Lake Forest Country Day School
GRADE 3 Curriculum Lower School
LAKE FOREST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8, graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888.
Lower School Curriculum (Grades 1–4)
Overview The Lower School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her physical, creative, social, and academic strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a respectful, safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge. Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, cosmopolitanism, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking.
STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM §§ Our developmentally appropriate, coherently sequenced, and integrated curriculum in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, world language, fine arts, physical education & wellness, and library and education technology.
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§§ A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning.
§§ A commitment to developing important Habits of Mind, critical thinking and creative problem solving, collaboration and communications skills, and curiosity and imagination.
§§ A commitment to experiential learning and enriching experiences through field trips.
§§ Our Responsive Classroom® teaching philosophy which stands apart from other public and private school programs with its emphasis on a positive social and emotional environment as the foundation for academic excellence.
§§ A diverse and globally aware student and parent body.
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§§ A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view.
TEaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with intake conferences prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Lower School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices:
RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM® Responsive Classroom® techniques foster a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment for learning.
DIFFERENTIATION Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge.
HABITS OF MIND Teachers promote ways of thinking and behaving that develop self-discipline and strong character.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Students enjoy opportunities to engage in handson activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas.
AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINES The curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration and has real-world applications.
UNIFYING CONCEPTS Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and make connections in what they are learning in different disciplines.
Responsive Classroom® Approach The Lower School faculty utilizes Responsive Classroom® techniques to create a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment. In classrooms where caring communities are created and in which children are valued for where they are on the continuum of
learning, students are prepared to face challenges intentionally designed to stretch their thinking and help them develop confidence in what they can accomplish. As students grow and mature, they take increasing responsibility for their own learning, for setting goals, and for evaluating their learning style. By fourth grade, students lead their spring parent conferences, using portfolios to explain their progress, strengths, and challenges. Children must have multiple opportunities to learn and practice in order to be successful academically and socially. Since the greatest cognitive growth occurs
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through social interaction, various social settings (e.g., oneto-one conferences, small groups, whole class, and team experiences) provide opportunities for learning cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.
COMMUNITY MEETING Stop by at 8:15 on a Wednesday morning to experience a Lower School Community Meeting, a time when students in senior kindergarten through fourth grade come together for approximately twenty minutes. The meetings are designed to: §§ build community through the sharing of common values and experiences.
Every Lower School classroom §§ provide an opportunity for students to present examples of their begins the day with a accomplishments and work in all disciplines. Morning Meeting. News and §§ celebrate birthdays and reward qualities we value (i.e., persistence, riskAnnouncements are read by the taking, sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, dedication to high-quality work). children as they arrive, building excitement about the day’s events §§ share musical and movement selections. and engaging the students in a §§ continue strengthening and reinforcing public speaking competencies. meaningful question of the day These meetings also provide the opportunity to remind students about important designed to enhance learning Habits of Mind and shared values that are an integral part of the LFCDS experience, and sometimes just to have fun. including the value of “filling each other’s buckets.” During the sharing that follows, students practice essential skills, such as learning to share students determine what they will read, write about, concisely; actively or explore as well as how they will go about learning listening with empathy and understanding; asking and demonstrating understanding. Students become increasingly complex questions; and making more engaged, productive, persistent, and excited about connections with what they hear. The meeting ends learning and sharing their knowledge when they have with a fun, bonding activity. choices. They are also more likely to think deeply and Inherent in the Responsive Classroom® approach is creatively. shared ownership of the classroom community and Research indicates that the Responsive Classroom® choice. The year begins with cooperative creation of approach provides a more positive school experience for classroom rules based on students’ hopes and dreams both students and faculty, improves the social skills of for the year and the classroom atmosphere necessary to students, increases academic achievement, and leads to accomplish them. Guidelines for behavior are shared more high-quality instruction. with teachers of “specials” such as art, music, science, and physical education & wellness so expectations are consistent throughout the day. Students are taught to resolve conflict with words and to offer amends for any hurt they may have caused. Teachers use logical consequences for infractions and are proactive about dealing with social cruelty. Students feel heard and safe and understand that these situations are part of growing up. Because we know that choice is highly motivating, the faculty creates opportunities each week when
