English Language Arts 3

Unit 1: Text Forms and Structure

How the SHAPE of a text helps it share its message. Grade 3 readers learn that a story, a poem, a letter and a how-to list are built differently on purpose — titles, headings, paragraphs, beginning-middle-end — and that the form is a clue to the meaning.

• Recognizing text forms
• How the form fits the message

• Titles and headings as signposts
• Beginning, middle and end

Unit 2: Listening and Speaking

Talking and listening well, in class talks and in casual chats. Grade 3 speakers learn to listen carefully, take turns, speak clearly to a group, and give a short oral presentation about something they know.

• Listening to understand
• Taking turns in a conversation

• Speaking clearly and loudly enough
• Giving a short presentation

Unit 3: Vocabulary and Word Parts

Growing a bigger word bank. Grade 3 readers learn to figure out new words from clues in the sentence, and to use small word parts — prefixes like un- and re-, and endings like -ing and -ed — to unlock and build meaning.

• Using clues in the sentence
• Collecting and using new words

• Prefixes change the meaning
• Endings that change a word

Unit 4: Phonics and Word Building

Turning letters and sounds into words you can read and spell. Grade 3 readers learn how letter patterns make sounds — long vowels, vowel teams, and syllables — and use those patterns to read and write longer words.

• Vowel teams and long-vowel patterns
• Breaking words into syllables

• Sounding out longer words
• Spelling with sound patterns

Unit 5: Reading Fluently and Understanding

Reading smoothly so your brain can focus on the meaning. Grade 3 readers practise reading at a comfortable pace with expression, and use fix-up strategies — reread, slow down, check the picture — to keep making sense of the text.

• Pace, phrasing and expression
• Why smooth reading helps understanding

• Noticing when meaning breaks — and rereading
• Retelling to check understanding

Unit 6: Understanding and Connecting to Texts

Thinking deeply about what you read and linking it to your own life. Grade 3 readers learn to find the main idea and details, ask and answer questions, and make text-to-self connections that help a story or article mean more.

• Finding the main idea
• Details that support the main idea

• Connecting a text to your own life
• Asking and answering questions about a text

Unit 7: Writing and Research

Planning, drafting and sharing your own writing — including finding out about a topic. Grade 3 writers learn to build a paragraph around a topic sentence, follow the steps of writing (plan, draft, revise), and do a simple research project to answer a question.

• Writing a topic sentence
• Keeping a paragraph on one idea

• Planning then drafting
• Revising to make writing better

• Asking a question to research
• Gathering facts and sharing them

Unit 8: Grammar and Punctuation

The rules that make writing easy for a reader to understand. Grade 3 writers learn to use complete sentences, capital letters and end punctuation correctly, and to edit their own work so it is clear.

• Writing complete sentences
• Capitals and end punctuation

• Commas in a list
• Editing for capitals and periods