Colombo, Sri Lanka
Grade Three is a significantly higher level than lower elementary and, as a result, students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences in a more advanced manner. Students will also represent to comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, literary, and media texts, and share and manage ideas and information. They will also attend to conventions such as grammar and usage, spelling and vocabulary, punctuation and capitalization.
In Grade Three, the main focus will be placed on oral language, spelling and vocabulary, and reading and comprehension strategies. Although phonics awareness is not a priority, the phonics syllabus will be explicit, sequential, and systematic in teaching consonants and vowel sounds embedded in the spelling and vocabulary lessons making it an intensive phonics program that will enhance the students’ reading and writing skills. Students will also learn coding and decoding of letters and letter groups; use controlled and sequential vocabulary and high frequency words (most common words); and use higher-order thinking skills, word–identification strategies, and spelling and writing connections to help them connect to the relations between letters and sounds effectively.
Area of study include:
Spelling and Vocabulary: The phonemic/phonological awareness related to correct spelling, reading and writing will cover: review of consonants and vowels, digraphs (ph, gn, kn, wr, ck), the implementation of vowel sounds (short, long and special) , usage of ie and ei combinations in words, consonants, coding and decoding words, single blends (extra blends dw and tw), three-consonant blends, r-blends, double (single-syllable words ending with –ss,-ff, and zz), special vowel combinations (-ll, -ng, and nk), exceptions to murmur diphthongs (r-controlled vowels), silent letters, syllables and multi-syllable words (containing –ion, -sion, -ous etc.), base words, plurals with s and es, suffixes and prefixes, compound words, comparative and superlative adjectives, synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homonyms, possessives, contractions, alphabetizing, number words, abbreviations, similes, multiple meaning words, base-words and word origins, and more.
Language Arts: YMOH Grade Three Language Arts syllabus will continue with use of Steck Vaughn’s Language Exercises – Workbook C and selected story elements and strategies from MacMillan-McGraw Hill Treasures.
Students will discover and explore ideas and language forms; set goals; clarify and extend opinions, understanding and use strategies; analyze, organize, record and evaluate information; make connections between texts and prior knowledge; identify textual clues; respond to various texts; understand forms and techniques; recognizing genre and story elements; and create original text while attending to conventions such as grammar and usage, spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
Grammar and Mechanics: In Grade Three students will cover parts of speech including nouns (common and proper nouns, singular and plural nouns, irregular plural nouns, and singular and plural possessive nouns), verbs(action verbs, past and present tense verbs, future-tense verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs, and irregular verbs), pronouns (singular and object pronouns, possessive pronouns, pronoun-verb agreement, pronoun-verb contractions), adjectives and articles, adverbs that tell how and when, and conjunctions . Students will also study sentence types such as complete sentences, complex sentences, compound sentences, statements and questions and identify parts of sentences including subjects and predicates. To develop more complex writing skills, learners will practice combining subjects, use appropriate inflectional endings, identify similes and metaphors, and learn how to proofread effectively. They will also be expected to read symbols with numbers, use punctuation marks appropriately including the use of quotation marks (speech marks), bullet points, and other grammatical concepts appropriate for their level.
Reading: The YMOH Reading program consists of a variety of reading materials that include both Islamic stories from the Quran and Hadeeth and academic reading texts from MacMillan Treasures, which is integrated to connect to spelling, vocabulary, and writing skills. Grade Three reading strategies also help students to be more analytical and critical readers and expressive writers.
Reading Strategies: Grade Three reading strategies will cover the following: Retelling; making, revising and confirming predictions; asking and answering questions; summarizing; connecting to prior knowledge; visualizing; using context clues; identifying main idea and details; analyzing characters; analyzing settings; connecting to prior knowledge, recognizing the author’s purpose, predicting, making inferences; cause and effect; comparing and contrasting; identifying story elements and genres; problem and solution, drawing conclusions; sequencing events; classifying information; differentiating between fact or opinion; and recognizing the elements of a biography.
