Overview of Third Grade Curriculum
Language Arts, including English, Spelling and Reading: Bob Jones Publications; Handwriting: A Beka Publications: During the third grade year, students review all phonics rules, review and refine cursive writing formation, and continue to develop their creative writing skills. Writing projects will include, but not be limited to writing game instructions, writing a friendly letter, writing a persuasive essay, writing a make-believe story, writing a book report, creating a sound poem, developing a research report and writing a compare-contrast essay. Their spelling lists are built on a phonics base and include vocabulary development and sentence dictation. Memorization of poetry is included in the curriculum. Grammatical principles covered include writing in complete sentences, using correct punctuation and capitalization, writing friendly letters, recognition of simple nouns, subjects, verbs, and adjectives, word usage, forming plurals and common contractions, recognition of antonyms, homonyms, synonyms, and dictionary skills. Reading texts include classic literature, Bible stories, character-building stories, tales of fantasy, favorite fables, a historical novel, and a contemporary novel.
Mathematics-A-Beka Publishers: Mathematics builds on prior primary skills. Each day begins with a math meeting. Through this activity, students learn skills related to calendar, counting patterning, weather, reading a graph, time and money. The math lesson occurs later in the day. During the lesson, a new objective, or increment, is introduced through a carefully selected group activity. Students use materials, engage in discussions, work in cooperative groups and work together to help each other learn. The lesson also includes individual written practice and number fact practice. Strategies are presented to help students learn the number facts including division. Students are encouraged to recall the facts through the use of pattern recognition. They practice facts orally and monitor their progress on fact sheets. Automatic fact recall of all multiplication and division tables is expected by the end of the third grade year.
History and Geography-A-Beka Publications: The theme of third grade history and geography is Our American Heritage. In a biological format of this chronologically arranged introduction to American history, students are introduced to studies of Columbus, John Smith, Pocahontas, Miles Standish, Squanto, William Penn, Ben Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Boone, Noah Webster, John Greenleaf Whittier, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, U.S. Grant, Louisa May Alcott, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Billy Sunday. Studies in geography include identifying continents and oceans of the world and an overview of the geography of the United States and the world.
Science---Bob Jones Publications: Science 3:
Earth Science: Earth: Minerals: crystals; properties; uses; precious metals: Rocks: formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks: Soil: formation; weathering; Space: Solar system: the inner planets; outer planets; asteroids and comets; meteors.
Life Science; living things: Birds: characteristics; tools for observation; identifying: Cells, tissues, and organs: living things; microscopes; cell structure; plant and animal tissue and organs: Plants: making and storing food; the green factories; helpful plants: Grouping animals: backbone and no backbone; warm-blooded and cold-blooded; plant-eating and animal eating.
Human Body: skin: layers; glands; fingerprints; dermis; care of skin, hair and nails
Physical Science: Work: forces; force x distance = work; power; people, horses engines, moving air, and moving water do work
• Energy: Sound (ear): travels in waves; absorbed or reflected; through gas, liquid and solid; parts of the ear; hearing, pitch; loudness; quality
• Matter: Mass and weight: defining: historic weights; ounces; grams; standard/ customary measure; metric system; springs balances
Bible---Association of Christian Schools International; Christ and His Church: Third graders study the life of Christ, the book of Acts and missions. Students are guided through the gospels as they learn and apply principles from the messages, parables, miracles, and life events of Jesus. Students get a glimpse of famous Christians through the "Portraits of Faith" biographies. Through "sword searches" they have an opportunity to consider the teaching of scripture in relation to materials being studied.
Enrichment Classes:
*Computer Introduction and Instruction: Curriculum skillfully integrates classroom studies with computer skills. Students at all grade levels learn about keyboarding, desktop publishing, data base management, spreadsheets, multimedia presentations and all other components of the Virginia Standards of Learning in the area of technology.
*Music: In weekly music classes, students learn the fundamentals of rhythm and music theory.
*Physical Education: Our physical education teacher helps the students develop large motor skills and knowledge of games with rules.
*Library: All elementary students have the opportunity to visit the school library each week for a literacy lesson. They are also able to borrow books on a weekly basis.
*Spanish: Students learn conversational Spanish in a fun and interactive way through the internet language program Rosetta Stone.
*Art: Students have an art class in addition to the art that is integrated into the daily program. Students learn about different techniques and about working with different media, as well as receiving an introduction to Art History. They are introduced to famous artists and see how Bible stories and concepts have been illustrated through the centuries with art.
*Chapel: The entire elementary school joins together in the church chapel for a short service each Wednesday morning. This is a time or worship, prayer and testimonies. Classes take turns presenting the weekly lessons. Christ Chapel pastors are frequent visitors.
We also offer private music lessons at an additional fee.
