3rd Grade

Students in third grade compare and contrast realistic and abstract art through the lens of modern art. Color theory is integral to the painting lessons and provides an essential foundation for the middle school art curriculum. Drawing projects in the third grade are designed to be more detailed, expanding students' comprehension of the elements and principles of art. Incorporating various techniques further enriches their artistic toolkit, encouraging experimentation and self-expression. A notable aspect of the third grade art curriculum is connecting indigenous and western art. By recognizing the interconnectedness of art across different cultures, students develop a more inclusive and global understanding of the artistic landscape.

The reading program in the third grade is a literature-based program, which involves a variety of literary works. Third grade students read informational texts, realistic fiction, chapter books with sequels, and historical fiction with topics that go well beyond the reader’s personal experience. Mini-lessons center around sequencing events, character analysis, making predictions, summarizing, inferencing, and analyzing nonfiction text features. Students are expected to identify more complex underlying organization structures and understand new vocabulary words both orally and in written form. Students read independently, in small groups, and in book clubs. Class discussions are held to examine novels, nonfiction texts, and poetry. Comprehension is monitored through class discussions, quizzes, individual conferences with the teacher, and reading journals. When a student finishes the third grade reading program, he or she can fluently read a wide range of texts that include lengthy, complex sentences and that have a dense format.

The third grade students engage in writing daily activities. The writing program units of study are personal narrative, poetry, information writing, persuasive writing, and journal writing with an emphasis on creating well-written paragraphs. Writing is integrated into all academic subjects. Progress is monitored through one-on-one teacher conferences where individualized feedback is provided. Grammar instruction consists of sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and paragraph structure. Students learn to recognize the four types of sentences. They also learn to identify prepositional phrases and complete subject and verb phrases. As a result, students include these components in their own writing. They identify the following parts of speech: noun (common and proper), verb (past, present, and future tenses), pronoun (subject, object, and possessive), and adjective. The concept of the adverb is introduced. Spelling is instructed with the use of spelling patterns introduced through Spelling Connections. Cursive writing is developed with the use of the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Program. When a student finishes third grade, he or she has developed skills in areas such as elaboration, organization through the use of paragraphs and transition words, and craft. In addition, in the informational writing unit, he or she can research, take notes, and write multiple drafts.

In third grade, students continue to develop their library and research skills by learning how to responsibly use sources, such as online search engines, databases, and various specialty encyclopedias, to find information. Students begin to develop skills related to note-taking, organizing their findings, creating simple citations and reference lists, and outlining research plans. Students continue to develop digital citizenship skills, including skills related to using online resources in an ethical and safe manner. Weekly read-aloud lessons expose third graders to increasingly complex texts as the children delve deeper into concepts related to theme, plot, setting, and characterization. The librarian introduces the concept of genre fiction to the third graders and helps the children explore various genres of literature as part of free reading and book selection. Third grade students continue to utilize the online catalog and their library skills to independently find books that suit their interests. Third graders are encouraged to utilize many areas of the library, including the Tinkerspace, reference collections, chapter book collections, and online resources.

Throughout the year, students are exposed to a variety of genres in literature. The following list is a sampling of book titles incorporated into the Language Arts program in third grade.

Chapter Books 

Sylvia & Aki  - Winifred Conkling
Because of Winn Dixie - Katie DiCamillo
The Season of Styx Malone - Kekla Magoon
Desmond Cole - Andres Meidoso
Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief  - Rick Riordan
Harry Potter the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling
A to Z Mysteries - Ron Roy
The Absent Author - Ron Roy
Riding Freedom - Pam Munoz Ryan
Indian Shoes - Cynthia Leitich Smith

Picture Books 

Tacos Anyone? - Marvie Ellis
The Whispering Town - Jennifer Elvgren
The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived - Daniel Errico
Little Dreamers - Vashti Harrison
Come On, Rain - Karen Hesse
Shaking Things Up - Susan Hood
Mike Fink - Steven Kellogg
Paul Bunyan - Steven Kellogg
All the Colors We Are  - Katie Kissinger
Julian is a Mermaid - Jessica Love
The Forty-Niners - Cynthia Mercati
Baseball Saved Us - Ken Mochizuki
The Proudest Blue - Ibtihaj Muhammad
Enemy Pie - Derek Munson
American Tall Tales  - Mary Pope Osborne
All are Welcome - Alexandra Penfold
A Different Pond - Bao Phi
In Our Mothers’ House - Patricia Polacco
Martin’s Big Words - Doreen Rappaport
Say Something! - Peter H. Reynolds
Not Quite Narwhal - Jessie Sima
Each Kindness - Jacqueline Woodson
Encounter  - Jane Yolen
 

