Language Arts - 3rd Grade Lesson Plan

Third Grade Language Arts Lesson Plans

3rd grade language arts
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3rd grade language arts
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Language Arts -3rd Grade Lesson Plans

Time4Learning is an online student-paced learning system covering preschool through middle school. It is popular as a third grade homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment, for remediation, and for summer study. If you are just learning about Time4Learning, we'd suggest first looking at our interactive lesson demos.

The lesson plans below provide a detailed list of the language arts and language arts extensions, with brief activity descriptions and learning activity (LA) numbers. Additional resources related to third grade language arts are also provided.

Members often use this page as a resource for more detailed planning, to choose specific activities using the activity finder or to compare our curriculum with state standards.

Third grade language arts is organized into two large sections:

  1. Language Arts - 179 Activities
  2. Language Arts Extensions - 104 Activities
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3rd Grade Language Arts Lesson Plans
Total Activities: 179
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Chapter 1 - "Vocabulary Skills"Students will expand and apply knowledge of grade level appropriate vocabulary.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Synonyms - The student will demonstrate knowledge by determining the meaning of synonyms from grade level appropriate vocabulary, by correctly choosing a given word or phrase that means the same thing, in reading activities that incorporate explicit instruction and application. R3002
R3003
R3004
R3005
Antonyms - The student will demonstrate knowledge by determining the meaning of antonyms from grade level appropriate vocabulary, by correctly choosing a given word or phrase that means the opposite, in reading activities that incorporate explicit instruction and application. R3007
R3008
R3009
R3010
Prefixes - The student will be able to analyze and determine the correct meaning of a word, based on the prefix of the root word or how the prefix is used in the context of a passage. R3012
R3013
R3014
R3015
Suffixes - The student will be able to analyze and determine the correct meaning of a word, based on the suffix of the root word or how the suffix is used in the context of a passage. R3017
R3018
R3019
R3020
Homophones - The student will be able to identify and select the appropriate homophone or word that sounds the same, based on the context of a passage which fits the best meaning of the given word or phrase. R3022
R3023
R3024
R3025
Idioms - The student will be able to identify and analyze the author's use of idioms, based on the context of a passage and how these expressions are used in literal and interpretative information. R3027
R3028
R3029
R3030
Chapter 2 - "Process Skills: Think Alouds"Students will apply comprehension strategies to literary and expository texts using think aloud prompts and scaffolded support.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Think Aloud Level 1 - Use the reading comprehension process skills of summarizing, predicting, visualizing, questioning, and clarifying with extensive scaffolding and support, through think aloud prompts. R3108
R3109
R3110
R3111
Think Aloud Level 2 - Use the reading comprehension process skills of summarizing, predicting, visualizing, questioning, and clarifying with scaffolding and support, through think aloud prompts. R3112
R3113
R3114
Think Aloud Level 3 - Use the reading comprehension process skills of summarizing, predicting, visualizing, questioning, and clarifying to independently read and comprehend texts with minimal think aloud support. R3115 R3116
Chapter 3 - "Comprehension"Students will apply comprehension strategies to literary and expository texts.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Summarizing - Develop summaries or paraphrase information from literary or expository text containing context clues. R3044
R3045
R3046
Characters - Identify characters, and compare and contrast characters within a literary text. R3104
R3105
R3106
Setting - Identify and describe the setting(s) in a literary text. R3098
R3099
R3107
Plot - Identify plot by using story elements including the main problem and solution. R3101
R3102
R3103
Main Idea & Supporting Details - Non-Fiction - Identify the main idea(s) using the supporting details in an expository text. R3048
R3049
R3050
Main Idea and Theme - Fiction - Identify the main idea(s) or theme(s), distinguishing them/it from supporting details in a literary text. R3052
R3053
R3054
Sequential Order - Identify literary or expository text that is organized in sequential/chronological order using words (first, next, last, then, finally, etc.) or phrases (to begin with, in addition to, etc.) to signal sequence or chronology. R3076
R3077
R3078
Fact and Opinion - Distinguish between fact and opinion in an expository text. R3120
R3121
R3122
Charts and Graphs - Read and interpret charts and graphs. R3091
R3092
R3093
Cause and Effect - Identify and distinguish between cause and effect in expository and literary texts. R3095
R3096
R3097
Author's Purpose - Identify and use knowledge of the author's purpose to comprehend the writing of a literary or expository text. R3057
R3058
R3059
Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions - Use knowledge, information, and ideas from literary or expository texts to make inferences about the text (e.g., make inferences, draw conclusions, make generalizations, infer sequence of events, and infer a character's feelings, or traits). R3037
R3039
R3041
R3038
R3040
R3042
Compare and Contrast - Compare and contrast characters, settings, ideas, information and/or plot within a text or between two or more genre sources (literary or expository), that includes figurative language such as similes. R3080
R3082
R3084
R3081
R3083
R3085
Chapter 4 - "State Simulation Assessments"Students will apply comprehension skills to literary and expository texts that simulate high stakes assessments.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
State Simulation Test - Students will demonstrate knowledge of comprehension skills on grade level appropriate literary and expository passages, with questions that simulate a high-stakes assessment. R3117
R3118
R3119
Chapter 5 - "Family - ILA"Student will identify story elements and make inferences and draw conclusions based on information in the story, Zero Grandparents. Student will understand elements of character development and infer character traits. Student will use a variety of strategies to comprehend reading selections.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery, and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. Authentic fiction literature is included. 34228
34229
34230
34231
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34232
34233
34234
34235
34236
Chapter 6 - "Community - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on community engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery, and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. 34237
34238
34239
34240
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34241
34242
34243
34244
34245
Chapter 7 - "Friendship - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on friendship engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. Authentic fiction literature is included. 34246
34247
34248
34249
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34250
34251
34252
34253
34254
Chapter 8 - "Tall Tales - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on tall tales engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery, and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. 34273
34274
34275
34276
Language Art - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34277
34278
34279
34280
34281
Chapter 9 - "Folktales - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on folktales engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery, and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. 34255
34256
34257
34258
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34259
34260
34261
34262
34263
Chapter 10 - "Fairy Tales - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on fairy tales engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. Authentic Caldecott-winning fictional literature is included. 34264
34265
34266
34267
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34268
34269
34270
34271
34272
Chapter 11 - "Animals - ILA"An integrated thematic chapter on animals engages students in a series of activities that serves to enhance reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading & Responding - The student will learn thematic content through discovery and achieve comprehension by reading literature with emphasis on vocabulary. Authentic fiction literature is included. 34220
34221
34222
34283
Language Arts - Through a series of learning activities focused on discovery, recognition, and application, the student will practice language arts skills. These activities have direct instruction, practice, and scored assessment. 34223
34224
34225
34226
34282


