THIRD GRADE
Third Grade is a special year, marking the first year of the Upper Division
at Community School. Students enjoy a variety of subjects in the homeroom
as well as special classes. The curriculum is integrated whenever possible so
that students can relate one subject to another, as well as connect classroom
activities to real life. Students learn through a variety of means: teacher-directed lessons, repeated practice, use of manipulative materials, partner and
cooperative learning projects, independent research, and activities addressing various learning styles.
Field studies supplement our study of St. Louis and include Cahokia
Mounds, the World’s Fair sites of Forest Park, and the Missouri History Museum. The year culminates with the study of Japan and a trip to the Japanese
Garden and a Japanese restaurant for lunch. Below is a sampling of third
grade benchmarks:
Literature
Listen, retain, and follow age-appropriate
directions and oral passages  Recognize
grade-appropriate sight words  Define
words within contractions  Sequence
events in a story  Identify the main idea
of a story or paragraph and give specific
details  Determine cause-effect 
Distinguish between fact and opinion 
Answer questions about story characters,
setting, and significant details  Locate literal details  Recognize inferential details
 Summarize materials read  Recognize
first, second, and third person  Recognize point of view  Independently read
age-and level-appropriate materials on
a consistent basis  Examples of Major
Works Read – The 100 Dresses, 20 and 10
Language Arts
Write a narrative story  Develop a descriptive setting  Respond using complete sentences  Use transition words
 Write poetry  Define and identify a
complete subject and complete predicate
 Diagram simple subject and simple action verb  Define and identify common
and proper nouns  Capitalize titles and
proper nouns  Use commas correctly
 Use indentation  Spell multi‐syllabic
words  Spell simple verb and pronoun
contractions  Recognize silent letters,
plurals, antonyms  Begin using cursive
 Write 5-sentence paragraph with topic,
conclusion and supporting details
Social Studies
Theme: What qualities make a productive
member of a community?  Identify the
civic tradition and political system of St.
Louis and Missouri  Establish a sense of
order and time  Explore current events 
Distinguish the chronology of the history
of the U.S. as it relates to Missouri  Name
and locate states surrounding Missouri 
Name and locate major rivers, cities, and
products of Missouri  Locate the equator
and prime meridian  Write a biographical report by interviewing a real person 
Research and do cross-curricular activities
about 1904 World’s Fair  Study Native
Americans in St. Louis area throughout
history  Country studied: Japan
Mathematics
Use place value models to read, write, add
and subtract numbers to 10,000  Compare fractions using models and number
lines  Add and subtract like
fractions and money  Model
regrouping in addition and
subtraction with place value 
Solve one-and two-step multiplication and division problems
 Identify angles, perpendicular
and parallel lines, polygons,
quadrilaterals, symmetry and
congruent figures  Select
appropriate units and tools to
estimate and measure length,
weight, volume, and capacity 
Determine elapsed time  estimate and
measure volume  Use bar graphs, picture
graphs, and line plots to solve and check
real-world problems  Use a calculator to
solve real-world problems using all operations  Discuss and share ideas in paired
or small-group activities  Use bar models
to represent real-world problems
Science
Theme: How Things Work  Explain ways
that insects and other arthropods factor in
our lives  Identify insects and arthropods
around Community School  Investigate
light  Explain how simple machines
work and help us  Describe how sound
is made and travels  Define electricity 
Describe how electricity is used  Utilize
the engineering design process in optical
engineering
French
Recognize printed form of vocabulary
words  Read sentences and short
paragraphs  Begin to generate original sentences  Practice the gender
of nouns and the sound of adjective
agreement  Use greetings and farewell courtesies  Indicate date  Use
numbers to 31  Express action 
Describe the weather
Physical Education
Theme: Incorporate basic skills learned
in early childhood P.E. into sport
specific units; continue to focus on the
fundamentals of each sport as opposed to gameplay  Apply sprints and
endurance running in daily warm ups
and games  Apply jumping skills in
basketball, volleyball, and track & field
units  Demonstrate throwing skills in
football basketball and softball  Measure catching skills by throwing and
catching a given distance in football,
basketball, softball and lacrosse  Apply footwork skills in soccer  Demonstrate striking skills in field hockey,
volleyball and softball  Demonstrate
climbing, traversing and balancing
skills in daily exercises, tumbling, and
obstacle courses  Establish and agree
upon games rules and boundaries in
all games  Foster an appreciation of
nature through orienteering activities
and outdoor education
Visual Arts
STUDIO ART: Cut complex geometric shapes freehand  Define edges of
paper in pictures  Define formal symmetry  Recognize the color wheel and
a continuum of colors  Use limited
components to create new ideas
WOODSHOP: Use safe way to move
around room, enter/exit, and to ask
for assistance  Prepare work station
 Make individual design decisions
 Use coping saw for cutting lines 
Demonstrate proper use of half-round
file, bit and brace, hand twist drill, and
sandpaper  Analyze quality of each
project and set goals for improvement
 Share completed work with class and
teachers
Performing Arts
MUSIC: Write simple compositions 
take rhythmic and melodic dictation 
Participate in movement and dance 
Play songs in the extended pentatonic
scale on the recorder  Conduct the
class individually while singing  Find
notes on piano, bells, or recorder 
Recognize, read, write, sing and play
sixteenth notes, high do, pentatonic
scale, dotted half note  Explore the
work of Scott Joplin
DRAMA: Demonstrate vocal expression  Use vocal range  Demonstrate proper microphone technique
 Demonstrate simple pantomime 
Demonstrate varied types of movement  Apply basic dance steps 
Write short information for audience
education  Listen for cues  Interact
on stage  Recognize how many parts
make a whole  Enter and exit stage
appropriately  Demonstrate upstaging  Demonstrate curtain call 
Performances: Parable of Shapes, 1904
World’s Fair