Harbor Day School recognizes the importance of mathematics as a cornerstone of a student’s education. Our mission is to develop confidence and competence in mathematics as students learn to think critically and to problem-solve strategically and collaboratively. Throughout the grades, students are encouraged to communicate their understanding in verbal and written form and to consider and critique alternate solution strategies for problems. Lessons and activities are crafted to facilitate making connections, seeing patterns, and experiencing the joy and success that mathematics can bring.

The mathematics program utilizes Singapore Math strategies. These strategies help students build strong number sense, fluency, place value understanding, and problem-solving ability. The components of our K-5 math program are designed around these four pillars of Singapore Math. The use of concrete materials, pictorial representations, and bar modeling techniques provides students with a well-balanced approach to concept mastery. Through the use of manipulatives, students develop a solid foundation for the more abstract thinking and approaches required in later math courses. Mathematical practices and habits of mind are developed and reinforced as students develop confidence and enthusiasm for mathematics. In grades K-5, the scope and sequence is aligned with and utilizes the Dimensions textbook series. Many additional resources provide opportunities for students to extend and support their acquisition of skills and to apply them in problem-solving activities. Some of these resources include, but are not limited to: Marcy Cook Tiles, iPad apps, and IXL.

In third grade, students continue using number disks to solidify their understanding of place value to the thousand. Students round numbers to the tens, hundreds, and thousands place. Addition and subtraction with regrouping up to four digits are mastered, as well as the addition and subtraction of money. Three-digit multiplication by one digit is introduced using various strategies, such as lattice, partial product, area model, and the standard algorithm. The introduction to long division begins in third grade. Students learn how to divide a three-digit number by a one-digit divisor.  Multiplication and division fact fluency include facts 0-9. The study of fractions builds on previous years to include equivalent fractions, finding the simplest form, comparing fractions, and adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators. Measurement studies include time (five-and-one-minute intervals), standard and metric units,. Our geometric unit includes the study of shapes, angles, and the concepts of area and perimeter.

Problem-solving lessons continue to focus on bar model drawing, and students become proficient in using more sophisticated bar models to break down single and multi-step word problems. The two main types of models that students work with within third grade are Part-Whole Models and Comparison Models. Mental math skills are reinforced as students solve increasingly sophisticated word problems. Math fluency games and activities continue to be used to build number sense and mental math skills.
 

Third grade students meet with their music teacher twice a week. Recorders are introduced in third grade and reinforced in fourth, preparing students for future success in wind, brass, and string instruments. Students begin reading notes off the treble and bass staves, and literacy concepts are introduced and reinforced in ways that build on the kindergarten through second grade curriculum. Music play and creative movement still exist in the general music curriculum (3rd and 4th grades) but with more structure. Games and creative movement are usually included as the last component of tiered Orff lessons. To enhance their social and personal development, students learn to share, cooperate, take turns, take risks, perform in front of their peers, and experience personal success through performance. 

In third grade, students are introduced to Recorder Karate, a recorder program that enables students to build their skills on this instrument. The recorder is a fundamental instrument for improving musicality. The students also work on research projects of famous composers, which culminates in a group presentation of various composers ranging from the Baroque to the Modern era. Third grade students perform in three major productions each year: Thanksgiving Program, Holiday Program, and Grandparents’ Day. 

