Third Grade - Social Studies, Math And Third Grade Classrooms

Your child's third grade education will take on a new and exciting dimension as he not only becomes more fluent in reading and writing and more capable in math, but begins to study more in-depth topics in history, science and social studies. This is a great time for you as a parent, as your child starts to express his opinions, and is able to take part more in adult conversations. Many third grade parents find their kids are coming home and teaching them things about nature, biology, local history and earth sciences!

The Third Grade Core Subjects

Of course, the new additions to the curriculum that you'll find in third grade classrooms don't in any way reduce the importance of third grade math and literacy skills.

Third grade lesson plans in math will cover new topics such as: division; multiplication; fractions; decimals; working with numbers up to 10,000; measuring volume, area, length and height; learning the multiplication tables by heart; and interpreting data presented in different formats, such as graphs.

Reading and writing at third grade involves more detailed attention to grammar and tenses; learning to write in different styles and for different purposes (to persuade, to inform, etc.); learning to write in cursive hand; understanding and implementing written instructions; using sources of reference such as dictionaries and thesauruses; reading different genres of fiction and non-fiction (poetry, myths, fables, autobiography, etc.); and increasing independent reading abilities and enjoyment. Third grade spelling words will be more complex than in second grade, and will include some more adjectives, enabling your child to create more interesting and descriptive stories.

Third Grade Social Studies

Social studies and history are often combined in third grade lesson plans. The idea is to increase your child's understanding of the world around him and to teach him to feel empathy with other people and with people of different cultures. Typical third grade history and social studies include lessons on early North American history (the settlement of the continent and the history of the Native Americans), as well as geography-related exercises, such as learning the names of all 50 states and comparing their locations and climates. Your third grader may also begin to use maps and learn how to find different countries on the globe.

Third Grade Science

Science teaching in third grade becomes a lot more active and hands-on. Your child may have the chance to take part in science projects that last several weeks rather than just a few minutes (such as taking on shared responsibility as part of the class for growing plants). He'll learn how to draw up a hypothesis and then test it by carrying out an experiment. He'll also have lessons on geology (learning about rocks and minerals) and the solar system.

Third Grade Websites

Third grade websites are not only aimed at parents teaching third grade at home or at teachers, but at third graders themselves. This is often the elementary school year in which kids begin to master basic computer skills such as internet research, emailing and composing word documents. You may find that your child's IT knowledge already puts yours to shame! For your child, these sites provide interactive math and writing exercises and for you, third grade worksheets and even lesson plans that you can use at home to support your child's classroom learning, particularly if he is affected by learning difficulties.

Third Grade Homework And Tests

The amount of time your child spends doing homework will increase in third grade. Average homework assignments will take between 30 minutes and an hour for him to complete. You can support your third grader at this stage by making homework an important part of family routine which is done at the same time every day, with either Mom or Dad, or another adult on hand to answer questions and provide encouragement.

At third grade level, tests become a regular part of school life. Although it may seem a little harsh to start testing at such a young age, third grade tests and quizzes are usually set at a very achievable level which can be reached without too much extra study as long as your child does his homework every night. Testing helps to prepare your child for official exams he'll have to take later on in the course of his education.