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    Florida 3rd Grade Curriculum & Standards Guide

    How Florida's third grade standards line up with Third Grade.

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    Florida standards

    Math

    Florida's Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for Mathematics

    State's own standards · adopted 2020

    Adopted on February 12, 2020, replacing Florida's Common Core-based standards, and used in all grades since 2022-23. Grade 3 goes further in places: numbers to 10,000, facts to 12 x 12, more fraction sizes, lines and symmetry, temperature and circle graphs; codes look like MA.3.NSO.1.4 (rounding). Florida leaves generating equivalent fractions, unknown side lengths and line plots with fractions to Grade 4.

    Official standards

    English Language Arts

    Florida's Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for English Language Arts

    State's own standards · adopted 2020

    Florida's own standards, adopted on February 12, 2020. Grade 3 reading and writing are close to Third Grade (narrative, opinion and expository writing, research, poetry, figurative language), but Florida has no Grade 3 benchmarks for discussion or listening, only oral presentation (ELA.3.C.2.1), and its grammar list differs. Florida adds cursive: all upper- and lowercase letters (ELA.3.C.1.1).

    Official standards

    Science

    Florida's State Academic Standards for Science

    State's own standards · adopted 2008

    Adopted in February 2008, before the national framework. Grade 3 topics are stars and the Sun, gravity, properties of matter, changes of state, energy, light and heat, and plants and animal groups, with codes such as SC.3.P.9.1 (water changing state). A rewrite began in September 2026; no adoption date has been set.

    Official standards

    Social Studies

    Florida's State Academic Standards for Social Studies

    State's own standards

    The document in force is the 2025 edition. Grade 3 studies the United States alongside Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean: maps, the five U.S. regions and their states, landforms, climate, resources and cultures, plus the U.S. and Florida Constitutions, money and trade. Codes look like SS.3.G.2.2.

    Official standards

    Standard-by-standard crosswalk

    See every national third grade standard matched to Florida's own codes.

    • Math: 3 same · 28 close · 6 partly · 0 not in Grade 3
    • English Language Arts: 10 same · 47 close · 18 partly · 15 not in Grade 3
    • Science: 0 same · 0 close · 1 partly · 17 not in Grade 3
    Open the Florida crosswalk

    Grade 3 differences

    1. In Florida

      Science: Florida's Grade 3 topics are stars, the Sun and gravity (SC.3.E.5), the Sun heating objects (SC.3.E.6.1), properties of matter and changes of state (SC.3.P.8, SC.3.P.9), energy, light and heat (SC.3.P.10, SC.3.P.11), plant parts and sorting animals and plants into groups (SC.3.L.14, SC.3.L.15), and how living things respond to the seasons and plants make food (SC.3.L.17). Pushes and pulls, weather and climate, and inherited traits are not Grade 3 topics in Florida.

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Science Week 5 (flex week): stars, the Sun and gravity, and how the Sun heats objects; Week 14 (flex week): measure mass, volume and temperature and watch water melt, freeze, boil and condense; Week 23 (flex week): light and heat; Week 13 (animal groups): this week is about animals living in groups, so add sorting animals into mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, plus plant parts and seed and spore plants; Week 12 (food chains): how plants make their own food; Week 26 (climate adaptations): how plants and animals respond to the seasons.

    2. In Florida

      Math: children read, write, order and compare numbers to 10,000 (MA.3.NSO.1.1, MA.3.NSO.1.3) and learn multiplication and division facts with factors up to 12 (MA.3.NSO.2.2, MA.3.NSO.2.4). Common Core stays within 1,000 and 10 x 10.

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Math Week 1 (place value and rounding): add four-digit numbers to 10,000 in standard, expanded and word form. Math Weeks 6-8 (multiplication facts): carry on to the x11 and x12 facts.

    3. In Florida

      Math: fractions use denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 and include fractions greater than one (MA.3.FR.1.2, MA.3.FR.2.1). Common Core uses 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 in Grade 3.

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Math Weeks 19-22 (fractions): add fifths, tenths and twelfths, and count past one whole with fractions such as 5/4.

    4. In Florida

      Math: children draw points, lines, line segments, rays, and intersecting, perpendicular and parallel lines (MA.3.GR.1.1) and draw lines of symmetry (MA.3.GR.1.3). Common Core places these in Grade 4.

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Math Weeks 33-34 (polygons; quadrilaterals): draw and name points, lines, segments, rays, parallel and perpendicular lines, and fold shapes to find lines of symmetry.

    5. In Florida

      Math: children add and subtract multi-digit numbers with a standard algorithm (MA.3.NSO.2.1), multiply by multiples of 100 (MA.3.NSO.2.3), decide whether multiplication and division equations are true or false (MA.3.AR.2.2), tell even from odd numbers to 1,000 (MA.3.AR.3.1), find multiples (MA.3.AR.3.2), use a.m. and p.m. (MA.3.M.2.1) and work with customary units such as feet, pounds and cups (MA.3.M.1.2).

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Math Weeks 2-3 (add and subtract within 1,000): teach the standard written method and sort numbers into even and odd; Week 13 (properties): add true-or-false equations; Week 16 (patterns, multiplying by multiples of 10): add multiples of 100 and listing multiples; Week 25 (time): add a.m. and p.m.; Week 26 (mass and liquid volume): add feet, pounds and cups.

