THIRD
GRADE
(minimum standards)

Reading
3.1.01
Develop oral language.
- Show evidence of expanding oral language
through vocabulary growth.
- Consistently use established rules
for conversation (e.g., taking turns, raising hand, and asking
questions).
- Understand, follow, and give oral
directions.
- Respond to questions from teachers
and other group members and pose follow-up questions for clarity.
- Participate in creative responses to
text (e.g., choral reading, discussion, dramatization, and oral
presentations).
- Summarize orally what has been
learned or accomplished after completing an activity or assignment.
- Give oral presentations about
experiences or interests, using eye contact, proper pacing, adequate
volume, and clear enunciation.
3.1.02
Develop listening skills.
- Listen attentively to speaker for
specific information.
- Use appropriate listening skills
(e.g., do not interrupt, face speaker, ask questions).
- Listen and respond to a variety of
media (e.g., books, audio tapes, videos).
- Recognize the difference between
formal and informal languages.
- Follow oral directions.
3.1.03
Demonstrate knowledge of concepts of print.
- Recognize that groups of sentences
make a paragraph and paragraphs make a story or article.
- Recognize and use parts of text
(e.g., title, table of contents, glossary and index).
- Recognize and use common text
features (e.g., headings, key words, graphics).
- Recognize different forms of text
(e.g., poems, plays and stories).
3.1.04
Develop and maintain phonemic awareness.
- Develop awareness of sounds of
language through repeated exposure to a variety of auditory experiences
(e.g., poetry, books on tape, music lyrics, sound effects, and read-alouds).
- Add, delete, and change targeted
sounds to modify or change words.
- Identify and produce rhyming words
and original poems.
3.1.05
Develop and use decoding strategies.
- Use knowledge of letter-sound
correspondence knowledge and structural analysis to decode.
- Decode multi-syllabic words not yet
known as sight words.
- Use decoding strategies, such as
sounding out words, comparing similar words, breaking words into smaller words,
and looking for word parts (e.g., root words, prefixes, and suffixes).
- Use previously learned strategies to
decode and verify word meaning utilizing the context of the selection.
3.1.06
Read to develop fluency, expression, accuracy and confidence.
- Read with increasing fluency and
confidence from a variety of texts (e.g., paired readings, shared
reading, choral reading, teacher-led reading, and reading from tapes).
- Read aloud grade-appropriate
narrative and expository text fluently and accurately, using appropriate
timing, intonation, and expression.
- Participate in guided oral reading.
- Reflect punctuation within written
text while reading orally.
- Demonstrate the automatic recognition
of high frequency words.
- Read daily and independently from a variety
of texts.
3.1.07
Develop and extend reading vocabulary.
- Build vocabulary by listening to
literature and participating in discussion.
- Build vocabulary through frequent
read-alouds.
- Determine word meaning using root
words, prefixes, and suffixes.
- Recognize and use compound words,
contractions, and abbreviations.
- Determine the meaning of unfamiliar
words by using context clues, dictionaries, and other classroom
resources.
- Use antonyms and synonyms to
facilitate understanding of words.
- Use context clues to determine
meaning of multi-meaning words.
- Manipulate word walls and word sorts.
- Build vocabulary by reading a wide
range of text types inside and outside the classroom.
3.1.08
Develop and use pre-reading strategies.
- Identify a purpose for reading (e.g.,
for information, for enjoyment, for understanding a writer’s position).
- Participate in activities to build
background knowledge to make meaning from text.
- Make predictions using text features
(e.g., illustrations and graphics).
- Preview text using illustrations,
graphics, text format, text structures and skimming.
- Connect life experience to
information and events in texts.
3.1.09
Use active comprehension strategies to derive meaning while reading and check
for understanding after reading.
- Derive meaning while reading by
- formulating clarifying questions.
- predicting outcomes based upon prior
knowledge and adjust as knowledge is gained while reading.
- using metacognitive
reading strategies to monitor comprehension (e. g., reread, read ahead,
adjust reading speed ).
- creating a mental image.
- expressing reactions and personal
opinions in response to a selection.
- Check for understanding after reading
- drawing conclusions based on
evidence gained while reading.
- sequencing story events and/or text
information.
- recognizing cause and effect
relationships in text.
- discussing similarities and
differences in text events, characters, and character actions.
