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The overall Social Studies theme in third grade is Working Together In a Greater Community. The concentration is on city and state. Similarities and differences among people are the focus. Ways the city and state have changed and stayed the same will also be studied. Third graders will determine how conflict and cooperation among people helps to create the community in which they live. Students will learn and be able to use geography and map skills to make history come alive. Third graders research change and conflict within cities and states as the nation developed. In the study of the state of Arkansas, studies are made of the symbols, geography, resources, and important people of the state in addition to an introduction to Arkansas history..

In Language Arts, third grade presents a balanced forum which includes reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students conduct interviews, read and identify main ideas, supporting details, sequence, prediction, cause /effect, and conclusion from information gathered explicitly and implicitly. Students compare fantasy and realism, fact and opinion, and find information in nonfiction sources. Reports are written from notes and outlines written during research. Third graders work with grammar and word usages. Word study skills involve root words and affixes, idioms, hyperbole, antonyms, synonyms and homonyms. Spelling diphthongs and unexpected sounds is the focus of third grade spelling mastery :(e) sound of y, (o) sound of aw, al, ough, augh, (er) sound of -er and (el) sound of le. The writing process is emphasized and used in all disciplines. The proofreading component of writing for publishing is emphasized in Third grade. An author study of Beverly Cleary is followed by a study of folk tales and tall tales, and by historical fiction from the early American period.

Reading Renaissance (also referred to as Accelerated Reader) is a reading incentive program in place at The Cathedral School in 2nd-5th grades. The program is based on the fundamental principal that practice improves reading. It combines computer technology, teaching strategies and reading practice. At our school, Reading Renaissance is used as a supplemental reading program that simply manages student reading practice and measures reading growth over the school year. Each classroom has scheduled into their day a minimum of 30 minutes of reading practice. Three times during the school year, students take an individualized reading assessment in the computer lab, called STAR Reading. Then, each teacher schedules a conference with each student to show them their results and plan their reading program for each nine weeks. If you don't know where you started, how will you know if you have made progress? For this reason, students learn their reading level, are helped by the classroom teacher to find a book that is on their level, and are then given time to read. The teacher monitors their reading, taking the opportunity to teach in "mini-lessons" as needed. After finishing the book, students take a quiz on the material to check for comprehension. If they pass, they move on. If they don't, the teacher guides them to continue to practice their reading skills on another book of the same level. The beauty of this program is each teacher knows exactly where every student in her class is in their reading development and each student can progress at his or her own pace. Students can see their growth and it only inspires them to keep going.

Math focuses on multiplication, rounding, and division. The students add and subtract 4 and 5 digit numbers with and without regrouping, use associative and distributive properties, add and subtract decimals and fractions, and identify angles, polygons, points, segments, and parallel and intersecting lines in geometry. Students multiply 3 factors, identify missing factors, and multiply 2 digit numbers by 1 and 2 digit numbers. Students divide 2 digit numbers by 1 and 2 digit numbers and begin working with remainders. The focus on problem solving and using pertinent information is a valuable part of the math curriculum in third grade setting the foundation for algebraic and higher level thinking.

Accelerated Math is a computer based supplemental math program used at The Cathedral School for 3rd-5th grades. It monitors and manages student learning. Accelerated Math helps the teacher customize practice assignments for each student. Through diagnostic results, it tells the teacher exactly which math skills have been mastered and which skills need more practice. The reports help the teacher to give each student the instruction and math practice they need, and motivate them to take responsibility for their own learning.

Third grade Science encompasses the following units of study: plants, animal habitats, water, weather, rocks and soil, changes on the earth, natural resources, matter, forces and motion, energy, and patterns in the sky and the solar system..


Students observe and practice line directions and shapes with a variety of tools. They do contour drawings of various subjects, recognize changes in lights and darks, use color realistically and creatively and identify differences within a color. They analyze how artists use color in paintings. Students practice adapting patterns from nature and from their imagination and practice repeated patterns using different techniques. Various textural qualities in materials are explored. Two and three-dimensional art work is often integrated with classroom curriculum.