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Habits of Mind Habits of Mind are behaviors or dispositions that we believe provide a strong foundation for success in school and in life. Across curricular areas, faculty members discuss their application and provide regular opportunities for students to apply them. For example:
§§ During a fourth-grade mathematics class, a teacher encourages metacognition as students prepare to share a variety of ways to solve a problem. §§ A world language teacher asks students to strive for accuracy when pronouncing new vocabulary. §§ Third-grade students think and communicate with clarity and precision as they write essays. §§ Second-grade students think flexibly in visual art class as they determine the materials and perspective to complete their project. §§ First-grade students take responsible risks using challenging playground equipment. §§ For our early childhood students, gathering data through the senses and persisting are part of the fabric of their day. §§ In science class, students question and pose problems as they create "fair tests" and make inferences from the results. §§ Throughout the Lower School, students practice listening with empathy and understanding, managing impulsivity, responding with wonder and awe, and finding humor as a community during daily Morning Meetings. §§ Students learn to think interdependently, be creative, use their imaginations, and be innovative during a myriad of small- and large-group problem solving situations across the disciplines.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING Our emotions and relationships affect how and what we learn. Learning is an intrinsically social and interactive process—it takes place in collaboration with teachers, children and parents. Hence, the abilities to manage emotions and build positive relationships deeply impacts learning. (CASEL, 2013) Beginning with our youngest students, we employ a wide range of age-appropriate social and emotional learning approaches to help children develop self-awareness, selfmanagement, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Creating balance between the academic and social/emotional needs of students is an essential component of the LFCDS experience.
Authentic Work of the Disciplines At LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view their education as relevant and connected to the larger world. So what does this look like at LFCDS? Second-grade students analyze literature and design open-ended questions to pose to their book clubs. The reduction of carbon footprints on our earth is the focus of fourthgrade students as they manage the school’s recycling program and learn about their own use of natural resources. First-grade students conduct an interview with one of their grandparents or special neighborhood
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THE LFCDS HOUSE SYSTEM Four large flags in the school atrium represent four “Houses” or groups within the School. LFCDS has developed the House System to foster connections within the school community. The objective is to bring together Upper and Lower School students, faculty, and staff for organized fun that enhances each member’s sense of belonging and builds tradition. §§ The four houses are named for significant leaders in the School’s history (Bell, Mason, and Farwell) and a founder of the first private day school in America (Alcott). Each house has a signature color. §§ First-grade and new students are assigned to multi-age families within each house, and siblings are placed in the same house. Eighth-grade students, along with faculty and staff members, serve as family and house elders, and enjoy mentorship and leadership opportunities outside of class. §§ School spirit is enhanced through friendly, fun, and unique events throughout the year. §§ Building connections and developing lasting relationships among faculty, staff, and all students from first through eighth grade ultimately creates a stronger sense of responsibility for the well-being of each member of the community.
friends. Preschool students use cloth napkins for snacks and grow vegetables in their school garden beds. Primary source documents are examined by third-grade students as they research and analyze events in our country's history. Learning experiences like these offer intellectual challenge, build work habits of persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and engage students in the kinds of creative and critical thinking that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Differentiation Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who require academic enrichment may participate in a variety of math or reading experiences while those children who require
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additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through our Learning Services Department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.
Experiential Learning What child wouldn’t want to become a toy designer, a pioneer in the 1850s, a travel journalist making a crosscountry trek, a Chinese dragon parade manager or a member of royalty in medieval England? Experiential learning occurs when students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child— cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning
activities that will tap students’ interest and engagement and then allow for divergent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Joyful play and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!
Unifying Concepts Unifying concepts provide a structure for organizing and making meaning of the knowledge and information that students learn throughout the school day. Research supports this notion: facts and ideas become usable understandings for children when they are linked to central themes or concepts. Knowing how students learn best, we developed preschool through eighth-grade social studies and science curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the relationships concept that grounds the preschool social studies curriculum is enhanced by the study of animal-environment relationships in junior kindergarten; by the contentious relationships between European settlers and native peoples studied in third grade; and by the relationship between individual and government in eighth-grade American history. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.
