Grade 3 Curriculum

The third grade program builds on the skills and knowledge children have learned in preceding years and encourages critical thinking, creativity, and respect for self and others. Students continue to gain skills and confidence working independently and taking on more in-depth concepts and projects. Third graders explore and organize information, research topics, and present information in a variety of forms. They perform the first class play of the year, march in the parade of states, engage in community service, and participate in Friendship Group lunches.

Program Highlight

  • Class play
  • Buddies with seventh grade
  • Person of the Week
  • Sharing days
  • Character Can
  • China study
  • State project and fair
  • Snowshoeing

Specialist Time

  • French twice a week for 45 minutes
  • Art studio once a week for 45 minutes
  • Music once a week for 45 minutes
  • Theater arts once a week for 45 minutes
  • Woodworking once a week for 45 minutes
  • Physical education three times a week for 45 minutes
  • Library once a week for 45 minutes

Grade 3 Subjects

Third grade provides rich experiences for students to become fluent and expressive readers as they grow they appreciation for literature in every genre. Third graders learn reading comprehension strategies and foundational rules of writing. They participate in weekly Writers’ Group and practice writing in various styles for a variety of purposes, including free writing, persuasive writing, research writing, and personal narrative.

Language Arts

Third grade provides rich experiences for students to become fluent and expressive readers as they grow they appreciation for literature in every genre. Third graders learn reading comprehension strategies and foundational rules of writing. They participate in weekly Writers’ Group and practice writing in various styles for a variety of purposes, including free writing, persuasive writing, research writing, and personal narrative.

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Two students share their math work with a teacher

Math

The third grade curriculum develops students’ facility with place value, multiple digit addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, compatible numbers and estimation. Third graders also identify a variety of problem-solving methods and learn to communicate how they understand, plan for, solve, and check number stories.

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Third graders refine map skills and learn about the state of Massachusetts, with an emphasis on geography, civics, government, and economics. Students conduct multidisciplinary, in-depth research projects on a U.S. state of their choosing and host the state fair parade as a public presentation of their work. Students then look globally to study the rich culture and varied geography of China.

Social Studies

Third graders refine map skills and learn about the state of Massachusetts, with an emphasis on geography, civics, government, and economics. Students conduct multidisciplinary, in-depth research projects on a U.S. state of their choosing and host the state fair parade as a public presentation of their work. Students then look globally to study the rich culture and varied geography of China.

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A girl works on a science experiment

Science

Third graders learn to value the role of science as they gain confidence in their ability to conduct experiments and communicate and reason scientifically. Students explore such topics as sound vibrations, food chains, and animal life cycles and adaptations. They study positive and negative human impact on ecosystems and explore their own impact on the environment.

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Beginning in third grade, students gather twice per week to learn French through songs, poems, videos, skits, and games. From third to fourth grade, the emphasis is on reinforcing oral skills and developing reading and writing skills. Topics are revisited and broaden each year.

World Language

Beginning in third grade, students gather twice per week to learn French through songs, poems, videos, skits, and games. From third to fourth grade, the emphasis is on reinforcing oral skills and developing reading and writing skills. Topics are revisited and broaden each year.

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Among other experiences, third graders paint scrolls and create sculptures inspired by a study of China.

Visual Arts

Visual Arts

Among other experiences, third graders paint scrolls and create sculptures inspired by a study of China.

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In addition to growing vocal skills, third graders learn to play recorders and are introduced to the violin or cello. Students learn more complex rhythm notation, sing in two-part harmony at the winter concert, and explore music from China.

Music

Music

In addition to growing vocal skills, third graders learn to play recorders and are introduced to the violin or cello. Students learn more complex rhythm notation, sing in two-part harmony at the winter concert, and explore music from China.

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Students develop more advanced speaking skills and expressive techniques as they perform in the third grade musical production. They explore a variety of theatrical styles, ranging from Japanese Noh to the plays of William Shakespeare.

Theater Arts

Theater Arts

Students develop more advanced speaking skills and expressive techniques as they perform in the third grade musical production. They explore a variety of theatrical styles, ranging from Japanese Noh to the plays of William Shakespeare.

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Third graders grow their skills with increasingly complex projects that emphasize accuracy in measuring and consistency of craftsmanship. Among other projects, students design and produce airplanes and magic marble cubes.

Woodworking & 21st Century Skills

Woodworking & 21st Century Skills

Third graders grow their skills with increasingly complex projects that emphasize accuracy in measuring and consistency of craftsmanship. Among other projects, students design and produce airplanes and magic marble cubes.

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Third graders develop an enhanced concept of physical fitness, laying the foundation for lifelong enjoyment of fitness and exercise.

Physical Education

Physical Education

Third graders develop an enhanced concept of physical fitness, laying the foundation for lifelong enjoyment of fitness and exercise.

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Students build healthy habits, personal and community awareness, and positive social skills. Among other topics, third graders discuss what it means to be an upstander vs. a bystander. 

Social Competency and Health and Wellness

Social Competency and Health and Wellness

Students build healthy habits, personal and community awareness, and positive social skills. Among other topics, third graders discuss what it means to be an upstander vs. a bystander. 

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Third graders explore literary genres, discover famous authors, and grow their skills for using print and electronic resources for research.

Information Literacy and Technology

Information Literacy and Technology

Third graders explore literary genres, discover famous authors, and grow their skills for using print and electronic resources for research.

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Our Grade 3 Teachers