PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH

Physical education is part of a school-based program that promotes social, emotional, and physical well-being. The purpose of physical education is to develop and enhance gross motor skills, social and life skills, and the learner’s thinking and problem solving skills.

Third grade physical education encompasses teaching students the skills that foster participation in physical activities throughout life. Students will learn and apply movement concepts, health related fitness concepts, as well as social concepts. These skills and concepts are taught through a variety of activities and units including dance and movement, individual and team sports, and integration of other discipline areas such as health, geography, mathematics and science.

Health education is part of a school-based program that provides information to foster student skills, attitudes, and behaviors that will result in lifelong healthful decision-making. Health education promotes student physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.

Through a variety of activities and lessons students gain information on consumer health, mental and emotional health, illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, physical health, and social health. Decision-making and refusal skills are also reinforced in third grade health.

WORLD LANGUAGES

The third grade world language curriculum begins with greetings, courtesy words, the Spanish alphabet, classroom commands, classroom objects, and the beginning numbers. Next, students learn the days of the week, months of the year, and color words. After this, youngsters will be introduced to some food vocabulary words and how to express likes and dislikes. Finally, family vocabulary is taught.

Effective communication in Spanish is the primary goal. Language is taught mainly in the target language. Pictures, stuffed animals, gestures, acting, and music help to convey meaning and reduce or eliminate the necessity for direct translation. Homework is a written reinforcement of language concepts taught in class. Periodic assignments are given to determine the students’ level of comprehension.

Students are also introduced to the Spanish-speaking people of the world. Each of the twenty Spanish-speaking areas is located on the world map. Students make passports to use each time a culture lesson is taught. Classes next “visit” Mexico for the “Day of the Dead,” Puerto Rico to get to know Roberto Clemente, Spain to study the Alhambra, and Venezuela to learn about the Yanomani tribe living in the Amazon rainforest.

Classes meet two times in a six-day cycle with a teacher who comes into their classroom. A grade for world languages will appear on each child’s report card.

MUSIC

The music program opens new and exciting doors to all of our third graders. There are two different avenues of musical studies students at this grade level may take. First is a continuation of the general studies. Students will participate in a number of kinesthetic, auditory, and vocal skills in an effort to better understand and appreciate music.

The chorus is a performing group open to all students in Grades 3 through 6. This group meets before school twice a week and performs in two main concerts during the year. The chorus will also have several other performances over the duration of the school year.

ART

As youngsters enter the third grade, they embark upon an ambitious and exciting year in art class. Students acquire knowledge of skills that will increase an aesthetic awareness in the visual arts. At the same time, they develop and define design through the use of perceptual, intellectual, and technological skills in the utilization of the art elements and media. Students develop a working knowledge of the elements of art criticism based on aesthetic criteria. As art students, the third graders are taught to identify and describe various art forms from different historical and contemporary periods and cultures. An appreciation and recognition of the impact of the visual arts in daily life is gained as well.

GLEN RIDGE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Ms. Betsy Ginsburg, President

Ms. Karen Eisen, First Vice President

Ms. Julie Raskin, Second Vice President

Mr. Thomas Agnew

Mr. John Cable

Ms. Regina Henry

Mr. Jeffrey Kobernick

Ms. Suzanne O’Connor

Ms. Gwen Schoenfeld

GLEN RIDGE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Daniel Fishbein

Superintendent of Schools

Mr. Dirk Phillips

Principal, Ridgewood Avenue School

Mr. Michael Donovan

Assistant Principal, Ridgewood Avenue School

RIDGEWOOD AVENUE UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Glen Ridge School District

THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK PARENT BULLETIN

Dear Parents and Guardians,

A recent article in Education Week stated, “the family is the cradle of learning.” Research has shown repeatedly that student achievement improves when parents are involved in their children’s education by forming a partnership with the school community to help children succeed.

This curriculum bulletin was created to help develop that partnership and as a means to communicate an overview of the curriculum delivered during the academic year. The staff is encouraged to utilize strategies that appeal to multiple intelligences and learning styles and enable students to use higher level thinking skills.

We encourage you to keep in touch with the teacher through parent conferences, get involved by joining the Home School Association, and participate in Back To School Night, American Education Week, and as many activities as you can to be involved in your child(ren)’s school life.

I hope your child will have a successful and enjoyable school year.

