grade

How you can help your child succeed in 3rd grade

Boston PuBlic schools n Family Guide to learninG

Partnering for Your

We all have high hopes for our children. We want them to do well in school. We want them to grow up to be loving, responsible adults who graduate from high school ready for the next step whether that is going to college or starting a career.
What You Can do
as a parent, family member, or caregiver, there is a lot you can do today to shape your childs future.

Childs future
this grade, including special education students and english language learners, who are entitled to equal access to the curriculum. the learning goals help families and teachers know when students need extra help or when they need to be challenged even more. inside, you will find tips to help your child learn at home and questions to ask about your childs progress. the sample learning goals presented in this guide can help you know how your child is doing in grade 3. if your child is meeting these learning goals, he/she probably is doing well in school. Contact your childs teacher to learn more and discuss what it takes to meet these goals.

1 2 3

Let your child know that education matters that its the foundation for his/her success. Know what your child is expected to learn at each grade level. then talk to your child about what is happening in school to make sure he/she is making progress throughout the year.

sPeCial eduCation & english language learners

Federal law guarantees every student the right to a free and appropriate public education regardless of handicap or disability. state law further guarantees the right to an education in the least restrictive environment. this means that learning takes place in typical classroom settings with students without disabilities and may include specialized instruction, if necessary. boston Public schools also has made high-quality instruction for english language learners a top priority. We provide many choices and services to help these students learn english quickly as they study literature, writing, math, science, history/social studies, and the arts.

about the Learning goaLs

this guide presents learning goals based on the Massachusetts standards what your child should know and be able to do by the end of the school year in english language arts, social studies, science, and math. these goals are for all students in

talking with Your

Childs teaCher
When you talk to your childs teacher about the learning goals, here are some questions that you may want to ask. in addition to the learning goals in this guide, what else is my child expected to learn? Can you show me examples of student work that meets the learning goals? May i see examples of my childs work and how it does or doesnt meet these learning goals? how is my childs progress measured in these subjects throughout the year? is my child on grade level? if not, what support will the school offer my child? how can i help at home? if my child is at or above grade level, what extra enrichment and support will the school offer? how can i help at home?

talking with Your

Child

talking together often about school and progress toward learning goals helps you know how to support your childs learning. Praise your child for hard work at school. take time to read and talk about papers and projects your child brings home from school. ask what your child is most proud of doing. ask what your child is learning in school. What subjects are most interesting? What subjects seem hard? ask questions to learn more about your childs thinking: how do you know? What do you notice? Why did you solve the problem in this way?

Learning at hoMe
Learning doesnt stop at school. here are some ways you can support your childs learning at home. use this guide to focus on a few of the learning goals. try some of the suggestions for learning at home. set up a quiet and comfortable place for your child to read or study. agree on a regular time to do homework. Make sure both you and your child know what the teacher expects. discuss different activities your child can do at home that build on what he/she is learning in the classroom.

learning beYond the Core

our students are gaining crucial knowledge in key areas beyond the core of english, math, science, and social studies: Health and Fitness: students know how to string individual movements together smoothly, such as jumping to catch a ball, and how to improve performance, such as jumping higher. they challenge themselves with new activities, know what foods to eat at breakfast to maintain energy during school, and apply communications skills to develop positive relationships and improve the social environment of the school. Arts: students recognize principles of design, including balance, placement, composition, proportion, and overlapping and can use these in a painting. they use a stage and other performance spaces and properly use stage terminology, such as stage right and downstage. they sing in a choral ensemble with expression and accuracy and show how gestures and movements in dance communicate feelings. Social-Emotional: students identify emotions caused by various situations, express emotions appropriately, and identify cues that show how other people feel. they identify contributions of various cultural or other kinds of groups and work well with those who are different. they make thoughtful decisions in school and social situations and identify ways they can contribute to school and community, such as by volunteering.

MassaChusetts CoMPrehensive assessMent sYsteM (MCas)

the MCas tests are part of the states education reform strategy. they test students knowledge in reading, english language arts, mathematics, and science/technology/ engineering. students in grades 3 through 10 take one or more sections of the test at specified times throughout the year. For more information, visit our assessment page online, www.bostonpublicschools.com/node/354.

english language arts

Here are some tHings your cHild sHould know and be able to do by tHe end of 3rd grade: language
ask questions, listen to the ideas of others, and contribute his/her own ideas in discussions based on personal experiences and on what he/she has learned from reading or other sources. acquire and use a rich vocabulary of complex and sophisticated words such as sensible, impressed, and uncooperative through reading and conversations.

reading and literature

identify main ideas and supporting details in a nonfiction text such as One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest. identify themes or lessons in the stories, fables, and poems he/ she reads, such as greek and roman myths and poems by david McCord. Make inferences (read between the lines to form opinions) about a character in a book, such as Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the characters thoughts, words, and actions.

learning at home
talk about the books your child is reading. What has he/sher learned from nonfiction texts (a journal, a letter, or a textbook)? after reading a story, ask your child to tell how the main character changed during the book and why. create a family vocabulary box and encourage the whole family to listen and look for new, interesting words to add. once a word is in the box, everyone should look for opportunities to use it in daily conversation. make it a game and give everyone a point each time he/she uses one of the new words. encourage your child to write on a daily basis. have him/her e-mail or write letters to family and friends to describe special accomplishments or exciting events. your child can also keep a journal of experiences and adventures.

writing
Write a brief interpretation or opinion of a story and use details from the text to support his/her ideas. Write brief summaries in his/her own words of information gathered through research. Write a narrative about a personal experience. use a clear focus and rich supporting detail.
to learn more about the standards, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org.

