Third Grade at Magellan

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3rd Grade

Lisa Tunstall (Language Arts and Social Studies)

Robin Stanton (Language Arts and Social Studies)

Amy Grant (Math and Science)

Tracie Pring (Math and Science)

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The educational journey of students at Magellan begins with the third grade.

What Third Graders Are Like

Still energetic and inquisitive, but more serious. Kids make a big leap this year! They are getting much better at articulating ideas and while they still need lots of hands on exposure, they can now draw on past experiences when learning new things.

What They should Have

Development varies, but it will help if your third grader has:

Good listening skills. There is a lot more independent work. If children can’t concentrate they will have trouble achieving.
A sense of responsibility- Teachers want children and not parents to pack and unpack book bags, write down homework assignments as well as hand work in.
A strong grasp of addition and subtraction
A desire to read for pleasure.

Conclusion

Remember….Third graders are not grown up yet and should not be treated as such. However, they are learning everyday important life lessons and skills that will be crucial as they grow. Expectations are set high with the knowledge that they are still "little kids". Habits that are formed, skills that are learned, and memories that are made in third grade at Magellan will stay with them forever.

Social Studies

The focus of third grade social studies is Communities and their Changes over Time. We explore different cultures and time periods, government, citizenship, economics and geography. The emphasis is for students to gain an awareness of their place in a changing world. Students are responsible for several projects during the year including Timeline Projects about different time periods and their own lives. We incorporate the use of art, drama, music, literature, technology, field trips and quest speakers while discovering the many different cultures and themes in social studies.

Language Arts

Language arts encompasses reading, creative writing, handwriting, grammar, and spelling. Students are making the transition from "Learning to read to reading to learn!" The reading component explores different genres including, fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, fairy tales and fables, short stories, biographies, poetry and We teach our students through whole and small group instruction, one on one teaching, peer tutoring, as well as independent and self-directed activities. In writing, there is a strong emphasis on the stages of the writing process. Spelling and grammar are included daily during writing instruction. In third grade we try to integrate as many subjects as possible during the language arts block and lay a strong foundation for language arts skills. Third grade is the cornerstone of learning at Magellan.

Math

Students are taught according to their skill level in math only. Classes follow the North Carolina Standard Course of Study which includes topics such as Numeration & Operations, Geometry, Fractions, Measurement, Probability, and Data Analysis. Students are encouraged to use higher level thinking skills and apply objectives learned to real life situations. Hands-on learning is a critical component of third grade math as is the use of manipulatives and technology. The arts are integrated into the math curriculum as often as possible.

Science

Science at the third grade level is a dynamic exploration of life, earth, and health science. Beginning with a solid foundation of the scientific method, students are allowed to investigate various principles and theories in a hands-on and interactive manner. Topics that follow include the food pyramid, skeletal system, muscle system, inventors, a study of the moon, sun, and stars and, finally, plants. Math concepts are woven into the science curriculum at every opportunity and each unit's study is enhanced with multimedia, technology, guest speakers and field trips. From designing solar ovens to exploring outer space, third graders find science to be both fascinating and fun.

Technology

Technology is a teaching tool that is incorporated in all areas of third grade curriculum. Keyboarding is the major thrust at the beginning of third grade. Third graders enjoy writing stories and poetry as the year progresses, learning how to incorporate clip art and images from the Internet. Whole group lessons are taught using data projectors to share electronic resources in the classroom. Children are given additional opportunities to use computers as a tool for completing learning activities in small group centers as well as the computer lab. Children will be working with spreadsheets, databases and making PowerPoint presentations this year.