THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM

Philosophy Statement: Development of a biblical worldview based on God’s Holy Word is the foundation to living the Christian life. Immersing students in Scripture content begins at an early age through grade level Bible curriculum and biblical integration in every core curriculum. Study of God’s Word leads students to the acquisition of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom guiding students in the development of godly inner character, and the pursuit of a personal saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Students’ spiritual, emotional and intellectual needs are met as they commit Scripture to memory, lead an active prayer life, and apply biblical truths daily.

Course Objective: The students will survey the Bible, conduct an in-depth, personalized study of selected biblical passages, and participate in activities to help them apply the Scriptures to important issues faced by third-grade students. The materials are designed to capture the students’ interest and encourage them to think and become more Christ-like. The focus is on personal Bible study and the understanding of principles that can guide all of life’s decisions.

Resources/Textbook:
• Holy Bible (NIV)
• Positive Action Bible Curriculum
​​​​​​​• Summit Curriculum

Materials:
• Growing with God student workbooks
• Chart tablets
• Praise and worship CD’s

Time Allotment: 30 minutes per day, 4 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• The Bible – our manual for spiritual growth
• Life of Abraham
• Life of Jacob
• Life of Joseph
• Life of Daniel

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, workbook pages, memory verses and quizzes.

Additional Activities:
• Chapel (once a week)
• Drama
• Creative writing
• Singing
• Sharing
• Prayer time

Philosophy Statement: By looking at the themes of social studies (commonality and diversity, conflict and cooperation, continuity and change, individualism and interdependence and interaction with the environment) we can see that God has a plan He is carrying to completion; history records the progress of that plan. Through studying history and geography, students can better understand the world and become active citizens.

Course Objective: The goal of our geography/history program is to instill a knowledge of a special sense of the world, an awareness of the physical processes that shape life, a sense of the interactions between humans and their environment, and an awareness of the characteristics of specific regions and cultures. The students will study the history of Ancient Rome, the Vikings, the earliest Americans, early exploration of North America, and the Thirteen Colonies. They will also be introduced to Oklahoma history.

Resources/Textbook:
• Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook, Grade 3
• Holy Bible (NIV)
• History and Geography Core Knowledge student books

Materials:
• Various teacher workbooks, library books, and materials
• Overhead transparencies
• World and U.S. maps

Time Allotment: 35 minutes per day, 3 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• World geography
• History of Ancient Rome
• History of the Vikings
• The earliest Americans
• Early exploration of North America
• The Thirteen Colonies: Life and times before the Revolution
• Oklahoma history

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, rubrics, quizzes, tests, various activities and projects.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included

Philosophy Statement: The natural world was created by the word of God and reveals facets of the character and nature of God. Science is taught through problem-solving, hands-on experiments, observation and conclusions. Science education should provide students with an understanding of His created world, creating a sense of awe and wonder concerning God. Foundations of scientific understanding can be used for further study and academic preparation to equip students to compassionately care for people and wisely steward creation.

Course Objective: The goal of our science program is to deepen the students’ scientific knowledge by building upon prior exposure and experience to unit topics. Through hands-on experiences, observations, reading materials, and a variety of methods of organizing scientific information, students will grow in their understanding of the universe with God as its creator.

Resources/Textbook:
• Purposeful Design Science Curriculum
• Mystery Science
• Holy Bible (NIV)

Materials:
• Hands-on materials
• Various teacher resource materials
• Purposeful Design Science Grade 3

Time Allotment: 45 minutes per day, 2 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Classification of animals
• The human body
• Astronomy
• Ecology
• Science biographies
• Life science
• Physical science
• Human body
• Earth/space science

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, quizzes, tests, various activities and projects.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included.

