What does a student learn in StateAlaska,GradeGrade 3,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students read a story and answer questions about it by pointing to specific lines or details from the text. They also make simple predictions about what might happen next.

Students figure out the lesson or message an author wanted to share, then point to specific moments in the story that show it. They can also retell the story in order, including fables and folktales from different cultures.

Students describe what a story's characters are like (brave, jealous, afraid) and explain how a character's choices move the plot forward or cause a problem to start or get solved.

Students figure out what words mean in a story, including when an author stretches the truth for effect. A fish "as big as a house" is not meant literally; students learn to spot the difference.

Students learn the names for the pieces that make up a story, play, or poem, like chapters, scenes, and stanzas. Then they explain how each new piece connects to and builds on what came before it.

Students identify what a character or narrator thinks and then compare it to their own opinion. This standard asks: "Would I feel the same way in that situation, or do I see it differently?"

Students look at the pictures in a story and explain what the words alone don't show, like how an illustration makes a setting feel spooky or shows how a character is feeling. The pictures and the words work together to tell the full story.

This standard does not apply to literary texts like stories and poems. At this grade, analyzing arguments and evidence is covered in the reading standards for informational texts instead.

Students read two books by the same author and notice what changed between them (a new setting, a different problem) and what stayed the same. Series books like Magic Tree House work well for this.

By the end of third grade, students read stories and poems from different cultures on their own, including some books that stretch a bit beyond their grade level with a little help from the teacher.

Students read a nonfiction passage and answer questions about it, pointing to specific sentences or paragraphs that back up their answers. They also make simple predictions about what the text suggests but does not say outright.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage, pick out the details that back it up, and retell the whole thing in their own words, in the right order.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how one event or idea leads to the next, using words like "first," "then," "because," or "as a result." The focus is on showing why things happened in that order, not just listing them.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean using clues from the surrounding sentences. This includes everyday academic words that show up across subjects and topic-specific words tied to science, social studies, or other content they're reading about.

Students use tools like a table of contents, index, or search keywords to find specific information in a book or website without reading the whole thing.

Students figure out why an author wrote a piece, then decide whether they agree. Noticing the difference between what the author thinks and what you think is the core skill here.

Students read a nonfiction text and use both the words and the pictures, maps, or photographs to understand what happened, where, and why. The images and the writing work together to tell the full story.

Students explain how sentences and paragraphs connect in a nonfiction text. They spot whether the author is comparing two things, showing what caused what, or walking through steps in order.

Students read two nonfiction books or articles on the same topic, then explain what the two sources agree on and where they differ. The focus is on the biggest ideas, not every detail.

Students read nonfiction books and articles on their own by the end of third grade, covering topics like history, science, and how things work. Some texts are harder and may come with extra support from the teacher.

Students use what they know about letter patterns, syllables, and word parts to sound out and read unfamiliar words on the page.

Students learn what prefixes and suffixes mean so they can figure out unfamiliar words on their own. For example, knowing that "un-" means "not" helps them read words like "unhappy" without stopping to ask for help.

Students read and pronounce words that end in common Latin suffixes like -tion, -ment, and -able. Knowing these endings helps students unlock the meaning of longer words they see in books and assignments.

Students break longer words into syllables to read them aloud. Knowing how to chunk words like "understand" or "important" helps students read faster and with fewer stumbles.

Students read common words that don't follow normal spelling rules, like "enough," "colonel," or "choir." Recognizing these words on sight keeps reading moving without stopping to sound out every letter.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough that understanding the words isn't a struggle. The goal is reading that sounds natural, not halting, so the meaning comes through.

Students read third-grade passages the way a fluent reader does: at a steady pace, with the right words, and with a sense of what the text actually means.

Students practice reading the same passage more than once, building toward a smooth, natural read-out-loud with the right speed and feeling for the words.

When students hit a word that doesn't make sense, they back up and reread the sentence to figure out if they read it right. They use the words around it as clues.

Students pick a topic, state what they think about it, and back it up with real reasons from what they know or have read.

