3rd Grade ELA (Missouri Learning Standards)

Reading (R) – big idea 1

• 3.R.1.A.a Explains how parts of a story's pictures add to what the words say.
• 3.R.1.A.b Draws conclusions and backs them with text evidence.
• 3.R.1.A.c Summarizes a story's beginning and middle and finds its central message or moral.
• 3.R.1.A.d Notices when understanding breaks down and fixes it.
• 3.R.1.B.a Decodes common prefixes and suffixes and knows how they change root words.
• 3.R.1.B.b Uses sentence context to work out unfamiliar or multiple-meaning words.
• 3.R.1.B.c Uses homographs and homophones.
• 3.R.1.B.d Tells literal from nonliteral meanings in context.
• 3.R.1.B.e Works out a new word's meaning when an affix is added to a base word they know.
• 3.R.1.B.f Uses a dictionary or glossary for meanings, syllables, and pronunciation.
• 3.R.1.B.g Discusses analogies.
• 3.R.1.B.h Works out what an author's similes and metaphors mean.
• 3.R.1.B.i Uses conversational, academic, and subject words and phrases.
• 3.R.1.C.a Compares and contrasts ideas across fiction and nonfiction texts.
• 3.R.1.C.b Connects text ideas to experiences in the wider world.
• 3.R.1.D.a Reads suitable texts independently for sustained periods.
• 3.R.1.D.b Shows evidence of independent reading.

Reading (R) – big idea 2

• 3.R.2.A.a Summarizes and orders the plot and explains how earlier events affect later ones.
• 3.R.2.A.b Describes characters' personalities from their thoughts, words, and actions.
• 3.R.2.A.c Describes how characters interact and how relationships change.
• 3.R.2.A.d Paraphrases a text's big idea or theme and supporting details.
• 3.R.2.A.e Compares key elements of different kinds of fiction.
• 3.R.2.A.f Explains cause and effect.
• 3.R.2.A.g Tells own point of view apart from the narrator's or characters'.
• 3.R.2.B.a Uses examples of alliteration.
• 3.R.2.B.b Identifies basic forms of poetry.
• 3.R.2.C.a Explains plot, setting, and character shown through dialogue in scripts read or watched.
• 3.R.2.C.b Identifies vivid language that appeals to the senses.

Reading (R) – big idea 3

• 3.R.3.A.a Explains the author's purpose.
• 3.R.3.A.b Identifies the facts or details that back up the main idea.
• 3.R.3.A.c Uses text and graphic features to find information and check predictions.
• 3.R.3.A.d Follows and explains written multi-step directions.
• 3.R.3.A.e Describes how events, ideas, concepts, or steps relate.
• 3.R.3.B.a Tells a biography from an autobiography.
• 3.R.3.B.b Tells fact from opinion.
• 3.R.3.B.c Tells the author's point of view apart from what they want readers to think or do.
• 3.R.3.B.d Explains sound devices, figurative language, and literal versus nonliteral meanings.
• 3.R.3.C.a Describes how events, ideas, and causes and effects relate in texts.
• 3.R.3.C.b Explains how problems and solutions relate.
• 3.R.3.C.c Uses pictures and words to show understanding of a text.
• 3.R.3.C.d Explains the author's purpose.
• 3.R.3.C.e Compares key points and details of texts on one topic.

Reading (R) – big idea 4

• 3.R.4.A.a Understands how a message changes when it moves to another kind of media.
• 3.R.4.A.b Explains how design choices in media shape the message.
• 3.R.4.A.c Compares written conventions used in digital media.
• 3.R.4.A.d Identifies text structures and graphic features of a web page.

Reading Foundations (RF) – big idea 3

• 3.RF.3.A.a Decodes longer words, in and out of context, using common spelling patterns.
• 3.RF.3.A.b Decodes words that double the final consonant before an ending.
• 3.RF.3.A.c Uses the meanings of common prefixes and suffixes.
• 3.RF.3.A.d Uses the meanings of homophones.
• 3.RF.3.A.e Decodes known and new words by spelling patterns.
• 3.RF.3.A.f Reads irregular high-frequency words.

Reading Foundations (RF) – big idea 4

• 3.RF.4.A.a Reads suitable texts fluently and uses context to confirm or correct words, rereading as needed.

Writing (W) – big idea 1

• 3.W.1.A.a Plans with a simple prewriting strategy for a given purpose and audience.
• 3.W.1.B.a Drafts a main idea for several paragraphs using varied sentence types.
• 3.W.1.B.b Supports each paragraph's topic sentence with facts and details.
• 3.W.1.B.c Sorts and orders details into a text with a clear start, middle, and end.
• 3.W.1.B.d Writes for a suitable audience.
• 3.W.1.C.a With help, revises main idea, order, focus, details, word choice, sentences, transitions, audience, and voice.
• 3.W.1.C.b With help, edits for language conventions.
• 3.W.1.D.a With help, uses tools and technology, including keyboarding, to publish and collaborate.