HEALTHY EATING AND MANNERS Lunch is included in tuition and, since LFCDS focuses on the whole child, mealtime is structured as an opportunity for children to learn and practice gratitude, good manners, polite conversation, and healthy eating habits. §§ Lunches are served family style with six or seven students assigned to a table with an adult or fourth-grade supervisor. Fourth-grade students may sit at self-managed Honor Tables. §§ OrganicLife provides healthy hot selections, an extensive salad bar, and a sandwich bar daily. Fresh fruit is served each day for dessert. Several times per month, a sweet dessert is offered in addition to the fruit. A water pitcher is on each table, and milk is also available. §§ Each child has a job to accomplish so that tables are respectfully cleared, cleaned, and prepared for the next lunch. §§ A music selection is played during which the lunchroom is silent and the focus is on eating. §§ On occasion, world language immersion tables provide an enriching, authentic, and fun experience for students. They are supervised by world language staff and bilingual volunteer parents. §§ Parents are welcome at lunch both as visitors and as volunteer table supervisors.
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GRADE 3 Curriculum The Third-Grade Experience at LFCDS Our energetic third-grade students are primed for to exhibit the sportsmanship and effort required to a year of exciting changes. The first is their move to be an excellent athlete and team player. Our strong classrooms on the second floor of the Lower School fine arts program is integrated with other disciplines wing, which symbolizes the increase in expectations and provides opportunities for greater sophistication for independence, and application of their collaboration, and skills. Reenactments in application of the social studies reflect the Highlights of the foundational skills they more elaborate fantasy have gained in earlier play of which third-grade Third-Grade Experience years. By the end of third students are capable. The §§ Reenact life in a nineteenth-century grade, students become amount of collaborative one-room school house for three days. self-assured, independent work increases, and § § Trade handmade items at a traditional thinkers who are able guidance is provided for Fur Trading Rendezvous. to solve problems with how that looks, sounds, § § Travel to The Grove, a living history creative strategies, set and feels. This is the age museum and village in Glenview, IL. goals, and present their when students begin §§ Construct well-researched and developed thinking with increasing to emerge as leaders; essays, including animal adaptation clarity and precision. They develop the language and reports. know when to use their thinking skills to more §§ Forge relationships in the school own resources and when clearly formulate and community through house events to seek adult help. The express their viewpoints; and activities with senior kindergarten late bloomers often catch and demonstrate the buddies. up during the third-grade greater social acumen to § § Study diversity and adaptations of prairie year and may even surpass vary their coping skills plants and insects, and learn to identify the early talkers and in challenging situations. tracks and signs of local animals on field readers. It is also a time when trips to Lake Forest Open Lands. they are vulnerable to Third-grade students §§ Build, test, and modify the throwing frustration when faced are very aware of where distance of student-designed and with difficult tasks in areas they fit in the class, student-engineered catapults. of personal weakness. physically, creatively, Faculty members are aware socially, and academically. of scaffolding assignments The practice of skills and and providing support and a sense of security for each time for play in the earlier years have fostered skills student. and athleticism. They look forward to daily physical education & wellness classes and recess. Students are encouraged to remain physically active; to practice the skills required for traditional team sports; and
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In third grade, students practice combining skills and strategies to read fluently with meaning and purpose. They are exposed to different types of texts
to which they apply a variety of comprehension skills, including knowledge of text structures, vocabulary, and the world. Reading and writing occur across the disciplines, and stories and reports are increasingly more detailed as well as persuasive, informative, and/or entertaining. Comprehension skills in listening are also fostered as it is essential that students are able to answer questions about and infer information from what has been heard or read. We value the development of a child’s language and literacy skills as the groundwork for academic learning and achievement. Likewise, the early foundation that has been laid in mathematics is evident as they apply their conceptual knowledge to larger numbers and more sophisticated concepts related to place value, fractions and decimals, geometry and patterns, and algebraic thinking. They apply a variety of problem-solving techniques and estimate to check the validity of their answers. We emphasize clear communication of their thinking, using appropriate mathematics vocabulary, and we encourage and validate the variety of ways a problem can be solved. At LFCDS, we focus on respect and on what it means to be part of a community. Each classroom develops its own group agreement about standards for behavior. They have many opportunities to cooperate and collaborate with classmates during group work, and the skills and behaviors required for successful team work are discussed and practiced. Our faculty meets with small groups of students to discuss the ins and outs of their social lives in preparation for what we know is a bumpy road for early adolescents. Third-grade students regularly attend and participate in weekly Lower School Community Meetings. They enjoy scheduled events or hallway exchanges with their house family members. They also treasure special relationships developed through monthly activities with their senior kindergarten buddies. The opportunity for being nurtured and nurturing is an appropriate one for this maturing group.