- distinguishing between fact and
opinion.
- recognizing the stated/ implied main
idea of the text
- discussing author’s purpose for
writing.
3.1.10
Introduce informational skills to facilitate learning.
- Use outside resources to access
information (e.g., family and community).
- Use media sources to access
information (e.g., online catalog, non-fiction books, encyclopedias,
CD-ROM references, Internet).
- Use text referenced material (e.g.,
dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, magazines, and newspapers).
- Gather and record information on a
topic.
3.1.11
Develop skills to facilitate reading to learn in a variety of content areas.
- Develop and maintain content specific
vocabulary.
- Use text features to locate
information (e.g., charts, tables of contents, maps, illustrations).
- Apply skills and strategies to
comprehend informational text (e.g., pre-reading strategies,
comprehension strategies).
- Use self-correction strategies while
reading (e.g., pausing, rereading, asking for help).
3.1.12
Read independently for a variety of purposes.
- Read for literary experience.
- Read to gain information.
- Read to perform a task.
- Read for enjoyment.
- Read to expand vocabulary.
- Read to build fluency.
3.1.13
Experience various literary and media genres.
- Read and view various literary (e.g.,
short stories, fairy tales, non-fiction texts, biographies, folktales,
and poetry) and media (e.g., photographs, the arts, films, video) genres.
- Understand the main idea or message
in visual media (e.g., pictures, cartoons, weather reports on television,
newspaper, photographs).
- Define and identify setting.
- Define and identify the characters.
- Differentiate between main and minor
characters.
- Determine the problem in a story,
discover its solution, and consider alternate solutions.
- Identify types of stories (e.g.,
folktales, fables, fairy tales).
- Compare and contrast different
versions/representations of similar stories, legends, lessons or events
reflecting different cultures.
- Explore the ways in which language is
used in literary texts (e.g., rhythm, beat, imagery, simile, and metaphor).
- Explore the concept of first person
point of view.
3.1.14
Develop and maintain a motivation to read.
- Visit libraries/media centers and
regularly check out materials.
- Engage in a variety of literacy activities
voluntarily (self-select books and stories).
- Read longer narrative and expository
text independently including chapter books.
- Select literature based on personal
needs and interests from a variety of genres and by different authors.
- Choose works from favorite
authors/illustrators and genres.
- Relate literary experiences (e.g.,
book discussions, literacy circles, writing, oral presentations, artistic
representations).
- Experience daily opportunities to
read.
- Choose to read as a leisure activity.

Writing
3.2.01
Use a variety of pre-writing strategies.
- Brainstorm ideas with teacher and
peers.
- Write key thoughts and questions,
record reactions and observations and group related ideas.
- Construct graphic organizers to group
ideas for writing (e.g., webs, charts, graphs, diagrams, illustrations).
- Select a focus when writing.
- Use a variety of sources to gather
information.
- Write with awareness of a specified
audience (e.g., self, peers, teachers, and adults).
3.2.02
Write for a variety of purposes.
- Continue to write to acquire and
exhibit knowledge (e.g., paragraphs, reports and answer questions).
- Continue to write to entertain (e.g.,
stories, poems, riddles, cartoons).
- Continue to write to inform (e.g., friendly
letters, reports, invitations, journals, notes, lists).
- Write in response to a prompt (e.g.,
to respond to a picture, story, art).
3.2.03
Show evidence of drafting and revision with written work.
- Compose first drafts using
appropriate parts of the writing process.
- Write in complete sentences using
descriptive language.
- Develop a paragraph with a topic
sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence.
- Arrange events in a logical,
sequential order.
- Write stories that have a beginning,
middle, and end.
- Use correct page format (e.g.,
paragraphs, margins, indentations and titles).
- Use resources (e.g., dictionaries,
thesaurus, computer) to aid in the writing process.
- Revise writing to improve detail
after determining what could be added or deleted (e.g., reread; rearrange
words, sentences, paragraphs; add descriptive words; remove unneeded
information; incorporate suggestions and vary sentence structures).
3.2.04
Include editing before the completion of finished work.
- Apply elements of language (e.g., end
marks, commas in a series, capitalization); usage (e.g., subject and verb
agreement in a simple sentence); and sentence structure (e.g.,
elimination of fragments) when writing and editing.