Writing: Grade Three writing syllabus is integrated into the spelling and vocabulary, grammar mechanics, and reading lessons to produce and evaluate effective and purposeful writing.
Grade Three writing forms will include: narrative, descriptive, persuasive essays; personal and formal letters; thank-you notes; journals, invitations, creative writing (e.g., short stories, poetry [rhythm]), skits); and other level appropriate formats in writing and publishing.
Writing strategies will include: choosing a topic, pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing (proofreading), check-lists, paragraph structures, complex sentences, topic sentences, outlines, adding details, 5Ws (who, what, when, where and why), organizing information/detail, sequencing (using a beginning, middle, and end or first, then, and next), directions, dialogues, interviews, point of view, figurative speech (metaphors and similes) and summarizing.
Students will also learn to communicate with different audiences within the classroom and other settings.
The Grade Three mathematics program is structured to sharpen investigative skills, broaden mathematical understanding of advance concepts, and enhance reasoning skills so that students become not only classroom problem solvers, but also confident mathematicians who are able to apply problem solving strategies in real life situations at their level.
Students will apply their mixed operations skills acquired in the previous year throughout the math program. Students will learn and apply a variety of advance strategies in solving number operations, estimation (predict sums and differences), place value for numerals to 1,000, multiplication and division, fractions, number patterns, measurement and geometry, and data analysis. The strategies and concepts that are applied in Grade Three will serve as building blocks for further algebraic thinking that will be extended in later grades.
Areas of study include:
Numbers and Operations: Students will learn to represent and order numbers up to 1000; compare greater than, less than, or equal to 1,000; practice estimation and rounding, add and subtract three- and four-digit numbers; regroup ones, tens, and hundreds; subtract across zeros; work with place values (ones, tens, and hundreds); compose and decompose three–digit numbers; study multiplication tables (0 – 12); practice division using arrays and commutative properties (multiplication), skip count for multiplication, multiply three numbers (finding the product, and factors in parentheses); multiply multiples of tens, hundred, and thousands; learn division terms and basic rules (find the quotient); model division as repeated subtraction; and solve divisions with remainders. Learners will also be expected to compare and order fractions, find equivalent fractions, calculate with decimal fractions (tenths, hundredths), investigate fractions of a set, solve problems using fractional parts of a group, and add and subtract fractions. Furthermore, the program will expose students to solving word problems using mixed operations skills, writing numbers in standard and extended forms, understanding number patterns, mental math, multi-step problem solving, and mathematical problem solving involving in real–life situations.
Measurement and Geometry: Measurement and Geometry combined in Grade Three help students understand the connections between form and function of common shapes. Students will identify, visualize and quantify measures and the attributes of shapes and objects. They will explore measurement concepts and geometric relationships, apply formulas, and use strategies and geometric reasoning in the solutions of problems.
Students will review the properties of basic geometric shapes such as classifying three–dimensional figures and identifying attributes such as the number of faces, edges, and vertices. Students will also relate different types of quadrilaterals, rectangular prisms, cones, cylinders and spheres;, identify and classify angles as right, acute, or obtuse; identify the attributes of polygons (sides and angles) and sort by particular characteristics of plane figures. Learners will be expected to identify and classify triangles (equilateral, isosceles, right or scalene), quadrilaterals, and other solid figures; recognize congruent figures and line symmetry; describe movement on a grid map; and recognize transformations.
Students in Grade Three will learn to describe measurable attributes of objects using mathematical language and find perimeter, area, and volume of two-dimension shapes and three dimensional figures. Students will use standard units for length, perimeter, area, mass, capacity, and volume in their appropriate measuring units such as kilometre, metre, centimetre, millimetre; square metre, square centimetre, kilogram, gram, litre, millilitre, cubic metre, and cubic centimetre. Additionally, learners will learn to measure temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius and measure time in hours, minutes, and seconds. Furthermore, students will understand non-standard units of measurement such as toothpicks, paperclips, blocks, square tiles and the like to measure length, perimeter and area; marbles, cubes and the likes to measure mass; cups, containers, teaspoons and tablespoons to measure capacity; and steady hand claps, sand timers, pendulum, and metronomes to measure time. Throughout the program, students will be expected to have measurement sense and be able to apply logical reasoning.
