Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea Elementary School
Grade 3 Curriculum Overview
The Language Arts Program (LAP) is composed of four strands: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Students participate in all four strands every day either through the LAP or indirectly through application of other parts of the curriculum.
The LAP will encompass a variety of practical applications. These will include listening to, reading and writing stories, poems, plays and reports. We will also provide opportunity to experience public speaking through individual and group presentations to class and through role-playing and character work in plays. These activities will often be integrated with other subject areas.
Cursive Writing will be developed throughout the year.
“Spelling is best taught through an inquiry approach- investigating, questioning, problem solving, discovering and forming generalizations about word patterns, concepts and meanings. Explicit instruction must be part of a complete program that includes mini-lessons, shared reading and writing, formal and informal conferences… In order to teach spelling well, we must use ongoing informal assessment to guide instruction and periodic formal assessment to document growth and guide teaching.”
Routman, Conversations, p.406
A Teaching Resource
Spelling Primary-9: A Teaching Resource
Province of Nova Scotia
Department of Education
Our Grade 3 spelling program this year will aim to assist children in building the skills necessary to become good readers and spellers. In school instruction will focus on classroom observations and ongoing assessment of writing samples both of which will drive mini lesson topics.
The Math program is designed to provide general skills development through the use of practical materials in practical situations. Math situations will, as closely as possible, reflect real situations. Students are encouraged to work at all levels from exploration of problems to mastery of practical skills.
The curriculum concentrates on the following areas:
- place value to four places
- simple fractions
- decimals
- recognizing several meanings for multiplication and division
- adding and subtracting with and without regrouping with 3 digit numbers
- mentally add and subtract one and two digit numbers and rounding numbers
-meter, decimetre, centimetres,
-litres and millilitres
-grams and kilograms
-read digital and analog clocks to the nearest 5 minutes
C) Graphing
-collecting, recording, organizing and describing relative data
-pictographs
-bar graphs with simple scales
-implement plans with respect to the collection of data
-represent angles that are more or less than right angles
-symmetry
-transformational geometry
Problem Solving, estimating, discussion and use of manipulatives are integrated into every unit.
The emphasis of the science program is on developing the students’ abilities to observe, measure, question, hypothesize, infer, predict and interpret data. Again, the practice will be to utilize real life situations with hands on experiences.
The following areas will be used as a base for science explorations:
a) Exploring Soils
b) Materials and Structures
c) Invisible Forces
d) Plant Growth
Students will become familiar with and develop basic knowledge of computers.
The curriculum concentrates on the following general areas:
a) basic map and globe skills
b) Canada and how it relates to their province and community
d) heritage and multi-culturalism
The following topics will be covered:
a) awareness of self and others
b) personal and fire safety
c) feelings
d) nutrition
e) dental health
f) human body
g) conflict resolution
Through the use of a variety of materials, students will express themselves, interact with sensitivity to and explore the world around them through painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, and printmaking.
As required by the Department of Education, general curriculum outcomes are the foundation for all curriculum guides. They identify what students are expected to know and be able to do upon completion of study. This does not suggest mastery and all outcomes are interrelated. For an in depth look at Grade 3 outcomes, please log on to www.ednet.ns.ca.
Assessment and Evaluation
Students’ progress will be assessed and evaluated through:
-daily work and projects -mini plays/role plays
-rubrics -quizzes and tests
-presentation-individual and group -art work
-journal writing/writing log -participation
-running records -lab work
-observation -one-on-one conferences
-anecdotal records -checklists
Homework is given to:
a) develop a sense of responsibility
b) develop organizational skills
c) develop time management skills
Homework is recorded daily. Parents are requested to sign the student’s agenda so that the classroom teacher can know that the parent is aware of the work that is being covered. Your signature also acknowledges the fact that the homework has been completed. In addition, homework agendas serve as a method of communication with home.
A child’s education is a team effort between home, school, and child. The home should be an active participant in the child’s education.