    6. In Florida

      ELA: children write all upper- and lowercase letters in cursive (ELA.3.C.1.1), identify types of poems such as rhymed verse, haiku and limerick (ELA.3.R.1.4), and learn progressive and perfect verb tenses, prepositional phrases and commas for direct address (ELA.3.C.3.1).

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      All year: add 10 minutes of cursive practice two or three days a week, starting in ELA Week 1. ELA Week 15 (poetry): name the type of each poem you read. ELA Week 13 (revise and edit): add the two verb tenses, prepositional phrases and commas for direct address.

    7. In Florida

      Social studies: children label the countries and commonwealths of North America and the Caribbean (SS.3.G.2.1), describe the land, climate and resources of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean (SS.3.G.2.4, SS.3.G.3.1, SS.3.G.3.2) and compare their currencies (SS.3.E.1.4).

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Social Studies Weeks 10 and 11 (U.S. geography; five U.S. regions): add maps of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with their landforms, climate and resources; Week 30 (earning, banks and budgets): compare U.S., Canadian, Mexican and Caribbean money.

    8. In Florida

      Social studies: children analyze primary and secondary sources (SS.3.A.1.1 to SS.3.A.1.3), identify African American heroes and patriots (SS.3.AA.1.1), explain patriotic holidays (SS.3.CG.2.3) and recognize the symbols, people, documents and events that represent the United States (SS.3.CG.2.4) and Florida (SS.3.CG.2.5).

      Suggested swap in Third Grade

      Social Studies Week 8 (how our community began): compare a primary and a secondary source; Week 17 state project: choose Florida and include its symbols; Week 20 (three branches): add national symbols, documents and patriotic holidays; Week 21 (citizens' rights and responsibilities): read about African American heroes such as Rosa Parks and the Tuskegee Airmen.

    Grade 3 public-school test

    Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST)

    Grade 3 public-school students take FAST ELA Reading and FAST Mathematics three times a year, at the beginning, middle and end of the year.

    About this test

    Shown for context. Homeschool testing rules are separate; see below.

    Homeschool rules (unofficial summary)

    Unofficial summary, not legal advice, and not endorsed by any state or agency; rules change, so check official sources and thirdgrade.com/states before acting.

    Ways to homeschool

    • Home education program under Florida Statutes 1002.41 (notice to the county, portfolio, annual evaluation).
    • Enroll in a private school under 1002.42, including a private school that serves home-taught students. The private school, not the district, keeps the records.
    • Personalized Education Program (PEP), a parent-directed option under the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship. PEP students register with a scholarship funding organization, not the school district.

    Notice or filing

    Home education: send a signed written notice to the district school superintendent of your county within 30 days of starting, with each child's full legal name, address and birthdate. The district must accept the notice and register the program on receipt. When the program ends, file a written notice of termination with the superintendent within 30 days, along with the annual evaluation.

    Where to file

    District school superintendent of the county where you live (not the state)

    Filings go to your county school district. Use FLDOE's Home Education District Contacts list to find your county's home education contact and address.

    Office website

    Whether you can file online depends on your county. FLDOE does not receive home education notices. For statewide questions, FLDOE Virtual and Home Education lists 850-245-0502 and toll-free 800-447-1636 (https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/home-edu/).

    Required subjects

    The home education law does not list required subjects. FLDOE says the law 'does not prescribe a curriculum or course of study.'

    Instruction time

    None. FLDOE says there are no specific hourly requirements.

    Testing or evaluation

    An annual educational evaluation filed with the superintendent's office each year, showing progress 'at a level commensurate with her or his ability.' The parent chooses one: (1) a teacher holding a valid regular Florida certificate reviews the portfolio and talks with the child; (2) any nationally normed student achievement test given by a certified teacher; (3) a state student assessment used by the district, given by a certified teacher under district-approved conditions; (4) an evaluation by a licensed psychologist or school psychologist (s. 490.003(7) or (8)); or (5) another valid tool agreed with the superintendent. PEP students instead take a nationally norm-referenced test or state assessment each year and follow a customized learning plan.

    Records to keep

    A portfolio: a log of educational activities made at the time they happen, with reading materials listed by title, plus samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials. Keep it for 2 years. The superintendent may inspect it with 15 days' written notice.

    Parent or teacher qualifications

    None for the parent. For evaluation option (1) the teacher must hold a valid regular Florida certificate; options (2) and (3) must be given by a certified teacher.

    Recent changes

    Section 1002.41 was last amended in 2018 (ch. 2018-134), per the History note in the 2026 Florida Statutes. Compulsory school age is 6 to 16.

    Official sources

    Verified 2026-09-30

    This is an unofficial, high-level summary of selected state homeschooling requirements, prepared for general information only. It is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or reviewed by any state, government agency, school district, court or other organization named in it. It is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including as to accuracy, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, regulations, agency guidance, forms, addresses, phone numbers and procedures change, sometimes without notice. This summary was accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the verification date shown for each state, and we do not undertake to update the printed edition. Relevant rules may also appear in other statutes, regulations, local policies or case law not covered here, and your situation (for example, a child with special needs, a move between states or districts, or enrollment in a scholarship, charter or umbrella program) may be governed by additional rules. Before acting, consult the official sources listed for your state and, where applicable, your local school district or county office. For advice about your own situation, consider consulting a qualified attorney licensed in your state. For updates, check thirdgrade.com/states.

    Sources

    Verified 2026-10-08