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

Students read a story and answer questions about it by pointing to the exact sentences or details that back up their answer. The answer has to come from the page, not just a guess.

Students retell a fable, folktale, or myth and explain the lesson it teaches. They point to specific moments in the story that show how the author gets that message across.

Students look closely at a character in a story and describe what that person is like, what they want, and how they feel. Then students explain how the character's choices move the story forward.

Students read a story and stop to ask questions, make guesses about what comes next, and check whether those guesses were right. This shows they understand what they read, not just that they finished it.

Students read stories, watch media, and hear oral traditions to learn how different people live and see the world. They also think about what those stories reveal about themselves.

Oral tribal history is a real account passed down through speaking, not a made-up story or legend. Students learn to tell the difference between historical accounts from tribal communities and fictional stories like fables or folktales.

Students figure out what words mean in a story, including phrases that don't mean exactly what they say. "It's raining cats and dogs" means heavy rain, not falling animals.

Students use words like chapter, scene, and stanza to talk or write about a story, play, or poem. They explain how each new part connects to and grows from what came before.

Students separate what they personally think from what a story's narrator or characters think. A character might believe something students disagree with, and students can name that difference.

Students look at the pictures in a story and explain how they add to what the words say. A picture might make a setting feel spooky or show something about a character that the text alone doesn't.

Students read two books by the same author and explain what's similar and what's different about the characters, where the stories take place, and what happens in each one.

Students read stories, plays, and poems on their own by the end of third grade. The books and texts they tackle are at the harder end of what second and third graders are expected to handle.

Students read a nonfiction passage and answer questions by pointing to the exact sentences or paragraphs that support their answers. The evidence has to come from the text itself, not from memory or guesswork.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and name the key details that back it up. They explain how those details connect to what the whole text is mostly about.

Students read nonfiction and explain how one event or idea leads to the next, using words like "first," "then," "because," and "as a result." They show how steps connect or how one cause produces an effect.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean using clues from the surrounding sentences. This includes everyday school vocabulary and words specific to a subject like science or social studies.

Students use tools like a table of contents, headings, sidebars, and keywords to find information in a nonfiction book or website without reading every word.

Students read a nonfiction passage and separate what they personally think from what the author thinks. The two opinions may match or differ, and students can explain the difference.

Students read pictures, maps, and photographs alongside the words on the page to piece together what happened, where, and why. The images and the text work together to tell the full story.

Students explain how one part of a nonfiction text connects to another, such as why a paragraph shows a cause and effect, or why two sections compare two things.

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

Students read nonfiction books and articles on their own, including topics like history, science, and how things work, by the end of third grade. The goal is steady, independent reading without needing help on every page.

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

Students learn what common word parts like "un-," "re-," and "-ful" mean, then use that knowledge to figure out unfamiliar words. Recognizing these parts helps students read and understand new words without stopping to look them up.

Students read and figure out words that end in common suffixes like -tion, -ment, and -ful. Knowing what those endings mean helps students unlock longer words on their own.

Students break longer words into smaller parts to figure out how to read them. A word like "important" or "elephant" gets pulled apart, sounded out piece by piece, and read as a whole.

Students read common words that don't follow normal spelling rules, like "enough," "special," or "heart," recognizing them on sight without sounding them out.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough that they can focus on what the words actually mean, not just on decoding them.

Students read third-grade passages with enough focus to follow the meaning, not just say the words aloud. The goal is reading that sounds natural and shows the student understood what the page was actually saying.

Reading the same passage more than once, students practice reading aloud smoothly, at a steady pace, with feeling. Each re-read builds on the last until it sounds natural.

When students hit a word or sentence that doesn't make sense, they go back and reread to fix it. They use the words around the tricky spot to figure out what they missed.

Students use computers, tablets, or online tools to share their writing and work with classmates, sometimes with people in other schools or places. The goal is to learn from each other, not just on their own.

Students pick a topic, state what they think about it, and back up that opinion with reasons. This is the foundation of argument writing.

Students open an opinion piece by naming the topic, stating what they think about it, and laying out their reasons in a clear order.

Students write reasons that back up their opinion, explaining why they believe what they believe. The reasons connect directly to the opinion stated in the opening.