SCHEDULE Third-grade students follow a six-day academic schedule:
§§ Language arts (i.e., reading, writing, and word study): approximately two hours each day. §§ Social studies: four times in a six-day cycle for approximately forty-five minutes. §§ Mathematics: one hour each day; grouping and differentiation are based on the needs of the class and the readiness of each student. §§ French: three times per cycle for twenty-five minutes. §§ Physical education & wellness : thirty minutes each day. §§ Science: three times in a six-day cycle for approximately forty-five minutes. §§ Visual arts and music: twice in a six-day cycle for fifty-five to sixty minutes. §§ Each day begins with a Morning Meeting. Students greet one another, get to know each other better through sharing, engage in an activity, and read the daily message. The message regularly contains a question that is designed to activate prior learning, practice a test-taking skill, promote verbal reasoning, ask an opinion, or make connections with a current study. Each morning, students take a short break for a snack, and faculty members provide “brain breaks.” Because we value fresh air, play, and the skills gained through unstructured activities, a twenty-five to thirty-minute recess occurs each afternoon.
HOMEWORK
§§ Students have a planner in which homework is recorded. They benefit from recording their out-of-school events and family commitments on a calendar. In addition, students complete long-term projects that require planning ahead and dividing it into smaller tasks over time. §§ Parents are expected to sign their child’s planner each night after checking to be certain homework is completed neatly and accurately.
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§§ §§ §§ §§
Having a parent nearby to answer questions is still helpful for some students; however, this is the year when they should take responsibility for completing most homework assignments independently. Choosing the time to complete homework empowers students and lessens the need for parental nagging. In third grade, students should spend approximately thirty to forty minutes on homework. There are designated word study sorts to complete and activities to promote fact fluency. A mathematics assignment is given daily and occasionally there will be a writing or social studies task to be worked on at home. Reading to or with a child daily is expected as it promotes reading as an important lifelong habit and builds vocabulary and background knowledge critical to comprehension.
STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS Standardized and normed data provided by the following tools, along with classroom-based assessments, offer teachers a more complete understanding of each student’s learning profiles and guides individual instruction as well as curriculum design.
§§ Two times a year the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System is administered to gauge student progress in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. §§ Third-grade students take the NWEA MAP (Measurements of Academic Progress)
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assessment. The test is designed to identify areas of strength, opportunities for interventions, and overall performance over time. The adaptive, untimed assessment provides reliable, detailed information about what each student knows and is ready to learn. Because the test is administered two times a year, educators have immediate and highly accurate data on the precise learning level of each child so their teaching can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of students. §§ MAP results allow for individualized Compass Learning activities to be provided to each student. Compass Learning provides online blended learning for support and enrichment, which is specifically targeted to each child's level of understanding and mastery.
LANGUAGE ARTS OVERVIEW The Lower School language arts curriculum provides a framework for teaching and learning that is student centered, rigorous, and individualized. Divided into four components—reading, writing, word study, and public speaking—the language arts program enables students to become strong readers, writers, speakers, listeners, as well as researchers who can think and investigate in critical and creative ways. In senior kindergarten through Grade 4, Lake Forest Country Day School utilizes a reading workshop program developed by Lucy Calkins at Columbia University's Teachers College. This program offers a comprehensive approach to creating passionate, lifelong readers by providing children with long stretches of time to read with direct, explicit instruction in the skills and strategies of proficient reading. Reading workshop also provides opportunities for children to talk and write about what they read. In conjunction with the reading program, Lower School students write in a variety of genres in addition to developing oral language skills through a variety of activities. Public speaking opportunities are woven throughout the curriculum and offered on a regular basis.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following language arts skills:
Reading Foundational Skills
§§ Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes. §§ Decode multisyllable words. §§ Read grade-appropriate high-frequency words. §§ Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
§§ Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings. §§ Select just-right books for independent reading.
Reading Literature
§§ Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. §§ Recount stories, including traditional tales, and determine the central message, lesson, or moral. Explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. §§ Describe characters in a story (e.g., traits, motivations, or
Reading Informational Text
§§ Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. §§ Determine the main idea of a text. Recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. §§ Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases.
feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. §§ Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text. §§ Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
§§ Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur). §§ Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
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§§ Identify nonfiction text features and how they inform the reader. §§ Compare and contrast the most important points and
Writing
§§ Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. §§ Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. §§ Produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. §§ Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. §§ Use technology to produce and publish writing (i.e., using keyboarding skills), as well as to interact and collaborate with others. §§ Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Speaking and Listening
§§ Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (i.e., one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. §§ Listen attentively to others. §§ Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented.
