Welcome to Mrs. Abuyo's 3rd Grade Class!

READING
In third grade, students continue to develop strategies to effectively use language. Through the presentation of reports and journal writing, they learn to write and speak for a specific purpose. Students learn to become strategic readers by identifying the elements of a story. They read  expository material for specific information. .  Vocabulary development continues to include the  refinement of phonetic and decoding skills. Word analysis strategies include: homonyms, antonyms, synonyms, analogies, multiple meaning and compound words. Students expand their vocabulary by learning strategies for identifying unfamiliar words.

Reading comprehension skills taught include: understanding fiction and nonfiction reading selections, identifying main ideas, sequencing events, recalling details, making predictions, drawing inferences, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships. 

The Question and Answer Relationship Strategy, or QAR, will be taught again this year. This strategy will help your child determine whether or not the answer to a question can be found “in the text” or “in their head.”

To encourage independent reading, we expect each 3rd grader to complete at least 16 book reports this year. The book report forms will be explained in detail to your child. An example will also be placed in your child’s STAR binder. These book reports do require a parent signature. Students will also present two book reports orally. One at the end of the 1st quarter and other towards the end of the 3rd quarter.

SPELLING

 Spelling lists are sent home each Monday in the Weekly Homework Packet. Most weeks I will pretest to determine whether your child needs a more challenging list. While we will practice these words at school, I still expect the students to study each night at home. Spelling grade are based on weekly test as well as daily spelling performance.

WRITING

Third graders continue to learn and practice the steps of the writing process. Peer conferencing is introduced as another revision technique. Proper grammar, spelling, and the mechanics of writing are taught to enable students to proofread and communicate more effectively. We will be implementing the 6 traits of writing. I will be looking for the following traits in your child’s writing: ideas, sentence structure, word choice, organization, voice, and conventions.

MATH
Third graders focus on fact families in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They continue developing strategies for multi-digit addition and subtraction problems. Learning multiplication facts through the 10s is a goal this year. Other third-grade skills include understanding large numbers in addition to working with small numbers using equivalent fractions. They continue the study of geometry, calculator skills, telling time, and geometry.Practical application of measurement skills includes linear, weight, andcapacity with customary and metric units. Students perform probability experiments that provide information for analyzing data and predicting outcomes. Third graders will have math review on a regular basis.

SCIENCE

The third-grade curriculum focuses on the physical, earth, and life sciences.  Hands-on  experiments are the base of all scientific inquiries.

Units of study will include: matter, solar system, water cycle, and many more.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The social studies curriculum in third grade reviews the concept of community. A unit on Grandview gives students knowledge about the city in the areas of geography, government, history, and business. Students participate in activities that teach them skills in geography, problem solving, and study skills.

Students also study the regions of the United States. In their study of the regions of the U.S., they learn how geography, climate, and natural resources have impacted the development and history of the areas. The regions are compared to one another. Students extend their skills in geography, problem solving, and study skills. Students also expand their understanding of core democratic values.

CURSIVE
Our classroom goal is to learn all the lower case letters by winter break. We will move into upper case letters in 3rd quarter. Students will be writing primarily in cursive for the last few weeks of school.