3rd Grade ELA Curriculum Menu
Literature, Media Literacy, Nonfiction, Foundations, Speaking & Listening, Vocabulary, Writing
Guiding Principle
Students read a wide range of fiction, nonfiction, classic, and contemporary works, to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They read a wide range of literature in many genres from a variety of time periods and cultures from around the world to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, and reading skills that they have developed and refined.1
1 Adapted from Standards for the English Language. National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association, 1996. Available at http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Books/Sample/StandardsDoc.pdf.
Reading: Nonfiction
There are three key areas found in the Reading: Nonfiction section for grades 6-12: Key Ideas and Textual Support, Structural Elements and Organization, and Synthesis and Connection of Ideas. By demonstrating the skills listed in each section, students should be able to meet the Learning Outcome for Reading: Nonfiction.
Infusion of the Catholic Faith
Through Catholic education, we seek to better understand human nature, the choices we face, and the role our faith plays in these decisions. Through our study of Language Arts, we strive to better understand our role and identity as Christians, and our responsibility to social justice. Human virtues and a Catholic worldview are explored through reading, writing, discussion and reflection.
The Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Charleston examine each subject in the context of the Catholic faith. Our students learn and are formed through the infusion of Gospel Values into all disciplines. Through the diocesan curriculum and standards, our teachers seek to promote the synthesis of faith, life, and culture to form students as disciples of Jesus. This document has been created to serve as a curriculum guide for English Language Arts. The ELA Standards are supported through the infusion of the Cardinal Newman Society standards. Resources to support the infusion of our faith can be found through the links below.
Ways to Infuse the Faith
Ways to Infuse the Faith
The DOC ELA Standards align with the Cardinal Newman Society Catholic Curriculum Standards. Click HERE to infuse our faith into the ELA curriculum through literature, scripture, parables, and saints.
Learning Outcome NF-3: Read and comprehend a variety of nonfiction within a range of complexity appropriate for grades 2-3. By the end of grade 3, students interact with texts proficiently and independently.
Essential Question: How does our study of Language Arts strengthen our faith and Catholic identity? How does literature help us to develop the faculty of personal judgement and our obligation to social justice?
Students read books (We, the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the U.S.) that help them understand the function of government to provide for the common good, and recognize that active citizenship is important in securing good government. (Social Studies, Reading)
Students read literature (Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, The Keeping Quilt) about a variety of cultures and talk about the world as part of the Family of God. (Religion, Social Studies)
For ask and answer questions
National Geographic Readers: Sharks!
For main idea and details
Henry’s Freedom Box, Ellen Levine
For relationships between historical events, etc
A River Ran Wild, Lynne Cherry
For text features
Snowflake Bentley, Jacqueline Briggs Martin
For problem solution or chronological order
Oxcart Man, Donald Hall
For perspective from author’s
When I was Young in the Mountains, Cynthia Rylant
For fact or opinion
Mr. Fact and Miss Opinion, Melissa Polyakov
For compare/contrast
Growing Vegetable Soup, Lois Ehlert
Planting a Rainbow, Lois Ehlert
Novels
Who was…? Series
Considerations for Learning Differences
English Language Learner Strategies