What does a student learn in StateNew Jersey,GradeGrade 3,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students read a story carefully, then use specific lines or details from the text to back up what they say or write about it. They also make reasonable guesses about things the author doesn't state outright.

Students find the big idea a story keeps coming back to, then explain how key details build it up. They can also retell the most important parts in their own words.

Students track how a character changes across a story and figure out why those changes happen. They look at how one event leads to the next and what that means for the characters involved.

Students figure out what words mean by how they're used in a story, including phrases that mean something different from their literal words. They notice how an author's word choices make a passage feel funny, scary, serious, or sad.

Students look at how a story is built, noticing how one paragraph connects to the next and how individual sentences fit into the bigger picture.

Reading from a character's or narrator's viewpoint changes what details get shared and how the story is told. Students identify who is telling the story and explain how that choice affects what readers learn.

Students compare a story to its illustrated or filmed version, noticing what the pictures or video add that the words alone don't show.

This standard is typically assessed in informational or argument texts, not literature. In grade 3 reading, students look at a story or passage and decide whether the author's reasons make sense and whether the details given actually support the point being made.

Students read two stories or books on the same topic and compare how each author handled it. They notice what's similar, what's different, and what each version adds.

Students read stories and books on their own, at the level expected for third grade. The goal is understanding what they read without needing help on every page.

Students read a nonfiction passage closely, then point to specific sentences or details from the text to back up answers and ideas. They also make reasonable guesses about things the author implies but doesn't say directly.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and explain how details in the text back it up. Then they write a short summary in their own words.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how a person, event, or idea changes from beginning to end. They look for what caused those changes and how different parts of the text connect.

Students figure out what words mean in a nonfiction passage, including tricky or figurative phrases. They also look at how an author's word choices change the feeling or message of what they read.

Students look at how a paragraph connects to the rest of an article, and how individual sentences build toward the main idea. It's practice in seeing how a piece of writing fits together, not just what it says.

Students figure out who wrote a piece and why, then notice how that shapes what the author chose to include and how they worded it.

Students look at a photo, chart, or diagram alongside a written passage and explain what the image adds to the text. They practice pulling meaning from pictures and numbers, not just words.

Students read a nonfiction passage and decide whether the author's opinion makes sense. They check if the reasons given actually support the point and whether the facts used are relevant.

Students read two books or articles on the same topic, then explain what each author chose to include, leave out, or say differently. That comparison helps students build a fuller picture of the subject.

Students read grade-level nonfiction, science articles, history passages, reference books, on their own without help decoding or following the ideas.

By third grade, most print basics are already in place. This standard checks that students still recognize how letters, words, and sentences are arranged on a page before moving into more advanced reading work.

Students listen to spoken words and identify individual sounds and syllables. This builds the ear-to-page connection that makes reading and spelling click.

Students use letter patterns and word parts they know to read unfamiliar words on the page. By third grade, this includes common prefixes, suffixes, and spelling patterns that show up across everyday reading.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough to focus on meaning, not just decoding. Reading at the right pace with few stumbles helps students understand what they read.

Students pick a side on a topic or a passage they have read, then write sentences that give real reasons and examples to back it up. The goal is to convince a reader, not just state an opinion.

Students write to explain a topic clearly, using facts and details to help a reader understand it. Think book reports, how-things-work paragraphs, or any piece of writing that teaches something rather than tells a story.

Students write stories about real or imagined events, using specific details and a clear beginning, middle, and end to move the story forward.

Students write pieces that fit the situation: the right structure for a story, the right tone for a report, the right level of detail for the reader. Form and content work together on purpose.

Students plan, draft, and revise their writing to make it clearer and stronger. They learn that good writing usually takes more than one try.

Students use a computer or tablet to write, finish, and share their work. They may also use the internet to work on a piece with a classmate or respond to someone else's writing.

Students pick a question they want to answer, then research it and write up what they learned. The work goes deeper than a quick search, building real knowledge about one focused topic.

Students find facts from books and websites, check that each source seems trustworthy and accurate, and put the information into their own words instead of copying it directly.

Students find sentences or details from a book or article that back up what they want to say. They use those details as proof in their own writing.

Writing happens often in third grade, across many kinds of assignments. Students write short pieces on the spot and longer pieces built over several days, adjusting what they say based on why they are writing and who will read it.

Students listen to what classmates say and build on those ideas with their own. They come to discussions prepared and speak clearly enough that others can follow their thinking.

Students listen to a speaker, watch a video, or read a graph and then pull the key information together to make sense of what they learned. They practice getting the full picture when the same topic comes from different sources.

Students listen to a speaker and decide whether the speaker's main point makes sense and whether the reasons given actually back it up.

Students practice sharing ideas out loud in a clear order, with details that back up their main point. The way they organize and explain their thinking fits who they're talking to and why.

Students add pictures, charts, or short video clips to a presentation to make an idea clearer. The visual does real work, not just decoration.

Students learn when to talk like they're on the playground and when to talk like they're presenting to the class. They practice switching to formal English for school presentations and class discussions.

Students write and speak using correct grammar: complete sentences, proper nouns, verb tenses, and subject-verb agreement. This standard covers the grammar rules students are expected to apply in their own writing and classroom talk.

Students use capital letters, commas, apostrophes, and correct spelling when they write sentences and paragraphs. Third grade builds the habits that keep writing readable.

Students learn to choose their words on purpose: picking a formal sentence for a letter, a casual one for a story, or a precise word when a vague one would blur the meaning. Those choices make their own writing clearer and help them understand what they read.

Students figure out unfamiliar words by looking at the sentences around them, breaking words into roots and prefixes, or checking a dictionary. They use whichever strategy fits the word.

Figurative language uses words in surprising ways to paint a picture or make a point. Students learn to spot phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs," understand how words relate to each other, and notice the small differences in meaning between similar words.

Students build a working vocabulary for third grade by learning words that show up across subjects, not just in reading class. They practice using those words when they write, talk, and listen, not just when they read.