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3rd Grade PAT Curriculum
Theme: Discoveries
Generalizations:
• Discovery often leads to new discoveries.
• Discovery requires taking a risk.
• Discoveries can lead to new solutions over time.
• Discoveries depend on a combination of flexibility and stubbornness.
Third Grade PAT is a playground for developing a variety of thinking skills. During class time each week, students participate in activities which focus on developing creative and critical thinking skills. Individually and in small groups, students are encouraged to use these skills in planned challenge activities. Opportunities are also provided for utilizing effective leadership skills.
To encourage critical thinking each class begins or ends with quick brainteasers. These activities usually take 15-20 minutes and encourage students to solve problems at a high level. Students build their ability to assess problems quickly that may be challenging or frustrating. If students do not find a correct solution on their first attempt they are encouraged to be persistent and not give up when facing a challenge.
Problem-solving activities guide students' creative thinking and help them evaluate the best solution to a problem. Examples of creative thinking might include Spontaneous Problem Solving (problem given to students to solve) and Creative Problem Solving (students decide which problem is most pertinent and then develop a solution that solves the problem).
This fall the third graders will tackle a research project. As part of the research process students will read from multiple sources, take notes, read maps and organize the data to create a product to present to the class. As the students "travel across the U.S.A." they will discover the treasures our National Parks have to offer.
http://www.nsa.gov/kids
http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/page.cfm?pageid=159
http://www.otr.com/ciphers.shtml
Students will also explore geometric relationships as they develop spatial relationships and apply logical reasoning to spatial tasks. Snapcubes are arranged to explore congruence, to compare figures and to relate three-dimensional figures to two-dimensional figures.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/math_explorer/greeting_card.pdf
http://www.exploratorium.edu/math_explorer/
Other areas of study this year include:
• Elimination Logic (Perplexers, Logic Tic Tac Toe)
• Grid Logic
• Draw Starts
• Questioning
• SCAMPER
• Creative Problem Solving
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