Grade Three Teachers,
Ms. Mahoney
Mrs. Brennan
Mme. Babinec
Mme. Comeau
Ms. Tetanish
Mrs. Milhet
Grade 4 Curriculum Overview
Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking are developed through numerous activities. Students study novels, short stories, plays, poetry, and media. Concepts such as plot, setting, characterization, sequencing, literary devices, and vocabulary are covered as they learn to respond critically to fiction and non-fiction text.
Some specific language arts experiences that the students may be involved in are:
Speaking/Listening Reading/Viewing Writing/Other Ways of Representing
group/class discussions guided reading cursive writing
brainstorming dictionary skills daily writing experiences
book chat independent reading journal writing
stories read by teacher research skills creative writing and the
listening/responding to peers shared reading writing process short oral presentations subject reading art/illustration
drama/improvisation media/visual literacy book reports and
reading responses
projects
Students will be expected to develop their skills in using punctuation, sentence/paragraph structure and increased vocabulary.
Our spelling program this year will not include weekly testing. Spelling will be incorporated into our reading and writing workshops. There is little evidence of transfer of knowledge and understanding from spelling tests and exercises to personal writing. Spelling growth occurs as children write and read on a daily basis. A list of frequently used words will be given, and the expectation is for students to spell these words correctly in all of their writing. Students are encouraged to attempt to spell unknown words as best they can in first drafts, without having the flow of ideas hindered by a focus on correct spelling. They will be taught to examine spelling when they edit and proofread their writing. Over 60 years of research has proven conclusively that conventions are best taught one type of error at a time and within the context of actual student writing.
Grade 4 math topics include number theory, mental math, estimation, addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, fractions, decimals, data collection, measurement, probability and geometry. Problem solving is ongoing throughout these areas. Addition and subtraction facts should be mastered by now. Multiplication facts to 10 should be practiced throughout the year and be mastered by the end of grade four. Please practice math facts at home on a regular basis. The Multiplication Study Log will be an asset in accomplishing this task.
Possible topics covered through the social studies program include Explorations and Innovations, Explorers: Past and Present, Exploring the World Today and Exploring Canada Today. Cultural diversity, mapping and current events will also be explored.
Students will explore, observe, predict, investigate, experiment, solve and record through the possible topics of Habitats, Light, Sound, and Rocks and Minerals.
Art is integrated with other core subjects such as language arts or science. Students will make, look and reflect on art utilizing a range of materials. Some themes include painting, sculpting, and drawing. We encourage you to send items to school that we might use in art classes. For example fabric, yarn, string, Styrofoam trays, buttons, magazines (age appropriate), etc. It’s amazing what can be created from recycled materials with a little imagination.
We will be using the school computer lab to develop skills such as word processing, basic research and proper internet use.
Further Curriculum Information
As required by the Department of Education, general curriculum outcomes are the foundation for all curriculum guides. They identify what students are expected to know and be able to do upon completion of study. This does not suggest mastery and all outcomes are interrelated. For an in depth look at Grade 4 outcomes, please log on to www.ednet.ns.ca.
Students have scheduled library classes once per week. Please show an interest in your child’s books and help them to return them on time. Reading is an essential part of positive school and life experiences. Many grade four students are strong, independent readers, however all students can benefit from reading aloud and receiving encouragement at home.
Homework is given to:
a) develop a sense of responsibility
b) develop organizational skills
c) develop time management skills
d) reinforce learned skills
Homework is recorded daily. Parents are requested to sign the student’s agenda so that the classroom teacher knows the parent is aware of the work that is being covered. Your signature also acknowledges that the homework has been completed. In addition, homework agendas serve as a method of communication with home. Please refer to the separate homework notice for more detailed information concerning weekly homework routines.
A child’s education is a team effort between home, school, and child. The home should be an active participant in the child’s education.
We’re looking forward to a great year!
Grade 4 Teachers
S. Paris, J. Miller, N. Wilson, D. Milhet, E. Babinec, P. Boudreau