Students open an opinion piece by naming the topic and stating what they think about it, then line up their reasons in an order that makes sense.

Students back up their opinion with reasons that explain why they think what they think. The reasons need to connect clearly to the opinion, not just sit next to it.

Students practice connecting their opinions to their reasons using words like "because," "since," and "for example." These linking words help a paragraph hold together so readers can follow the thinking.

Students end an opinion piece with a closing sentence that wraps up their point of view. It echoes what they argued, so readers leave with the main idea still in mind.

Students pick a topic and write to explain it clearly, using facts and details to help a reader understand. Think how-to guides, science reports, or any writing that teaches something rather than tells a story.

Students open an informational piece by naming the topic clearly, then group related facts into a section that belongs together. If a photo or diagram would help readers understand, students add a label or caption to explain it.

Students write sentences that explain their topic using real facts and specific details, not just opinions or general ideas. Think of it as building out the middle of a paragraph so it actually teaches the reader something.

Students practice stitching sentences together with words like "also," "but," and "another" so a paragraph flows from one idea to the next instead of reading like a list.

Students write a closing sentence or paragraph that wraps up the main idea in their own words. It doesn't just repeat the opening word for word; it restates what the writing was really about.

Students write a story with real or made-up characters, using dialogue and description to bring the events to life. The story follows a clear order from beginning to end.

Students write the opening of a story by setting the scene and introducing who is in it. The events that follow come in an order that makes sense.

Students add dialogue and sensory details to a story so readers can feel what characters are thinking, feeling, and doing when something goes wrong or surprising happens.

Students use words like "later" or "soon after" to show readers what happens next in a story. These linking words help the sequence of events feel clear and connected.

Students end their story with a real finish, not a sudden stop. The last sentence or two wraps up what happened so the reader feels like the story is actually over.

Students practice shaping their writing to fit the job it needs to do. A how-to piece looks different from a persuasive letter, and with a teacher's help, students learn to organize and develop each one in a way that makes sense for the purpose.

Students plan, draft, and revise their writing with feedback from classmates and the teacher. Each round of editing brings the piece closer to clear, correct sentences that say what the student meant.

Students use a computer to type and publish their writing, find information about a topic, and share or work on writing with others, with help from a teacher or adult.

Students pick a topic, gather facts from books or other sources, and put what they learned together in one short project.

Students find facts from books or websites, jot down short notes, and sort what they find into given categories. It is the research habit behind any report or project they write.

This standard does not apply in third grade. The work of drawing evidence from texts to support writing begins in fourth grade.

Students write often, both in quick single-sitting pieces and longer projects they research and revise over several days. The goal is steady practice across different subjects, purposes, and readers.

Students take turns talking through a topic or book with a partner, a small group, or the class. They listen closely enough to respond to what someone else said, not just share their own thoughts.

Students read or study the material before a group discussion, then use what they learned to add real ideas to the conversation, not just show up and wait to see what others say.

Students practice the basic rules of a group conversation: wait your turn, listen without interrupting, and stay on topic. These habits keep class discussions useful for everyone in the room.

During a class discussion, students ask questions when something is unclear and connect what they say to what a classmate just said. The goal is to keep the conversation on track.

After a class discussion, students update or clarify what they think based on what they heard. They explain how the conversation changed or confirmed their ideas.

Students listen to a story, video, or spoken explanation and figure out the main point and the key details that back it up.

Students listen to someone speak, then ask or answer questions about what they heard. They back up their questions and answers with details, not just a yes or a no.

Students pick a topic, story, or real experience and talk about it out loud, using specific details and facts. They speak clearly and at a pace listeners can follow.

Students record themselves reading a story or poem aloud, using voice changes and pacing to hold a listener's attention. They may add drawings or images to highlight key details.

Students practice saying their answers in full sentences instead of one-word replies, giving enough detail so the listener understands. Knowing when a complete sentence is needed is part of the skill.

Students practice the grammar rules that make writing and speech clear, things like forming sentences correctly, using the right verb tense, and choosing the right word for the job.