Language
§§ Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general as well as their functions in particular sentences. §§ Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement. §§ Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.
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Language Arts
key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
§§ Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources. Take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. §§ Write routinely over extended time frames (i.e., time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (i.e., a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. §§ Write cursive handwriting with proper form, size, and slant.
§§ Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details while speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
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Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences. Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue. Form and use possessives. Apply spelling patterns and skill lessons to everyday writing. §§ Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW The Singapore program, Math in Focus, is the resource used in senior kindergarten through fourth grade. Excellent supplementary materials and technology pieces support differentiated instruction. Through a concrete–pictorial–abstract approach, students develop a strong conceptual understanding before applying their knowledge. Thinking critically and analytically through problem solving is the centerpiece of this program. The spiraling emphasis each year on number sense, place value, and developing mental math strategies adds to the depth of understanding students can draw upon as they determine various approaches to solving a problem. Bar models require students to visually represent the information in a problem, providing clarity for the operation(s) required to solve it. Classes begin with an Anchor Task for students to explore individually and collectively with guidance from the teacher. Math in Focus lessons support our commitment to providing students with a strong conceptual background that lays the groundwork for algebraic thinking and future success in mathematics; procedural understanding and fact fluency that engender confidence and precision; the ability to clearly communicate one’s thinking with models; and effective use of strategies, flexible thinking, and perseverance when problem solving. Assessments challenge students to apply what they have learned to non-routine problems. Creating a positive disposition toward mathematics is a key to future success in this discipline. Our Lower School mathematics curriculum aligns with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Common Core State Standards.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills:
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
§§ Interpret products of whole numbers (e.g., 5 x 7 is the total number of objects in five groups of seven objects). §§ Interpret whole-number quotients (e.g., 56 / 8 is the number of objects in each share when 56 objects are grouped into equal shares of eight objects each). §§ Use multiplication and division to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities. §§ Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation. §§ Understand properties of multiplication and the relationship between multiplication and division.
§§ Demonstrate fluency with multiplication and division facts through 100. §§ Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems and assess the reasonableness of answers with mental computation and estimation strategies. §§ Identify arithmetic patterns and explain them using properties of operations [e.g., 73 x 4 is equal to (70 x 4) + (3 x 4)].
Number and Operations in Base Ten
§§ Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. §§ Fluently add and subtract within 1,000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of
operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction. §§ Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10–90, using strategies based on place value and properties of operations.
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Number and Operations with Fractions
§§ Develop understanding of fractions as numbers. §§ Understand a fraction as the quantity formed by one part when a whole is partitioned into equal parts. §§ Represent fractions on a number line diagram.
§§ Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions. §§ Express whole numbers as fractions. Recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. §§ Compare two fractions.
Measurement and Data
§§ Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure elapsed time intervals in minutes. §§ Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes. §§ Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams, kilograms, and liters. §§ Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units. §§ Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. §§ Solve one- and two-step problems using information
Geometry
§§ Understand that shapes in different categories may share attributes.
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presented in scaled bar graphs. Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot. Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement. Measure areas by counting unit squares. Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition. Recognize perimeter as an attribute of plane figures and distinguish between linear and area measures. Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons.
§§ Partition shapes into parts with equal areas and express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole.
Mathematical Problem-Solving Practices (embedded within each content strand above) §§ Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. §§ Reason abstractly and quantitatively (i.e., attend to the meaning of quantities; know and flexibly use different properties of operations). §§ Construct logical arguments and evaluate the reasoning of others. §§ Model with mathematics (e.g., write equations, draw a picture, make a table).
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Mathematics
§§ Use appropriate tools strategically (e.g., pencil and paper, protractor, ruler, calculator). §§ Attend to precision (e.g., specify units of measure, calculate accurately, label answers, attend to the context of the problem). §§ Look for and make use of structure (i.e., discern patterns, recognize and use properties of operations).
SOCIAL STUDIES OVERVIEW An integrated study of the social sciences forms the basis for the Lower School social studies curriculum. Unifying themes develop throughout the grades from preschool through eighth grade, allowing students to build on the mastered skills and the lenses through which they have experienced the social studies content. With emphasis on higher-level thinking skills that include chronological sequencing, comprehension, analysis, and decision making, the social studies program offers students the chance to pursue independent inquiry, participate in hands-on, active lessons and projects, and investigate real-world problems. Through social studies lessons, students develop their capacities to make thoughtful, informed decisions. For participating citizens in our culturally diverse nation and global world, these skills and understandings are essential. The unifying theme for third grade is adaptation. Students begin the year studying the origin and establishment of the Plymouth colony as a model for analyzing other early colonies. Past and contemporary Native American cultures offer another context for students to understand adaptation. An authentic three-day reenactment of pioneer schooling, including a field trip to The Grove in Glenview for hands-on, period activities, starts a final investigation of the fur trade and settlers’ westward expansion.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:
Culture
§§ Describe similarities and differences in the ways different groups of people meet similar needs and concerns.
