Category: Grade 3 ELA

Making Connections Between Genres to Support a Claim

Unit description: In this culminating unit, students will ask and answer questions and make text connections across various genres. Students will use this genre study to both create various forms of verbal and written responses.

Students will use their understanding of genres to produce an argumentative response to a cross-curricular prompt, requiring use of multiple genres to collect evidence to support their claims.

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 4 framework to customize for your own planning.

Essential Outcomes of the Unit

Reading

• 3R1. Develop and answer questions to locate relevant and specific details in a text to support an answer or inference.

3R3. In literary texts, describe character traits, motivations, or feelings, drawing on specific details from the text. (RL) In informational texts, describe the relationship among a series of events, ideas, concepts, or steps in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. (RI)

Reading Foundations- Fluency

3RF4. Read grade-level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Language

3L1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

3L2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

3L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

3L5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

3L6. Acquire and accurately use conversational, general academic, and content-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went out for dessert).

Writing

3W1. Write an argument to support claim(s), using clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Speaking and Listening

3SL1. Participate and engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse peers and adults, expressing ideas clearly, and building on those of others.

3SL2.  Determine the central ideas and supporting details or information presented in diverse texts and formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral). 

3SL4. Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

All Standards Addressed in this Unit

• See Reading Foundations Units: 3RF3 a-d
• 3R1, 3R3, 3R6, 3R7, 3R9
• 3RF4
• 3L1, 3L2, 3L3, 3L4 , 3L5, 3L6
• 3W1
• 3SL1, 3SL2, 3SL3, 3SL4, 3SL6

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

How are genres similar and different?

• • Good readers look for similarities and differences within and across genres
  • Readers use text connections and connections to other classes to look for similarities across different texts and genres 
  • Authors choose to write in a certain genre to create a particular effect with their readers 

Why is it important to make and support a strong claim?

• • We make claims all the time in life; it’s important to provide valid support for your argument
  • Authors make claims in their writing; good readers identify them and determine if they are valid
  • Good writers create their own claims and choose multiple pieces of evidence to support them 
    

Literature Study and Narrative Writing

Unit description: Students will analyze literary texts to identify and describe literary elements and text features and how they are used to develop the plot of a story. Students will craft their own narrative piece applying their understanding of literary elements and text features to develop their story.

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

Essential Outcomes of the Unit 

Reading

• 3R1. Develop and answer questions to locate relevant and specific details in a text to support an answer or inference.
• 3R2. Determine a theme or central idea and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize portions of a text.
• 3R3. In literary texts, describe character traits, motivations, or feelings, drawing on specific details from the text. 
• 3R5. In literary texts, identify parts of stories, dramas, and poems using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza.
• 3R7. Explain how specific illustrations or text features contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a text (e.g., create mood, emphasize character or setting, or determine where, when, why, and how key events occur). 

Reading Foundations: Fluency

• 3RF4. Read grade-level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Language

• 3L1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• 3L2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
• 3L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
• 3L5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
• 3L6. Acquire and accurately use conversational, general academic, and content-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went out for dessert).

Writing

• 3W3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• 3W4. Create a response to a text, author, theme, or personal experience (e.g., poem, play, story, artwork, or other).

Speaking and Listening

3SL1. Participate and engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse peers and adults, expressing ideas clearly, and building on those of others.

3SL2. Determine the central ideas and supporting details or information presented in diverse texts and formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral). 

Other Standards Addressed in the Unit

See Reading Foundations Units: 3RF3 a-d
3R1, 3R2, 3R3, 3R4, 3R5, 3R7
3RF4
3L1, 3L2, 3L3, 3L4, 3L5, 3L6
3W3, 3W4
3SL1, 3SL2, 3SL3, 3SL6

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

• What is a plot, and why is it important?
  • A plot is the sequence of events in a story or text 
  • Without a plot, there would be no events in a story 
• How do authors develop their plot?
  • Authors use text features and literary elements to develop plot
  • Certain text features and literary elements can have different impacts on plot development 
• What makes a quality narrative?
  • Good writers organize their writing before they begin their first draft 
  • Quality narratives include a clear plot structure, using text features and literary elements to develop it

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

Informational Reading and Writing 

Unit description:  Students will identify central ideas and key supporting details, as well as develop and answer questions related to topics, key ideas, and claims within informational text(s). Through both discussion and writing, students will explore topics and convey appropriate details relevant to support a given or student-created topic. 

