VII. GRADE 3 PROGRAM
Grade 3 Program LANGUAGE ARTS – EXTENSION OF READING AND WRITING SKILLS The Language Arts Program extends the skills and strategies learned in the earlier years. There is a marked transition that students undergo between Grades 2 and 3, in which students go from learning to read to reading for meaning and pleasure. As students become better readers, they are able to read more diverse selections, and therefore a natural growth in writing ability often occurs. The program activities capitalize on this natural growth by giving students assignments that interweave the skills of reading and writing, and by providing lessons and experiences in which students practice a skill in isolation before attempting to incorporate it into a larger work. By the time students reach Grade 3, they have a good grasp of phonemes and syllables and are able to decode words more easily. They are ready to tackle words with more difficult pronunciations and meanings. Weekly individualized spelling lists, which emphasize one or two specific rules, are one method of furthering reading ability. Students have many opportunities to practice reading orally and they participate in discussions regarding pronunciations and definitions. Students are given information about the origin of a word when appropriate and encouraged to realize the existence of related words. Students are taught to be active readers. Strategies include: questioning material before reading; skimming for unfamiliar vocabulary; and responding to the text. Skills are then reinforced using selections during small reading groups. These selections include those that come from decodable reading books, classic texts, and more contemporary trade books. Students are exposed to and encouraged to read all genres of books.
Grammar skills are integrated throughout all of our reading and writing activities. Daily activities are in place to help students apply grammar rules taught in isolation. Students also master cursive writing in Grade 3. They learn both upper- and lower-case letters in isolation, then practice connecting letters and forming words and sentences. Textbooks and Instructional Materials Decodable Texts: t “First Chapters,” Pearson Learning Group t “Next Chapters,” Pearson Learning Group Trade Books: t “Sarah, Plain and Tall,” by MacLachlan t “Stone Fox,” by Gardiner t Various author studies, such as Clements and Spinelli Phonics: t “Phonics Level D and E,” Modern Curriculum Press Spelling: t “Spelling Level D,” Modern Curriculum Press t Teacher-created student spelling inventory t Teacher-created spelling/vocabulary lists and activities Handwriting: t “Handwriting Without Tears” Writing and Reading Supplements: t Theme Maker, Story Grammar Maker t Write online t Assigned and free writing tasks
The material students read is often used as a springboard for writing activities. Students are asked to demonstrate writing skills focusing on a specific aspect such as characterization, setting, or plot summary. Writing assignments may include one, part, or all of the steps of the writing process. Students are encouraged to use checklists throughout the process. Small group, whole group, and individual conferencing takes place when necessary and appropriate to help ensure that all students are reaching their potential. 2012- 2013 Lower School Program Guide
18