Grade 3 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 3 social studies in the New Brunswick Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Geography: Methods and Tools. Locate New Brunswick in the Atlantic region, Canada, North America, and the world.
- Geography: Places and Regions. Use evidence to investigate major physical features, climates, and vegetation of New Brunswick and the Atlantic region.
- Geography: Human Systems and Interactions. Describe Wabanaki Peoples’ relationships with the natural environment.
- History: Events and Peoples. Research the diverse peoples in New Brunswick, including first and founding peoples.
- History: Sources and Methods. Illustrate how the diversity of New Brunswick has changed over time.
- Civics: Power and Governance. Describe the purpose, function, and structure of governments.
- Civics: Rights and Responsibilities. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
- Civics: Civic Engagement. Describe how citizens participate in public decision-making.
- Wabanaki: Treaty Education. Describe the Peace and Friendship treaties and discuss their importance.
- Wabanaki: Reconciliation. Discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
- Economics: Sustainability. Discuss New Brunswick’s natural resources.
Easy ways to practise social studies at home
- Look at a map of your community and find places you visit.
- Ask an older relative or neighbour what the area was like when they were young.
- Read stories from many communities, including Indigenous authors, and talk about what is the same and different.
- Talk about how rules and jobs help a community work.
What each unit covers
Maps & Globes
Naming continents and oceans, using north, south, east and west on a simple town map, and reading map features such as a legend (key), compass rose and scale.
My Province: New Brunswick
Practises where New Brunswick is in the Atlantic region and Canada, its major physical features, climate and vegetation, landmarks, and the ideas of urban and rural. It follows the Grade 3 social studies skill descriptors on places and regions in the New Brunswick curriculum.
Wabanaki Nations of New Brunswick
Practises where the Wolastoqey, Mi'kmaq and Peskotomuhkati nations have their homelands in New Brunswick and how Wabanaki Peoples relate to the natural environment. The content is light, in the present tense, and needs review by Wabanaki partners.
The Peoples of New Brunswick
Practises the diverse peoples of New Brunswick, including the first and founding peoples, and how the province's diversity has changed over time. It follows the Grade 3 social studies skill descriptors on events and peoples and on sources and methods.
Groups, Leaders & Getting Along
Practises formal and informal leadership, fair group decisions, peaceful ways of solving conflicts and what to do about bullying, including respect for the teachings of Elders and community members.
Governments in New Brunswick
Practises the purpose, function and structure of municipal, provincial and federal governments. It follows the Grade 3 social studies skill descriptor on power and governance in the New Brunswick curriculum.
Citizens Take Part
Practises the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how citizens take part in public decisions. It follows the Grade 3 social studies skill descriptors on rights and responsibilities and on civic engagement in the New Brunswick curriculum.
Treaties & Reconciliation
Practises the Peace and Friendship treaties between the Wabanaki Nations and the Crown and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action. The content is light, in the present tense, and needs review by Wabanaki partners.
Natural Resources of New Brunswick
Practises New Brunswick's natural resources, such as forests, fish, farmland, minerals and water power, and what renewable and sustainable mean. It follows the Grade 3 social studies skill descriptor on economics and sustainability in the New Brunswick curriculum.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Working below
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Excelling
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the New Brunswick report card guide.
Common questions
Look at a map of your community and find places you visit. Ask an older relative or neighbour what the area was like when they were young. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The New Brunswick Curriculum Grade 3 social studies units include maps & globes, my province: new brunswick, wabanaki nations of new brunswick, the peoples of new brunswick, groups, leaders & getting along, governments in new brunswick.
Free printable Grade 3 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.