All students at The Cathedral School are given the opportunity to define, practice, and apply creativity during enrichment classes. The classes focus on the development and evaluation of ideas. The children think about the steps in the creative process during their lessons. They learn to make judgments, evaluate using their own criteria, and reflect upon decisions. The children are introduced to thinking styles and personality types, learning to use individual strengths. They practice memorization techniques and mnemonic devices.

The Spanish program is designed to: instill an interest in the study of a foreign language, foster an awareness of cultural and linguistic differences among peoples and to create a sense of tolerance, understanding and appreciation of these differences, and to offer students opportunities and experiences which allow them to communicate in a range of content areas both in the target language and in the target culture.

Instruction in Third Grade is guided by core classroom topics and a language text base. Students are guided to explore language by learning to recognize and comprehend the spoken word, then progress to simple phrases, sentences, and functional expressions. Reading and writing activities are introduced after visual and oral presentations are made.

Students learn to articulate and comprehend:

	Greetings, farewell, days of the week, months of the year
	Statements of age
	Introductions
	Polite terms of expression
	Colors, numbers, simple geometric shapes
	Body parts
	Classroom vocabulary
	Family members
	Food items
	Holiday vocabulary and customs related to various holidays
	Adjectives, verbs
	Expression of feelings
	Appropriate questions to obtain needed information
	Math operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Students will become familiar with various Spanish speaking parts of the world, general geographic locations, customs and limited traditions.


On-line catalog instruction as well as the table of contents, index, glossary, call number, subject, and categories of literature (with an emphasis on biographies) is covered. Students use skills learned as they locate books for the Accelerated Reader program.

Music is an integral part of the curriculum at The Cathedral School. Music studies are promoted and encouraged through participation, performance, listening and worship. Students are exposed to music in all areas of the campus daily life. Performances and student participation are encouraged with presentations of The Cathedral School Christmas Pageant, Grand Friends' Day musical reviews, and special choirs. Students sing in chapel and take their music to outreach opportunities in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

	Melody: Students identify movement of pitches, line, and space notes. They recognize leaps, steps, repeats, and octaves and major and minor tonalities. The third grade will learn the lines and spaces and demonstrate this knowledge as they learn to play recorders.
	Rhythm: Students recognize meter in 2/3's and identify note relationships.
	Harmony: Students create harmony with rounds, ostinatos, descants and partner songs.
	Form and Style: ABA form, call and response songs, and songs of other cultures are explored.
	Expressive Qualities: Orchestra instruments are identified by sight and sound, and voice categories, tempo and dynamics are a part of the experience in music.

The students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade participate in physical education activities and skill acquisition as an intentional component for educating mind, body and spirit. Students learn and demonstrate the following during physical education class at the appropriate level:

	Health related fitness
	Personal and social behavior
	Movement /motor skill
	Active lifestyle
	Academic integration
	Safety

The purpose of the religion curriculum at The Cathedral School is to nurture the spiritual growth of the child by providing:

	Time in the daily schedule for praying together as a class community
	Space in the physical building where materials are kept and classes taught
	Teachings from a trained and experienced Catechist of the Good Shepherd Christian Formation
	A Chaplain to teach and lead the liturgies of the gathered community and to respond to the students and families in need of special nurturing at times of illness, death, tragedy, divorce, etc.

Students are offered an experiential method of encountering God; a community experience in worshipping, studying and supporting one another; and the opportunity to participate in a liturgy which can express the living, spiritual "breathing" of children aged 5 to 12, and the adults who love and support them.

Third grade students begin official keyboarding lessons with the knowledge that mature hand span is not fully achieved. They are taught the position of letter keys as well as special keys. They are introduced to word processing skills and spellchecker. Third graders are introduced to network printing, retreiving and saving documents to the network, internet/telecommunications skills, internet safety, using online resources, multimedia presentations and how to use images, texts and graphics for those projects.