Grade 3 ELA B.E.S.T. Standards

Communicating Through Writing

Communicating Through Writing

Write in cursive all upper- and lowercase letters.

Handwriting: Write in cursive all upper- and lowercase letters.

Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical sequence of events, appropriate descriptions, dialogue, a variety of transitional words or phrases, and an ending.

Narrative Writing: Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical sequence of events, appropriate descriptions, dialogue, a variety of transitional words or phrases, and an ending.

Write opinions about a topic or text, include reasons supported by details from one or more sources, use transitions, and provide a conclusion.

Argumentative Writing: Write opinions about a topic or text, include reasons supported by details from one or more sources, use transitions, and provide a conclusion.

Write expository texts about a topic, using one or more sources, providing an introduction, facts and details, some elaboration, transitions, and a conclusion.

Expository Writing: Write expository texts about a topic, using one or more sources, providing an introduction, facts and details, some elaboration, transitions, and a conclusion.

Improve writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing with guidance and support from adults and feedback from peers.

Improving Writing: Improve writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing with guidance and support from adults and feedback from peers.

Communicating Orally

Communicating Orally

Present information orally, in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Oral Presentation: Present information orally, in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Following Conventions

Following Conventions

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Conventions: Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Researching

Researching

Conduct research to answer a question, organizing information about the topic from multiple sources.

Researching and Using Information: Conduct research to answer a question, organizing information about the topic from multiple sources.

Creating and Collaborating

Creating and Collaborating

Use two or more multimedia elements to enhance oral or written tasks.

Multimedia: Use two or more multimedia elements to enhance oral or written tasks.

Use digital writing tools individually or collaboratively to plan, draft, and revise writing.

Technology in Communication ELA.3.C.5.2: Use digital writing tools individually or collaboratively to plan, draft, and revise writing.

Learning and Applying Foundational Reading Skills

Learning and Applying Foundational Reading Skills

Use knowledge of grade-level phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words.

Phonics and Word Analysis: Use knowledge of grade-level phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words.

Decode words with common Greek and Latin roots and affixes.

Decode words with common Greek and Latin roots and affixes. (See 3.V.1.2)

Decode words with common derivational suffixes and describe how they turn words into different parts of speech. (e.g., -ful, -less, -est).

Decode words with common derivational suffixes and describe how they turn words into different parts of speech (e.g., -ful, -less, -est).

Decode multisyllabic words.

Decode multisyllabic words.

Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression.

Fluency: Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression.

Reading Prose and Poetry

Reading Prose and Poetry

Explain how one or more characters develop throughout the plot in a literary text.

Literary Elements: Explain how one or more characters develop throughout the plot in a literary text.

Explain a theme and how it develops, using details, in a literary text.

Theme: Explain a theme and how it develops, using details, in a literary text.

Explain different characters' perspectives in a literary text

Perspective and Point of View: Explain different characters’ perspectives in a literary text.

Identify types of poems: free verse, rhymed verse, haiku, and limerick.

Poetry: Identify types of poems: free verse, rhymed verse, haiku, and limerick.

Reading Informational Text

Reading Informational Text

Explain how text features contribute to meaning and identify the text structures of chronology, comparison, and cause/effect in texts.

Structure: Explain how text features contribute to meaning and identify the text structures of chronology, comparison, and cause/effect in texts.

Identify the central idea and explain how relevant details support that idea in a text.

Central Idea: Identify the central idea and explain how relevant details support that idea in a text.

Explain the development of an author's purpose in an informational text.

Purpose and Perspective: Explain the development of an author’s purpose in an informational text.

Identify an author's claim and explain how an author uses evidence to support the claim.

Argument: Identify an author’s claim and explain how an author uses evidence to support the claim.

Reading Across Genres

Reading Across Genres

Identify and explain metaphors, personification, and hyperbole in text(s).

Interpreting Figurative Language: Identify and explain metaphors, personification, and hyperbole in text(s).

Summarize a text to enhance comprehension.

Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Summarize a text to enhance comprehension.

Include plot and theme for a literary text.

Include plot and theme for a literary text.

Use the central idea and relevant details for an informational text.

Use the central idea and relevant details for an informational text.

Compare and contrast how two authors present information on the same topic or theme.

Comparative Reading: Compare and contrast how two authors present information on the same topic or theme.

Finding Meaning

Finding Meaning

Use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing.

Academic Vocabulary: Use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing.

Identify and apply knowledge of common Greek and Latin roots, base words, and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content.

Morphology: Identify and apply knowledge of common Greek and Latin roots, base words, and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content.

Use context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of multiple-meaning and unknown words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.

Context and Connotation: Use context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of multiple-meaning and unknown words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.

Foundational Skills

The term perspective means “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something.” The term point of view is used when referring to the person of the narrator. This is to prevent confusion and conflation.

Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

Form and use compound sentences.

Form and use the progressive and perfect verb tenses.

Multimedia elements may include, but are not limited to, drawings, pictures, artifacts, and audio or digital representation. At this grade level, the elements should relate directly to the presentation. The elements can reinforce or complement the information being shared. There is no expectation that the elements be fully integrated into the presentation.