Writing (W) – big idea 2

• 3.W.2.A.a Writes an opinion piece that introduces the topic in connected sentences.
• 3.W.2.A.b States an opinion or position and gives reasons.
• 3.W.2.A.c Uses specific, accurate words that fit the topic, audience, and purpose.
• 3.W.2.A.d Uses own words except when quoting a source.
• 3.W.2.A.e Names the author or source of facts used.
• 3.W.2.A.f Uses transitions to link opinion and reasons.
• 3.W.2.A.g Has a clear beginning, middle, and concluding statement or paragraph.
• 3.W.2.B.a Writes an informative piece that introduces the topic.
• 3.W.2.B.b Develops the topic with facts, definitions, details, and explanations.
• 3.W.2.B.c Uses specific, relevant words that fit the topic, audience, and purpose.
• 3.W.2.B.d Uses own words except when quoting a source.
• 3.W.2.B.e Uses transition words to link ideas within categories.
• 3.W.2.B.f Ends with a concluding statement or paragraph.
• 3.W.2.C.a Writes a narrative or poem that sets the scene and introduces a narrator or characters.
• 3.W.2.C.b Uses dialogue and description.
• 3.W.2.C.c Organizes events with a beginning, middle, and end.
• 3.W.2.C.d Uses transition words to show the order of events.
• 3.W.2.C.e Uses specific, relevant words that fit the topic, audience, and purpose.

Writing (W) – big idea 3

• 3.W.3.A.a Lists suitable research topics.
• 3.W.3.A.b Writes own question about a topic.
• 3.W.3.A.c Decides which sources might answer the questions.
• 3.W.3.A.d Finds information in reference books, online sources, interviews, visuals, and texts.
• 3.W.3.A.e Judges whether information is accurate and relevant to the question.
• 3.W.3.A.f Takes simple notes in own words and sorts evidence into given categories.
• 3.W.3.A.g Uses quotation marks for words copied from a source.
• 3.W.3.A.h Makes a list of sources from the notes.
• 3.W.3.A.i Presents findings in a report or labeled display and judges them against agreed criteria.

Language (L) – big idea 1

• 3.L.1.A.a Uses regular and irregular verbs and simple tenses.
• 3.L.1.A.b Uses helping verbs with irregular verbs.
• 3.L.1.A.c Uses a complete subject and complete predicate.
• 3.L.1.A.d Uses comparative, superlative, and demonstrative adjectives and adverbs.
• 3.L.1.A.e Makes subjects and verbs agree.
• 3.L.1.A.f Writes simple and compound sentences of all four kinds.
• 3.L.1.A.g Uses first-, second-, and third-person pronouns with their antecedents.
• 3.L.1.B.a Writes legibly in print and cursive.
• 3.L.1.B.b Uses apostrophes to show possession.
• 3.L.1.B.c Uses commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
• 3.L.1.B.d Capitalizes dialogue correctly.
• 3.L.1.B.e Uses commas in the greeting and closing of a friendly letter.
• 3.L.1.B.f Capitalizes place names.
• 3.L.1.B.g Capitalizes titles of books, stories, and songs.
• 3.L.1.B.h Uses spelling patterns to spell compound words.
• 3.L.1.B.i Spells words that double the consonant.
• 3.L.1.B.j Spells plurals that change y to ies.
• 3.L.1.B.k Uses reference materials to check and fix spelling.
• 3.L.1.B.l Alphabetizes words to the third letter.

Speaking/Listening (SL) – big idea 1

• 3.SL.1.A.a Follows classroom rules for listening.
• 3.SL.1.A.b Asks questions to check understanding, stays on topic, and links comments to others'.
• 3.SL.1.A.c Follows three-step instructions.

Speaking/Listening (SL) – big idea 2

• 3.SL.2.A.a Shows active listening with eye contact and body language.

Speaking/Listening (SL) – big idea 3

• 3.SL.3.A.a Comes to discussions prepared and uses that preparation to explore ideas.
• 3.SL.3.A.b Responds suitably in discussions in different settings.
• 3.SL.3.A.c Shares opinions about read-alouds and own reading.

Speaking/Listening (SL) – big idea 4

• 3.SL.4.A.a Uses presentation skills or suitable technology.
• 3.SL.4.A.b Presents clear ideas and details, speaking clearly at a pace listeners can follow.
• 3.SL.4.A.c Gives an informal presentation with a range of media.
• 3.SL.4.A.d Chooses words for effect, such as adjectives, action verbs, and figurative language.
• 3.SL.4.A.e Uses academic language and conventions.