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K–12 Standards

Grade 3

Other Washington English Language Arts sets

Reading: Students read, comprehend, interpret, analyze, and appreciate multimodal texts from a broad range of genres, cultures, and mediums in the context of grade-level content to understand themselves, others, and the world. Genres include fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and a variety of genres beyond these categories. Standards 3, 4, and 5 are prioritized. This is the first time standard 5 is prioritized.R

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    Foundational Skills

    1. 1

      Students know and apply the basic features of print and how it is organized. ELA.3.R.1

      1. a

        Recognize the reason for a paragraph break (e.g., change in topic, setting, speaker, emphasis). ELA.3.R.1.a

      2. b

        Recognize the distinguishing text/visual features of fiction, poetry, plays, and non-fiction.ELA.3.R.1.b

      3. c

        Recognize various features of written dialogue. (e.g. speaker tags, paragraph breaks, quotation marks).ELA.3.R.1.c

      4. d

        Explain how text/visual features add to the written text’s meaning.ELA.3.R.1.d

    2. 2

      Students demonstrate automatic phonemic awareness proficiency to support accurate decoding and spelling.ELA.3.R.2

    3. 3

      Students decode words accurately by applying grade-level phonics and word analysis skills.ELA.3.R.3

      1. a

        Decode multisyllabic words using known syllable types and division patterns (e.g. VCCV, VCV, VCCCV).ELA.3.R.3.a

      2. b

        Recognize and read words with regular and common irregular spellings.ELA.3.R.3.b

      3. c

        Apply knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and base or root words to decode and determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.ELA.3.R.3.c

      4. d

        Decode and apply understanding of contractions, compound words, and frequently occurring abbreviations (e.g., “Dr.,” “Mrs.,” “Ave.”).ELA.3.R.3.d

      5. e

        Identify and distinguish common homonyms and homophones in spoken and written contexts.ELA.3.R.3.e

      6. f

        Read grade level texts orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression to support understanding, improving fluency through repeated readings.ELA.3.R.3.f

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    Comprehending and Interpreting Texts

    1. 4

      Students comprehend and interpret texts using knowledge of language, text structures, and content to make meaning.ELA.3.R.4

      1. a

        Explain their purpose for reading and preview the text including text/visual features.ELA.3.R.4.a

      2. b

        Visualize, imagine, and/or otherwise engage the senses to make meaning of the text.ELA.3.R.4.b

      3. c

        Make inferences and predictions, checking and/or revising them based on what is in the text.ELA.3.R.4.c

      4. d

        Use a variety of strategies to maintain motivation and reconnect to the flow of reading.ELA.3.R.4.d

      5. e

        Explain how images or words help readers visualize and/or otherwise make meaning to understand the text.ELA.3.R.4.e

      6. f

        Ask and answer questions about a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers.ELA.3.R.4.f

      7. g

        Determine the narrator's point of view.ELA.3.R.4.g

      8. h

        Describe a story's characters, settings, and major events, including characters' perspectives and how their actions contribute to events.ELA.3.R.4.h

      9. i

        Describe how text structure, such as compare/contrast among others, shapes readers' understanding of ideas or information.ELA.3.R.4.i

      10. j

        Determine key details to include when retelling a story in their own words and/or saying what they learned from a text.ELA.3.R.4.j

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    Analyzing, Evaluating, and Using Texts

    1. 5

      Students analyze texts by making connections between texts, authors, readers, and the world.  ELA.3.R.5

      1. a

        Describe how an author's choices influence what readers think, feel, or want to do.ELA.3.R.5.a

      2. b

        Describe the central message, main idea, theme, or key information in a text, and how it connects to their own experiences.ELA.3.R.5.b

      3. c

        Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story.ELA.3.R.5.c

Writing: Students compose multimodal texts in a variety of genres for a range of communicative situations in the context of grade-level content. Standards 1, 3, and 5 are prioritized. This is the first time standard 5 is prioritized. Writing Purposes and ProductW

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    Plan and Draft

    1. 2

      Students plan and complete writing projects.ELA.3.W.2

      1. a

        Connect the task to interests, experiences, background knowledge, or information gathered.ELA.3.W.2.a

      2. b

        Consider the audience and what they may already know about the topic and plan writing to meet their needs.ELA.3.W.2.b

      3. c

        Sequence and organize the process needed to complete a writing project or task.ELA.3.W.2.c

    2. 3

      Students draft content within the genre, using tools effectively.ELA.3.W.3

      1. a

        Generate topics and ideas.ELA.3.W.3.a

      2. b

        Gather ideas and select material from research, images, and/or multimedia artifacts that illustrate and support their ideas, identifying when and how it's fair to use the creative work of others.ELA.3.W.3.b

      3. c

        Use text/visual features, formatting, and/or genre conventions noticed in mentor texts.ELA.3.W.3.c

      4. d

        Develop descriptions using sensory details.ELA.3.W.3.d

      5. e

        Develop points and ideas within a topic with facts, definitions, details, examples, and/or quotations, using linking words to connect ideas.ELA.3.W.3.e