§§ Demonstrate how holding different values and beliefs can contribute or pose obstacles to understanding between people and groups.
Time, Continuity, and Change
§§ Use sources such as artifacts, documents, and stories to develop an understanding of the past
and begin to see how knowledge of the past can inform decisions about actions on issues of importance today.
People, Places, and Environments
§§ Use map elements to inform study of people, places, and environments, both past and present.
Individual, Groups, and Institutions
§§ Describe interactions between and among individuals, groups, and institutions.
Power, Authority, and Governance
§§ Analyze and evaluate conditions, actions, and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation among groups.
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Social Studies
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Production, Distribution, and Consumption §§ Evaluate different methods for allocating scarce goods and services.
Science, Technology, and Society
§§ Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. §§ Recall information from experiences or gather
information from print and digital sources. Take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
Civic Ideals and Practices
§§ Practice civic participation by addressing issues (e.g., in the classroom, school, community, nation, and world).
SCIENCE OVERVIEW The Lower School science curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three strands of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on, inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling unifying themes from senior kindergarten through eighth grade. Third-grade students develop understandings around the theme of systems and relationships. As they study animal and plant relationships, force and motion, and land and water interactions, they hypothesize, test, and explore how the parts of a system work together. Third-grade students are also exposed to coding as an introduction to computer science. Through the use of a series of on-line programs and websites, students learn to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students begin to understand how to work through challenges using a series of logical and sequential commands, while they are creating a variety of interactive programs. In addition, third-grade students are introduced to LEGO robotics through a series of activities that tie into our unit topics. Using a variety of LEGO robotics systems, they develop an understanding of the design and engineering process. These activities also build teamwork skills. Third-grade students will continue to develop their skills using the Design Thinking model. The Design Thinking model is an excellent learning tool for students. It is a structure that allows the students the ability to think , design, and construct while developing problem solving skills. Design thinking draws upon logic, imagination, intuition, and systemic reasoning, to explore possibilities of what could be and helps fuel innovation.
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LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
Social Studies, Science
Grade-Level Expectations In third grade, students work to master the following science skills:
Questions
§§ Pose thoughtful questions about the world.
Observation
§§ Observe, describe, and record relationships within systems. §§ Recognize the need to observe, record, and measure. §§ Use numbers to represent a physical quantity.
Communication
§§ Construct precise scientific drawings or representations of events. §§ Record written predictions, observations, and results in a journal and on record sheets, class charts, graphs, and brainstorming lists.
Comparison
§§ Make detailed comparisons.
Comprehension
§§ Identify the main topic, focus, and key details of a scientific or technical text. §§ Read on-level informational text with purpose and understanding.
§§ Observe, describe, and record the properties of living and non-living things. §§ Observe, describe, and record change over time.
§§ Synthesize classroom discussion and offer meaningful contributions. §§ Use models as a means of talking about what might happen if one element is changed.
§§ Compare conditions over time.
§§ Participate in research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report).
Inquiry Design
§§ Recognize that data is collected by scientists and engineers in investigations. §§ Explain fair test. §§ Record observations (e.g., drawing, writing, measurement). §§ Identify factors that vary in the situation under study. §§ Tabulate and represent evidence in a graphical form and
§§ §§ §§ §§
look for patterns. Interpret simple data represented graphically (e.g., pie charts, simple graphs). Design and implement a fair-test experiment. Create models. Analyze and draw logical conclusions from results. Make a claim or argument and support it with evidence.
Scientific Instruments
§§ Use simple tools such as rulers, centimeter cubes, push-pull meters, spring scales, and simple machines to measure the required data.
LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
Science
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WORLD LANGUAGE OVERVIEW LFCDS offers Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French in the ECC and Lower School. These languages were selected in order to expose our students to a variety of important world cultures and better equip them to meet the challenges of global citizenship. Our design is based on current brain research and best practices in elementary world language education. Adhering to the national standards for the teaching of world languages, we aim to prepare our students to view the world from broader perspectives, compare and contrast languages and cultures, and appreciate the importance of communication in international communities. The benefits of this model lead beyond language learning into the discovery of diverse cultural worlds where these languages are spoken.
