About the Grade 3 Units

By the end of 3rd grade, students should read independently with natural phrasing and expression. They typically read 100 to 120 words per minute and fall between 520L and 820L on the Lexile scale. Most importantly, they transition from learning to read to "reading to learn" by analyzing what they read. 

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Specific 3rd-grade reading benchmarks include:

• Fluency: Reading accurately and aloud with expression, avoiding a robotic or word-by-word pace.

• Comprehension: Retelling stories in order, stating the main idea of a text, and making inferences about character motives
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• Decoding: Unlocking longer, unfamiliar words by breaking them into syllables and using prefixes and suffixes (e.g., "-ful," "un-").

• Vocabulary: Using context clues within a paragraph to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words and recognizing figurative language like similes and metaphors.

• Endurance: Reading independently for 15 to 20 minutes a day. 

You can track and measure your 3rd grader's progress using the ArgoPrep Parent's Guide or view the Test Prep Insight Teacher Survey for expert-recommended chapter books at this stage.