Grade 3 Experience

THE GRADE 3 EXPERIENCE

Key Developmental Milestones

Grade 3 often marks some key transitions toward greater independence and growth physically, emotionally and mentally. Key characteristics of a third grader: excitement for learning and willingness to take on new challenges, interest in peer relations and eagerness to have approval of their teacher and classmates. Third graders will often enjoy working in small groups and are willing to take risks, but also might take on more than they can handle. They will often recover quickly from mistakes or problems. With a fast growing vocabulary, children of this age will enjoy talking and sharing and explaining their ideas. They are often interested in logic, classification and how the world works.

The 3rd grade learning program is designed to support and develop these milestones.

Personalising Learning

In the Lower School, we embrace the unique potential within each learner craft individualised educational experiences that grow learner strengths empower learners to explore their passion and interests integrate technology into all subject areas cultivate critical thinking and collaborate using diverse perspectives develop learners who confidently navigate the current challenges of our world

BECOMING INTERNATIONAL CITIZENS

ISB believes that in order to be International Citizens, successful in and out of school, students need to learn and develop social and emotional competencies. These competencies are grounded in our Character Standards and our belief in Social Justice.

In tandem with our Character standards, we use the Learning for Justice Standards to support our goal of developing true International Citizens C h a r a c t e r S t a n d a r d s

Strand Areas of Focus & Development

Action Justice Diversity Identity

speaking up with courage and respect when they or someone else has been hurt or wronged recognizing stereotypes and relate to people as individuals rather than representatives of groups expressing comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people developing positive social identities & express this with pride without denying dignity of others

ISB follows the globally recognized expectations outlined in the Common Core State Standards for Literacy & Mathematics.

e a d i n g

Foundational Skills

Literature

Informational Text

Strand Areas of Focus & Development W r i t i n g

Develop phonics and word recognition and read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers; Recount stories; Describe characters; Determine the meaning of words and phrases; Discuss how language is used to describe; Discuss texts in which characters, events and settings are portrayed in different ways, and speculate on the author's reasons

Determine the main idea of a text; Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; Use text features and search tools; Use information gained from illustrations; Compare and contrast the most important points

Strand Areas of Focus & Development

Text Types & Purposes

Vocabulary Use

Conventions of Standard English

Production of Writing

Write opinion pieces on topics or text, supporting a point of view with reasons; Write informative / explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and clear event sequences

Use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrasesChoose words and phrases for effect; Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases; Distinguish shades of meaning among related words

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing texts

S T E M : M a t h e m a t i c s

The ISB Mathematics program is designed to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts while nurturing critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.

Strand Areas of Focus & Development

Operations & Algebriac

Thinking

Numbers & Operations in Base 10

Numbers & Operations

- Fractions

Geometry

Measurement & Data

Mathematical Processes

Solve two-step word problems using the four operations Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation

Use multiplication and division w thin 100 to solve word problems

Identify arithmetic patterns and explain them using properties of operations

Fluently add and subtract within 1000

Fluently multiply and divide within 100

Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100

Understand a fraction as a number on the number line

Explain equivalence of fractions (½, ¼, ⅓, ⅙ and ⅛ ), and compare fractions by reasoning about their size

Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size

Understand that shapes in different categories may share attributes and that the shared attributes can define a larger category

Understand that shapes can be partitioned into equally sized parts, the measure of which can be expressed as a fraction of the original shape

Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units

Solve real world and mathematical problems invo ving perimeters of polygons

Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

Model with mathematics

Attend to precision

CORE LITERACIES

As a 1:1 device school, quality technology is available for all students. With extensive design resources such as 3-D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, green screen studios, VEX robotics, and a Virtual Reality suite, Elementary students use one of the best DesignTech spaces in Belgium.

Opportunities to build understanding of programming structures are integrated across the year The main topics of Grade 3 are: discovering algorithms debugging program construction

Through projects during year, students are introduced to the different design tools at ISB and the design process

We emphasize using technology responsibly and effectively for communication, collaboration and creation Becoming proficient and postive members in a digital world is a primary goal

Within Design units at ISB, students follow the Stanford University Design School model

Coding

Design Technology

Digital Citizenship

CORE LITERACIES

Designed for deep inquiry into how our world works through hands-on experiences and by using a range of primary and secondary sources connected to historical and contemporary themes. S c i e n c e & S o c i a

Living Things - Biology

Using our campus environment, students observe the plants and animals in our forest and explore how plants, animals and humans are interdependent and how adaptation is a way living things survive and thrive. Students conduct experiments using their bean plants to discover how the environment impacts growth and practice completing close observations and drawings

Trying to solve the real-life problem of mailing an item so it doesn’t get damaged, students explore the physical properties of materials Students then look more closely at states of matter, changes that are reversible or irreversible, and exploring how matter can be combined as mixtures and solutions

Students develop an understanding of the scientific method for testing a hypothesis

Starting with interviewing family members and teachers about their childhood, students make comparisons about their own experience and others in years past Students look at 19th century Belgium and how changes in laws and attitudes changed what childhood looks like here now and how childhood can look different around the globe

Self-Management

How do I set effective goals and where am I now in achieving them?