Students use connecting words like "because," "since," and "for example" to tie their opinion to the reasons that back it up. These words help the writing flow instead of leaving the reader to figure out how the pieces fit together.

Students end an opinion piece with a closing sentence or short paragraph that wraps up their argument. It signals the writing is finished, not just stopped.

Students pick a topic and write to explain it clearly, sharing facts and details a reader wouldn't already know. Think book reports, how-things-work paragraphs, or a piece explaining why the sky looks blue.

Students open an informational piece by naming the topic clearly, then group related facts in the same section. They add a diagram or picture when it helps the reader understand something words alone can't show.

Students back up the main topic with real facts and clear details, not just opinions. Think of it as showing the reader proof.

Students use words like "also," "another," and "but" to stitch sentences together so one idea flows into the next. This keeps a paragraph from reading like a list of separate facts.

Students end an informational piece with a closing sentence or short paragraph that wraps up the main idea. It signals to the reader that the explanation is complete.

Students write a story, real or made up, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They use descriptive details to bring characters and events to life.

Students set up a story by introducing who the characters are and what situation they're in, then arrange the events in an order that makes sense as the story moves forward.

Students write what characters say out loud and what they think or feel inside to show how those characters react when something happens in the story.

Students use words like "first," "then," "next," and "finally" to show readers what happens in order. These signal words hold a story's sequence together.

Stories need an ending that feels finished. Students write a final sentence or short closing that wraps up what happened, so readers don't feel like the story just stops.

Students write pieces that fit the job at hand. A how-to guide looks different from a story or an opinion paragraph, and students learn to match their writing's shape and details to whatever the assignment asks for.

Students plan before they write, then revise and edit their drafts with feedback from a teacher or classmate. The goal is a stronger final piece, not just a finished one.

With a teacher's help, students use a computer to type, publish, and share their writing with others.

Students pick a topic, gather information from books or other sources, and write up what they learned. The focus is on reading to find answers and putting those answers into their own words.

Students find facts from books, websites, or their own experiences, jot down short notes, and organize what they find into categories a teacher provides.

Students pull facts from books, websites, and conversations with people who know the topic, then put those sources together to support their writing.

Students use computers or tablets to find information, decide whether it's useful, and put it to work in their writing. This standard covers basic research skills built around everyday technology.

Students practice writing often, both in quick single-sitting tasks and in longer projects that take several days. They write for different reasons and different readers across subjects, not just in English class.

Students practice talking and listening in class discussions, whether with a partner, a small group, or the whole class. They build on what others say and share their own ideas in a way others can follow.

Students read or study the material before a class discussion, then use what they learned to add something real to the conversation. Showing up prepared means having thoughts ready, not just listening.

Students take turns talking and listening during class discussions, following the rules the group agreed on, like raising a hand before speaking and staying on topic.

Students ask questions when something is unclear, stay on the topic being discussed, and connect what they say to what a classmate just said.

Students listen to what others say in a group discussion, then adjust or add to their own ideas based on what they heard. The point is to actually change their thinking, not just wait for their turn to talk.

Students listen to a passage read aloud or watch a short video, then identify the main point and the key details that back it up.

Students listen to a speaker, then ask questions and follow up with details that show they understood. It's the back-and-forth that turns a presentation into a real conversation.

Students pick a topic, story, or real experience and talk about it out loud, using specific details and speaking slowly enough for listeners to follow.

Students record themselves reading a story or poem clearly and at a steady pace. When it helps the listener understand, they add a picture, chart, or other visual to go with the audio.

Students choose when to answer in a full sentence rather than a quick word or phrase. A complete sentence gives the listener enough detail to understand without asking a follow-up question.

Students who speak another language at home may carry its rhythms and sounds into English. This standard recognizes that pattern as a natural part of how bilingual students speak, not an error to correct.

Students listen to two versions of the same story or event, then explain out loud what was the same and what was different between them.

Students practice listening carefully during class discussions and group work, paying attention even when a classmate's background or way of speaking differs from their own.

Students write and speak using correct grammar: complete sentences, proper nouns, verb tenses, and pronouns that match the noun they replace. This standard covers the building blocks of how English works in practice.

