Third Grade

Third grade expectations evolve into personal responsibility and classroom and time management.

Language arts Language arts is taught through Houghton Mifflin reading.  This is a proven, research based method. At this level, students continue strategies begun in earlier grades and focus on genre studies of poetry, trickster tales, biography, and fairy tales. STAR tests are very helpful in assessing students’ comprehension level and leading them to books at their appropriate reading level. Read Live, another technology based program helps increase reading fluency. Handwriting Without Tears takes our students into cursive at this level and Shurley Grammar is introduced in this grade.

Mathematics Students will have a great time with Singapore Math. By continuing to spend time on concrete manipulation and pictorial representation, students are able to internalize and visualize mathematical concepts. Understanding and “thinking” math becomes second nature at this level. Multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, graphing, patterns, and geometry are just a few of the increasingly complicated math topics covered.

Social Studies curriculum focuses on the history, geography, and political science of Florida and Jacksonville. “Florida Day” is an annual presentation by the third grade students with projects, skits, and stories on the state of Florida. For a Florida studies field trip, third grade visits St. Augustine to go to the Fountain of Youth and to the Castillo de San Marcos. Students also focus on the extensive history of Jacksonville and have fun study-trips to Fort Caroline, the Ribault Monument, and Kingsley Plantation, as well as a “Tour of Jacksonville.”

Science focuses on life, earth, space, and technology.

Third grade Spanish continues to build on the earlier years. Spanish class is conducted only in Spanish.

Service Learning: Click here to learn about the service learning in third grade.

Third graders attend all the resources; art, computer, Christian education, music, physical education, and library throughout the week.