Third Grade

Reading with Ms. Harshman and Mrs. Thompson

 Reading Skills

Genres

**To help with fluency and comprehension this year, students will be completing a monthly reading log.  We are asking all third graders to read at least 20 minutes every day, Monday - Thursday.  Research has shown that reading just 20 minutes a day, can increase a child's vocabulary to over 1.8 million words in one year's time.  Daily reading will also improve fluency, which is critical to the comprehension of different texts.  We always tell our students that reading affects all subject areas, including understanding those math story problems.  All third grade classes will be visiting the library weekly this year for opportunities to explore different genres.

 In addition, they will be assigned bi-weekly vocabulary words with quizzes beginning in September.

Writing with Ms. Harshman and Mrs. Thompson

Writing Focus:

• Opinion [Opinion Rubric]

• Informative/Explanatory [Informative Rubric]

• Narrative [Narrative Rubric ]

Students will be using Thinking Maps and flee maps to organize their writing to compose  5-paragraph essays. These essays will be graded using a rubric designed to measure organization, evidence and conventions.  These rubrics are available below to be downloaded at your convenience.

Other Writing Opportunities:

• Digital Journals

• Be Kind Essay Contest (April)

Click HERE for grammar activities!

The DVUSD adopted math curriculum for the 2024-2025 school year is i-Ready.  In third grade, the curriculum is divided into six units.  These units are designed to meet the AZ College and Career Ready Standards in Mathematics.  By clicking on the link below, you will be able to find the learning intentions and success criteria for each unit. 

Unit 1 - Three-Digit Numbers: Place Value, Addition, and Subtraction

Unit 2 - Multiplication and Division: Concepts, Relationships, and Pattern

Unit 3- Multiplication: Finding Area, Solving Word Problems, and Using Scaled Graphs

Unit 4- Fractions:  Equivalence and Comparison, Measurement, and Data

Unit 5-  Measurement:  Time, Liquid Volume, and Mass

Unit 6-  Shapes:  Attributes and Categories, Perimeter and Area, and Partitioning

i-Ready also has an online component to accompany our math curriculum.  We will use this website for diagnostic assessments, math fact fluency practice, math games to reinforce previously learned skills, individualized and adaptive lessons, and tests and quizzes.  Students will be able to access i-Ready through the Deer Valley Start page and Clever.

8 Mathematical Practices

JR. EQ AMBASSADORS

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and actions. -Harold S. Green

Third grade students have the opportunity to participate in the J.R. EQ Ambassador program at Legend Springs.  In addition to our weekly EQ lessons, the entire third grade will be diving deeper into the 4 EQ guiding questions as they learn about leadership and being role models at Legend Springs.  

• Campus Recycling - You Can Make a Difference

• Orchard Pointe at Terraza Assisted Living: Birthday Cards

Special Third Grade Service Projects

• Reading with a Friend at Orchard Pointe Assisted Living (December)

• Book collection and can food drive for The Phoenix Rescue Mission (December)