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Athletics & Activities

Third Grade

Language Arts

Language Arts is composed of several interrelated areas: reading, writing, and spelling. At the elementary level, students are encouraged to learn to communicate clearly through development in these three areas:

Reading

SRA/Open Court Reading, a phonics-based program developing reading fluency while leading to greater comprehension and enjoyment of reading.

Analyze words; root words, prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, and antonyms
Use strategies, such as predicting, questioning, and comparing, in order to gain an understanding of non-fiction text
Analyze reading material and answer open ended questions using background knowledge and experience
Identify characters, setting, problem, solution, point of view, and plot in a wide range of fiction
Identify rhythm and rhyme in original works
Verify resources used by citing texts
Compare author’s work on common themes

Writing

The Shurley Method of Grammar uses rhythm and a set of specific questions to classify sentences orally, identifying each sentence part as well as the overall sentence structure. Students learn how to expand, improve, and edit their writing.

Write a fully developed paragraph using a topic sentence, detail, elaboration, and conclusive sentences
Use proper grammar, appropriate punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
Proofread one’s own work and the work of others; revise accordingly
Use strategies like brainstorming, outlining, or graphic organizers to generate ideas
Organize a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details, and transition words
Write a narrative, expository, and persuasive paper
Compose letters, plays, short stories, and poetry using a variety of media

Spelling

Spelling Connections: Zaner-Bloser

Proofread one’s own work and the work of others; revise accordingly
Correctly spell appropriate high frequency words
Use phonemic clues, phonetic and/or developmental spelling to spell unfamiliar words
Use of Spalding method for phonemic awareness of words

Mathematics

Houghton-Mifflin Math explores more of the spectrum of mathematical ideas through a deeper understanding of key mathematical concepts and in-depth study of all the content strands of mathematics.
The curriculum allows students to construct an understanding of mathematics from their own experience and includes practical routines to build arithmetic skills that are essential for building number sense, estimation skills, and flexibility in a problem-rich environment. Important concepts or skills recur with variations throughout the curriculum, and concepts are introduced and revisited in a variety of formats providing considerable practice.
Content strands include:

Place value and money
Addition and subtraction
Data and probability
Multiplication and division of basic facts
Measurement
Geometry and measurement
Fractions and decimals
Multiplication and division by 1 – digit numbers

Religion

Sadlier: We Believe Series, We Are the Christ This text is rooted in Scripture, helping children explore their faith, develop morally, and grow in religious understanding and practice. The Family Life curriculum broadens students’ awareness of God’s gift of life, in conjunction with respecting others as well as ourselves.

Social Science

Harcourt, Science and Harcourt Brace, Social Studies Communities The purpose of science is to provide students with balanced relevant, hands-on opportunities and experiences to better understand science and promote scientific literacy. , (Life, Earth, and Physical)
Third Grade Science topics include:

Life – Plants and Animals
Earth – Air Cycle on Earth & in Space
Physical – Investigating Matter/

Exploring Energy and Forces

The purpose of Social Studies is to develop an awareness of the world around us.

Third Grade Social Studies Units include:

Maps and globes
Louisiana
Time lines
Community in our country and the world
Building Citizenship
Government

Enrichments

• Physical Education
Students learn, develop, and apply skills needed for participation in personal fitness and lifetime activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

• Visual Arts
Students grow creatively, intellectually, and aesthetically through the application of media techniques and processes as well as knowledge of art elements and principles of design.

• Music
Students develop an understanding of the relationship of music to other disciplines and cultures through experiencing variations in rhythms, music styles, melodies, and performances.

• Library
The library curriculum teaches students the basic skills needed to become independent library patrons. The curriculum fosters a love of reading and literature, but also emphasizes library organization, using the electronic catalog to locate books of interest, and the use of standard library materials such as books, encyclopedias, and almanacs to locate information.

General Information

Technology
The goal of technology education is to provide students with the opportunity for technological literacy starting with the elementary curriculum.
Our emphasis with students is the application of technology across all grade levels and curricular areas as well as the development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Reporting to Parents
Classroom progress is reported through quarterly report cards and mid-quarter progress reports. Weekly parent newsletters and informal parent-teacher communications are also utilized.

Testing
Our achievement-testing program assesses the strengths/needs of our instructional programs and measures the achievement of individual students. Tests utilized annually by all schools of the Diocese of Lake Charles include Stanford Achievement Test for grades K - 8, Explore/ACT Test for 8th graders only. Otis Lennon School Ability Test is administered in odd numbered years.

Homework
Homework at the elementary level begins in an informal fashion but becomes more formal and requires more time and effort as the child progresses through each grade.
Parents are expected to be sufficiently interested in their child’s education to commit the time and energy needed to monitor/supervise the child’s home study and thereby insure that he/she makes a reasonable effort to complete homework assignments.

Promotion
Students must meet the following criteria:
~Demonstrate competency in all areas of the
Stanford Achievement Test (SAT)
~Attend the required number of instructional days
~Attain adequate skills needed as determined by the teacher and administration