In third grade, students will:

• Learn to read the full treble staff

• Understand how melodic contour translates to staff notation and how pitch is represented visually

• Move expressively to live and recorded music

• Play a wide variety of classroom instruments (pitched and unpitched)

• Reinforce proper embouchure, breath support, and fine motor skills through recorder performance

• Perform two-part Orff accompaniments to vocal songs

• Improvise simple songs using pentatonic scales - Orff instruments

• Learn and practice skills and songs on the recorder  

• Decode and perform more complex rhythmic patterns

• Critical listening to music recordings

• Perform vocal rounds (two and three-part)

• Perform at different dynamic levels

• Perform at different tempos

• Learn strategies for successful public speaking

• Learn to clearly articulate when speaking in front of an audience 

• Study composers from western classical to modern day

The purpose of the physical education program in third and fourth grade is for the students to apply the knowledge previously acquired toward more effective means of movement and skill. This is accomplished through refined locomotion and object manipulation, while the student is challenged with more difficult problems to solve with his or her body. At the same time, all students are provided with games and activities that increase group interaction, with an emphasis placed on cooperation, knowledge of the game, and sportsmanship. Students are challenged to improve their physiological efficiency by understanding the need for the use of good body mechanics and refined motor control in their actions. Patterns of movement and sequences that are more difficult are introduced to enhance a student’s ability to develop skills that may be used in a variety of sport-related games. Emphasis is placed upon form and accuracy when working on the refinement of a student’s ball skills and object manipulation skills. Group interaction includes a wider variety of partner, group, and team activities. Problem-solving skills within a group, cooperation with others, and teamwork and sportsmanship are topics of discussion during these activities. Sport lead-up games are utilized to provide an opportunity to learn skills, rules, strategies, and knowledge of a sport at a simplified level.

Activities in third and fourth grade may include: movement activities, ball activities, hoops activities, target activities, relays, scramball, pin blitz, scooters, tag games, dance, and station work. Sport-related skills, activities, and lead-up games may include: Newcomb volleyball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, pillo polo, ultimate ball, football, kickball, hockey, and wiffle-ball baseball.

At the conclusion of the year, third grade students should be able to perform the following skills: demonstrate a correct overhand throwing pattern, throw a ball with accuracy at a target, catch a ball in their hands thrown from a distance of thirty feet, pass a volleyball with correct technique and control, learn to set and serve a volleyball, dribble a basketball with control and head/eyes up, be able to correctly execute a chest pass with accuracy and power, demonstrate proper basketball shooting technique, dribble a soccer ball through cones with control, and kick the ball with good technique and accuracy at a target.

Third grade students meet multiple times a week with the lower school science teacher. The third grade science program encourages thoughtful exploration and continues the development of scientific curiosity and an understanding of the scientific method by incorporating CA NGSS (California’s Next Generation Science Standards) based lessons. The third graders access Discovery Education’s Science Techbook throughout the year and read assigned passages, complete activities, and take practice assessments on iPads during class. The students experience the scientific process by observing phenomena (phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe that we can use scientific knowledge to explain), asking meaningful questions, and conducting investigations.

Third grade students are expected to keep an organized science notebook with relevant data, observations, and diagrams throughout the year. The scientific process skills that were introduced in second grade are reinforced and expanded in third grade. The students revisit weather, climate, seasons, the water cycle, and develop a further understanding of these phenomena. Extreme weather is explored and students apply their understanding of weather-related hazards to design a solution that reduces the impact of a specific hazard. Students investigate similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles and discover that organisms have different inherited traits, and that the environment can also affect the traits that an organism develops. Students learn that some organisms can adapt to environmental changes, while others may move to new locations, or even die. Balanced and unbalanced forces, electricity, and magnetism are introduced in third grade.

The following list is a sampling of book titles incorporated into the science program in third grade:

Earth Science 

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Barrett, Judi
Pickles to Pittsburgh - Barrett, Judi
Clouds - Delano, Marfé Ferguson
Energy Island - Drummond, Allan
Be the Change - Gandhi, Arun and Hegedus, Bethany
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - Kamkwamba, William and Mealer, Bryan
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years - McAnulty, Stacy
Mars! Earthlings Welcome - McAnulty, Stacy
Moon! Earth’s Best Friend - McAnulty, Stacy
Ocean! Waves for All - McAnulty, Stacy
Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth - McAnulty, Stacy
Sun! One in a Billion - McAnulty, Stacy
Shadows - Otto, Carolyn B.
Erosion: How Hugh Bennett Saved America’s Soil and Ended the Dust Bowl - Pattison, Darcy
One Plastic Bag - Paul, Miranda
Clouds - Rockwell, Anne
Magnets - Schreiber, Anne
All About Earth’s Processes - Thompson, Rosina

