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Third Grade

What You Can Expect From Third Grade

Third grade is an important year in your child’s education as he/she transitions from what is often known as the “lower grades” to the “upper grades.” Expectations are that 3rd graders become independent, mature learners. In 3rd grade students progress from practicing basic skills to mastering them and then move on to developing more complex skills.

In 3rd grade, students will:

  • Read longer texts, including fiction and nonfiction chapter books, with an emphasis on comprehension.

  • Write structured and complex paragraphs which have more details and academic language.

  • Memorize their math facts and learn key math concepts. They will be expected to explain these concepts both orally and through writing.

  • Conduct in-depth, hands-on investigations to develop a greater understanding of science concepts and be able to record their observations, data, and conclusions in their science notebooks in a meaningful way.

  • Study the regions, cultures, and government of California’s past and present.

Content Standards