Patterning and Algebra: Students will identify, describe, and create repeating, growing and shrinking patterns and reflect on various number sense activities such as finding the missing numbers on a chart, skip counting and multiplication patterns. Students will also use shapes and colors to demonstrate their understanding of creating unique patterns that are pictorial or symbolic and transfer patterns from one medium to another. They will also learn to describe, expand and predict pattern rules.
Data Analysis and Graph: Grade Three students will collect and organize data in tables; use tally marks, line plots, pictographs, line graphs, bar graphs, charts and lists; determine the common attributes of line plots; answer questions arising from a given line plot; create bar graphs; label the title and axes to represent a given set of data; draw conclusions; interpret bar graphs to solve problems; and use Venn diagrams with three circles to compare and contrast to represent outcomes.
Time and Money: Grade Three students will learn that seconds, minutes and hours are all measurements of time, write times in a.m. and p.m. , describe time (hour, half-hour, quarter-hour), state minutes after an hour and minutes before an hour, calculate elapsed time, convert between hours and fractions of hours, recognize time patterns, relate time units, match analog and digital times, write times using numerals or words, read calendars and schedules, and solve time related word problems.
Students will continue to build upon their understanding of the value of money, use mixed operation skills including decimals to understand the value of different currencies and their conversions, make change, solve inequalities with money, apply skills related to buying and selling (price lists), calculate percentages, understand discounts and profit margins, and solve money related word problems.
Financial Literacy: Students in Grade Three will learn practical money skills, distinguish between natural resources and finished products, and understand production factors such as land, labour, and capital, scarcity, money, and barter economies. explore exports and imports, understand supply and demand, money cycle, and the general functions of a bank, differentiate between natural resources and finished products, scarcity, money and barter economies, exports and imports, what is meant by trade and commerce, understand supply and demand, money cycle, and the general functions of a bank.
The four financial keys will assist them to learn how to spend wisely, plan a budget, practise money management skills such as being a wise consumer, keep spending records, the importance of sharing, as well as how to save money long term through savings accounts, plan and budget.
They will also better understanding the permissible sources of income, their categories, what riba and taxes are, why riba is prohibited in Islam, and evidence to support it from the primary sources, the Quran and Sunnah. They will understand the significance of money and wealth, the significance and benefits of giving sadaqa and zakat, and the distinction between zakat-al-Fitr and Mal and their recipients, as well as the items eligible for zakat.
Math Vocabulary: Students will also learn math vocabulary for each unit and financial literacy terms appropriate to their level.
Targheeb’s Elementary Science program covers three main topics: earth and space science; life science; and environmental science; and cross curricular and integrated learning.
With respect to the Book of Allah through which we have learned the uniqueness of most of His creations, the following sections of the course will enable students to learn about some of Allah’s attributes such as Al Bari and Al Wahhab.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We created man of the best stature (mould)[ Surah At-Tin 4] and “It is He Who has created for you (the faculties of) hearing, sight, feeling and understanding: little thanks it is ye give!” [Surah Al Mu’minun:78]
In Grade Three students will learn the functions the five major physical sense organs and organ systems, reproduction of humans, plants and animals, hygiene and healthy living, and ecosystem.
Students will also continue to reflect on the Quran and Ahadeeth in order that they may understand the importance and the miraculous nature of the human faculties such as the five senses and functions of the human organ system, and other parts of the body and the creation of the universe from an Islamic perspective.
Areas of study include:
Earth and Space Science: Grade Three students will learn about the Earth (the Blue Planet) and the layers of the earth, and look at key facts about climate, weather, and rivers and lakes.