To share your tips with other parents, find more ideas for learning at home, or locate learning destinations around Boston, visit www.bpsfamilies.org.

mathematics
Here are some tHings your cHild sHould know and be able to do by tHe end of 3rd grade:

number sense and operations

Make sense of and solve word problems using addition and subtraction. use related addition and subtraction facts (for example, if 8 + 6 = 14, then 80 + 60 = 140) to help solve problems. understand the relationship between multiplication and division, and draw a model or picture to represent a multiplication or division problem. Know and use multiplication facts to solve problems. represent fractions, such as 1 4 or 1 3, as parts of a whole (for example, 1 4 of a sandwich) and parts of a group (for example, 1 3 of 12 marbles). Compare fractions for example, which is bigger: 1 4 or 1 3?

Patterns, relations, and algebra

Make and use tables and line graphs to show and understand how something changes for example, how temperatures will increase and decrease during a week.

geometry
recognize the attributes (characteristics) of shapes to name and classify them. For example, what makes a triangle a triangle? identify angles as right angles (90 degrees angle , and greater than a right angle ), less than a right .

learning at home
When youre at the store, have your child estimate the total cost of your purchase. as you pay, you can also ask, how much change will we get back? ask your child to use multiplication and division in everyday situations. For example, if you see five birds, how many legs are there? if you share a dozen cookies equally among four people, how many cookies will each person get? With your child, record the temperature in Boston each day for a week. ask your child to make a line graph to show the changes in temperature.

measurement
determine the perimeter and area of different shapes and label them with the correct unit of measure, such as feet or square feet.

data analysis
Collect, represent, describe, and interpret data, such as data about places where students like to eat or visit.

science
Here are some tHings your cHild sHould know and be able to do by tHe end of 3rd grade:

structures of life
Classify plants and animals according to their physical characteristics, such as size, color, or whether or not they have leaves or fur. recognize that plants and animals go through predictable life cycles that include birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death. describe how plants and animals meet some of their needs by using behaviors (patterns of activities) in response to information (stimuli) they receive from the environment.

Physics of sound
recognize that sound is produced by the vibration of objects and must travel through a medium, such as wood or air. Know that the faster the vibration, the higher the pitch of the sound. identify light, sound, heat, electricity, and magnetism as the basic forms of energy. recognize that energy is the ability to cause motion or create change.

water
tell the difference between properties of objects (such as size, shape, and weight) and properties of materials (such as color, texture, and hardness). Compare and contrast the three states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases), based on the basic properties of each one. describe how water can be changed from one state to another by adding or taking away heat. For example, liquid water can be changed to water vapor by heating it until it boils or to ice by cooling it in the freezer.

learning at home
observe a puddle on the sidewalk over the course of a few hours or days. ask your child what happens to the water. Where did it come from? Where does it go? Place a seed on a damp paper towel, then place both in a clear plastic baggie, and seal it. tape the baggie to a wall or window. have your child observe it carefully and draw pictures each day. select a few items from around your home for example, keys, a pencil, a spoon, a ball, a plastic or paper cup, or a book. With your childs eyes closed, play a sound game by dropping each item and asking your child to identify which object made the sound. ask your child to explain why certain items make different sounds.

social studies
Here are some tHings your cHild sHould know and be able to do by tHe end of 3rd grade:

massachusetts History and geography

explain the meaning of terms such as decade and century and the importance of time periods, such as the 1600s and 1776. observe and describe local historic sites and artifacts, such as household items, tools, or jewelry. ask questions about their use and importance. Find places on maps of new england, Massachusetts, and boston using cardinal directions, such as north and south; map scales; legends; and titles. describe the difference between a map of boston today and a map of boston from the past.

civics and government

give examples of why communities need governments. For example, governments provide order and protect peoples rights. describe different ways that people in a community can influence their local government for example, by voting, running for office, or participating in meetings.

learning at home
When planning a trip, ask your child to find the destination on a map. talk about what direction youll travel to get there for example, what direction is cape cod from Boston? and use the map scale to figure out how many miles youll travel. look for opportunities for your child to talk with people who have lived in Boston for a long time, or look at old photos of your neighborhood. talk about whats changed and whats stayed the same. For example, how was east Boston in the 1970s different from the way it is now? take your child with you when you vote. Get a sample ballot, discuss ballot questions, and talk about how your child would vote and why. Visit the historic sites along the Freedom trail in Boston.

economics
define what a tax is and describe different purposes for taxes. With help from teachers and parents, give examples of different kinds of taxes, such as property, sales, or income taxes. Know about a range of jobs. give examples of specialized businesses, such as medical offices, computer stores, or coffee shops, in the community.

Find out More

Visit us online at www.bpsfamilies.org to find out more about the standards, the bPs Parent university, and MCas schedules. For additional ideas for learning at home or how to share your tips with other parents, go to www.bpsfamilies.org.

haVe a question?
if you have any questions or concerns, dont hesitate to contact your childs teacher.

oFFiCe oF FaMiLY and student engageMent 26 Court street 6th Floor boston, Ma 02108 Phone: 617-635-9660 Fax: 617-635-6558 www.bostonpublicschools.org

this guide represents the collaborative efforts of the BPs offices of Family and student engagement, curriculum & instruction, communications, early childhood, high school supports, and Welcome services-countdown to Kindergarten.