Life Science 

The Tiny Seed - Carle, Eric
Poop on the Potato Farm - Culbreth, Kelly Lee
Are You My Mother? - Eastman, P.D.
Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist - Evans, Christine
Buzzing with Questions - Harrington, Janice N.
Do Lizards Eat Ice Cream? - Kaner, Etta
Shark Lady - Keating, Jess
What If You Had Animal Teeth? - Markle, Sandra
Brains! Not Just a Zombie Snack - McAnulty, Stacy
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures - Mosca, Julia Finley
I Am Farmer - Paul, Baptiste and Paul, Miranda
A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds - Richards, Jean
A Pet for Petunia - Schmid, Paul
Imogene’s Antlers - Small, David
Small Wonders - Smith, Matthew Clark
Ocean Speaks - Tharp, Marie
The Water Princess - Verde, Susan

Physical Science 

Iggy Peck, Architect - Beaty, Andrea
Rosie Revere, Engineer - Beaty, Andrea
Rumble and Roar - Fliess, Sue
Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket - Fliess, Sue
Chicken in Space - Lehrhaupt, Adam
Sounds All Around - Hughes, Susan
What Do You Do With an Idea? - Yamada, Kobi
What Do You Do With a Problem? - Yamada, Kobi
What Do You Do With a Chance? - Yamada, Kobi

Multiple Disciplines 

11 Experiments That Failed - Carpenter, Nancy & Offill, Jenny
Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data - Fries-Gaither, Jessica
Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings - Fries-Gaither, Jessica
Never Stop Wondering - Morgan, Emily
What Do You Do with a Chance? - Yamada, Kobi
What Do You Do with an Idea? - Yamada, Kobi
What Do You Do with a Problem? - Yamada, Kobi

The third grade curriculum builds on the historical and geographic foundations established in the earlier grades. The students make connections to the past while focusing on California history. The students study California’s indigenous societies, early European exploration and colonization, the Spanish missions, Mexican ranchos, American exploration and settlement, the gold rush, statehood, and the growth of California after statehood. Students study California’s diversity, economy, traditions, and cultural and physical geography, and they also make connections between the state and its impact on modern California and the United States. Activities include map work, interactive journaling, cooperative group projects, vocabulary study, nonfiction, historical fiction readings, and art projects. Field trips extend the study beyond the classroom. The year’s focus on California history culminates in an annual Harbor Day School tradition, “Gold Rush” Day. Third grade geography is integrated into each of the units of California history. An emphasis is placed on the four regions of California and how landforms affect land use, vegetation, climate, and population density. Students continue to develop their map skills by interpreting map symbols, understanding scale, recognizing color as a symbol, using the compass rose, and exploring various types of maps, including political, physical, regional, and population maps.

In the lower school language program, the Spanish language is taught using Comprehensible Input (CI) and Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) to strengthen the students' Spanish speaking skills. Third grade students build upon what they learned in the second grade. Students continue to review and learn high-frequency verbs in the third person singular, and this year they also learn these verbs in the first and second person singular. Third grade focuses more on speaking in complete sentences, as well as reading and writing in the Spanish language. Students learn the language through stories, acting, movie clips, translation, games, activities, and group and individual work. Some topics studied are professions, expressing feelings, expressing likes and dislikes, talking about location, descriptions, prepositions of location, pronouns, and noun/adjective agreement. Students end the year with a project about South America. In addition to learning the language, students study the history and culture of Mexico throughout the year.

In third grade, instruction takes place twice a week in the Lower School Technology Lab. Students continue to learn proper keyboarding technique by using their personal Typing Club accounts. Third graders learn how to create slideshows using Apple Keynote, spreadsheets using the Numbers app, and Apple Pages for adding text and images. Students learn how to code original games and activities using Scratch, a computer programming site that allows students to build upon their computational thinking skills while creating and sharing games that they have coded with classmates.

Harbor Day School continues the traditional woodshop found in many eastern independent schools. Students in third grade have one 30-minute period of woodshop per week. Each woodshop class contains eleven students. Students learn the basics of woodcraft and, with the assistance of their instructor, create valued items such as iPad holders, picture frames, and shelves. In woodshop, continuing the design-thinking process, students begin the transition from working from kits to building projects beginning with a piece of lumber. They measure, make cut lists, saw and then assemble their final projects.