Third Grade

Third Grade is a transitional year between primary and intermediate grades.  Students continue to practice the skills of responsibility and organization; two major skills that are necessary to lead productive adult lives.  Many things will be new to them this year: taking notes in a notebook, studying for tests, nightly homework, and standardized testing in March.

WRITING
Text: Zaner-Bloser Palmer Method, Publisher: Zaner-Bloser

The children will review work on the strokes necessary to improve their printing, as well as their cursive writing.

READING/ENGLISH/SPELLING/PHONICS
Text: Reading Street, Publisher: Scott Foresman

The children will continue to work on the spelling, phonics, grammar and mechanics needed in their usage of the English language.  They will also continue to improve their reading skills through a series of stories and comprehension activities.

SCIENCE
Text: Science, Publisher: MacMillan/McGraw-Hill

The children will learn about plants, animals, weather, earth science, matter, energy, forces, and motion through reading and hands-on activities.

MATH
Text: Math, Publisher: MacMillan/McGraw-Hill

The children will practice many math concepts such as addition, subtraction, measurement, money, telling time, graphing, word problems, multiplication, simple division, fractions, and geometry.

SOCIAL STUDIES
Text: Communities, Publisher: MacMillan/McGraw-Hill

The children will learn about different communities in the past and present including Des Plaines and Illinois.  We will learn about understanding geography skills.

RELIGION
Text: We Believe, Publisher: Sadlier

The children will learn about the Blessed Trinity, the Church and its history, the Mass and the sacraments.  They will find out about the different ways Catholics live their faith and celebrate God’s love.

ART
Teacher resources are utilized

Third Grade students will share their creative expression through the use of various media.  Projects are graded on completion rather than artistic quality.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Please see Other Areas of Study for more information regarding the gym curriculum.

MUSIC
Please see Other Areas of Study for more information regarding the music curriculum.

The Third Grade program introduces the terminology of written music in preparation for the instrumental instruction opportunity available next year.

COMPUTER
Mrs. Sima takes the class to the computer lab for keyboarding practice once a week.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES
The Third Grade classroom teacher will use a variety of instructional methodologies including whole group discussions, small group cooperative learning, individual work, and one-on-one support.

Teacher Biography
Mrs. Colleen Sima has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. She has an Illinois Teaching Certificate for Elementary Education with a K-5 self-contained endorsement. Mrs. Sima came to Saint Zachary School as an aide in 2009 and then took over as the third grade classroom teacher. She previously taught second grade at St. Anne’s in East Moline, Illinois and at St. Eugene’s in Chicago. As well as teaching fulltime, Mrs. Sima also teaches part time at Wright Jr. College where she has been since 1985.

Mrs. Sima attended Catholic schools for all 16 years of her education. She has two daughters who are proud graduates of Saint Zachary School.