What your child learns in 3rd grade in California
3rd grade is a big year. Students read to learn as well as learning to read, start multiplication, division and fractions, and study “Continuity and Change” in their own region: its land, the California Indian nations who live there, its history and local government. It is also the first year of the CAASPP state tests in English language arts and math.
3rd grade subjects in the California Content Standards
Math
Focus areas
- Number and operations: multiplying and dividing within 100, and fractions as numbers
- Measurement, data and geometry: shapes, measuring and reading data
- Mathematical practices: making sense of problems and explaining reasoning
14 units, including Add & Subtract, Multiplication, Division, Fractions.
English Language Arts
Focus areas
- Reading literature and informational text: understanding chapter books and information texts
- Writing: organized paragraphs
- Speaking and listening: sharing ideas and building on what others say
13 units, including Read and Think, Story Elements, Word Jobs, Punctuation Power.
Science
Focus areas
- Forces and magnets
- Life cycles, traits and survival
- Weather and climate
10 units, including How Plants Grow & Change, Pushes, Pulls & Forces, Basic Needs & Life Cycles, Speed & Motion.
Social Studies
Focus areas
- Continuity and change in the local region
- American Indian nations of the region, then and now
- Local history and the basics of US government
9 units, including Needs Around the World, Working Together Fairly, Money, Taxes & Voting, Culture & Traditions.
Printable 3rd grade sheets
One free practice sheet for each subject, with an answer key. Print them, or work through them on screen.
- 3rd grade MathAdd & Subtract, MultiplicationOpen the sheet →
- 3rd grade English Language ArtsRead and Think, Story ElementsOpen the sheet →
- 3rd grade ScienceHow Plants Grow & Change, Pushes, Pulls & ForcesOpen the sheet →
- 3rd grade Social StudiesNeeds Around the World, Working Together FairlyOpen the sheet →
What to look for on the report card
Look for comments on reading comprehension, paragraph writing, multiplication and division facts within 100, and fractions. State test scores are separate from the report card.
California report cards describe learning with Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. See what each level means.
3rd grade students also take the California state tests (CAASPP). Read the state tests guide.
California's social and emotional learning competencies apply in every grade. Read about Social and emotional learning.
Ready for 3rd grade?
3rd grade builds on what your child practiced in 2nd grade. If a skill feels shaky, a few short practice sessions before or early in the year can help:
- Math: Bigger or Smaller, Facts to 20, Adding to 100, Measuring, Shapes
- English Language Arts: Rhyme Time, Sound Detectives, Story Builders, Word Power, Book Explorers
- Science: Solids & Liquids, Water World, Changing Materials, Mixtures & Materials, Plants, Seeds & Pollinators
- Social Studies: Then & Now, Communities Compared, Our Community Changes, Working Together Fairly, Maps of Our World
Common questions
3rd grade covers math, English language arts, science, social studies in the California Content Standards. 3rd grade is a big year. Students read to learn as well as learning to read, start multiplication, division and fractions, and study “Continuity and Change” in their own region: its land, the California Indian nations who live there, its history and local government. It is also the first year of the CAASPP state tests in English language arts and math.
California report cards describe learning with Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. Students in 3rd grade also write the California state tests (CAASPP), which is separate from the report card.
Short, regular practice works better than long sessions: 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Read together, use math in real life, and praise effort.
Practice 3rd grade skills with Gradelings
Kind hints, no ads, and reports in the language of the California report card. Subscribe now, or try it free for 30 days with no card.