3rd Grade Language Arts Extensions Lesson Plans
Total Activities: 104

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Chapter 1 - "Reading Comprehension - Extension"The learner will use a variety of strategies to read, comprehend and respond to a diverse collection of texts and materials.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Reading Cues - Use a variety of cues (such as prefixes, suffixes, root words, multiple meanings, antonyms, and synonyms) to recognize words. 34001
34005
34039
Use of Reference Books - Use various reference materials, including a dictionary, an encyclopedia, or a glossary to determine comprehension of words. 3218
3219
Sequencing Skills - Demonstrate correct sequencing skills, including alphabetical, chronological, and numerical order, by using resources, such as a card catalog, encyclopedia, or telephone directory. 3220
3221
Graphic Organizing - Construct a story map, graph, or chart to demonstrate understanding of written text in fiction and nonfiction. 3154
3155
34015
Summarizing Skills - Restate and summarize information contained within written material (to demonstrate comprehension). 3157
Comprehension Tactics - Use critical, interpretative, and evaluative processes to demonstrate understanding of texts. 3158
3159
Explaining Inferences - Explain inferences from texts, such as determining fact and opinion, cause and effect, fantasy and reality. 3226
3227
Mathematics Vocabulary - Demonstrate increased vocabulary and enhanced language use. Unit 1: Words from mathematics, including diagram, graphs, charts, tables, computation, operations, centimeter, geometric, patterns, and estimates. 3160
3161
Social Studies Vocabulary - Demonstrate increased vocabulary and enhance language use. Unit 2: Words from social studies, including geography, culture, democracy, citizenship, government, chronology, political, historical, economics, and immigrant. 3162
3163
Science Vocabulary - Demonstrate increased vocabulary and enhanced language use. Unit 3: Words from science, including pulley, friction, condensation, evaporation, data, energy, interpretation, exploration, physical properties, and vertebrae. 3164
3165
Chapter 2 - "Cause & Effect - Extension"Identify cause-and-effect relations in a variety of literary texts.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Use of Terminology - Demonstrate ability to use the terminology character, setting, and, plot and to know the similarities and differences with each term. 3228
3229
Literary Terms - Identify literary terms, such as title, author, playwright, illustrator, act, scene, dialogue, and style. 3230
3231
Major Themes - Identify major themes across literary works. 3232
3233
Identify Cause & Effect - Identify cause-and-effect relations in a variety of literary texts. 3167
Biography & Autobiography - Understand the defining characteristics of a biography and an autobiography. 3168
3169
Elements of Fiction - Understand the defining characteristics of fiction, and read the novel Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary. 3170
3171
Elements of Fairy Tales - Understand the defining characteristics of fairy tales, and read a fairy tale selection. 3234
3235
Elements of Myths - Understand the defining characteristics of myths, and read a selection from Norse mythology. 3174
3175
Common Sayings & Phrases - Demonstrate understanding of the meanings of the following common sayings and phrases: "actions speak louder than words," "beggars can't be choosers," "when in Rome do as the Romans do," "a feather in your cap," and "rule the roost." 3238
3239
Chapter 3 - "Grammar - Extension"The learner will apply grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Use of Periods - Review and correctly use a period in simple and compound sentences. 3240
3241
Use of Question Marks - Review and correctly use question marks to end sentences. 3180
3181
Use of Exclamation Marks - Correctly use exclamation marks in interjections and exclamatory sentences, such as "Hey!" and "What a big boy you are!" 3242
3243
Use of Commas - Uses conventions of puncuation (comma in a series, dates, and addresses; quotation marks to indicate dialogue; apostrophes to indicate singular possession; periods in abbreviations). 3182
3183
Use of Apostrophes - Correctly use apostrophes in contractions and possessives. 3244
3245
Use of Nouns & Proper Nouns - Identify and correctly use nouns and proper nouns in simple and complex sentences. 3184
3185
