3rd Grade Reading

In third grade, your child is increasing her skills in reading both fiction (stories) and nonfiction (informational) text. She is developing her skills in comparing and contrasting, talking about a point of view in the text, comparing this to what the author was thinking, and describing a series of events, ideas or concepts. Your child's writing skills are also improving as she produces developed, focused, organized and edited work. She is beginning to include charts or graphs and put facts in her informational writing. Children in third grade should be able to demonstrate the following skills.

Foundational Skills

Children this age will...

• continue to increase their ability to sound out new words by adding more words with multiple syllables to their list of sight words.
• know the meanings of most common prefixes and suffixes.
• will read grade level text quickly, correctly and with understanding.

Reading

Children this age will...

• compare and contrast stories.
• explain how a character’s actions affect the events in a story.
• talk about a series of events, ideas or views after reading.
• choose to read books without being asked.
• read and understand both stories and informational text at a grade level.

Writing

Children this age will...

• write about their ideas, including charts or graphs and facts, that support their opinion.
• write informative text with a topic, facts, linking words and phrases (such as finally, also or however).
• include characters in their stories and write about what the characters say, think and feel.
• use grade level grammar, punctuation, capital letters, margins and spacing.

Speaking and Listening

Children this age will...

• follow rules for discussions by taking turns and building on what others are saying.
• remember and explain key ideas and details from something that another person has read out loud.
• plan and deliver a talk on an informational topic.
• speak clearly and in complete sentences.