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

Students use what they know about letter patterns and word parts to read unfamiliar words, both on their own and inside sentences. This is the decoding work that makes reading faster and more automatic.

Students learn that adding a prefix or suffix to a word changes its meaning. For example, "unhappy" means not happy, and "helpful" means full of help.

Students read words that end in common suffixes like -ly, -less, and -ful. Knowing these endings helps students figure out words like "quickly," "helpless," and "careful" without stopping to sound out every letter.

Students break longer words into syllables and read each part to sound out the whole word. This includes words they have not seen before.

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

Students spell grade-level words correctly by applying what they know about letter patterns and word parts. They also write clearly enough that others can read it.

Students apply spelling rules to write words of varying lengths, from short one-syllable words to longer three-syllable words. They use patterns like silent letters, vowel pairs, and word endings to spell correctly.

Students spell common words the right way every time, including tricky words that don't follow normal spelling rules, like "because," "friend," and "people."

Students learn to look up a word in a dictionary or thesaurus to check the spelling and fix it if it's wrong.

Students practice printing neatly and writing every letter, capital and lowercase, in cursive. Both handwriting styles are expected by the end of third grade.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough to focus on what the words mean, not just what they say. Fluency at this level means students can keep up with a full paragraph without losing the thread of the story or passage.

Students read third-grade passages with enough focus and comprehension to understand what they've read, not just say the words aloud.

Students practice reading a passage out loud more than once until the words come smoothly and the reading sounds natural, not choppy. Each time through, accuracy and expression improve.

When students hit a word that doesn't sound right, they use the surrounding sentence to figure it out, then reread to make sure it makes sense.

Students apply grammar rules when they speak and write: capitalizing the right words, ending sentences with the right punctuation, and choosing words that fit together correctly in a sentence.

Students name the job each word is doing in a sentence: whether it's naming a person or thing, replacing a name, showing action, or describing what something looks, feels, or acts like.

Students practice spelling plural nouns, both the predictable ones (add -s or -es) and the tricky ones that change form entirely, like "child" becoming "children" or "foot" becoming "feet."

Students identify and use nouns that name ideas or feelings you can't touch, like freedom, honesty, or courage, rather than objects you can hold or see.

Students practice using everyday verbs correctly, including tricky ones that don't follow the usual rules, like "ran" instead of "runned" or "wrote" instead of "writed."

Students learn when to use "walked," "walk," and "will walk" to show whether something happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen later.

Students check that the subject and verb in each sentence match ("The dogs run," not "The dogs runs") and that pronouns like "he," "she," or "they" clearly refer back to the right person or thing.

Students learn when to say "faster" versus "fastest" and when to use "more carefully" versus "most carefully." They practice choosing the right form when comparing two things or ranking several.

Students learn to connect ideas inside a sentence using linking words like "and," "but," "because," and "although." This keeps writing from sounding choppy and helps readers follow how ideas relate.

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

Students learn which words in a book or movie title get a capital letter and which stay lowercase. They practice writing titles correctly, not just guessing.

Students practice putting commas in the right spots when writing a street address or a city and state together.

Students learn to punctuate conversations in a story, using commas to separate a speaker's words from the rest of the sentence and quotation marks to show exactly what a character said.

Students learn when to add an apostrophe and "s" to show that something belongs to someone, like "the dog's leash" or "Maria's book."

Students write a paragraph that opens with a main idea and uses the supporting sentences to back it up. The paragraph sticks to one topic from start to finish.

When students hit an unfamiliar word while reading, they use context clues, word parts, or a dictionary to figure out what it means. Some words have more than one meaning, and students practice choosing the right one for the sentence.

Students use the other words in a sentence to figure out what an unfamiliar word means, without stopping to look it up.

Students break apart words like "unhappy" or "helpful" by spotting a prefix or suffix they already know. That clue tells them what the new word means.

Students spot a familiar root inside an unfamiliar word and use it to figure out what the new word means. For example, knowing "heat" helps unlock "preheat" or "reheated."

Students learn to look up an unfamiliar word in a glossary or dictionary, print or online, to find its exact meaning.

Students sort words into groups and explain how words within a group connect. They also notice small differences in meaning between similar words, like the gap between "chilly" and "freezing."

Students learn that words don't always mean exactly what they say. They practice spotting the difference between a phrase used literally ("it's raining hard") and one used figuratively ("it's raining cats and dogs").

Students connect vocabulary words to real life by thinking of places, people, or situations where those words actually show up. A word like "scarce" might remind them of a food bank or a drought they heard about on the news.

Students sort words like "sure," "certain," and "positive" by how strongly they express a feeling or belief. They learn that related words are not identical, and that choosing the right one changes what a sentence actually says.

Students learn new words they'll encounter in classroom discussions and across subjects, and practice using them correctly in their own speaking and writing. This includes words that show where or when something happens, like "nearby" or "meanwhile."

Students read a story and answer questions by pointing to the exact words or sentences in the text that back up their answer. The proof comes from the page, not from memory or a guess.

Students retell a story, fable, or myth in their own words, then explain the lesson or moral. They point to specific moments in the story that show how the author built that message.

Students describe a character from a story and explain how that character's choices move the plot forward. The focus is on cause and effect: what the character did and what happened next because of it.

When an author writes "she had butterflies in her stomach," students figure out that it means nervous, not actual butterflies. They learn to spot when words mean something different from their dictionary definition.

Stories, plays, and poems are each built in sections. Students name those sections (chapter, scene, stanza) and explain how each one picks up where the last left off.