      6. f

        Support a position with reasons, using linking words.ELA.3.W.3.f

      7. g

        Use language to persuade others with feelings, reasons, evidence, and examples.ELA.3.W.3.g

      8. h

        Tell stories in a sequence of events, using temporal words, descriptive details, and dialogue when relevant, describing actions, thoughts, and feelings, and showing characters’ response to events.ELA.3.W.3.h

    3. 4

      Students organize content using the genre's structure.ELA.3.W.4

      1. a

        Introduce topics.ELA.3.W.4.a

      2. b

        Organize related content in paragraphs and sections.ELA.3.W.4.b

      3. c

        Compose a concluding statement or section.ELA.3.W.4.c

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    Revise and Edit

    1. 5

      Students evaluate, revise, and edit their compositions.ELA.3.W.5

      1. a

        Re-read draft for clarity and to determine next steps.ELA.3.W.5.a

      2. b

        Gather and consider using feedback about their compositions.ELA.3.W.5.b

      3. c

        Revise by using what they learned from re-reading and feedback.ELA.3.W.5.c

      4. d

        Edit for mechanics, conventions, and consistency of text/visual features. [Demonstrate command of Language standards in grades K–3.]ELA.3.W.5.d

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    Share and Publish

    1. 6

      Students share and publish compositions for known and trusted audiences in ways that reinforce the communicative purposes of writing.ELA.3.W.6

      1. a

        Identify who can access compositions on digital and non-digital platforms and how those people might react.ELA.3.W.6.a

Students compose multimodal texts in a variety of genres across content areas for a variety of purposes.ELA.3.W.1

  • a

    Compose in order to describe experiences, ideas, and imaginings.ELA.3.W.1.a

  • b

    Compose in order to record observations and/or inform others about their observations and explanations of the world.ELA.3.W.1.b

  • c

    Compose in order to take a position on an issue.ELA.3.W.1.c

  • d

    Compose in order to persuade others to consider new options and resolve conflicts.ELA.3.W.1.d

  • e

    Compose in order to tell stories and narratives with a clear sequence of events.ELA.3.W.1.e

Speaking, Listening, and Digital Forums: Students engage in and learn from collaborative discussions, presentations, and public speaking for a range of communicative situations in the context of grade-level content. Standards 1 and 3 are prioritized. This is the first time standard 3 is prioritized.SLDF

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    Discussion

    1. 1

      Students listen, respond respectfully, and contribute during face-to-face discussions and/or in teacher-moderated or simulated digital forums.ELA.3.SLDF.1

      1. a

        Describe expectations for engaging with and including other participants, especially in digital forums.ELA.3.SLDF.1.a

      2. b

        Describe the people, places, things, events, information, and emotions they are referring to with relevant details.ELA.3.SLDF.1.b

      3. c

        Express ideas clearly by drawing on experience, prior knowledge, and/or research. ELA.3.SLDF.1.c

      4. d

        Connect statements to others' contributions to develop common understanding, build community, and propel conversation.ELA.3.SLDF.1.d

      5. e

        Ask for clarification or more information and/or explain what they understood.ELA.3.SLDF.1.e

      6. f

        Respond to feedback about how others understood their communication, especially in a digital forum format.ELA.3.SLDF.1.f

      7. g

        Identify when, how, or why their opinions or understandings changed.ELA.3.SLDF.1.g

      8. h

        Identify points of agreement or disagreement from the discussion.ELA.3.SLDF.1.h

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    Collaboration

    1. 2

      Students collaborate on projects or tasks.ELA.3.SLDF.2

      1. a

        Discuss expectations, reviewing and changing them when needed.ELA.3.SLDF.2.a

      2. b

        Contribute towards shared goals by building on strengths.ELA.3.SLDF.2.b

      3. c

        Communicate to build community by addressing concerns and considering others' strengths and perspectives.ELA.3.SLDF.2.c

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    Public Speaking and Presentations

    1. 3

      Students present experience, positions, ideas, findings, and creative work such that listeners are engaged and/or can follow the line of reasoning.ELA.3.SLDF.3

      1. a

        Identify topics from the situation, experience, imagination, reading, research, media, conversations, and/or products from ELA.3.W.1.ELA.3.SLDF.3.a

      2. b

        Develop content by considering what they want to communicate within the situation and what the audience already knows.ELA.3.SLDF.3.b

      3. c

        Use images and/or multimedia artifacts in presentations to clarify content and support the audience’s engagement.ELA.3.SLDF.3.c

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    Voice

    1. 4

      Students determine how to present themselves and their ideas in different contexts.ELA.3.SLDF.4

      1. a

        Express a distinct voice through thoughtful word choice by drawing on their strengths, experience, and attitudes.ELA.3.SLDF.4.a

      2. b

        Determine what they want or do not want to share and why.ELA.3.SLDF.4.b

    2. 5

      Students use an audible voice, gesture, and pacing to illuminate the content and engage the audience.  ELA.3.SLDF.5