Philosophy Statement: The language arts are based on the knowledge that God is a communicating God. He desires for us to understand and obey his spoken and written Word. He has given us the ability to communicate with each other. We desire to develop this gift to become effective communicators by a strong emphasis on reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Course Objective: The goal of our language arts program is for students to be able to read with both fluency and accuracy, and to comprehend any story written for third grade. The students will become competent decoders of most one-syllable and two-syllable words, and should be able to decode multi-syllable words using their knowledge of phonemes, prefixes and suffixes. The students will be able to produce a variety of written expressions such as stories, reports, letters and poems. Students will use the writing process and incorporate the 6+1 traits of writing. The student program will encompass reading, writing, phonics, grammar, listening, speaking, and spelling. We will expose children to many different genres of literature, in addition to poetry, sayings and phrases.

Resources/Textbook:
• Holy Bible (NIV)
• Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook, Grade 3
• MacMillan/McGraw-Hill Language Arts textbook
• Saxon Phonics, Grade Level 3
• Zaner-Bloser Handwriting, Grade 3
• Student dictionary
• Student thesaurus
• Mountain Language
• Six Traits Writing
• Mentor Sentences

Materials:
• Student workbooks
• Various novel studies
• Various teacher workbooks and materials
• Accelerated Reader Program
• Contemporary cursive

Time Allotment: 90 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Penmanship

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, rubrics, quizzes, tests, book reports and recitations.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included.

Philosophy Statement: Mathematical truths demonstrate the orderliness, precision, and consistency of God. Man’s creativity, like God’s, often requires mathematical understanding, and the knowledge of mathematical concepts add to our understanding of expressions in other areas of life.

Course Objective: The students will receive instruction in and demonstrate the ability to perform basic mathematical functions and problem-solving in the areas of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, time, data, graphs, decimals, fractions, geometry, measurement, and probability.

Resources/Textbook:
• Holy Bible (NIV)
• Mathematics: 3 (HMH Go Math)

Materials:
• Student textbook
• Practice and enrichment worksheets
• Manipulative materials
• Curriculum resource guides
• Various teacher websites and games
• Super Speed Math

Time Allotment: 45 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Place value and money
• Addition and subtraction number sense
• Adding and subtracting
• Multiplication concepts and facts
• Multiplying and Dividing Greater Numbers
• Division concepts and facts
• Time, Data, and Graphs
• Fractions and Geometry
• Decimals
• Measurement and Probability

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, homework assignments, tests and quizzes.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included

Philosophy Statement: God’s creation includes a variety of people and languages. The Bible says, “Every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11), regardless of the language an individual speaks. The study of cultures and languages is necessary, then, for God’s children to communicate the gift of salvation to various people groups. Jesus told us, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). An awareness of culture and the ability to communicate using the Latin language equips students to serve God and others on a broader level.

Course Objective: Students will pronounce, spell, and translate words in Latin. Students will also learn multiple Latin sayings, prayers, and songs. Students of Latin will learn various components of Latin grammar and be able recognize and understand the concept of derivatives.

Resources/Textbook:
• Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook, Grade 3
• Holy Bible (NIV)
• Prima Latina, Introduction to Christian Latin (Memoria Press)

Materials:
• Student workbook
• Flashcards

Time Allotment: 25 minutes per day, 2 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• Derivatives
• Latin Sayings

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, lesson quizzes and homework assignments.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included.

Philosophy Statement: Art is based on the truth that God is the Supreme Creator and is interested in beauty (Genesis 1:1). His original creation is both artful and awe-inspiring. Christians are to understand and appreciate the beauty of God and utilize their imaginations to create works that reflect his nature and inspire worship.

Course Objective: The students will explore and experience various mediums, while studying art history including artists, works of art, and movements. Students will also become familiar with color theory, the elements of art, principles of design and artistic concepts and techniques. Integrating God’s word will help students grasp that God is a God of beauty.