Use of Pronouns - Identify and correctly use pronouns in simple and complex sentences. 3246
3247
Use of Verbs - Identify and correctly use verbs in simple and complex sentences. 3186
3278
3279
Use of Adjectives - Identify and correctly use adjectives in simple and complex sentences. 3248
3249
34016
Use of Adverbs - Identify and correctly use adverbs in simple sentences. 3188
3189
34017
Parts of Speech - Recognize the following parts of speech: interjections, conjunctions, and prepositions. 3250
3251
33997
34007
Sentence Types - Identify and use the following sentence types: declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory. 3252
3253
3262
Subject & Predicate - Identify subject and predicate in single-clause sentences. 3192
3193
Letter Writing - Use established punctuation and grammatical conventions when writing a letter. 3254
3255
Singular Forms of Nouns - Identify and use singular forms of regular nouns. 3256
3257
Plural Forms of Nouns - Identify and use plural forms of regular nouns. 3196
3197
Principles of Agreement - Use principles of agreement between subject and verb, noun and pronoun. 3258
3259
3263
Peer Editing - Edit others' writings by using the established conventions of punctuation and grammar. 3198
3199
33996
Chapter 4 - "Conventions of Spelling - Extension"The learner will use appropriate conventions when spelling and proofreading words with regular and variant spelling patterns.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Spelling Compound Words - Knows and applies rules of spelling compound words such as everything, butterfly, and outside. 33998
Homophones - Knows and applies rules of spelling. Words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings (homonyms/homophones); such as flower/flour, tale/tail, peace/piece, break/brake. 33994
Spelling Contractions - Consistently apply rules of spelling. Unit 9: Contractions; 20 words in which an apostrophe takes the place of one or more letters, such as that's, haven't, and you'll. 34037
Chapter 5 - "Speaking and Listening - Extension"The learner will demonstrate competence in speaking and listening in a variety of situations.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Listening Effectively - Demonstrate the ability to listen effectively and respectively. Understand how to ask appropriate questions, how to paraphrase to confirm comprehension, and how to respond to comments and questions from the speaker. 34021
34040
Listening to Oral Reports - Demonstrate the ability to listen and to respond to a variety of oral presentations (including stories, dramas, and informational reports). 3202
3203
Chapter 6 - "Writing Skills - Extension"The learner will write to communicate ideas and information in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.
Lesson Title and Description Learning Activity (LA)
Number
Prewriting Strategies - Use a variety of strategies to prepare for writing (lists, story maps, webs, group related ideas, and graphic organizers). 3268
3269
33993
Elements of a Paragraph - Demonstrate understanding of the elements of a paragraph by using a topic sentence and supporting sentences in a main idea. 3206
3207
The Writing Process - Use the steps of the writing process (plan, draft, write, revise, edit, print, and share) to write a letter to a friend. 3270
3271
3272
Fictional Short Stories - Write a fictional short story using the steps of the writing process. 3208
3209
Response to Literature - Write a response to literature by using the steps of the writing process. 3273
Informational Report - Write an informational report using the steps of the writing process. 3211
Poetry - Write a poem using the steps of the writing process. 3274
3275
Reference Material Uses - Understand the use of a variety of reference materials to gather information to write research reports, such as a dictionary, an encyclopedia, texts, maps, charts, and photos. 3276
3277
Occasions for Writing - Writes for a variety of occassions, audiences and purposes (letters to invite or thank, poems or stories to entertain, information to record). 34028

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Every lesson in the curriculum has a unique activity number, referred to in the lesson plans as an "LA Number." These numbers can be found on the table above or the lesson plans in the parent administration area.

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Additional Resources Related to Third Grade Language Arts

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