Sincerely,

Dirk Phillips

Principal

LANGUAGE ARTS

Language arts is an integral component of the third grade curriculum. Reading, writing, grammar, phonics, speaking, and listening are developed then maintained throughout all curricular areas. The edition of the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Treasures Language Arts program has been adapted into the curriculum. This provides a literature-based program, which offers a variety of genre. Third graders are exposed to multicultural stories, various forms of fiction and non-fiction, plays, and poetry. Novel units relating to various areas of the curriculum are also incorporated. Within the language arts curriculum, students will develop skills in comprehension vocabulary, predicting, sequencing, comparing and contrasting, drawing conclusions, making inferences, investigating cause and effect, analyzing character, identifying story elements, and identifying main ideas and details.

While enhancing writing skills, third graders will learn to communicate thoughts, opinions, and facts through several different forms. Friendly letters, book reports, essay questions, summaries, and journal responses offer opportunities for the students to generate ideas and transform them into quality written work. Additional writing activities encourage students to write for a variety of purposes such as to persuade, inform, record, or entertain. With most writing activities, the writing process is implemented and the six traits of good writing are developed. Cursive writing is also introduced at this grade level.

Third grade is the time when independence and responsibility are keys to a child’s progress. The development of listening skills increases the child’s ability to become an independent learner. Children listen critically to a variety of speakers, and listen to obtain information or for enjoyment purposes. When participating as the speaker, students are encouraged to speak clearly with eye contact and an expressive voice. Youngsters are given opportunities to speak for a variety of purposes and audiences. Language skills appropriate to all grade levels will be integrated into the curriculum.

MATHEMATICS

Third graders continue their exploration of mathematical concepts through the newest edition of the University of Chicago’s Everyday Mathematics program. This program builds on students’ prior mathematical experiences and ideas. Hands-on activities, cooperative learning through partner and group activities, practice through games, and on-going review are key elements to the success of the program. Students are introduced to a concept then share their thinking with peers through class and small group discussion. Concepts are reinforced through games, projects, and independent practice. Parents are encouraged to become involved with the student on Home Links pages. A student reference book will be a useful tool for children and parents.

At this level, Everyday Mathematics revisits adding and subtracting of whole numbers, linear concepts, multiplication, division, and place value, geometry, fractions, and measurement. These concepts, which previously have been explored with concrete materials or pictorial representations, are now presented through oral descriptions and symbolic representations. Children learn to choose models that are most appropriate. These skills are applied to realistic situations helping to enhance students’ understanding. Special emphasis is placed on applications in science and social studies and on relationships between mathematics and the visual arts.

In preparation for standardized testing, additional problem solving skills are reinforced. Complex story problem requires students to rewrite the problem in their own words, use pictures and/or number models to solve, and then explain the process they used in finding the answer. Pupils are encouraged to write clear and concise explanations and to use critical thinking skills to solve the multi-task problem.

Everyday Mathematics encourages students to expand their mathematical abilities and incorporate math into their daily routines.

SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE

The third grade social studies curriculum focuses on the theme of communities. The third graders will study the three different types of communities: urban, suburban, and rural. Strands of history, economics, government, citizenship, culture and geography will be incorporated into their study of these various national and global communities.

The Macmillian/McGraw-Hill program will be used to develop these concepts. Reading in the content area is supported with literature throughout this program. Citizenship skills are taught using real-life examples to enable students to discover the importance of patriotism and democratic ideals. Map skills are integrated throughout the theme, as well as interpreting and reading graphs, timelines, and charts.

Science lessons are centered on a study of the role living things: matter, energy, and forces, the sun, moon and the earth, and the role of living things. Students are engaged in investigations and discovery activities. The hands-on, motivational approach captures the natural curiosity of children and stimulates their interest. Reading in the Houghton Mifflin Discovery Works book will support reading in the content area. Culminating activities within these units include a field trip.

All themes incorporate activities to address the multiple intelligences. Researching, hypothesizing, observing, analyzing, critical thinking, comparing, contrasting, and drawing conclusions are important skills addressed.

Both science and social studies curriculums encourage students to become more aware of our world and its resources. In this awareness, students develop an appreciation and respect for other cultures, our country, and our environment. They gain better understanding of their role as future citizens and members of the human race.

LIBRARY

Appreciation for the printed word is a priority at the Ridgewood Avenue School library. Reading as a pleasurable pastime is encouraged. During class, stories, poems, and essays are read and discussed. The value of reading magazines and newspapers is also emphasized.

Additionally, the librarian provides instruction for all grades in research skills and computer skills. It is also an “open library” in that teachers and students may use the resources within whenever necessary. Students are scheduled for library at least one period every six-day cycle.

Starting in the third grade, students begin developing their research skills. They use dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and atlases. Gradually, they become more comfortable with finding answers on their own. By the time they are sixth graders, students should be quite comfortable using print sources as well as databases and the Internet.

At all levels, emphasis is placed on the accuracy and reliability of information sources. Information literacy grows significantly during their years at Ridgewood Avenue School.