3rd Grade
Tierra Joseph: 3rd Grade Teacher
B.A. in Childhood Education
M.A. in Special Education
Teaching at Thornton-Donovan since 2023
"I believe that Every student has their own unique way of learning. It is important to differentiate lessons in order to meet the needs of all students. My classroom must be an environment where all students feel safe, loved and important. Cooperative learning and making sure students work together is crucial."
MATH: Students learn how to order numbers, count on a number line, and differentiate between addition, subtraction, multiplication and division properties. In addition, students learn how to multiply and divide. As well as learn about factions.
LANGUAGE ARTS: Students practice vocabulary words; learn grammar such as nouns, pronouns, verbs and adjectives. Also, students learn phonics such as consonants, short and long vowels and syllables.
READING: Students learn about traditional tales, folktales, realistic fiction, informational text, myths etc. Students learn how to summarize information and write paragraphs to make essays. Students have a reading log in order to keep track of their reading every night.
SCIENCE: Students learn about forces and motions, energy, plants, living things, ecosystems, weather, and technology. Students perform experiments throughout the year.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Students learn about all different types of communities now and long ago. Students learn about urban, suburban and rural areas. Students learn about Ellis Island and take a virtual field trip as well as learn about the government now and long ago.
ITALIAN: Students learn basic vocabulary, phrases, grammar. Topics may include a selection of the following: greetings, telling the date and time, telling the weather, telling age, classroom vocabulary, geography, family, adjectives, grammatical gender, singular and plural, personal pronouns, essere, avere.
SPANISH: Students learn basic vocabulary, phrases, grammar. Topics may include a selection of the following: greetings, telling the date and time, telling the weather, telling age, classroom vocabulary, geography, family, adjectives, grammatical gender, singular and plural, personal pronouns, ser, estar, tener.
MUSIC: 3rd grade expands on the 2nd grade's lessons, building on that foundation, as well as adding ukuleles and other instruments from around the world. Basic songs are learned on these instruments.
ART: Learning shapes, colors and how to blend them, rainbow sequence. Learning concepts of pattern and symmetry. Basic drawing techniques for animals, plants and figures. Some techniques we explore include simple origami folding, blot painting, stencil printing, rubbings, crayon/watercolor resist painting, "melted" magic marker painting, model magic sculpting.