ELA
3rd Grade TEKS — Reading, Writing, Language & Research
🎤 Speaking and Listening
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Key Concepts
- Active listening: face the speaker, make eye contact, don't interrupt, think about what is being said.
- Ask questions: if you're confused, ask a question that starts with "Who," "What," "When," "Where," "Why," or "How."
- Retelling: include the main idea and key details — not every single word, just the most important parts.
- Speaking clearly: use complete sentences, an appropriate volume (not too loud or soft), and look at your audience.
- Following multi-step directions: listen to ALL steps before starting; keep track of what you've done.
- Listen attentively and ask relevant questions to clarify understanding
- Follow three- and four-step oral directions
- Speak in complete sentences and use appropriate vocabulary
- Retell a story or information heard, including main idea and details
- Make eye contact, use appropriate volume, and speak clearly
🔤 Reading Skills
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Key Concepts
- Prefixes (added to the beginning of a word): un- = not (unhappy = not happy) · re- = again (redo = do again) · pre- = before (preview = see before) · mis- = wrong (misspell = spell wrong) · dis- = not/opposite (disagree = not agree)
- Suffixes (added to the end of a word): -ful = full of (joyful) · -less = without (hopeless) · -ness = state of being (kindness) · -tion/-sion = act or state (attention, revision)
- Context clues: use the words and sentences around an unknown word to guess its meaning. "The exhausted runner collapsed after the race." → exhausted = very tired.
- Syllables: every syllable has exactly one vowel sound. Clap the syllables! re-mem-ber = 3 syllables.
- Alphabetical order: if first letters match, compare second letters. If second letters match, compare third letters. brave, bridge, bright → b-r-a, b-r-i, b-r-i then g vs. g → use 4th letter.
Watch & Learn
Flocabulary — Prefixes & Suffixes Rap
Prefixes & Suffixes — Fun Explanation
- Identify and use prefixes (un-, re-, pre-, mis-, dis-) and suffixes (-ful, -less, -ness, -tion)
- Use context clues to determine word meanings
- Identify synonyms, antonyms, and multiple-meaning words
- Decode multisyllabic words; identify syllable patterns
- Use alphabetical order to the third letter
- Identify long and short vowel sounds and vowel patterns
📚 Reading Comprehension
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Key Concepts
- Main idea: what the WHOLE passage is mostly about — usually in the first or last sentence of a paragraph. Supporting details give more information about the main idea.
- Inference: a conclusion you make using text clues + what you already know. "She shivered and grabbed her coat." → you infer she is cold, even if the passage doesn't say it.
- Cause and effect: the cause is WHY something happened; the effect is WHAT happened. Look for clue words: because, so, therefore, as a result.
- Theme: the life lesson or message the author wants you to learn. Example themes: honesty matters; hard work pays off; kindness is important.
- Point of view: First person uses "I/me/my/we." Third person uses "he/she/they." Third person limited vs. third person omniscient (all-knowing).
- Figurative language: Simile: comparison using like or as (fast as lightning) · Metaphor: direct comparison (he is a lion) · Alliteration: same starting sound (silly, slippery snakes) · Idiom: phrase with a different meaning (it's raining cats and dogs = raining very hard)
- Genre: Fiction (made-up stories), Nonfiction (true facts), Poetry (uses rhythm and imagery), Drama/Play (characters + dialogue + stage directions).
Watch & Learn
Figurative Language Explained
Similes and Metaphors
- Identify the main idea and supporting details in a text
- Make inferences using text evidence and prior knowledge
- Identify cause and effect relationships
- Compare and contrast within and across texts
- Identify the theme or moral of a story
- Identify point of view (first person, third person)
- Recognize literary elements: plot, character, setting, conflict, resolution
- Identify figurative language: simile, metaphor, alliteration, idiom
- Distinguish fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama
✏️ Writing and Research
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Key Concepts
- Paragraph structure: Topic sentence (states the main idea) → Supporting sentences (3–4 details) → Concluding sentence (wraps it up, restates main idea differently).
- Writing process: 1. Prewrite (brainstorm & plan) → 2. Draft (write it out) → 3. Revise (improve ideas) → 4. Edit (fix grammar/spelling) → 5. Publish (share final copy).
- Capitalization rules: Always capitalize: the first word of a sentence · proper names (Calvin, Texas) · the word "I" · titles (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) · days and months.
- Combining sentences: Use conjunctions to join ideas. And, but, or, so, because, while. "She ran. She was tired." → "She ran, but she was tired."
- Primary source: created by someone who was there (diary, letter, photograph, speech). Secondary source: written about an event by someone who wasn't there (textbook, encyclopedia, documentary).
- Plagiarism: using someone else's words or ideas without giving them credit. Always put information in your OWN words when taking notes.
- Write complete sentences with correct capitalization and punctuation
- Combine short sentences into longer ones using conjunctions
- Identify and correct run-on sentences and sentence fragments
- Write personal narratives, expository, and persuasive texts
- Use the writing process: prewrite, draft, revise, edit, publish
- Write a topic sentence and supporting details in a paragraph
- Use primary and secondary sources for research
- Create a research plan and take notes from sources
- Avoid plagiarism — use your own words