Personal Inquiry

Areas of Focus & Development

Participate in an Academic Discussion

Listen to understand, rather than reply

Record Evidence

Select the evidence that is most useful to record

Reason Across Multiple Examples

Identify Similarities & Differences

Set Effective Goals

Seek and use feedback as part of the process of monitoring goals

Each year, students have the opportunity to follow their own personal Inquiry into an area of interest or passion, further developing Character and Transferable Skills. Through this process, students develop planning and resilience skills and overcome challenges and reflect on their own growth. This process culminates in a Showcase where students share their learning with the school community.

To learn more about Personal Inquiry in the Elementary School, watch this video.

LANGUAGES PROGRAM

L a n g u a g e s P a t h w a y s

Students, who have demonstrated proficiency in English, access either the Dutch or French language. Additional languages are offered as part of the ISB+ program, based on demand.

ISB follows the Common European Framework for Languages.

French Discovery A1

Foundations A1.2

Consolidating A2.1

Building A2.2

Independent B1 / B2 / C1

Grade 5 & 6

Social Studies in French option

English Proficiency

Dutch Indpendent B2 / C1

ISB+ Plus Languages

Open to all regardless of English Proficiency

SPECIALIST PROGRAM

Hand & Feet Skills

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The Physical Education and Heath program focuses on the following areas:

Motor Skills & Movement Patterns

Concepts, Principles, Strategies & Tactics

Understanding Healthy Lifestyles

The Arts program focuses on the following areas:

Creating & Performing and

Responding & Connecting to visual and musical artworks

Praises others for their success

Recognizes the role of rules and etiquette

Throws overarm, demonstrating three of the five critical elements of a mature pattern Dribbles with the feet in general space at slow to moderate jogging speed with control of ball and body

Chasing & Fleeing

Performs a sequence of locomotor skills, transitioning from one skill to another smoothly and without hesitation like changing speed and direction

Combines movement concepts (direction, levels, force, time)

Parkour / Gymnastics

Transfers weight from feet to hands for momentary weight support

Moves into and out of gymnastics balances with curling, twisting and stretching actions Jumps and lands in the horizontal plane using a mature pattern

Visual Arts

Third grade students learn about the use of line, shape, color, and three-dimensional form in the creation of realistic and abstract works of art and in understanding how artists express themselves visually Students respond to artworks by reflecting on various artistic processes and by evaluating their own and others’ art based on given criteria

Units in Grade 3 are:

Line, Shape, Color: Stained Glass Windows & Underwater Seascapes

Three-Dimensional Form: Paper, Plastic, and Wire Sculpture

Expressing Ourselves: Abstract & Expressive Portraiture

Send, Catch & Track

Strikes an object with a shorthandled implement while demonstrating three of the five critical elements of a mature pattern Strikes a ball with a long-handled implement, sending it forward, while using proper grip

Performing Arts

Third grade builds towards the performance of a canon, while also reinforcing the concepts of the beat and phrase

Major topics in third grade are: the distinction between music in duple meter and music in triple meter instrumental improvisation following a set of rules leading to the spontaneous creation of melodies on classroom instruments melodic reading

FIELD TRIPS & HOME LEARNING

Field Trips

In the Elementary School, we look to connect our curriculum to our local community so as to give students opportunities to acquire and apply learning in different contexts In addition to one-day trips to locations in Brussels throughout the year, in late-spring Grade 3 students also go to the Belgian Coast for an extended multiday field trip

This experience builds both student independence and self-belief, but also is a highlight of the student’s experience at ISB

Home Learning

Typical Assignments

Independent Reading

All ES students should spend at least 20 minutes per evening with a good book

Mathematics

ES students will have a Problem of the Week that they can work on independently

We value perseverance as much as solving the problem We expect all students to make a concentrated effort for at least 20 minutes and be able to show their attempts

There may also be brief assignments connected to other subject areas such as Science & Social Studies, French/Dutch, Music.