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Grade-by-Grade Learning: 3rd Grade
Learn the Lingo
What is a Performance Standard?
A performance standard is a description of what students should know or be able to do at a certain grade level. Standards help teachers and parents understand what teachers target in instruction, and what students will be working towards. All states in the U.S. have standards that describe the framework for the curriculum.
Confident Learners
Third graders are generally courageous, confident, and open to new experiences at school. They work to understand the reasons things happen. Although most third graders begin to prefer some subject areas over others, they will take pleasure in mastering new skills across the curriculum. At home, however, many third graders start to strive for more independence from their parents which can make talking about school a challenge.
Your third grader's command of language is growing rapidly, and she enjoys using her linguistic power for all the reasons adults do: to converse, debate, explain, argue, protest and create. They love to discuss the things that they learn about and the books that they read. Their organization, logical thinking and problem solving also improve this year. They’re frequently able to make connections about the world in deeper and more abstract ways.
Group Work
In third grade, friendships become extremely important, as children long to be part of a group. In fact, they may be overly sensitive and dramatic about their school friendships. Skillful teachers take advantage of third graders’ need for social interaction by planning small and large group work on longer and more complex projects. Group work is also a good way for teachers to match students with different strengths and weaknesses. A struggling reader might pick up a new reading strategy from a more literate peer, but may also take pride in being the "master" artist that the group relies on.
Worries & Anxieties
Third graders are doers, but they have a tendency to undertake more than they can handle. They may get anxious if they feel like they have failed. The increased competitive attitude in the third-grade class can magnify reading struggles and other learning difficulties, and the pressures of standardized testing can sometimes distress a child who is already unsure of her abilities. Parents should pay attention to changes in their child’s attitude about school and learn to make sure their child isn’t internalizing any anxieties. They should be ready to provide support at home when needed.