Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts

Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts
Word Analysis, Fluency, & Systematic Vocabulary
Development
Reading Comprehension
Literary Response and Analysis
Power Standards:
Decoding and Word Recognition (Fluency)
1.3 Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and
with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.4 Use knowledge of antonyms, synonyms, homophones, and
homographs to determine the meanings of words.
1.6 Use sentence and word context to find the meaning of unknown
words
1.8 Use knowledge of prefixes (e.g., un-, re-, pre-, bi-, mis-, dis-) and
suffixes (e.g., -er, -est, -ful) to determine the meaning of words.
Power Standards:
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate
Text
2.2 Ask questions and support answers by connecting prior
knowledge with literal information found in, and inferred from,
the text.
2.3 Demonstrate comprehension by identifying answers in the
text.
Power Standards:
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.3 Determine what characters are like by what they say or do and by
how the author or illustrator portrays them.
3.4 Determine the underlying theme or author's message in fiction
and nonfiction text.
Big Ideas:
Big Ideas:
Big Ideas:
Decoding and Word Recognition (Fluency)
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate
Text
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
ƒ When we read aloud, with fluency, it should:
o Contain few errors.
o Not be too fast or too slow.
o Be read with expression, including changes in pitch,
emphasis, and rate.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
ƒ Having a large, rich vocabulary supports becoming a welleducated person.
ƒ Independent wide reading and word-learning strategies are both
essential to acquiring a broad vocabulary.
ƒ Vocabulary knowledge is critical to comprehension of oral and
written language.
ƒ Knowing how a new word compares/relates to other words helps
us understand the new word better.
ƒ Knowing the meaning of part of a word (e.g., prefixes, suffixes)
can provide a clue(s) to the meaning of the whole word.
ƒ Using the context (words around a word) of an unknown word
may help determine the meaning of that word.
o To learn a word from context, we must first recognize that the
word is unknown.
o The information that defines the word may be close to the
unknown word or it may be far from the unknown word.
o Some contexts may be misleading or not helpful (neutral) in
providing clues to the meaning of the word. It is important to
use other tools, such as dictionaries or asking adults to help
define the word.
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ƒ To comprehend means to understand.
ƒ Good readers comprehend most of what they read, but
more importantly, they recognize when they don’t
understand.
ƒ When good readers don’t initially comprehend what
they are reading, they use a variety of strategies and
skills to further their understanding.
ƒ We can answer questions about what we read by
connecting prior knowledge (things we already know) to
information and ideas found in the text.
ƒ A text may contain:
Information that must be inferred by the reader and/or
Literal information, which is clearly stated in the text.
ƒ We can demonstrate our own understanding of a text
by identifying evidence (answers) in the text that
supports our thinking.
ƒ The words and actions of characters in a text help us
understand their motives, attributes, and feelings.
ƒ The theme of a piece of literary work is the author’s message
or central idea.
ƒ The theme is a point made about a topic; it’s not just about
one set of characters – it’s about people and life in general.
ƒ The theme of a literary work may be stated or implied.
ƒ Readers must sometimes make inferences and draw
conclusions to determine the theme.
ƒ An author may express his theme through:
o The actions and reactions of the characters as they relate
to events throughout the story.
o The feelings of the main character.
o Conversations and thoughts (that may be repeated
throughout the story).
o What is learned by the main character in the course of the
story.
Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts
Word Analysis, Fluency, & Systematic Vocabulary
Development
Reading Comprehension
Literary Response and Analysis
Essential Questions:
Essential Questions:
Essential Questions:
Decoding and Word Recognition (Fluency)
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate
Text
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
ƒ What are the attributes of fluent oral reading?
ƒ Why is it important for us to read aloud with fluency?
Vocabulary and Concept Development
ƒ Why is it important to have a large, rich vocabulary?
ƒ In what ways can we acquire a broad vocabulary?
ƒ How does knowing a new word’s relationship to other words help
us understand the new word?
ƒ Can we always determine the meaning of an unknown word
using context clues? Explain.
ƒ In what ways can context be helpful in determining the meaning
of an unknown word? In what ways might it be misleading?
ƒ What does it mean to understand something?
ƒ Why is it important to understand what we read?
ƒ Why is it important to recognize when we don’t
understand what we are reading?