Students learn what nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives do in a sentence. They can point to a word and explain its job, like whether it names something, shows action, or describes it.

Students practice writing plural nouns, both regular ones (adding -s or -es, like "cats") and irregular ones that change spelling entirely, like "children" or "mice."

Abstract nouns name ideas or feelings you can't touch, like freedom, courage, or childhood. Students learn to spot and use these words in their writing.

Students practice using everyday verbs correctly, including tricky ones that don't follow the usual rules, like "run" becoming "ran" or "eat" becoming "ate" instead of "eated."

Students learn to write the same action in past, present, and future tense. Knowing when something happened, happens now, or will happen helps sentences say exactly what they mean.

Sentences need the right match between who or what the sentence is about and the verb or pronoun that follows. Students practice catching mismatches like "the dogs runs" or "everyone raised their hand."

Students learn when to say "faster" versus "fastest" and when to use those forms with describing words. They practice choosing the right comparison word depending on whether two things or a whole group is being compared.

Students learn to connect ideas using linking words. "And," "but," and "or" join two equal thoughts; words like "because," "although," and "when" show how one idea depends on another.

Students write sentences that stand alone, join two related ideas with a connecting word like "and" or "but," or link a main idea to a dependent clause. This covers the basic sentence patterns used in most Grade 3 writing.

When students write, they capitalize names and the starts of sentences, use commas and periods correctly, and spell grade-level words right. These are the basic mechanics every piece of writing depends on.

Students learn which words in a book or movie title get a capital letter and which small words, like "and" or "the," stay lowercase.

Students learn where to place commas when writing an address, such as between the city and state. It is a small but specific punctuation rule that shows up on envelopes, letters, and forms.

Students learn where to put commas and quotation marks when writing dialogue, the back-and-forth talking between characters in a story.

Students learn to write possessives, like "the dog's leash" or "Maria's backpack," to show that something belongs to someone. They practice adding an apostrophe and s to make ownership clear in their writing.

Spelling high-frequency words correctly and adding endings like -ing, -ed, or -s to base words. Students practice words they see often and learn how adding a suffix sometimes changes the spelling of the root word.

Students use spelling rules and word patterns to figure out how to write unfamiliar words correctly. That means recognizing patterns like silent letters, syllable breaks, and word endings instead of memorizing every word from scratch.

Students look up words in a dictionary to check spelling and fix mistakes. This is a skill they can use anytime, on any assignment.

Students choose words and sentences that fit the moment: a casual phrase in a story, a more formal sentence in a report. They notice how the same idea can sound different depending on who they are writing or talking to.

Students pick words that make a sentence feel exciting, surprising, or calm on purpose. They learn that swapping one word for another can change how the whole sentence sounds.

Students learn that talking and writing follow different rules. What sounds fine out loud (like "gonna" or "me and him went") often needs to change when it's written down.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by using context clues from the sentence around it, breaking the word into parts, or checking a dictionary. They pick whichever strategy fits the situation.

Students use the other words in a sentence to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. No dictionary needed: the surrounding words do the work.

When a prefix or suffix changes a word students already know, they figure out what the new word means. For example, if they know "care," they can work out what "careless" means.

Students use a familiar word as a clue to figure out an unfamiliar one that shares the same root. If they know "act," they can guess what "action" or "react" means.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a print or digital dictionary to find the exact meaning. This standard is about knowing when to reach for a reference and how to use it.

Students learn how words connect to each other and why similar words aren't always interchangeable. Knowing the difference between "chilly" and "freezing," or why a dog "trots" instead of "walks," helps students choose the right word for what they mean.

Words can mean exactly what they say, or something different. Students learn to spot when a phrase like "it's raining cats and dogs" is a colorful expression rather than a literal description.

Students connect vocabulary words to real life by thinking of people, places, or situations that actually match the word. For example, they might name someone who is generous or describe a place that feels peaceful.

Students learn that words like "knew," "believed," and "wondered" aren't interchangeable. Each one signals a different level of confidence, and choosing the right one changes what a sentence actually means.

Students learn words that show up in books, science class, and everyday conversation, including words that explain when or where something happens, like "before," "after," "nearby," or "during."