English Language Arts (Grade 3)

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English Language Arts instruction in Norfolk Public Schools builds on foundational skills and focuses on fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing with increasing independence. Instruction balances whole-class modeling, small-group practice, and independent reading and writing. Students are encouraged to discuss texts, explain their thinking, and use evidence to support their ideas.

In Third Grade, students develop strategies for reading a wide range of texts, including literature and informational sources. They work on building stamina, drawing inferences, comparing texts, and identifying themes. Word study expands to include morphology, spelling patterns, and academic vocabulary. In writing, students produce well-structured narratives, opinion essays, and informational pieces, with an emphasis on planning, revising, and editing.

Core Resources

HMH Into Reading

HMH Into Reading is a complete literacy experience that uses the latest science of reading to help your child become a skilled reader and confident writer. It’s built on a foundation called structured literacy, which systematically teaches the fundamental skills. A key feature is the focus on building knowledge through collections of engaging texts and award-winning literature. Your child will read these texts and use them to discuss ideas and think critically about essential questions. To ensure they master the basics, the program provides targeted lessons on foundational skills like phonics, using captivating, decodable books that let early readers immediately practice what they've learned. This approach ensures your student builds both a deep understanding of reading and writing while simultaneously learning about the world around them.

Units by Term with Family Support Links

Term 1 Reading and Writing Modules

What a Character: What makes a character interesting?
Personal Narrative: Summer friends can last forever.

Use Your Words: How do people use words to express themselves?
Letter: The future me is open to all possibilities.

Stories on Stage: Why might some stories be better told as plays?
Fictional Narrative: How a person helps someone can make an interesting story to tell.

Term 2 Reading and Writing Modules

Teamwork: What can sports teach us about working together?
Narrative Story: How a person helps someone can be an interesting story to tell.

Animal Behaviors: What behaviors help animals survive?
Persuasive Letter: A friendship is made up of words and actions.

Make a Difference: How can one person make a meaningful difference in their local or global community?
Expository Essay: Animals amaze us with their special abilities.

Term 3 Reading and Writing Modules

Imagine! Invent!: What does it take to make a successful invention?
Opinion Essay: Making good choices helps everyone be their best.

From Farm to Table: How does food get to your table?
Research Report: We never stop learning.

Tell a Tale: Why is it important to pass stories down to the next generation?
Descriptive Essay: Places leave impressions.
Poem: The seasons provide us with interesting changes.

Grammar Modules Throughout the Year:

Simple Sentences, Kinds of Sentences, Compound Sentences
Common and Proper Nouns, Plural Nouns and -s and -es, Types of Verbs
Verb Tenses, Using Commas, Abstract Nouns
Pronouns and Antecedents, Plural Nouns, Writing Quotations
Subject-Verb Agreement, Pronoun-Verb Agreement, Verb Tenses
Adjectives and Articles, Adjectives that Compare, The Verb “Be” and Helping Verbs
Irregular Verbs, Types of Verbs, Adverbs that Compare

Report Card Standards

Competency in these report card standards are the end-of-year goals.

Reading

Reads and comprehends a variety of genres
Summarizes important ideas and details of a text
Asks and answers questions to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text
Describes characters in a story and is able to explain how their actions contribute to the story
Uses text features to locate information in a text
Compares and contrasts key ideas from two different texts
Reads with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Writing

Writes opinion pieces supporting a point of view with relevant reasons
Writes informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly
Writes narratives to develop real or imagined experiences and events using descriptive details and clear event sequences

Speaking and Listening

Engages effectively in a range of discussions

Language

Writes fluently and legibly
Uses knowledge of English and its conventions when writing or speaking
Determines or clarifies the meaning of unknown words and phrases