Students identify and use the basic parts of speech, including naming words, action words, and describing words, placing each where it fits in a sentence.

Students practice making nouns plural, both the regular way (adding -s or -es) and the irregular way (like "child" becoming "children" or "mouse" becoming "mice").

Students practice using words that name ideas or feelings you can't touch, like freedom, honesty, or childhood, in their writing and sentences.

Students practice verbs that follow the normal past-tense pattern (walk, walked) and verbs that change shape entirely (run, ran). They use both kinds correctly in their own sentences.

Students learn to write the same action in past, present, and future tense: "I walked," "I walk," "I will walk." Getting the verb tense right tells the reader when something happened.

Students learn to match subjects and verbs correctly ("the dog runs," not "the dog run") and to match pronouns to the nouns they replace ("Maya forgot her book," not "Maya forgot their book").

Students learn when to say "faster" versus "fastest" and when to use those kinds of words to describe a noun or an action. They practice choosing the right form based on what they are comparing.

Students learn to connect ideas using joining words like "and," "but," and "or," and linking words like "because," "when," and "although." These words show how two thoughts relate to each other.

Students write three kinds of sentences: a simple sentence with one idea, a compound sentence that joins two ideas with a connecting word like "and" or "but," and a complex sentence that adds a dependent clause.

Students practice the rules of writing: which words get capital letters, where commas and periods go, and how to spell words correctly. These skills show up in every sentence they write.

Students learn which words in a title get capital letters and which stay lowercase. Think book titles, movie names, or a report heading written by hand.

Students learn when to place a comma between the street, city, and state when writing a mailing address.

Students practice punctuating conversation in a story, using commas to introduce what a character says and quotation marks around the exact words spoken.

Students learn to show that something belongs to someone by adding an apostrophe and "s" to a noun. A sentence like "the dog's leash" or "Maria's bike" uses this skill.

Students spell common everyday words correctly and know how to add endings like -ing, -ed, or -ness without misspelling the base word.

Students use patterns like silent-e, doubled consonants, and common endings to spell words correctly in their writing.

Students learn to look up words in a dictionary when they're unsure how to spell something. It's a habit of checking their own work rather than guessing.

Students choose words carefully when writing and speaking, and notice how word choice and sentence structure affect meaning when reading or listening. This standard is about making intentional language decisions across all schoolwork.

Students pick the word that makes a sentence sharper, funnier, or more surprising. They learn that swapping one word can change how the whole sentence feels.

Students notice that talking and writing follow different rules. What sounds fine out loud (like "gonna" or leaving out words) often needs to change when it goes on paper.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean while reading, using context clues, word parts, or a dictionary to choose the right meaning when a word could mean more than one thing.

Students use the words around an unfamiliar word to figure out what it means. Context from the same sentence is the main clue.

When a prefix or suffix changes a word students already know, they figure out what the new word means. Adding "un-" to "happy" or "-less" to "care" gives them a clue without needing a dictionary.

Students use a word they already know to figure out an unfamiliar one that shares the same root. Knowing "act," for example, helps them work out what "action" or "actor" means.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or glossary, print or online, to find the exact meaning. This is the same skill adults use when they hit a word they don't recognize.

Students learn how words relate to each other and how small differences in meaning matter. They practice choosing the right word for the right moment, like knowing when "said" fits better than "whispered" or "shouted."

Words can mean exactly what they say, or something different. Students learn to spot the difference, like knowing "break a leg" means good luck, not an actual broken leg.

Students match vocabulary words to real people, places, or situations. For example, they think of someone who is generous, or a place that feels cramped, to show they understand what a word really means.

Students sort words that seem similar but carry different weight. For example, "knew" is stronger than "believed," and "furious" is stronger than "upset." They pick the word that fits the exact feeling or idea a sentence needs.

Students learn and correctly use new words they encounter in conversation, class discussions, and reading, including words that show when or where something happens, like "before," "meanwhile," or "nearby."