Third Grade
Curriculum
Religion
Students learn about Jesus as their Savior through Bible stories. They are led to spiritual truths of God’s Word and are encouraged to reflect Christ’s love for them in their daily lives. Memory Treasures and hymn verses are learned on a weekly basis.
Language Arts
Students read and are exposed to various genres through their textbooks, read-aloud books, and free-choice independent reading. Students learn reading comprehension strategies and skills to use when reading both fiction and nonfiction texts. In grammar, students work with identifying parts of speech and the four kinds of sentences. In writing, students begin to use the five-step writing process. Students learn spelling strategies to help them remember how to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words and review and expand their spelling vocabulary.
Math
Students use place value to compare, order, and round numbers. Students continue with more complex addition and subtraction problems, mental math strategies, and problem-solving skills. Students memorize multiplication and division facts from zero to twelve. Third graders also begin work with fractions, measurement, and perimeter and area of basic polygons.
Science
Third graders combine textbook reading with online components and hands-on investigation to help them discover their world. Students learn about life cycles, classifying plants and animals, how living things survive, grow, and change in ecosystems. They also learn about forces and motions, forms of energy, and weather patterns.
Social Studies
In a two-year cycle, students study the basic themes of government, economics, and geography. Students also study Arizona geography and Arizona History including early cultures, Arizona tribal nations, and the process to obtain statehood. In addition, early American history is studied including indigenous peoples, early explorers, and American colonial life.