GRADE 3 LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM

READING

Word Recognition and Word Study

Students Will:

Recognize frequently encountered words in print with the number of words that can be read fluently increasing steadily across the school year.

Use structural, syntactic, and semantic cues to automatically read frequently encountered words, decode unknown words, and decide meanings.

Know the meanings of words encountered frequently.

Fluency

Students Will:

Apply aspects of fluency including pauses, emphasis, intonation, and automatic recognition of grade-level words and sight words while reading aloud.

Vocabulary

Students Will:

Determine the meaning of words and phrases using strategies and resources.

Narrative Text

Students Will:

Explain how characters express attitudes.

Identify and describe basic elements and purpose of a variety of narrative genre.

Identify and describe characters, story themes, main idea, and lessons or morals.

Explain how authors use literary devices to develop a story theme.

Informational Text

Students Will:

Identify and describe basic elements, features, and purpose of informational genre.

Identify informational text patterns.

Explain how authors use text features to enhance the understanding of ideas.

Comprehension

Students Will:

Connect personal knowledge to themes in text through oral and written responses.

Retell in sequence the story elements.

Compare and contrast relationships among characters, events, and ideas within and across texts.

Apply significant knowledge from science, social studies, and mathematical texts.

Metacognition

Students Will:

Self-monitor comprehension when reading of listening to texts.

Plan, monitor, regulate, evaluate skills, strategies, and processes to construct and convey meaning and use graphic organizers to deepen understanding.

Critical Standards

Students Will:

Develop, discuss, and apply standards using rubrics to begin to assess the quality and accuracy of their writing and the writing of others.

Reading Attitude

Students Will:

Be enthusiastic about reading and do reading and writing on their own.

WRITING

Writing Genre

Students Will:

Write a narrative piece using personification, setting, actions and thoughts that reveal character traits.

Write poetry.

Write an informational piece.

Use the writing process to produce and present a research project.

Writing Process

Students Will:

Apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative and informational writing.

Draft focused ideas in written compositions.

Revise drafts based on constructive responses to writing.

Proofread and edit writing using appropriate resources.

Personal Style

Students Will:

Exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message.

Grammar and Usage

Students Will:

Set a purpose, and replicate author’s styles when writing.

Use subjects, predicates, and punctuation marks correctly.

Recognize nouns, verbs, and adjectives and use them correctly.

Capiltalize the beginning of a sentence and proper nouns.

Spelling

Students Will:

Spell frequently encountered words correctly.

Handwriting

Students Will:

Write the cursive alphabet fluently and legibly.

Writing Attitude

Students Will:

Be enthusiastic about writing and learning to write.

SPEAKING

Conventions

Students Will:

Use common grammatical structures correctly when speaking.

Adjust their use of language to communicate effectively for different purposes.

Speak effectively emphasizing key words and a varied pace.

Present in standard-American English.

Understand language differences in communities and cultures.

Discourse

Students Will:

Discuss narratives.

Respond to multiple text types.

Plan and deliver presentations.

LISTENING AND VIEWING

Conventions

Students Will:

Ask questions of the speaker that will provide additional elaboration and details.

Listen to or view while demonstrating appropriate social skills.

Distinguish between and explain how verbal and non-verbal strategies enhance understanding.

Be aware that media has a role in focusing attention and shaping opinions.

Response

Students Will:

Listen to or view a variety of genre.

Select, listen to or view knowledgeably, and respond thoughtfully to classic and contemporary texts.

Respond to multiple text types.

Combine skills to reveal strengthening literacy.

Respond to and retell what a speaker said.