A Word About Third Grade...

Snapshot of a child at age eight and nine

Some developmental characteristics displayed by many eight-year-olds

• Are outgoing, lively, and evaluative
• Show a high level of energy and are willing to tackle almost anything, including the new and difficult
• Tend to be less cautious than at age seven and can be prone to accidents
• Sleep approximately 10 hours daily
• Show a new characteristic—a judgmental, evaluative attitude. Now children begin to judge and consider what happens to them and are concerned about the “why” of events
• Display enormous curiosity in nature, manufactured things, and people
• Show increased self-confidence and maturity
• Are friendly and cooperative. The peer group is the sun their world revolves around. Friendships tend to be closer and more exciting.
• Generally enjoy and look forward to school for social and academic reasons
• Really like table games, such as cards, checkers, and monopoly, but still might not be able to lose gracefully 

Some developmental characteristics displayed by many nine-year olds

• Whatever nine-year olds enjoy, they will do endlessly—even to the point of fatigue
• Typically more independent and self motivated than just a year ago
• Sleep approximately nine hours daily.
• While behavioral differences can be seen at any age, they are more noticeable at age nine. Mood swings may vary widely—from timid to bold, from cheerful to grumpy
• Like to plan and know where they are going before setting out on a task. After starting a task, they like to see it through
• Tend to organize and budget time, frequently using self-developed lists and schedules
• Apply academic skills to everyday life, such as using math skills to plan a purchase of a wanted item or reading books for entertainment and information
• Enjoy making inventories and checklists and love to collect things
• Want to please adults but regard their peer group as most important. Some children are devoted to their friends, while others are more interested in the activities they do with their families

Language Arts

Spelling

• Spell frequently used words in all writing
• Use a variety of strategies, including phonetics and resources, to spell words

Reading

• Read for appreciation and enjoyment
• Use comprehension strategies when reading from a variety of materials
• Decode words not recognized using phonetic skills and context clues
• Understand author’s purpose and intended audience
• Identify setting, characters, and plot of a story
• Recognize the difference between fact and opinion, fantasy and reality, and cause and effect
• Make predictions and relate reading to prior knowledge
• Make inferences and draw conclusions while reading
• Read with fluency and expression

English/Writing

• Use capitalization and punctuation correctly in writing
• Identify and use nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
• Use steps of writing process (prewrite, first draft, revise, edit/proofreading, and publish)
• Write for a variety of purposes including reports, letters, descriptive paragraphs, and stories
• Learn and begin to use cursive writing
• Participate in group discussions
• Ask questions to promote learning

Math

• Mastery of addition and subtraction facts
• Work toward mastery of multiplication and division facts
• Add and subtract 2-and 3-digit numbers with regrouping
• Use a variety of problem solving strategies
• Recognize place value to thousands
• Compare and order numbers to thousands
• Recognize a variety of patterns
• Recognize fractions and decimals
• Identify two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes
• Read, interpret, and construct graphs
• Understand that probability is the concept of “chance”
• Understand the basic standards of measurement:
• Linear measurement (standard and metric)
• Volume and capacity measurement (standard and metric)
• Temperature (Fahrenheit and Celsius)
• Count and use money
• Tell time to the nearest minute

Music

• Sing in tune using appropriate timbre and volume
• Develop an understanding of musical forms
• Perform on a variety of musical instruments
• Demonstrate appropriate behavior in a variety of settings, especially during a performance
• Show how music is related to many other topics in their life

Science 

Recognize the following items in regard to plants and animals:

• Life cycles
• Ecosystems/Habitats
• Food chains and webs
• Classifications

Discuss Earth Science in terms of:

• Minerals and rocks
• Erosion
• Weather and water cycle
• Moon phases
• Sun and its planets
• Discuss Physical Science in terms of:
• Forces and motion
• Simple machines (pulleys and levers)
• Matter (solids, liquids, and gases)
• Heat, light, sound, and electricity

Understand the importance of:

• Nutrition and food pyramid
• Alcohol and drug awareness
• Body systems (skeletal, muscular, digestive, nervous, circulatory)
• Safety
• Dental Health
• Hygiene

Social Studies

• Identify communities through
• Responsible citizenship
• Location
• History/Time lines
• Resources
• Customs and culture

Demonstrate an understanding of geography through:

• Map reading
• Landforms
• Climate

Recognize growth, change, and diversity in regard to:

• Native Americans
• Ancestors
• Immigrants
• Inventions

Discuss concepts of business such as:

• Products and services
• Supply and demand
• Import and export (trade)
• Resources and raw materials

Understand various aspects of Government including:

• Law
• Voting
• Types of government

Discover Canada and Mexico through:

• Geography and landforms
• Customs, culture, and language
• National symbols

Art

• Develop visual awareness and appreciation through art history
• Understand and apply primary, secondary, analogous, and complimentary colors
• Understand the coil method and utilize glazes with clay (moist)
• Develop subject matter awareness through a still life
• Understand and apply the elements and principles of design
• Know how ideas and emotions are expressed in art
• Respect, care and organization of tools, materials, and work environment
• Develop cooperative skills

Physical Education 

• Follow rules and procedures
• Understand and use vocabulary for sport-specific skills
• Use control in weight-bearing and balance activities
• Perform manipulative skills with some degree of accuracy (throwing, catching, kicking, striking, and dribbling)
• Understand the importance of practice to learn and improve
• Engage in activities that develop flexibility, muscular strength and endurance
• Identify appropriate behaviors for participating with others in physical activities

Your Child’s Homework

While there is a lot of learning going on in school, it is very important for your child to continue the learning process at home. Daily homework deepens your child’s understanding of what is being taught in the classroom. It also reinforces the study skills necessary to really learn the concepts and material presented by the teacher.

Daily Homework Expectations 

• Read a minimum of 60 minutes per week
• Review and practice weekly spelling lists
• Complete homework accurately and hand in on time
• Complete a written book report monthly
• Design a quarterly book report project

Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test (WRCT)

This test is given each spring to third-grade students. It is used to identify your child’s reading level as compared to statewide proficiency standards for third-grade children. Test results will show your child’s level of skill in understanding what is read. If improvement is needed, you and the teacher can discuss a plan for remedial instruction.

Parent Tips for Helping Your Children with Homework  

• Come to mutual agreement on a set time to do homework every day.
• Encourage your children to study at a desk or table rather than on a bed or easy chair.
• If your children have trouble sitting still or concentrating, encourage them to walk while looking at flash cards or talk aloud when reviewing information.
• Discourage distractions like TV, background conversations, or calls from friends during homework time.
• If your children can’t get started, talk through the assignments with them. Be supportive but avoid doing the homework for them.
• If you are unable to help your children with difficult subject, ask for help from a relative. Also, see if the school, library, or a community organization can provide tutoring or homework help through an after school program. Encourage your children to participate in study groups with classmates.
• Check to see that all homework is completed and signed by you if required.
• Supply your children with study aids, such as a computer, dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedias. Show them how to use them.
• Show your children how to use the library as a resource. Ask your librarian at school or the public library to explain where to find and how to use reference materials.
• If you have more than one child, encourage them to help each other. Older children can often tutor younger children and reinforce their own skills while helping the younger child learn.

Home-School Communications

We welcome your partnership in helping your child achieve success in school. By working and talking together, we can create a very positive learning environment.

Ways We Keep In Touch

• Open house (September)
• Parent-Teacher Conferences (November and February)
• Weekly homework sheets
• Quarterly grade reports
• Field trip notices/ permission forms
• E-mail
• Notes and telephone calls
• Please feel free to contact your child’s teachers with questions or concerns