Third Grade

English Language Arts (ELA) and Reading

Third grade is often described as the year students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”

• Foundational skills: Students learn to identify common prefixes and suffixes and decode multi-syllabic words. They recognize and read grade-level appropriate irregularly spelled words.
• Deeper comprehension: Students transition to chapter books and complex informational texts. They learn to determine the main idea, distinguish between their own point of view from that of the author or characters, and use text features (like sidebars and keywords) to locate information.
• Writing and research: Paragraph structure becomes a major focus. Students conduct research projects, gathering information from multiple sources to build knowledge and write organized, multi-paragraph pieces.

Mathematics

Third grade math introduces multiplication, division, and fractions – critical building blocks for upper elementary and middle school math.

• Multiplication and division: Students develop a strong conceptual understanding of multiplication (as equal groups or arrays) and division, building fluency with facts within 100.
• Fractions: Fractions are introduced as actual numbers on a number line. The focus is on unit fractions (like ½, ⅓, ¼) and understanding equivalent fractions.
• Geometry and measurement: Students learn to calculate the area and perimeter of rectangles and solve practical word problems involving time, liquid volume, and mass.

Social Studies

The New York State third grade social studies framework is “Communities Around the World.”

• Global cultures: Students expand their view beyond the United States to explore different cultures, traditions, and belief systems around the globe.
• Geography: We focus on world geography, identifying continents, oceans, and how physical geography impacts how people live, work, and build their communities.
• Human rights: Lessons introduce the concept of universal human rights and explore how different global communities protect the rights and freedoms of their citizens.

Science

The New York State Science Learning Standards for third grade focus on understanding forces, organisms’ life cycles and traits, fossil evidence, and weather patterns. Students investigate balanced/unbalanced forces, analyze how traits help organisms survive, and explore environmental changes. Highlights include:

• Designing a Sustainable Future: Students research magnetism and the principles of recycling, then create and build a prototype of a metal recycling device.
• Compare-a-Bear: Students compare and contrast different species of bears and their environmental adaptations, then build a habitat for an imaginary animal.
• Biomes: During this unit, students learn about climates. They then build a buoy, using what they have learned about climate patterns and their impact on coastal areas.

Hebrew Language Arts

Students build fluency and confidence in Hebrew as they comprehend simple texts with increasing independence. Instruction takes place primarily in Hebrew, and students are encouraged to respond in Hebrew as well.

They expand their language skills through more advanced grammar, including conjugation of personal pronouns, use of time-related prepositions, and introduction to both past and future tense. As their skills grow, they begin working with more complex sentence structures and vocabulary. A focused unit on study skills helps students develop strategies for independent learning in Hebrew.

Judaic Studies

Students deepen their engagement with Jewish texts and traditions. In Chumash, they continue their study of Sefer Bereishit, exploring the lives of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Learning about the holidays continues with greater depth, as students explore historical context and key themes. Connections are made between Jewish learning and the broader world, including topics like the natural world and the Jewish calendar.

In addition to continued Chumash study, students are introduced to Rashi, beginning to explore commentary and deepen their understanding of the text.

Students also deepen their understanding of Shabbat, exploring its meaning through biblical sources and stories across Jewish history, and expand their connection to Israel through the study of its geography and the values expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Tefillah becomes a more active and reflective experience. Students participate in daily minyan alongside older grades and begin to explore the meaning behind the prayers. A weekly tefillah class supports skill-building in reading and comprehension, while also creating space for personal connection. Students become familiar with core prayers including Ashrei, Aleinu, and the bedtime Shema, as well as blessings before and after food.