ƒ What should we do when we don’t understand what we
are reading?
ƒ How does our prior knowledge help us when we are
reading?
ƒ Do all readers always interpret what they read the
same way? Why or why not?
ƒ How can we demonstrate and support our own
understanding of a text?
Fluency
The ability to read connected text
rapidly, smoothly, effortlessly, and
automatically with little conscious
attention to the mechanics of reading.
Accuracy
Automatic word recognition
Pacing
Reading rate (not too fast, not too
slow, so that the reader can be
understood by the listeners).
Expression
Prosody (the stress and intonation
patterns)
Utilizes: emphasis, intonation, rate,
language patterns, and phrasing.
Intonation
The pattern or melody of pitch
changed in connected oral reading.
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ƒ Why is it important to focus on what characters say and do?
ƒ What is a theme?
ƒ Why do literary works have themes?
ƒ Is a theme always obvious? Why or why not?
ƒ What must readers do to determine the theme?
Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts
Writing Strategies
Writing Applications
Written & Oral English Language Conventions
Power Standards:
Organization and Focus
1.1 Create a single paragraph:
a. Develop a topic sentence.
b. Include simple supporting facts and details.
Penmanship
1.2 Write legibly in cursive or joined italic, allowing margins and
correct spacing between letters in a word and words in a
sentence.
Research
1.3 Understand the structure and organization of various reference
materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia).
Evaluation and Revision
1.4 Revise drafts to improve the coherence and logical
progression of ideas by using an established rubric.
Power Standards:
2.1 Write narratives:
a. Provide a context within which an action takes
place.
b. Include well-chosen details to develop the plot.
c. Provide insight into why the selected incident is
memorable.
2.3 Write personal and formal letters, thank-you
notes, and invitations:
a. Show awareness of the knowledge and interests of
the audience and establish a purpose and context.
b. Include the date, proper salutation, body, closing,
and signature.
Power Standards:
Sentence Structure
1.1 Understand and be able to use complete and correct declarative, interrogative,
imperative, and exclamatory sentences in writing and speaking.
Grammar
1.2 Identify subjects and verbs that are in agreement and identify and use
pronouns, adjectives, compound words, and articles correctly in writing and
speaking.
1.3 Identify and use past, present, and future verb tenses properly in writing and
speaking.
Punctuation
1.6 Use commas in dates, locations, and addresses and for items in a series.
Spelling
1.8 Spell correctly one-syllable words that have blends, contractions, compounds,
orthographic patterns (e.g., qu, consonant doubling, changing the ending of a word
from
-y to -ies when forming the plural), and common homophones (e.g., hair-hare).
Big Ideas:
Big Ideas:
Organization and Focus
Narratives
ƒ The sentences in a paragraph must be organized so that the
ƒ A narrative is a story about actual or fictional events.
reader can follow the writer’s ideas.
ƒ A personal narrative is a story, most often written in
ƒ A topic sentence provides the focus for a well-written
the first person, about a memorable event or series
paragraph; it tells what the paragraph is about.
of events in the author’s life.
ƒ Details and facts are the specific words and ideas that tell
ƒ Good writers provide a context in which the action of
about the topic.
the story takes place; context tells the reader
Penmanship
important information, such as who, where, and
ƒ Legible cursive is necessary in order for others to read your
when.
writing.
ƒ Well-chosen details help the reader imagine the
Research
context, develop the plot, and help give readers
ƒ Reference materials are organized in a logical, concise, and
insight into why the experience is memorable.
consistent manner. Learning how various reference
Various Forms of Letters
materials are organized allows us to use any version of those ƒ An effective letter communicates something of
materials to easily find information.
importance to others and has a positive impact on
Evaluation and Revision
the person(s) to whom the letter is written.
ƒ Rubrics allow us to revise and improve our drafts by
ƒ The information, details, and thoughts shared are
comparing what we are writing with specific criteria.
determined by the purpose of the letter, and even
ƒ Good writing is coherent, which means that the ideas are
more importantly, by the person(s) to whom the
logically connected to each other.
letter is written.
ƒ Good writers revise their drafts to ensure that the ideas
ƒ There are specific rules about the format and tone
progress in a logical sequence from one idea to the next.
of formal letters, as well as personal letters, which
help keep the focus on the purpose for the letter.
