Grade Three

The standards for third-grade students include an introduction to the heritage and contributions of the peoples of ancient Greece and Rome and the West African empire of Mali. Students will explain the importance of the basic principles of democracy and will identify the contributions of selected individuals. Students will recognize that Americans are a people who have diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who all contribute to American life, and who are united as Americans by common principles.

History
3.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy), and sports.
3.2 The student will study the early West African empire of Mali by describing its oral tradition (storytelling), government (kings), and economic development (trade).
3.3 The student will study the exploration of the Americas by a) describing the accomplishments of Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de León, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport; b) identifying the reasons for exploring, the information gained, the results of the travels, and the impact of the travels on American Indians.

Civics
3.10 The student will recognize the importance of government in the community, Virginia, and the United States of America by
a) explaining the purpose of rules and laws;
b) explaining that the basic purposes of government are to make laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken;
c) explaining that government protects the rights and property of individuals.
3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by
a) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;
b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;
c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms, d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.
3.12 The student will recognize that Americans are a people of diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who are united by the basic principles of a republican form of government and respect for individual rights and freedoms.