include:
Place value Ordering and Comparing Rounding and Estimation Multiplication Division Fractions Geometric measurement Area and Perimeter Weight and Mass Time Graphs and Data
Social Studies
Grade 3: Global Interactions The goal of social studies education is for children to develop thinking and decision-making skills that prepare them for responsible citizenship in a democratic society. Third graders continue to work toward this goal by applying the concept of community globally, understanding the impact of interaction between groups within the continent of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania (Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia). Students will learn about the basic purposes and functions of differing governing bodies in the world while comparing how diverse societies govern themselves. We will examine the relationship between supply and demand and describe examples of economic interdependence. Students will explore how the cultural aspects of a region spread beyond its borders, compare diverse world communities in terms of members, customs and traditions to their local community while explaining how world events impact Kentucky. Students will also investigate how communities work together while acknowledging the different perspectives of diverse groups in today’s world.