- Use classroom resources (e.g., word
walls, dictionaries, teacher, peers, appropriate technology, student
generated word books) to aid in proofreading.
- Use knowledge of letter sounds, word
parts, word segmentation, and syllabication to monitor and correct
spelling.
- Create readable documents with
legible handwriting.
- Write legibly in manuscript and in
cursive.
3.2.05
Evaluate own and others’ writing.
- Use a rubric to evaluate own and
others’ writing.
- Evaluate own and others’ writing
through small group discussion and shared work.
- Record and evaluate suggestions and
reactions with peers.
- Recognize positive features and give
feedback to peers.
- Review personal collection to
determine progress.
3.2.06
Experience numerous publishing opportunities.
- Produce a variety of written works (e.g.,
literature response, reports, "published" books, book reports)
in various formats.
- Use technology to publish writing.
- Incorporate photographs or
illustrations.
- Share completed work.
- Create individual and classroom
books.
- Identify opportunities for
publication (e.g., national and/or local contests, websites, newspapers,
periodicals).
3.2.07
Write narrative accounts.
- Write in response to a narrative
prompt.
- Write an account based on personal
experience that has a clear focus and supporting details (e.g., use
illustrations and lists).
- Use classroom rubric as a guide for
writing a narrative.
3.2.08
Write frequently across content areas.
- Summarize concepts presented in
science (e.g., illustrations, sentences, paragraphs, reports).
- Summarize concepts presented in
social studies (e.g., illustrations, sentences, paragraphs, reports).
- Write in math journals, create math
stories, and write explanations for problem solving.
- Participate in shared writings about
the arts and personal activities.
3.2.09
Write expressively using original ideas, reflections, and observations.
- Create stories and poems.
- Write brief descriptions of a real
object, person, place, or event using sensory details.
- Write to express opinions and
judgments.
- Write for personal enjoyment using
individual expression and creative imagination.
3.2.10
Write in response to literature.
- Summarize a story.
- Write a different ending to a story.
- Write to describe story elements
(e.g., setting, characters, plot, problem, solution/conclusion).
- Compare characters, settings, and
events within and between stories.
3.2.11
Write in a variety of modes and genres.
- Write stories.
- Write a descriptive paragraph.
- Write a narrative paragraph.
- Write a how-to paragraph.
- Write a compare-contrast paragraph.
- Write a variety of poems.
- Write a report.
- Write a friendly letter.
- Write in journal.
Elements
of Language
3.3.01
Demonstrate knowledge of standard English usage.
- Use nouns appropriately (e.g., nouns
as subjects, singular, plurals and possessive).
- Use verbs appropriately (e.g., past,
present and future tenses, irregular verbs, agreement with simple and
compound subjects).
- Use pronouns appropriately (e.g.,
subject and object, pronouns, substitution for nouns, agreement with
antecedents).
- Use adjectives appropriately (e.g.,
vivid descriptive words, comparative/ superlative, and articles).
- Use adverbs appropriately (e.g.,
common formation and placement in a sentence).
- Recognize usage errors (e.g., double
negatives, troublesome words [to, two; their, there, they’re] ).
3.3.02
Demonstrate knowledge of standard English mechanics.
- Use capitalization when writing
names, dates, cities and states, addresses, holidays, and titles of
books.
- Capitalize the first word in a
sentence, proper nouns, titles, abbreviations, parts of a friendly
letter, and the first word in a direct quotation.
- Use commas in dates, locations,
addresses and items in a series.
- Use correct punctuation (e.g., end
punctuation, periods in initials, abbreviations and titles before names;
colon between hour and minutes, parts of a letter).
- Recognize and use contractions and
possessives using apostrophes.
- Write legibly in manuscript and in
cursive.
3.3.03
Demonstrate knowledge of standard English spelling.
- Spell high-frequency words correctly.
- Spell correctly commonly misspelled
words as appropriate to grade level.
- Spell correctly words that have
blends, contractions, and orthographic patterns (e.g., consonant
doubling, changing "y" to "i,"
dropping the final silent "e" before adding the suffix).
- Form and spell contractions, plurals
and possessives correctly.
- Arrange and identify words in
alphabetical order for practical purposes occurring in everyday life
(e.g., lists, card catalog, phone directory).
- Use a dictionary and other resources
to verify spelling.
3.3.04
Demonstrate knowledge of correct sentence structure.