Resources/Textbook:
• Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook, Grade 3
• Selected prints from the Core Knowledge Sequence for Visual Art
• Holy Bible (NIV)

Materials:
• Drawing paper, graphite, oil pastels, charcoal
• Various types of paints and related materials
• Various materials for collage, sculpture, etc.
• Clay/Kiln for firing
• Color wheel

Time Allotment: 25 minutes per day, 1 day per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• American Indian Art
• Art of Ancient Rome and Byzantine Civilization
• Elements of art
• Sculpture
• Illustration
• Painting

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, project quality and completion

Additional Activities:
• Students will have drawing time to encourage creative thinking

Philosophy Statement: Music is one of the essential parts of a Christian’s existence. It is the translation of ideas, feelings, and experiences into audible expression before our Lord. As the Bible says, we are created and called to “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day… “(1 Chronicles 16:23) In music, students will continually be called upon to see, explore and react to the glory of God and His creation through singing, listening, moving, and playing instruments.

Course Objective: The elementary music program includes instruction in three areas of study: general music, choral music and instrumental music and aligns both with the Oklahoma PASS skills and the National Standards of Music. Performance and basic music theory skills are taught and reinforced within an ensemble structure.

Resources/Textbook:
• Core Knowledge Teacher Handbook, Grade 3
• Selected songs from the Core Knowledge Sequence for Vocal Music
• Quaver Curriculum, Grade 3
• Holy Bible (NIV)

Materials:
• Instruments
• Boom whackers
• Rhythm instruments
• Various multi-sensory materials
• Various music CDs

Time Allotment: 25 minutes per day, 2 days per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Elements of music
• Listening and understanding
• Songs
• Language of music
• Music history and culture
• Music expression
• Music appreciation

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation

Additional Activities:
Required participation in seasonal programs

Philosophy Statement: God’s word says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” This is our approach to physical education and athletics. Physical education is a tool to develop attitudes toward a personal commitment to health, physical activity, and lifetime fitness that glorifies and honors God.

Course Objective: Students will experience various games and activities while developing gross motor skills and becoming more aware of the importance of physical fitness.

Resources/Textbook:
• Holy Bible (NIV)

Materials:
• Various supplies/equipment needed for some activities.

Time Allotment: 25 minutes per day, 1 day per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• Movements and music
• Games
• Basketball skills
• Tennis skills
• Volleyball skills
• Floor hockey skills
• Kickball skills
• Soccer skills
• Stunts and tumbling activities
• Jump rope skills
• Speed stacking
• President’s Fitness Testing

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation.

Additional Activities:
A variety of other activities are included.

Philosophy Statement: Ethical use of technology and honorable business practices should glorify God. Technology is broadly defined as the use and application of knowledge to achieve a practical result. With these things in mind, students will learn effective and ethical business practices to create and use technology to produce results that glorify God.

Course Objective: Students will receive instruction and be able to use technology in conjunction with creative problem solving, project management, and interpersonal communication skills. A major component of the Technology Curriculum is the development of a general set of profiles describing technology-literate students at key developmental points in their pre-college education. These profiles reflect the underlying assumption that all students should have the opportunity to develop technology skills that support learning, personal productivity, decision-making, and daily life. These profiles and associated standards provide a framework for preparing students to be lifelong learners who make informed decisions about the role of technology in their lives.

Resources/Textbook:
• Technokids Project based learning
• Printshop Deluxe
• KidsPix Deluxe

Materials:
• Classroom website
• Student projects
• Computer with Internet access
• Office productivity software
• Graphics communication hardware and software
• Multimedia hardware and software

Time Allotment: 50 minutes per day, 1 day per week, 2 semesters

Course Content:
• TechnoPoet – Content knowledge
• TechnoPoet – Operating environment
• TechnoPoet – Word processing
• TechnoPoet – Applied technology
• Typing
• TechnoImages – Content knowledge
• TechnoImages – Operating environment
• TechnoImages – Applied technology

Areas to be evaluated:
Class participation, project quality and completion

Additional Activities:
• Group projects
• Problem-based learning