EARLY CHILDHOOD & LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM SEQUENCE Spanish: Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Spanish is the most prominent second language in the United States. Often young children have already had some exposure to Spanish expressions and culture. The two-year study of Spanish provides a foundation in Spanish which will also set the stage for the learning of other languages with different sounds and syntax.
Mandarin Chinese: Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 Chinese represents the fastest growing Eastern language and may be the most important business language outside of English in the twenty-first century. In addition, brain research shows benefits from the study of pictographic and tonal languages, which naturally develop simultaneous use of multiple areas of the brain, enhancing student learning of other subjects. The two-year study of Chinese enriches our senior kindergarten and first-grade cultural studies, especially our first-grade social studies unit on China.
French: Grades 2 and 3 French is an official language in thirty-three countries spread throughout five continents. While learning French, students discover the cross-influence of the French and English language and deepens their knowledge and awareness of their own language use as they explore the ways language shapes the world. The two-year study focuses on building communicative competence in French and introduces them to speaking and listening in order to express themselves. Additionally, students use French to enrich their study of other disciplines and learn how to connect to the language through science, art, math, and social studies.
Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French: Grade 4 Fourth-grade students have the opportunity to revisit or become familiar with Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French. In our global world today, some knowledge of the sound system and basics of each language is critical for a well-rounded education. In addition, an opportunity to compare all three languages over the course of a year allows students, with the support of parents and teachers, to make an informed choice about which single language to study in Upper School. Having experienced all three languages also complements the fourth-grade immigration unit and their culminating study of global warming.
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LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
World Language
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS Third-grade students continue their study of French with a gradual emphasis on more advanced reading skills and the introduction of rhymes, stories, and dialogues. They work to master the following French skills: §§ Use language tools in order to build sentences: §§ Deepen their knowledge of French history and systematic study of definite and indefinite articles with geography, focusing particularly on the French their gender, prepositions, the position of the adjective, revolution and geographical regions. and negative sentences. §§ Discover the French influence in the New World with §§ Become comfortable with retelling stories, reciting Jacques Cartier and the Voyageurs and begin to identify simple rhymes, and entering into dialogues. many of the French words used in the English language. §§ Develop a greater awareness and appreciation of the §§ Use and recognize vocabulary related to: the house, its French culture, and by comparison, gain an appreciation rooms and furniture; family and pets; meals and table settings; shops and the town, numbers to sixty-nine; of their own and other cultures as well. how to tell time; and school vocabulary.
Information Literacy OVERVIEW Library visits and classes are designed to develop two aspects of students' intellectual lives: familiarity with and enthusiasm for literature, both fiction and nonfiction; and the ability to locate, access, and utilize information for the production of original work.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following information literacy skills: §§ Consider new and classic literature and nonfiction of §§ Become familiar with appropriate and useful online interest at appropriate levels. resources for research. §§ Understand and use the Dewey system of organization §§ Begin using effective Internet search techniques. and other tools for independent library use.
LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
World Language, Information Literacy
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Fine Arts OVERVIEW Education in the arts is an inseparable part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of these art forms. They learn creative modes of problem solving and in doing so develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to every human situation. Students understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and to reflect cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Experiences in the arts develop each child’s imagination and sense of personal fulfillment.
GENERAL MUSIC The three main components of the Lower School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (i.e., posture, facial expression, and singing technique) and audience etiquette (i.e., active listening and predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
Grade-Level Expectations In third grade, students work to master the following general music skills: §§ Identify melodic contour and shape as well as intervallic American music, and classical forms in unison and relationships within a melody. two-part harmony. §§ Interpret and apply musical symbols when sight-reading §§ Interpret steady beat through waltzing with a partner. simple four-and eight-measure melodies. §§ Analyze well-known music, lives of, and influences on §§ Play different melodies and types of harmony on the musical output of several well-known classical xylophones. composers including: Beethoven, Copland, Mozart, §§ Execute and conduct rhythmic patterns in simple and Schubert, and Gershwin. compound meters. §§ Analyze and compare genres of music that focus on §§ Develop vocal independence in the singing voice. storytelling including ballet and opera. §§ Sing and perform patriotic songs, popular styles of
VISUAL ARTS The main components of the Lower School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following general visual arts skills: §§ Participate in discussions about art and artists. change and implied texture in a drawing. §§ Demonstrate an understanding of the elements and §§ Create functional and artistic objects from clay and principles of design. sculpture media. §§ Draw multiple objects from observation; produce value §§ Create a composition using viewfinder.
