3rd grade Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in 3rd grade social studies in the Washington State Learning Standards, and simple things to try at home.
Focus areas this year
- Culture: people, places and environment
- Tribes of Washington and their governments
- Geography of North America
Easy ways to practice social studies at home
- Look at a map of your community and find places you visit.
- Ask an older relative or neighbor 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
Needs Around the World
Everyone needs food, water, shelter and clothing. How people in different places meet these needs using what the land and climate offer, and why caring for the land matters.
Communities Around the World
Practices daily life in communities around the world: homes, food, work and technology that suit the land and weather, cultural expression, respectful language about differences and how media can show only part of a place.
Working Together Fairly
Practices group skills: sharing ideas, decisions and responsibilities, being fair and respectful, considering other people's views, listening actively and choosing ways to present information.
North America
Practices reading maps of North America: its countries and oceans, the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains, the Great Plains and Great Lakes, major rivers, the 50 states and the Pacific Northwest.
Culture & Traditions
Practices cultural universals (food, shelter, language, arts, recreation), traditions, unity and diversity, how environment and culture shape each other, and deciding fairly as a group.
Tribes of North America
Practices that Tribes have lived in North America since time immemorial, that each Tribe has its own culture and language, how Tribal councils and governments serve their people, and the names of several Tribes in Washington. The content is light, in the present tense, and never treats all Tribes as one.
Money, Taxes & Voting
Practices why people specialize and trade, money, profit, banks, costs and benefits, incentives, how taxes pay for community services, city government, and voting as a civic duty.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- 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 practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- 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 Washington report card guide.
Common questions
Look at a map of your community and find places you visit. Ask an older relative or neighbor what the area was like when they were young. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Washington State Learning Standards 3rd grade social studies units include Needs Around the World, Communities Around the World, Working Together Fairly, North America, Culture & Traditions, Tribes of North America.
Free printable 3rd grade social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.