The Scripture memory focus in third grade helps students to answer the question of what living for Christ looks like. Our lives should mirror the life of Jesus, and not the world. They will focus on Biblical passages related to the Ten Commandments and the Fruits of the Spirit. The Biblical literacy skill focus for third grade is a continuation of the second-grade focus: the organization of the books of the Bible. Students will learn to locate Scriptures using the table of contents and by knowing the order of the books.
In third grade, students will focus on fact fluency in multiplication and division, adding and subtracting with renaming up to 10,000, telling time to the minute, adding and subtracting units of time and money, graphing, weight, mass, area, perimeter and mathematical application in the context of story using the bar model to assist in the process of solving. After concrete mathematical exploration with manipulatives, students will engage with mathematics concepts using pictorial representations/models and number sentences/algorithms.
Third graders explore handwriting, spelling, reading, and English writing/grammar during ELA time. Building on skills mastered in second grade, students practice phonics patterns in their spelling words. The handwriting focus is on cursive. Third graders are provided with differentiated reading groups, with reading skills focused on nonfiction, fiction, articles, poetry and drama. Writing covers key word outlining, and moving through the process of rough drafting, editing and publishing a final draft. Grammar pinpoints and elaborates upon the different parts of speech and how they are applied in writing/conversation.
Third grade science covers the topics of: Earth and space science including the solar system, weather and climate, soil, rocks, minerals and fossils. Life science, specifically pertaining to cells, tissues and organs, plants, animals, and ecosystems. Physical science relating to matter, sound, forces and motion and electricity and magnetism.
Students begin a 4-year chronological study of world history beginning in the third grade. As they study the Creation of the world through the Greek empire, students will construct a physical timeline of events and practice map skills while studying the geography of the time period’s most influential regions. Some historical topics include the importance of the Nile River, Sumerian clay writing, the rise of the Minoans, the Shang dynasty, Pharaoh Ramses and the Exodus, the kingdom of Carthage, and the reign of Alexander the Great.
During the 2022-2023 school year, the enrichment specials offered during the school day for third graders include art, PE, and Biblical formations. Specials are subject to change from year to year.
In third grade, math is taught using the Singapore Primary Mathematics 2022 edition. Other subject areas are taught using BJU programs (handwriting, spelling, reading and science). Third grade utilizes the IEW writing program (Institute for Excellence in Writing) that pairs nicely with grammar support from Easy Grammar. Publishing company Notgrass provides the Adam to Us program that jumpstarts our 4-year chronological approach to learning history in third grade.
The Keys for the Kingdom program is utilized during morning devotional time for Biblical formation.