Montana 3rd Grade Curriculum & Standards Guide

Montana standards

Math

2026 Montana Mathematics Content Standards

Based on Common Core · adopted 2025

Adopted in 2025 and in effect since July 1, 2026. They keep Common Core domains, with Montana codes such as MT.3.OA.1, and three Grade 3 standards ask for cultural context relating to Montana Indigenous Peoples and local communities (MT.3.OA.8, MT.3.MD.3, MT.3.MD.7).

Official standards

English Language Arts

Montana Content Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy

Common Core · adopted 2011

The 2011 Common Core-based standards stay in effect through 2026-27; newly adopted standards take effect in July 2027. Codes are the national ones, such as RL.3.2, and seven Grade 3 standards add works or sources by and about American Indians.

Official standards

Science

Montana Science Content Standards

Based on the national science framework · adopted 2016

Adopted in 2016 and in effect since July 1, 2017. The 15 Grade 3 standards follow the national science standards, with no separate engineering design standards. They are printed without codes; the state's Grade 3 guide labels them with the national identifiers, such as 3-PS2-1.

Official standards

Social Studies

Montana Content Standards for Social Studies for K-12

State standards informed by the national social studies framework

Revised in 2020 and in effect since July 1, 2021, with Indian Education for All built in. Grade 3 has 11 standards, written like SS.CG.3.1, on local and tribal government, economic choices, maps and landforms of the Americas, and the tribes in Montana.

Official standards

Grade 3 differences

1. In Montana

   Social studies: children identify the tribes in Montana by their original and current names (SS.H.3.1).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Weeks 6 and 12 (Native peoples; Native nations across regions): study the tribal nations and seven reservations of Montana, using the state education office's Indian Education for All Grade 3 materials.

2. In Montana

   Social studies: children describe the basic functions of local government, including tribal governments (SS.CG.3.1).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Week 19 (local government): compare a city or county government with a tribal government in Montana.

3. In Montana

   Social studies: Grade 3 geography looks at maps, political and cultural patterns, and landforms across the Americas (SS.G.3.1, SS.G.3.3), not just the United States.

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Week 10 (U.S. geography): widen the map work to Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America.

4. In Montana

   ELA: seven Grade 3 standards add reading, research or speaking that includes works or sources by and about American Indians (RL.3.2, RL.3.6, RL.3.9, RI.3.3, W.3.7, W.3.8, SL.3.4).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   ELA Week 4 (folktales, fables, myths) and Week 16 (comparing texts): include stories by American Indian authors. ELA Weeks 28-30 (research report) and Week 33 (presentation): let your child research and present a topic about a Montana tribe, using sources written by tribal members.

5. In Montana

   Social studies: children explain how perspective affects the telling of historical events (SS.H.3.2).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Week 7 (explorers and settlers): read two accounts of the same event, one from settlers and one from a tribal nation, and talk about how they differ.

6. In Montana

   Social studies: children identify key symbols of nations (SS.CG.3.3).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Week 15 (culture): compare the flags and symbols of the United States, a tribal nation and one other country.

7. In Montana

   Math: liquid volume and mass are measured in customary and metric units, not only grams, kilograms and liters (MT.3.MD.2).

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Math Week 26 (mass and liquid volume): add customary units, such as ounces, pounds, cups, quarts and gallons, alongside grams, kilograms and liters.

8. In Montana

   Social studies: Montana places the three branches of government (SS.CG.5.5) and U.S. regions (SS.G.5.1) in Grade 5, not Grade 3.

   Suggested swap in Third Grade

   Social Studies Week 20 (three branches) and Week 11 (five U.S. regions): keep them as a short preview, and use the extra days for tribal government and the geography of the Americas.

Grade 3 public-school test

Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Assessment (MAST), ELA and mathematics

Given in Grades 3-8.

About this test

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

Homeschool rules

Check your state's current homeschool rules with its education department. Montana homeschool page

Sources

• Montana PK-12 Mathematics Content Standards (2026 Montana Mathematics Content Standards) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Montana Content Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy, Third Grade (adopted November 2011) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• English Language Arts and Literacy Standards · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Montana Science Content Standards (2016) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Montana Science Model Curriculum Guide by Grade Level: Grade 3 · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Montana Content Standards for Social Studies for K-12 (2021) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• The Seven Indian Reservations of Montana (Grade 3 Fast Facts) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Montana Content Standards Revisions: Adoption, Revision, and Repeal History (updated July 2025) · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• MontCAS · Montana Office of Public Instruction
• Home School Packet · Montana Office of Public Instruction

Verified 2026-10-08