Language: Students demonstrate command of the English language to speak and write clearly, and to comprehend more fully when reading, listening, or viewing.  Standards 2 and 3 are prioritized.L

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    Knowledge of Language 

    1. 1

      Students notice when and why language is used differently according to the context.  ELA.3.L.1

      1. a

        Compare formal and informal uses of language and the contexts in which they occur. ELA.3.L.1.a

      2. b

        Distinguish literal and colloquial meanings of words and phrases in context. ELA.3.L.1.b

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    Structure and Functions of English 

    1. 2

      Students produce, expand, combine, and refine sentences in conversations and writing about experiences, events, and ideas. ELA.3.L.2

      1. a

        Produce, expand, and combine simple, compound, and complex sentences using conjunctions. ELA.3.L.2.a

      2. b

        Use nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to clarify meaning and add detail.ELA.3.L.2.b

      3. c

        Use verb tenses with subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement, including regular and irregular verbs, to communicate clearly.ELA.3.L.2.c

    2. 3

      Students determine the meaning of and use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading, and being read to.ELA.3.L.3

      1. a

        Use context, roots, affixes, word relationships, and reference materials to analyze and clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.ELA.3.L.3.a

      2. b

        Use abstract and concrete nouns with descriptive language.ELA.3.L.3.b

      3. c

        Use words and phrases that describe spatial and temporal relationships.ELA.3.L.3.c

    3. 4

      Students demonstrate understanding of word relationships in the context of conversations, reading, and writing about experiences, events, and ideas.ELA.3.L.4

      1. a

        Distinguish the literal and non-literal meaning of words and phrases in context.ELA.3.L.4.a

      2. b

        Identify connections between words and their use.ELA.3.L.4.b

      3. c

        Distinguish and express shades of meaning among words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty.ELA.3.L.4.c

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    Foundational Written Language (Encoding and Transcription)

    1. 5

      Students develop fluent and accurate writing skills to record their ideas.ELA.3.L.5

      1. a

        Write complete sentences that use correct grammar and word order.ELA.3.L.5.a

      2. b

        Spell multisyllabic words by breaking them into syllables and applying known syllable types and knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and base or root words.ELA.3.L.5.b

      3. c

        Capitalize the appropriate words in titles.ELA.3.L.5.c

      4. d

        Use commas in addresses and quotation marks in dialogue.ELA.3.L.5.d

      5. e

        Develop automaticity in spelling and handwriting and/or other modalities to support written expression.ELA.3.L.5.e

Research and Media Literacy : Students ask questions, seek answers using relevant tools and techniques to select and access sources, and use their learning. Students identify reactions to media messages, purposes and parts of media messages, and people who create media messages. Standards 1 and 3 are prioritized. This is the only time standard 3 is prioritized.RML

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    Research and Inquiry 

    1. 1

      Students engage in research and inquiry by asking questions and seeking answers from information sources.ELA.3.RML.1

      1. a

        Ask questions about things that make them curious and refine their questions as they learn new things about the topic.ELA.3.RML.1.a

      2. b

        Generate ideas for where they might find information based on what they and/or others know about the topic.ELA.3.RML.1.b

      3. c

        Select and access a variety of relevant information sources, including by navigating libraries and by talking to people with relevant experience or knowledge.ELA.3.RML.1.c

      4. d

        Identify differences between search terms, between search results, and between digital search tools.ELA.3.RML.1.d

      5. e

        Gather relevant information.ELA.3.RML.1.e

      6. f

        Use and/or share new learning.ELA.3.RML.1.f

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    Media Literacy

    1. 2

      Students describe reactions to media messages.ELA.3.RML.2

      1. a

        Describe how people’s different ways of looking at things affect their reactions to media messages.ELA.3.RML.2.a

      2. b

        Describe how media messages make them feel and what these emotions may make them want to say or do.ELA.3.RML.2.b

      3. c

        Identify reasons people are more or less likely to change their minds when they encounter a media message.ELA.3.RML.2.c

    2. 3

      Students identify the purposes of media messages and how those purposes are achieved.ELA.3.RML.3

      1. a

        Determine whether a media message is mainly helping people learn new things, trying to change people’s minds, selling something, or just for fun.ELA.3.RML.3.a

    3. 4

      Students compare different parts of media messages.ELA.3.RML.4

      1. a

        Determine whether statements can be either true or false, express an opinion, or take a position.ELA.3.RML.4.a

      2. b

        Compare and contrast information on the same topic in two or more media messages from different sources.ELA.3.RML.4.b

      3. c

        Describe how changing an image or the words used to describe an image can change the meaning of a media message.ELA.3.RML.4.c

      4. d

        Identify reasons that support a position.ELA.3.RML.4.d

    4. 5

      Students identify people who create media messages and choices they make.ELA.3.RML.5

      1. a

        Determine when it is and is not possible to identify who is responsible for the content of a media message.ELA.3.RML.5.a

      2. b

        Distinguish between characteristics that do and do not make someone an expert on a particular topic.ELA.3.RML.5.b

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 3
Where can I read the official document?
WA Learning Standards for English Language Arts

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