Houghton Mifflin Journeys: Reading
As a third grade team, we utilize the curriculum, Houghton Mifflin Journeys, alongside supplemental materials and Core Literature (i.e. Molly's Pilgrim, Helen Keller, and Charlotte's Web) to create a balanced English Language Arts curriculum that has embraced Common Core State Standards and fully immerses students in chapter books and novels.
Everyday Math
From place value to measurement, to multiplication and fractions, the third grade math curriculum is truly be a hands-on year where students have an opportunity to explore what these math concepts really mean when deconstructed, and how they are used in the world around us. Our curriculum, Everyday Math, helps students embrace critical and strategic thinking with success. Everyday Math is also a spiraling curriculum, meaning that your student will have frequent and repeated exposure to key Common Core concepts throughout the school year, resulting in a stronger and more comprehensive understanding as they move onto their upper grade years.
Sitton Spelling
You will likely recognize the Sitton Spelling program from your student's previous years in school. Students will engage in exploring word families, learning spelling rules, placing and recognizing punctuation and capitalization, and many, many other skills that will be directly applicable to their writing.
Cursive Without Tears
Third Grade at Palmcrest uses the curriculum, Cursive Without Tears. Cursive Without Tears facilitates learning to write in cursive in an easy to learn, easy to read, and easy to write progression. My hope this school year is that students can find enjoyment in writing in cursive, and that they will take pride in being able to sign their name "like mom and dad"!
Science: Accelerate Learning Stemscopes
Over the course of our third grade year, we will explore the overarching concepts of Adaptation, Weather, and Motion and Stability. Integrating Science and Social Studies, as well as other non-fiction topics, into our English Language Arts reading selections and critical thinking in Math allow us to maintain a integrated curriculum where no subject area is functioning independent of one another.
Harcourt School Publishers Reflections: Our Communities
In Social Studies, we explore Landforms, Government, the Chumash Indians, and the local history of La Canada. We began our school year by reading about Landforms, and recognizing how lucky we are to live in an area that is so accessible to numerous landforms; mountains, valleys, and coastal plains. We will read about our own community of La Canada, how it has changed from what it was to what we know it to be, and the history of the Lanterman House.
Other Resources
Palmcrest uses the Accelerated Reader program to help monitor student progress in reading a variety of books for comprehension. Accelerated Reader houses a bank of questions that measure reading comprehension for the books contained in the school's library. After reading a book, students can access an electronic quiz from a computer in the classroom which tests the student's comprehension of what they read. Starting the week of our back to school night, please help your student choose a book from this list when deciding which books to use for extended reading activities, like our reading logs, at home.
Palmcrest's website links to a great deal of educational websites for student use. When providing your student with valuable time using technology in your household, consider giving them time to use one of these websites for additional exposure to math concepts, fiction and non-fiction reading selections, comprehension strategies, etc.