Essential Outcomes

Reading

• 3R1: Develop and answer questions to locate relevant and specific details in a text to support an answer or inference.
• 3R2: Determine a theme or central idea and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize portions of a text.
• 3R8: Explain how claims in a text are supported by relevant reasons and evidence. 

Reading Foundations- Fluency

• 3RF4: Read grade-level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Language

• 3L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• 3L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
• 3L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
• 3L6: Acquire and accurately use conversational, general academic, and content-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went out for dessert).

Writing

• 3W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to explore a topic and convey ideas and information relevant to the subject.

Speaking and Listening

• 3SL1: Participate and engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse peers and adults, expressing ideas clearly, and building on those of others. 
• 3SL2: Determine the central ideas and supporting details or information presented in diverse texts and formats (e.g., including visual, quantitative, and oral). 
• 3SL4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
• 3SL6: Identify contexts that call for academic English or informal discourse.

All Standards Addressed in this Unit

• See Reading Foundations Units: 3RF3 a-d
• 3R1, 3R2, 3R3, 3R4, 3R8
• 3RF4
• 3L1, 3L2, 3L3, 3L4, 3L5, 3L6
• 3W2 a-e, 3W6
• 3SL1, 3SL2, 3SL3, 3SL4, 3SL5, 3SL6

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

• How can you use text features to support your understanding?
  • Readers and writers use key supporting details and key ideas to identify the central idea of informational texts.
  • Text features provide additional information/understanding of the text. 
• Who do claims within a text impact understanding?
  • Readers and writers use key supporting details and key ideas to support and verify claims within informational texts.
• How are opinions/claims formulated?
  • Claims are formed based on questions that are asked about a text and evidence is collected to support the claim. 
  • Reasoning is used to explain how the evidence supports the claim.
• How do readers share what they have learned from text?
  • Readers develop and answer questions related to topics and central ideas to better understand a text. 
  • Readers summarize their new understanding during conversations and in writing.

Prerequisite Skills

• 2R1: Demonstrate an understanding of key ideas and details in a text.
• 2R2: Identify a main topic or central idea and retell key details in a text; summarize portions of a text.
• 2W2: Write informative/explanatory texts that introduce a topic.

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 2 framework to customize for your own planning.

Understanding Craft and Structure

Students will work across genres to identify the different parts of a story or text. Students will then identify point of view in varying genres, and express how their point of view as a reader is similar to or different from an author or narrator in both oral and written formats.

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 1 framework to customize for your own planning.

Essential Outcomes

Reading

• 3R1 Develop and answer questions to locate relevant and specific details in a text to support an answer or inference.
• 3R5 In literary texts, identify parts of stories, dramas, and poems using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza.
• 3R6 Discuss how the reader’s point of view or perspective may differ from that of the author, narrator or characters in a text.

Reading Foundations – Fluency

• 3RF3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
• 3RF3a: Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and suffixes.
• 3RF3b: Decode multi-syllabic words.
• 3RF3c: Identify, know the meanings of, and decode words with suffixes.
• 3RF3d: Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
• 3RF4 Read grade-level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Language

• 3L1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• 3L2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
• 3L5 Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
• 3L6 Acquire and accurately use conversational, general academic, and content-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships

Writing

• 3W4 Create a response to a text, author, theme, or personal experience (e.g., poem, play, story, artwork, or other).

Speaking and Listening

• 3SL1 Participate and engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse peers and adults, expressing ideas clearly, and building on those of others.
• 3SL6 Identify contexts that call for academic English or informal discourse.

All Standards Addressed in This Unit

• 3R1, 3R5, 3R6
• 3RF3, 3RF4
• 3L1, 3L2, 3L5, 3L6
• 3W4
• 3SL1, 3SL3, 3SL6

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

• What is genre in text?
  • Genre is a category of text that is characterized by a specific form, content and stye (ex. Poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction)
  • The structure of the text helps determine genre.
• How do we support our claim/answer?
  • Using relevant details from a text can be used to support claims.
• Why do points-of-view differ?
  • Reader/Narrator’s/Character/Authors point-of-view can differ based on their own experiences and perspective

Download the complete Grade 3 ELA Unit 1 framework to customize for your own planning.