Vocabulary

Use conjunctions.

Instruction for this benchmark should include text read-alouds and think-alouds aimed at building and activating background knowledge. Review of words learned in this way is critical to building background knowledge and related vocabulary. Texts read aloud can be two grade levels higher than student reading level.

Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs.

Conjugate regular and irregular verb tenses.

While the benchmark does require that students consult multiple sources, there is no requirement that they use every source they consult. Part of the skill in researching is discernment—being able to tell which information is relevant and which sources are trustworthy enough to include.

Grade-level texts, for the purposes of fluency, are those within the grade band on quantitative text complexity measures and appropriate in content and qualitative measures.

See Elementary Figurative Language.

See Writing Types.

Use subject-verb agreement with intervening clauses and phrases.

As needed refers to the fact that sometimes instruction will focus on a specific skill or part of the process. In those instances, only the applicable activity will be engaged in.

In addition to the types of figurative language listed in this benchmark, students are still working with types from previous grades such as simile, alliteration, and idiom. Other examples can be used in instruction.

Use commas to indicate direct address.

See Common Greek and Latin Roots 3-5 and Affixes.

See Fluency Norms for grade-level norms. Norms are expressed as words correct per minute (WCPM), a measure that combines accuracy with rate.

K-12 ELA Expectations

Use appositives, main clauses, and subordinate clauses.

For examples of these forms, see Appendix B.

Communication

Communication

Form and use irregular plural nouns.

Nonverbal cues appropriate to this grade level are posture, tone, and expressive delivery. Clear pronunciation should be interpreted to mean an understanding and application of phonics rules and sight words as well as care taken in delivery. A student’s speech impediment should not be considered as impeding clear pronunciation. This grade level introduces an expectation that the information be presented in a logical sequence. A student may self-correct an error in sequence.

Reading

Vocabulary

See Writing Types and Elaborative Techniques.

Use prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Use quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations.

Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs.

Grade-level academic vocabulary consists of words that are likely to appear across subject areas for the current grade level and beyond, vital to comprehension, critical for academic discussions and writing, and usually require explicit instruction.

Appropriate prosody refers to pausing patterns during oral reading that reflect the punctuation and meaning of a text. See Sample Oral Reading Fluency Rubrics for prosody.

Reading

See Affixes and the Parts of Speech They Form.

See Conventions Progression by Grade Level for more information.

Most grade-level texts are appropriate for this benchmark.

Skills to be mastered at this grade level are as follows:

When explaining character development, students will include character traits, feelings, motivations, and responses to situations.

Skills to be implemented but not yet mastered are as follows:

Use simple modifiers.

For further guidance, see the Elementary Oral Communication Rubric.

See Context Clues and Word Relationships.

Use principal modals to indicate the mood of a verb.

Form and use regular and frequently occurring irregular plural nouns.

Foundational Skills

See 3.R.3.1 and Elementary Figurative Language.

See Writing Types.

See Common Greek and Latin Roots 3-5 and Affixes.

Write cursive letters with a model.

Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical sequence of events, appropriate details and an ending.

Write an opinion about a topic with one supporting reason and a conclusion.

Write an expository text about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction, facts and a conclusion.

Improve writing as needed by planning, revising and editing with guidance, support and modeling from adults and feedback from peers.

Express information in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, using the students mode of communication.

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Use interjections. Use apostrophes to form contractions. Identify quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations. Identify prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Participate in research to answer a question, organizing information about the topic from multiple sources.

Identify one or more multimedia elements to enhance oral and written tasks.

Use digital writing tools individually or collaboratively to draft writing with support from adults.

Decode words with common Greek and Latin roots and affixes (see 3.V.1.2).

Decode words with common derivational suffixes and describe how they turn words into different parts of speech (e.g., -ful, -less, -est).

Decode multisyllabic words.

Read grade-level texts, at the student’s ability level, with accuracy and expression using the student’s mode of communication.

Identify how a character develops throughout the plot in a literary text.

Identify a theme and how it develops, using details, in a literary text.

Identify different characters perspectives in a literary text.

Identify poems with rhyme and poems without rhyme.

Identify the text structures of chronological order, comparison and cause/effect in texts.

Identify the central idea and select relevant details that supports that idea in a text.

Identify what evidence is included in an informational text that develops the authors purpose.

Identify an author's claim and evidence used to support the claim.

Identify metaphors, personification and hyperbole in text(s).

Identify the plot for a literary text using the student's mode of communication.

Identify the central idea and relevant details for an informational text using the students mode of communication.

Compare and contrast important information presented by two authors on the same topic or theme.

Identify and use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in communication, using the students mode of communication.

Identify and use common Greek and Latin roots, base words, and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content at the student’s ability level.

Identify and use picture clues, context clues, word relationships, reference materials and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of multiple-meaning and unknown words in appropriate to grade-level content at the student’s ability level.

Creating and Collaborating

Communicating Orally

Reading

Reading Informational Text

Reading Across Genres

Finding Meaning

Reading Prose and Poetry

Vocabulary

Learning and Applying Foundational Reading Skills

Following Conventions

Communication

Foundational Skills

Researching

Communicating Through Writing

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.

English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.