Life Science: Grade Three students will learn parts and functions of the five sense organs: sight, hearing, taste touch and smell, their miraculous functions, and the body systems and their functions: digestive system/excretory system; endocrine system and reproductive system and their functions. Students will learn also learn how to take care of their external body, skin, teeth, ears, nose, and eyes, and the importance of healthy food and living, germs diseases and preventing illnesses
Students will learn about plants and seed: parts of a seed, what seeds need to grow, the structures of plants and animals that serve different functions in growth, survival, reproduction, and their inter – dependence. They will also learn about the diverse life forms in different environments such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.
Environment Science: Students will learn the relationship between living organisms and their environment, and what environmental resources are: socioeconomic, cultural and natural resources, and non-usable, reusable and renewable resources.
Students will learn about forces that affect the earth’s surface such as earthquakes and volcanoes and others such as tornados, tsunami etc. disasters that are cause by air and water.
The Grade Three Social Studies program will focus on the theme “Muslims Cities Then and Now” by Susan Douglas. Students will learn about some of the major Islamic cities then and now Makkah and Madinah (Saudi Arabia), Bagdad (Iraq), Timbuktu (Africa), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), and Egypt (Africa) which known for either their historical, cultural and/or intellectual significance to Muslims.
Grade Three students will learn the five geographic themes location, place, human/environment interaction, movement and region. Students will learn to read map directions using map keys, symbols and compass rose, figure out distance and scale on maps; read locations such as gardens/parks, malls, post office, etc. on a map, identify resources maps (where animal, plant and mineral resources are located), region: look at the different regions covering the Middle East and Asia (Arabian Peninsula) where majority of the Muslims live.
Grade Three Islamic Studies program will comprise of the eight units: Aqeedah, Fiqh , Seerah, Sahaba Series, , Tafsir, Hadeeth, Character Education (Tahtheeb Al-Nafs), and Quran with Tajweed.
Areas of study include:
Aqeedah:
Students will review the three fundamental principles every Muslim should know, the pillars of Iman and Islam, learn the importance of seeking knowledge: awareness of Allah, His prophets, and the religion of Islam; etiquettes of knowledge: sincere intention, committing to being fearful of Allah, continual observance of Allah’s commands and abstaining from arrogance.
Students will also learn hadeeth Jibreel (a.s) the three level of deen – Islam Iman and Ihsan, the literal meaning and technical meaning of Islam, the two testimonies and their proof, meaning of establishing prayer and zakat, ruling of the person who rejects the obligation of salah and zakah, meaning of sawm, and meaning of performing Hajj.
Fiqh: Students will review Grade Two portion. In Grade Three students will learn the meaning of Dua-ul-Istiftaah (the opening supplication) , tashahhud (Salutations) and Salawat-i-Ibrahimi, places were the call of nature is forbidden, rulings of istinjaa and istijmaar, conditions for wudu, obligatory acts of wudu, the pillars of Iman: meaning of belief in the angels, belief in the Day of Judgment, the Divine destiny, and students will also learn the fiqh of salah: Conditions of Salah (Shuroot-us Salah), Pillars of Salah ( Arkaan us Salah), and supplications relevant to the above acts of worship.
Seerah: Students will review the Makkan period and continue learning about the “Madinan Period” from the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They will learn about:
The migration and the period of time spent in Medinah
The First Migration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
The Battle of Badr
The Battle of Uhud
The Tragedy of the Ma‘una Well
Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) Invasion
Farewell
Sahaba Series: This series will include study on the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who were given the glad tidings of Jannah (Ashara Mubashara). viz. Abu Bakr ibn Abu Quhafa r.a., ‘Umar Ibn Al Khattab r.a., ‘Uthmaan ibn Affan r.a. ‘Ali ibn Abu talib, Talhah ibn Ubaydillah r.a., Al-Zubayr ibn Al Awwam r.a., ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf r.a., Sa’d ubn Abi Waqqas r.a., Sa’eed ibn Zayed r.a., and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarraah r.a.
