Fundations

Fundations® is a multisensory and systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program. Level 3 (Third Grade) of Fundations® builds on the basic skills that were learned in Fundations Levels K-2 and progresses further into the study of word structure, focusing on advanced spelling rules and morphology. 

By the end of Level 3, students will be able to:

• Identify parts of words (syllables, basewords, suffixes)

• Identify word structures such as vowels, consonants, blends, digraphs, digraph blends, trigraphs (tch, dge)

• Identify all six syllable types: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, r-controlled, vowel digraph/diphthong, consonant-le

• Identify the “exceptions” to these six syllable types

• Read and spell words with these unexpected vowel sounds (exceptions)

• Segment syllables into sounds (phonemes) and divide multisyllabic words

• Read and spell words with short and long vowel sounds

• Read and spell words with r-controlled vowels (ar, er, ir, or, ur)

• Read and spell words with vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ey, ea, ei, eigh, ie, igh, oi, oy, oa, ow, oe, ou, oo, ue, ew, au, aw)

• Identify schwa

• Read and spell words with the unexpected vowel sound of schwa in unaccented syllables

• Read and spell phonetically regular words

• Read words with sound options for the grapheme representation

• Spell words with options for the grapheme representation for sounds with use of a spell checker or dictionary

• Read and spell words with additional sounds of a and ch, the suffix -ed, and the soft sounds of c and g

• Read and spell words with ph, nge, nce, tion, sion, ture, tu, ti, ci

• Read and spell words with silent letters (wr, rh, gn, kn, mn, mb, gh)

• Read and spell words with suffixes, including most common Latin suffixes (-s, -ed, -ing, -est, -ish, -able, -ive, -y, -ful, -ment, -less, -ness, -ly, -ty, -er, -en, -es, -ous, -al, -ent, -an, -ward, -or)

• Identify and know the meaning of most common Latin suffixes

• Read and spell words with suffixes added to unchanging basewords (strongest)

• Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns

• Apply spelling rules for adding suffixes to basewords that change (sliding)

• Read and spell contractions, reduce two words into a contraction, and identify the words from which a contraction was made

• Read and spell trick words or targeted high frequency words

• Read and know meaning of sound-alike words (homophones)

• Determine and clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words (patient)

• Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root

• Construct simple, compound and complex sentences using vocabulary words using proper capitalization, punctuation, and incorporating coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

• Apply correct punctuation and capitalization rules for beginning of sentences and names of people

• Know meaning of targeted vocabulary words (Word of the Day) and different inflected forms of words when a known affix is added (confuse, confusing)

• Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives, adverbs, and regular verbs

• Acquire and use accurately grade-level conversational and general academic words

• Identify real-life connections between words and their use

• Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase (Home Support Packet)

• Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing and reading

• Apply dictionary skills and consult reference material to check and correct spelling and to determine and/or clarify precise meaning

• Use correct writing position and pencil grip

• Write clear, legible cursive at an appropriate rate