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LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
Fine Arts
§§ Distinguish between warm, cool, and neutral colors; analyze the effect of light on color. §§ Demonstrate color mixing in a composition (i.e.,
primary, secondary, and tertiary colors). §§ Utilize various visual art media (i.e., acrylic, tempera, ebony, pastel, printmaking, etc.).
Physical Education & Wellness OVERVIEW The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to help students develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and acquire the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We encourage active participation from all students.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills: §§ Demonstrate physical competency and good body cool-down activities. control in age-appropriate locomotor and non-locomotor §§ Identify positive behaviors that promote good health and skills. set health-related individual fitness goals. §§ Demonstrate physical competency in age-appropriate §§ Participate cooperatively in a variety of independent, manipulative skills (i.e., hand dribble, foot dribble, striking small- and whole-group physical activities. with a body part or ball, underhand or overhand throw). §§ Develop an understanding of cooperative strategies for §§ Catch an object while moving, such as a football pass on team activities. the run. §§ Explore feelings associated with failure and success and §§ Demonstrate knowledge of various directional and pacing demonstrate good sportsmanship. terms. §§ Identify healthy life-style practices (i.e., nutritious foods, §§ Demonstrate an understanding of class rules, safety sleep, physical activity). procedures, and the safe use of equipment. §§ Identify potential risks associated with physical activities. §§ Engage in physical activities on a daily basis that increase §§ Abide by the LFCDS PE/Wellness Code of Conduct. heart rate and develop an understanding of warm-up and
LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
Fine Arts, Physical Education & Wellness
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW Competence in education technology is requisite for everyday work and personal life endeavors. To prepare students for a high-tech and global world, the educational technology program provides integrated instruction to effectively and responsibly access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information. Thirdgrade students use the computer to complete class projects, employing a variety of software programs.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In third grade, students work to master the following education technology skills: §§ Use Kidblog, IXL, Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, §§ Begin keyboarding and type at eight words per minute and other sites that support academic skills and social with 90% accuracy using the web-based program studies topics. Typing Pal. §§ Access the Internet for research projects and explore §§ Successfully store and access documents on the LFCDS and evaluate information resources including server. multimedia, encyclopedias, and images.
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LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 3
Education Technology
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learning is a partnership At Lake Forest Country Day School, we believe that the optimal educational experience requires a partnership between the parents, the students, and the School, resulting in a community of focused, joyful learners. Lake Forest Country Day School offers many options for parents to connect with our school community. Beginning with an intake conference with your child’s advisor or homeroom teacher, informational coffees in early September, and grade-level social events, there are many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there are multiple ways for parents to volunteer, from classroom activities and field trips, to a variety of volunteer positions with the Parent Association and the School’s annual Auction. The Parent Association Office is open each day and welcomes all LFCDS parents to stop by for coffee, peruse the spirit wear, and connect with other school families. In addition, parents are always welcome at our weekly Wednesday Community Meetings and for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesdays in the Parent Relations Office. Throughout the school year, LFCDS hosts outside speakers such as bestselling authors Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. David Walsh, Dr. Lisa Damour, Dr. Mark Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and New York Times parenting columnist Jessica Lahey. All community members are welcome to attend. The School’s portal offer a wealth of information, including:
§§ Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an important time to balance learning with leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources. §§ Grade Level Curriculum Guides: Each year, faculty members prepare a detailed description of the curriculum for each grade level. These guides provide an in-depth review of the educational experiences your child will be a part of at each grade level. §§ Teacher Communication: Many teachers share classroom experiences through newsletters and photo sharing sites, emails, and phone or personal conversations. §§ Curriculum Review Information: On an ongoing basis, a faculty task force examines and revises a specific curriculum component. §§ Parent Association Information: The Parent Association web page provides up-to-date information regarding volunteer opportunities and other parent-related events. Social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School. The School regularly maintains and updates its Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram with relevant information regarding the School. Please note that we have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. We encourage you to explore the website and learn more about the Lake Forest Country Day School Experience.
Questions? Please contact the Admission Office at 847-615-6151.
Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org