3rd Grade News
These are the topics we will be covering during the month of April:
Literature
• Recount key details to explain the theme of folktales and myths
• Explain how illustrations create mood and emphasize character
traits
• Ask and answer questions to identify characteristics of
traditional stories
• Compare characters of stories written by the same author
• Identify main ideas and themes
• Describe how characters’ actions contribute to sequence of
events
• Distinguish personal point of view from narrator or author
• Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or
speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and
stanza
Use of Language:
• Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs in sentences
• Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading or listening
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking
• Use spelling patterns and generalizations in writing words.
Science
This quarter, third graders will move from
studying Physical Science to Life Science, with a
focus on the impact of human decisions on
natural resources. In April, students will explore
a variety of plant and animal habitats and
describe the relationship between living
organisms and the environment. Students will
also begin to identify and define how natural
resources are used to meet human wants and
needs, specifically in the areas of food, fuels,
and fibers.
Math
• Represent and solve 2-step word problems
using equations and all operations, and
assess the reasonableness of answers
• Represent and solve 1- and 2-step word
problems with unknowns in all positions and
with all operations
Reminders
4/5 - Career Day
4/6 - MP3 Ends
4/6 - Math/Reading Night 6:30p
4/7 – No School for students
4/10-4/17 Spring Break!
4/24-4/28- Book Fair!
Writing:
• Identify topic for writing and locate resources
• Gather facts and evaluate resources for writing tasks
• Revise writing to include facts, details, and definitions
• Write an opinion question and analyze facts to develop
reasons that support it
• Group and sequence reasons in a logical order
• Draft opinion paragraphs using reasons and evidence
Vocabulary:
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning word and phrases
• Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a
known prefix or suffix is added
• Distinguish the literal and non-literal meanings of words and
phrases
• Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion
Social Studies
This month, students will get a glimpse of real
life as we examine money management strategies.
They will solve problems in real-world scenarios
such as Am I Ready for a Pet? Students will apply
the steps used to make an economic decision:
establish personal goals, develop a budget,
identify ways to generate income, identify savings
goals, and identify the opportunity cost of each
decision. Students will then determine the
differences between being a banked versus an
unbanked consumer and the benefits or
drawbacks to each.
• Fluently multiply and divide within 100
(factors 0-10)
• Tell and write time to the nearest minute
(analog clock)
• Match times on analog and digital clocks
• Estimate and measure liquid volume
Thinking and Academic Success Skills
These skills are integrated into all the subject areas to bring deeper
understanding.
Elaboration- Adding details that expand, enrich, or
embellish
Effort/Motivation/Persistence- Working diligently and
applying effective strategies to achieve a goal or solve a
problem; continuing in the face of obstacles and competing
pressures.