What your child learns in 3rd grade in Maine
3rd grade is a big year. Students read to learn as well as learning to read, start multiplication, division and fractions, and study Maine's land and regions, how towns and the state are governed, and the many communities of Maine. It is also the first year of the Maine Through Year Assessment in math and reading.
3rd grade subjects in the Maine Learning Results
Math
Focus areas
- Quantitative and algebraic reasoning: multiplying and dividing within 100, and fractions as numbers
- Geometric reasoning: shapes, angles and the space around us
- Statistical reasoning: measuring, collecting data and reading what it shows
14 units, including Add & Subtract, Multiplication, Division, Fractions.
English Language Arts
Focus areas
- Reading: 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
8 units, including How Plants Grow & Change, Pushes, Pulls & Forces, Basic Needs & Life Cycles, Speed & Motion.
Social Studies
Focus areas
- Maine's land and regions
- How towns and Maine are governed
- The Wabanaki Nations and communities in Maine
6 units, including Needs Around the World, Communities Around the World, Working Together Fairly, Maine's Land & Regions.
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, Communities Around the WorldOpen 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.
Maine has no statewide report-card scale in 3rd grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. See what each level means.
3rd grade students also take the Maine state tests (MeCAS). Read the state tests guide.
Maine's Guiding Principles apply in every grade and every subject. Read about Guiding Principles.
The four practice steps in 3rd grade
- Beginning
- Practice shows a first understanding of the learning standards. Most answers still need a hint or a second try.
- At home: Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Practice shows a partial understanding of the learning standards. Some answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Practice shows a solid understanding of the learning standards. Most answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Practice shows a deep understanding of the learning standards, including harder, unfamiliar questions.
- At home: Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
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: Needs & Wants, Then & Now, Communities Compared, Our Community Changes, Working Together Fairly
Common questions
3rd grade covers math, English language arts, science, social studies in the Maine Learning Results. 3rd grade is a big year. Students read to learn as well as learning to read, start multiplication, division and fractions, and study Maine's land and regions, how towns and the state are governed, and the many communities of Maine. It is also the first year of the Maine Through Year Assessment in math and reading.
Maine has no statewide report-card scale in 3rd grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. Students in 3rd grade also write the Maine state tests (MeCAS), which is separate from the report card.
Practice shows a solid understanding of the learning standards. Most answers are right on the first try. At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
3rd grade builds on 2nd grade. In math, that means Bigger or Smaller, Facts to 20, Adding to 100. In English language arts, that means Rhyme Time, Sound Detectives, Story Builders.
About 15 minutes a day of short practice works better than long sessions, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Practice math facts in short bursts, such as five minutes while dinner cooks. Take turns reading a page aloud, and chat about what happened and why. Praise effort, and stop on a success.
Practice 3rd grade skills with Gradelings
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