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Big Ideas:
Sentence Structure
ƒ There are different types of sentences that are used to add variety to
both spoken and written language.
Grammar/ Punctuation
ƒ Grammar is the set of rules of spoken and written language.
ƒ Grammar rules and punctuation marks are like freeway signs and traffic
signals – they guide readers through the text to help avoid confusion.
ƒ All verbs must agree in number with their subject; if the subject in a
sentence is singular, the verb must be singular – if the subject is plural,
the verb must be plural.
ƒ All the words in our language fit into eight “word groups”, called the parts
of speech.
ƒ Understanding how to properly use the parts of speech in our writing and
speaking improves our ability to effectively communicate with others.
ƒ We can show time in our writing and speaking by using the proper verb
tense; the tense of the verb shows when the actions take place.
ƒ Commas make our writing easier to read by showing the reader where to
pause; commas keep words and ideas from running together.
Spelling
ƒ Spelling matters; incorrect spelling causes misunderstandings and
confusion, and distracts from the writer’s message.
Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts
Writing Strategies
Writing Applications
Written & Oral English Language Conventions
Essential Questions:
Organization and Focus
ƒ Why is organization important in writing?
ƒ Why does a well-written paragraph have a topic sentence?
ƒ Why does a well-written paragraph contain details?
Penmanship
ƒ Why is legible cursive important?
Research
ƒ Why is it important to understand how various reference
materials are organized?
Evaluation and Revision
ƒ What do writing rubrics allow us to do?
ƒ Why do good writers revise their drafts?
ƒ Why should writing be coherent?
ƒ Why should writing progress in a logical sequence? What
makes a sequence logical?
Essential Questions:
Narratives
ƒ What is the difference between a narrative and a
personal narrative?
ƒ Why write narratives?
ƒ Why is the context of a narrative important?
ƒ Why is it important to carefully select the details of a
narrative?
Various Forms of Letters
ƒ Why are letters important?
ƒ How do we decide what type of letter to write?
ƒ What are the differences between formal and
personal letters?
Essential Questions:
Sentence Structure
ƒ Why is it important to use different types of sentences when we speak
and write?
Grammar/Punctuation
ƒ Why is the correct usage of the rules of grammar important?
ƒ Why is subject-verb agreement important?
ƒ Why is it important to use the parts of speech correctly?
ƒ Why is it important to use the correct verb tense when speaking and
writing?
ƒ How do commas make our writing easier to read?
Spelling
ƒ Why does spelling matter?
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Third Grade Big Ideas and Essential Questions: English-Language Arts
Listening and Speaking Strategies
Speaking Applications
Power Standards:
Comprehension
1.1 Retell, paraphrase, and explain what has been said by a speaker.
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
1.6 Provide a beginning, a middle, and an end, including concrete details that
develop a central idea.
Power Standards:
Descriptive
2.3 Make descriptive presentations that use concrete sensory details to set
forth and support unified impressions of people, places, things, or
experiences.
Big Ideas:
Comprehension:
ƒ Good listening takes both our ears and our mind.
ƒ Learning by listening:
o Involves understanding what we hear.
o Involves connecting what we hear to what we already know.
o May involve being able to explain what has been said by a
speaker.
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
ƒ A good oral presentation has a central idea, or focus, which should be
consistent throughout.
ƒ The central idea is developed in part by having a clear beginning, middle,
and ending.
The concrete details are directly related to the central idea, and enhance the
listeners’ understanding.
Big Ideas:
Descriptive
ƒ When giving a formal presentation, a speaker is sharing
information with a group; it is important to have all thoughts and
ideas planned out ahead of time.
ƒ Good speakers consider their audience and the purpose of their
presentation.
ƒ Well-chosen details help support the purpose of the presentation;
details can help inform, entertain, persuade, and/or demonstrate.
ƒ Concrete sensory details help unify the ideas, descriptions, facts,
and/or opinions of the speaker.
Essential Questions:
Comprehension
ƒ Why does good listening take both our ears and our minds?
ƒ What does a listener’s explanation of what he/she has heard reveal about
his/her understanding?
Essential Questions:
Descriptive
ƒ What process should we follow when preparing to make a
presentation?
ƒ Why do we include details in oral presentations?
Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
ƒ What is a central idea?
ƒ How is a central idea developed and maintained throughout a
presentation?
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