Grade 3

List of 7 items.

• Hebrew

  In the 3rd grade, we continue our progress with the Tal Am program. As the class who learns “with success”, our goals include:

  • Increased reading comprehension and writing skills by reading texts in two year-long units
  • First, how to learn with success, based on seven steps to gain study skills
  • Second, how to successfully know our friends and ourselves - our appearances, hobbies, interests, and how we learn
  • Increased conversation and listening skills through songs, group work, and presentations
  • Continued progress with topics of grammar, using supplemental workbooks, including roots, present tense, infinitive, and improving sentence construction

• Judaic Studies

  In third grade, Chumash study continues with Parshiyot Chayei Sarah, Toldot, and Vayetzei.
  
  Students work to deepen their understanding of the text as Rashi’s commentary is introduced to their Chumash study. Third graders learn to work in partners (chavrutas), reading and translating psukim as well as generating questions on the text, as a way to begin “thinking like Rashi”. Thinking like Rashi allows students to anticipate his questions and creates an authentic Rashi-learning experience where students are eager to find answers to their questions. Students learn to read Rashi script and then, as they begin to anticipate his questions, learn his commentary inside. Chumash discussions require students to think critically about the text and to support their claims with textual evidence. Third graders are encouraged to discuss their own thoughts and answers to peers’ questions before learning the commentaries.
  
  Weekly, cumulative shorashim quizzes make 3rd graders shorashim experts and able to tackle any pasuk (verse) that comes their way!
  
  Parsha is discussed briefly during morning meetings on Mondays and Thursdays, the days of the week during which the Torah portion is read in Shul. Parsha study culminates with a weekly skit which the students perform in class and take home to share with their families as well.
  
  Third graders also learn Yediot Klaliot, or other general Jewish knowledge. We learn with the help of our Chayenu workbooks and songs that help us to remember information such as the Hebrew months of the year, 12 shvatim, Parshiyot in the Torah, etc.
  
  The third graders’ insights into and knowledge of chagim (Jewish holidays) continues to deepen as they both revisit previous years’ experiences and introduce new aspects:
  
  One of the most important aspects of third grade is the classroom community that is fostered largely by morning meetings. Morning meetings are held at the start of each class’s Judaic studies class time and is a time to work on community building, social skills, and even reinforce some academic skills that are being worked on in class. It is a time when students learn to be respectful listeners and participants in group discussions.

• Language Arts

  Reading:
  As the children emerge as readers from Grade 2, strategies for Reading to Learn become foremost in Grade 3. Students learn to infer, make connections, and draw conclusions in order to become more proficient and critical readers. We facilitate the growth of a balanced reading program by:
  

  • Reading Aloud- We read to children to entertain, to inform, to arouse curiosity and to inspire.
  • Guided Reading- We guide and support our students as they identify and apply literary strategies such as Main Idea, Cause and Effect, Sequencing, Making Predictions, Foreshadowing, and Drawing Conclusions.
  • Literature Study- We meet with students for an in-depth discussion of a book, designed to foster critical thinking. It is an opportunity for students to share their questions, insights and responses to a given text.

  Children read from a wide genre of books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biography, Mystery, and Realistic Fiction.
  
  Writing:

  Writing is not just one skill but rather a group of skills that includes sequencing, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, rereading, and supporting ideas with examples. Explicit instruction is essential to ensure the development of effective writing skills. In Grade 3, students write across the curriculum. Children learn to write by being actively involved in the process. Students plan, draft, revise, edit and publish their own work in a variety of forms. The teacher guides the student through the process and provides support through lessons and conferences.
  
  Some of the types of writing in Grade 3 are:
  

  • Persuasive Writing
  • Narrative Writing
  • Expository Writing
  • Letter Writing
  • Poetry
  • Time Lines
  • Book Reports

• Math

  Students in grade 3 are taught math in small groups according to their ability level, allowing us to meet the individual needs of every child. We use a hands on approach to make the abstract units more concrete. Children actively participate in all lessons and a wide variety of materials are used.
  The units of study are:
  

  • Estimation
  • Numbers and place value to 10,000
  • Multiplication and division facts to 10
  • Multiplication and its relationship to division
  • Probability
  • Subtraction review
  • Time
  • Money
  • Fractions of a whole
  • Adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators
  • Geometry- line segments, angles, symmetry, perimeter, area
  • Adding and subtracting decimals
  • Graphing Data

• Physical Education

  Westchester Day School is committed to a quality Physical Education Program which is an essential part of the core curriculum deserving and receiving equal priority in the total educational philosophy of the school. Research from several scientific studies are in agreement that daily physical activity improves cognitive function, achievement performance in the classroom, mental health, confidence, self-esteem, the total improved physical health and fitness of the individual, and makes happier and healthier kids. It is with this in mind that each week the students in the lower school ( grades 1-5) are provided 4 periods of physical education (30 minutes each).

• Science

  Third grade science focuses on ecosystems. Students learn about plant and animal adaptations and how geography affects climate. Students make use of the WDS property for wetland study and food webs. Third graders also study space through a variety of methods, including the creation of scale models of the solar system.
  
  Units of study include:
  

  Rainforest	Food Webs
  Desert	Stars & Constellations
  Space	Solar System
  Polar Lands	Moon
  Wetlands

• Social Studies

  Grade 3 Social Studies focuses on communities. We journey to the Rain Forests, Polar Lands, Deserts, Marshlands and Outer Space. Our Social Studies and Science units are integrated and supported by experiments in the science lab every week. The children study the culture of each different community, environment, economy, traditions, education, recreation, transportation, plant and animal life, and geography. With the support of technology in the classroom, including, iPads, computers and smart boards, children are able to gather information to do guided research projects.