3rd Grade Curriculum
Reading
The Carden™ reading program is designed to enable students to read with expression and increased comprehension. The students begin with the short vowel chart and progress to the long vowel chart. Students work in the Class Book, developing their ability to find key words and compose titles of sentences. Reading books include Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Black Beauty, and The Adventures of a Brownie. The children are responsible for twelve book reports throughout the year.
Language
Grammar: conjugating verbs, proper punctuation, and parts of speech
Dictionary Skills: alphabetizing and marks
Distinguishing phrases and clauses
Vocabulary
Spelling
The purpose of the Carden™ spelling method is to teach children to listen to a word, break it down into its individual sounds, and to construct the word sound by sound. The vowel chart assists them in sounding out new words. They are taught vowel controls and rules which govern the pronunciation and spelling of words.
There are two spelling lessons per week. On Monday and Wednesday, new words are introduced. On Tuesday and Thursday, spelling paragraphs are dictated. The students write questions about the sentences answering who, doing, what , when, where and why. The sentences are analyzed for content, grammar, and vocabulary development. Students also locate the keywords and compose titles for each sentence.
Writing
All writing is in cursive with continued instruction in proper letter formation. Students write weekly stories and learn the Carden™ composition patterns, which teach proper sequence and help organize the students’ thoughts.
Poetry
Poetry is copied, memorized, and recited.
French
Counting, colors, songs, rhymes, phrases, simple vocabulary, simple instructions, flag salute.
Mathematics
2-, 3-, and 4-digit addition and subtraction, with carrying and borrowing
Multiplication tables with each table passed 3 times
Short and long division using 1-digit divisors for multiplication reinforcement
Simple fractions, numbers in a series
Terminology: addend, minuend, subtrahend, sum, remainder, product, dividend, divisor, quotient
Number patterns for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, number needed, and difference-between
Reading and writing Roman numerals
Reading clocks
Measurement and conversions
Science
Topics include water cycles, tides, weather, rocks, minerals, human body
Units integrated with literature: bees, ants, beaver, nature
Special projects: Baby animal, Leaf
Social Studies
Geography: continents, rivers of the world, capital cities, major mountain ranges
Native Americans
Information integrated with spelling dictation
50 U.S. states and capitals
Art and Art Appreciation
Drawing and multimedia painting, and mixed media art
Special weekly art lessons or projects: dot, circle, line families
Art appreciation and the work of the masters on display in the classroom
Music
Singing and rhythmic movements
Theory: notes, lines and spaces
Appreciation for classical music
Two sessions per week with music teacher
Participation in two school programs per year
Physical Education
Students participate in a structured PE class for 45 minutes everyday with activities, games, and exercises. The students strive for the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge. In addition, they have a 15-minute morning recess
Computer
Keyboarding, Word, Print Artist, Access, Excel, Power Point, Publisher