Tafsir: Students will continue to learn the importance of understanding the meanings/interpretations of short Surahs in Juz Tabarak.
Ahadeeth: In Grade Three, students will learn about the meanings and benefits of a selected group of ahadith in English translated from authentic and reliable Arabic texts. They also will learn about the biographies of the narrators of the ahadith and benefit from lessons derived from them. .
1. The Virtues of Knowledge which is Learnt and Taught for the sake of Allah: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessing be upon him) said, “Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge.” [Muslim].
2. Brotherhood and the love of God: Narrated Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
3. Mercy: Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.” [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 473].
4. Good Character (Akhlaq Hasana): Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) never used bad language neither a ‘Fahish’ nor a ‘Mutafahish.’ He used to say, ‘The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and characters.’ [Sahih Bukhari, Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 759]
5. Co-operation: Narrated Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, “The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) illustrated this by interlacing the fingers of both his hands [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Character Education (Tahtheeb Al-Nafs): Tahtheeb Al-Nafs is integrated into the entire program. Students will learn about the Sunnah of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) starting with Ikhlas (good intentions), saying Bismillah, praising Allah and memorizing a list of Supplications each year (Please refer to the YMOH Supplication book).
Quran with Tajweed: In the third and final level, students will be introduced to six units (1) The Breathless stop (2) The cut off (3) Al Alif Al Sab’ah (4) Rules of Al Mudood (5) Hamzat Al Wasal and (6) The accent. Students will also be learning selected supplications (duas) from the Quran and Sunnah.
Memorization portion: Juz At Tabaaraq
Targheeb students will use the Arabic reading text book titled “Qira’a wa Anasheed” a book approved by the Ministry of Education – Saudi Arabia publication by Dar al Aqaam beginning from Grade Three onwards. The book is similar to the Loghati series of Arabic Language books used in Grades One and Two.
The textbook is designed thematically with real life situations based on the Quran, Ahadeeth and some excellent moral messages. The themes will cover: Obedience to parents, Knowing your Lord, Our Religion, My Father, Ambitions, etc.
Grade Three Arabic Studies program will cover seven units: spelling and vocabulary, grammar mechanics, reading, listening, speaking and writing.
Spelling and Vocabulary: Students will learn new and key vocabulary words based on the reading comprehension unit covering: nouns – regular masculine and feminine plurals and broken plurals), verbs forms and their associated meanings including tables of the verb forms with their conjugations, active/passive participles, and verbal nouns, pronouns, prepositions, adjectives and adverbs of time, place, degree and manner, synonyms, antonyms and numbers.
Grammar Mechanics: Students will review definite and indefinite articles and sun and moon letters, verb forms and verb conjugations, learn case endings (nominative, genitive and accusative cases) , nouns and how to inflect nouns for gender and number (make them feminine, dual and plural),demonstrative pronouns and relative pronouns, subject and object pronouns, comparatives and superlatives, possessives pronouns, subject and predicate, negation (the imperative), conditional words/clause “if” , family of past tense Kana and inna (special converters to accusative) and noun-number constructions.
Reading: The textbooks provide ample reading and comprehension practice. In Grade Three students will read classical or fus’hah text without diacritical marks. Students will also read the Isamic Studies lessons comprising of Quranic verses and ahadeeth (references) in Arabic.
Students will also be given access to the Reading Room to access Arabic reading books appropriate to their level.
Listening: Students will watch supplementary videos related to the lesson to develop their listening skills. The videos will contain short stories from the Quran and Ahadeeth related to the theme/topics in the book.
Speaking: The textbooks are richly illustrated with visuals that help students describe and communicate their thoughts and feelings. In the class students will be encouraged to use new words and expressions in their day-to-day conversations. Students will also learn how to ask questions and answer questions using appropriate vocabulary and Arabic expressions.