American Sign Language
	By third grade, students are mastering basic sign language vocabulary and finger-spelling skills, including conversational phrases using the grammatical structure of American Sign Language. Topics of focus include the alphabet, greetings, colors, numbers, extended family, objects and rooms found in the home, verbs, prepositions, and wh-questions (Who, What, When, Where, Why). All instruction is geared around hands-on activities, giving students the opportunity to further develop their expressive and receptive sign language abilities. This 40-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year. The girls study Mandarin, French and Spanish during the other three quarters of the year.

	Art
	In Lower School art, a student is encouraged to discover her own artistic voice, express herself with confidence, connect with the physical world, and think and feel in new ways. Students are introduced to basic design principles as they mix colors, paint, draw, weave, sew, make books and construct in numerous other ways. Art teachers work closely with homeroom teachers to plan art projects that enrich and personalize core curriculum themes. Meets once weekly.

	Drama
	Each third grade class participates in one play performed in the West-Wike Theatre, as well as one additional performance. Scripts are slightly more complex than in previous years, with students learning to keep track of more advanced cues and memorizing more than one line of dialogue. Plays are selected based on material from the various cultures they are studying in other classes. Students also enjoy creating drama costumes and scenery elements in their art classes. Meets once every three weeks.

	French
	With continued focus on building student interest in the language and culture of France, this course exposes students to considerable spoken French. As the girls become more familiar and comfortable with the language in third grade, they will answer oral questions in French and demonstrate comprehension by responding to more simple commands and requests. The bilingual play “Zoé et ses amies a l’école Anne Ivry” offers a review of themes such as: weather, classroom objects, clothes, colors, numbers, body parts, days of the week, animals, food, family and expressions with “avoir.” Songs, rhymes, games and art offer a fun way for students to learn about the French culture and practice their vocabulary. This 40-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year. During the other three quarters, the girls study American Sign Language, Mandarin and Spanish.

	Instrumental Music
	All students are introduced to the soprano and alto recorders in Lower School music classes. Meets twice weekly.

	Language Arts
	The language arts program addresses the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Whole group and small group lessons focus on developing comprehension strategies, fluency and expanding vocabulary. Oral discussions and literature response journals allow the students to demonstrate their understanding of more complex texts. A variety of literary genres are used, including historical fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, poetry and non-fiction. Students also learn to select books that are appropriate for independent reading. Third grade writers apply the six traits of writing to personal narrative, persuasive and informational pieces. The writing process includes pre-writing, drafting, editing and revising. Students develop their speaking and listening skills through sharing written work, favorite books and research findings.

	Let's Care
	This program introduces developmentally appropriate social and emotional topics. Overarching themes include respect for self, others and community; the importance of empathetic connections, emotional safety and mutual support; the development of effective communication and decision-making skills; the appreciation of differences and diversity in our community; friendship-making skills, bully-proofing strategies and an emphasis on “inclusion” as a community value. Meets once every three weeks.

	Library
	On their way to becoming independent library patrons, Third graders use library terminology, encyclopedias and other reference materials for curriculum-related research. They read books from various genres and give spontaneous oral book reviews to classmates. Our shared reading time includes a variety of fiction and non-fiction. Computer skills are coordinated with the technology department.

	Mandarin Chinese
	The third grade Chinese program expands upon Mandarin vocabulary that has been taught in prior years by introducing more words for greetings, numbers, colors, animals and family members.  Words for food and drinks are introduced for the first time.  With greater confidence in their Chinese speaking skills, the students are encouraged to use vocabulary to make sentences using only Chinese.  Class activities include songs, stories, crafts, games, worksheets and online lessons in Chinese.  There is increased emphasis on writing Chinese characters.  A special third grade cultural activity is learning to make dumplings.  This 40-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year.  The girls study American Sign Language, French and Spanish during the other three quarters of the year.

	Math
	The math program promotes conceptual thinking, different ways of solving problems and sharing strategies. Use of manipulatives, games and collaborative learning strengthen understanding. Third graders expand their knowledge of multiplication and division. Other mathematical topics include: place value, multi-digit addition and subtraction, geometry, money, graphing, fractions, measurement and time.

	Music
	To help students develop their music appreciation skills, this class exposes them to various musical performance styles and a more complicated singing repertoire. Throughout the third grade, students learn musical notation and terminology, and begin to work with an alto recorder. The year in music features games, folksongs, rounds, rhymes, group singing and annual Lower School concerts. Meets twice weekly.

	Physical Education
	The focus of third grade physical education is on teaching students the basic skills needed to play team sports. Emphasis is placed on applying learned skills to a competitive situation, winning with grace, and accepting defeat. In addition, students learn the rules of safe play as well as how to properly handle and care for equipment. Competition is used positively to promote enjoyment of sports and to provide for continued social development. Meets four times a week.

	Science
	Our Lower School science program uses the BSCS Science TRACS curriculum, an inquiry-based program that incorporates many cooperative-learning opportunities in a modular format. The third grade Life Science module teaches students about the life cycles of plants and animals. In the Physical Science module, students investigate electrical systems, including electrical circuits. The focus of the Earth and Space Science module is on the sun, moon and stars.

	Social Studies
	In Social Studies, third graders refine their map skills and gain a deeper understanding of the places, people and cultures of the African and Asian continents. Students use print and Internet resources to gather information about specific African and Asian countries. Service Learning is an integral part of the third grade experience. Girls use Microsoft Publisher software to create flyers promoting a sale of African jewelry, baskets and instruments. The proceeds benefit Pagus: Africa, a nonprofit community outreach organization. Money raised in 2009 funded a roof for a school in Ghana. Math skills are applied while assisting in the sale of the items. Afterward, students use PowerPoint presentations to share the experience and results of the project at a Lower School assembly.

	Spanish
	With greater confidence in their Spanish speaking skills, third grade students continue to develop listening comprehension and enthusiasm for the Spanish language and culture. Participation in classroom activities is always in Spanish, with emphasis on using proper pronunciation. New vocabulary topics are introduced, such as clothing and the days of the week. Reading and writing skills learned in second grade are further developed through completion of more extensive worksheets and activities using the SMART board and laptops. Listening activities are introduced in order to have the girls become accustomed to hearing different voices speak Spanish. In addition, an important cultural event is presented and discussed, noting similarities and differences to students’ own celebrations. This 40-minute class is held twice a week for a quarter of the year. The girls study American Sign Language, French and Mandarin during the other three quarters of the year.

	Technology
	Project-based work and keyboarding are the focus of third-grade Technology, with both types of lessons performed on laptop computers. Students use the Internet to research science and social studies topics, or to find an activity that reinforces their knowledge in math or geography. In conjunction with our study of Asia in the spring, students exchange email and artwork with their peers in China. They also learn to use a digital camera and add photos to their work.

	Wellness
	Helping students understand and make healthy lifestyle choices is the goal of this year’s wellness program. Students review the importance of exercise and a balanced diet, participate in discussions on community wellness and disease prevention, and learn to make responsible decisions regarding their safety at home and in school. Another key focus is on the use and abuse of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, with strategies provided for saying “no” to these substances while maintaining friendships. Meets for 3 weeks on a 9 week rotation.