Stories have a narrator telling events and characters feeling them. Students identify who is telling the story and notice how that differs from what a character thinks or feels, and from the reader's own view.

Students look at the pictures in a story and explain what the images add that the words alone don't show. This might include a character's mood, the setting's details, or action happening between scenes.

Students read two stories by the same author and look for what's alike and what's different: the lesson each story teaches, where it takes place, and what happens to the characters.

Students read stories and poems on their own at the level expected by the end of third grade, without help sounding out words or making sense of what they read.

Students read a nonfiction passage and answer questions about it by pointing to the exact words or sentences in the text that back up their answer.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage, then pick out the key details that back it up. They explain how those details connect to the main point in their own words.

Students explain how events or ideas connect in a nonfiction text, using words like "first," "next," "because," and "as a result." They show whether one thing caused another or simply came before it.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean using clues in the text around them. This skill focuses on topic-specific words, the kind that show up in science chapters, history passages, and other nonfiction reading.

Students use headings, captions, bold words, and charts to find specific information quickly without reading every word on the page.

Students figure out the difference between what they think about a topic and what the author thinks. They look for clues in the text that show the author's opinion or perspective.

Students use pictures, diagrams, and words together to understand what a nonfiction text is saying. A chart might explain something the sentences don't spell out, and students learn to read both.

Students find the reasons an author gives and explain how each one backs up a point in the text. Think of it as checking whether the author's evidence actually matches what the author is trying to prove.

Students read two nonfiction texts on the same topic and explain what the texts agree on and where they differ. The focus is on the most important ideas, not every detail.

Students read nonfiction books and articles at the upper end of what third graders are expected to handle, on their own and without much help.

Students watch, listen to, or look at something (a video, a chart, a speech) and figure out the main point and the details that back it up.

Students listen to a speaker, then ask questions and give answers that go beyond yes or no. They add detail that shows they actually understood what was said.

Students come to class ready to talk about a shared topic or book, listen to what classmates say, and add their own thoughts to the conversation.

Students pick a topic, story, or personal experience and share it out loud using real details, at a pace slow enough for listeners to follow.

Students learn when to add a photo, chart, or sound clip to a presentation to help a key fact land. The goal is choosing the right visual or audio, not just decorating the work.

Students practice saying their answers in full sentences, not just a word or two, when a teacher or classmate asks them to explain or give more detail.

Students pick a topic they care about and write to convince a reader their view is right. They back up that opinion with clear reasons.

Students open a piece of writing by naming the topic clearly so the reader knows what the paragraph or essay is about from the very first sentence.

Students write a paragraph that states what they think and backs it up with reasons that explain why.

Students arrange their reasons in order, putting the strongest or most important ones where they'll do the most work. The structure shows readers how each reason connects to the main point.

Students end their writing with a closing sentence or short paragraph that wraps up their argument. It signals to the reader that the piece is finished, not just cut off.

Students practice connecting opinions to reasons using words like "because," "since," and "for example." These linking words help a paragraph hold together and make the argument easier to follow.

Students apply the grammar and spelling rules they've been building all year, using them in real writing rather than just practice exercises.

Students pick a topic and write to explain it clearly, using facts and details. The goal is to give readers real information, not just an opinion.

Students open their writing by naming the topic clearly so readers know what the piece is about before the details begin.

Students organize their writing so that ideas on the same topic appear near each other, and add drawings or diagrams when a picture explains something words alone can't.

Students pick one topic and back it up with real facts and specific details, not just opinions. Each sentence should teach the reader something true about the subject.

Students end their writing with a closing sentence or short paragraph that wraps up the main idea. The ending signals to the reader that the piece is finished.

Students practice connecting related ideas inside a paragraph using words like "also," "another," and "for example." Those connector words help readers follow the logic from one sentence to the next.

Students choose specific, exact words to explain a topic clearly. Instead of writing "the weather got bad," they write "the storm dropped six inches of snow."

Students use correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation when they write. This standard connects writing to the grammar and spelling rules students practice separately.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with details that help readers picture what's happening and events that follow a clear order.

Students write a story with a clear beginning, real characters, and events that happen in an order that makes sense.

Students write what characters say out loud and what they think or feel inside, so readers understand how a character reacts when something happens in the story.

Students practice words like "first," "then," and "finally" to show readers what happens in what order in a story or explanation. These signal words keep the sequence clear.

Stories need an ending that feels finished. Students write a closing sentence or two that wraps up their narrative instead of stopping abruptly.

Students write sentences with correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, applying the grammar and mechanics they've practiced in reading and foundational literacy work.

Students practice writing sentences and paragraphs that fit the assignment: the right tone for the reader, a clear point, and an order that makes sense. A teacher helps along the way.

Students plan, draft, and fix up their writing with help from a teacher or classmate. That means rereading for meaning, then correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar before the piece is finished.

Students use a computer to write, edit, and publish their work, with help from a teacher. By the end of third grade, they can sit down and type a complete piece from start to finish in one session.

Students pick a topic and find information about it, then put together a short research project that shows what they learned.

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

Students find sentences or details from a book or article that back up a point they want to make. They use what they read as proof in their own writing.

Students pull quotes or details from a book or article to back up what they're writing. The reading standard for third grade sets the bar for how well they need to understand that source.

Students write regularly across many subjects, not just in English class. The goal is to build the habit of writing so it feels less like a chore and more like a natural way to share ideas.