Grade 3

Below is a list of 2008-09 forms and information for Grade 3 students. All forms are due in the office by August 1, 2008. Students may not start School without a completed General Information Form on file.

Students in Grade 3 meet in self-contained classrooms. There are two sections of 18 students in each class and a certified teacher.

Core curriculum includes a literature and novel-based reading program, word study using the "Words Their Way" spelling program, and daily writing focusing on the writing process, journals, reading responses and grammar. The program also includes flexible math groups using the Houghton Mifflin text and Accelerated Math. Social Studies topics include the regions of the United States and the geography of North America, and there are four-times a week science labs accompanied by the Harcourt text. Cursive writing continues in Grade 3 through the "Handwriting Without Tears" program. Students in Grade 3 also participate in the WordMasters Challenge, a Language Arts competition that encourages growth in vocabulary and verbal reasoning.

Students in Grade 3 study Spanish twice a week. They also have music and art twice weekly, and physical education for 45 minutes, four times a week. Students also have a weekly period of library instruction, reading and research. Students also have time to select personal reading books. Guidance is provided weekly for a 30-minute period. Students study technology in the computer lab once a week as well.

Students in the third grade participate in the once a week assembly with their Lower School peers and take several field studies throughout the year. Third graders produce a play each year and perform in the Winter Holiday and Grandparents Day programs. They also present an annual poetry recital.

The implementation of Lower School student representatives in Grades 3 and 4 provides leadership opportunities. It also gives them the opportunity to suggest ways to improve the School and to strengthen the cooperation among the students in this division.

Students' reading and math skills are assessed using STAR reading and STAR math. In addition to classroom assessment, reading comprehension is also checked using the Accelerated Reader program. All three programs are linked to a School-wide database so student progress can be tracked across the grades. Third graders are administered the ERB standardized test in the spring.

Resource assistance is available for students in need of one-on-one and/or small group instruction.

(back to top)