ELA Literature Enduring Skills –Grade 3
Enduring Skill 1: Read closely to determine what
the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence
when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
an understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
Note- How to read the assessment item descriptor:
ES 1, Demonstrator 1, RL 3.1
Example:
ES (enduring skill) 1,
Demonstrator (Statements that describe success with each standard)
RL. 3.1 (Reading Literature. Grade 4. Grade specific standard 1)
RI. 3.1 (Reading Informational. Grade 4. Grade specific standard 1)
RF.3.1 (Reading Foundational. Grade 4. Grade specific standard 1)
Demonstrators
1. Cite relevant details from the text.
2. Ask and answer questions (who, what, when, where, and why).
3. Synthesize information about a text in order to answer questions about the text.
4. Make inferences.
5. Refer explicitly back to the text for an answer.
Assessment Items
Not Exactly the Same
(1) Kenny and Kyle are best friends and twin brothers. They have many things in
common, aside from the same birthday. Both boys enjoy reading books, riding
bicycles, and playing baseball with their older brother Jeremy. They have had the
same group of friends since kindergarten. In addition to this, they have always been in
the same classroom, until this year.
(2) Entering third grade was very different for Kenny and Kyle. Kenny was placed in
Mrs. Watson's room, and Kyle was in Miss Grayson's. Both boys were extremely
nervous about being separated for the first time since they were born. However, their
parents felt very confident about this change. They thought it was a good idea for the
boys to be in different classes, and for the first time, be independent from each other.
(3) Although the first few days were difficult for the boys, they soon felt comfortable
with their separate classes and new friends. Each boy met several new students, as
well as discovered new hobbies. Kenny was now interested in astronomy. He spent
hours reading new books about stars and planets, in addition to gazing at them
through the school's telescopes with his friends. Kyle grew interested in art. He joined
the after school art club with several of his classmates. They were working on creating
a beautiful mural that would be painted in the school's front office.
(4) Even though Kenny and Kyle were finding their own interests and friends, they
knew they would always be able to rely on each other. Every day after school and art
club, the boys go on a bike ride together or play with their big brother Jeremy. The
third grade turned out to be one of the most important years for the boys. They
learned that even though they enjoy having many similarities, it is important to be your
own unique person as well.
ES 1, Demonstrators 1, 2, 3 and 4, RL 3.1
1. Which questions below are answered from this text?
A. What is an activity the boys enjoy doing together?
B. When is Kenny and Kyle’s birthday?
C. How did the first few days of third grade go for Kenny and Kyle?
D. Why do their parents think it is a good idea for them to be in different classes this
year?
Answer: C, How did the first few days of third grade go for Kenny and Kyle?
ES 1, Demonstrators 1, 2, 3 and 4, RL 3.1
2. What is the conflict (problem) in the story?
A. Kenny and Kyle are very similar.
B. Kenny and Kyle are forced to do things separately for the first time.
C. People confuse Kenny and Kyle because they look alike.
D. Jeremy is upset that his younger brothers do not spend any time with him.
Answer: B, Kenny and Kyle are forced to do things separately for the first time.
ES 1, Demonstrators 1, 2, 3 and 4, RL 3.1
3. Which of the following are differences among Kenny and Kyle?
A. Kenny and Kyle have different teachers.
B. Kenny and Kyle have made different friends.
C. Kenny and Kyle play on different baseball team.
D. Kenny and Kyle attend different schools.
Answer: A and B
ES 1, Demonstrators 1, 2, 3 and 4, RL.3.1
4. Which question below is not answered in the text?
A. What type of art does Kyle enjoy creating the most?
B. What sport do the boys enjoy playing with Jeremy?
C. Were Kenny and Kyle in the same first grade class?
D. What activities do the boys try to do together after school and art club?
Answer: A, What type of art does Kyle enjoy creating the most?
ES 1, Demonstrators 1, 2, 3 and 4, RL.3.1
5. What is the most important lesson that Kenny and Kyle learned?
A. Joining after school clubs can be fun.
B. Having a twin brother can be very difficult at times.
C. Having things in common with other people is great, but having your own interest is
important.
D. Brothers should have their own separate groups of friends.
E. Answer: C, Having things in common with other people is great, but having your
own interest is important.
Enduring Skill 2: Determine central ideas or themes
of a text and analyze their development; summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
RL.3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales,
and myths, from diverse cultures; determine the
central message, lesson, or moral and explain how
it is conveyed through key details in the text.
Demonstrators
1. Retell stories in sequential order.
2. Distinguishing different genres and differences in fables, folktales, and myths.
3. Identify the central message, lesson, or moral of a story with details
Assessment Items
The War in Space
(1) The Rebels were fighting the Royal Guard. It was a bad war. This was probably the worst
battle in 100 years. Wars used to be fought on the ground. People used tanks and guns. Now,
life had moved to space. People were setting up colonies, and no one could agree on one
ruler. Two groups were fighting with spacecraft. The Rebels were not happy with the Royal
Guard. They thought their leader was evil. The Rebels were trying to restore good in the
galaxy.
(2) These young fighters did not even remember another type of war. They were all born in
space. Their lives took place in a large spacecraft. Entire cities could live on them. The
spacecraft traveled through the darkness of outer space. It was quiet in space, and things
were still. It helped keep people calm so they could forget about the past. All the survivors
wanted to go back to life on Earth, but it was impossible. Earth would never be the same
again.
As the Rebels fought, people followed the news on the screens. They could see which fighter
planes were still out to battle and which had come back safe and sound. The Rebels were
winning. Maybe there was a chance after all.
(3) The Royal Guard began to retreat. They flew away from the battle, leaving the Rebels and
their supporters to celebrate. That battle was a victory! The next step was to take back control
of the colonies. The Rebels wanted an honest, trusting leader. They were willing to fight to the
end to make that happen.
ES 2, Demonstrator 3, RL 3.2
1. What is a theme of this text?
A. Be safe in space.
B. Pay attention to authority, even if you disagree.
C. Find a good group of people to help you in life.
D. Fight for what you believe in.
Answer: D
ES 2, Demonstrator 2, 3.RL 3.2
2. What other type of text is related to this story?
A. A poem about space.
B. A nonfiction text about a space shuttle.
C. A science-fiction novel about living in space in the future.
D. A fictional story about Earth being polluted.
Answer: C
ES 2, Demonstrator 1, RL 3.2
3. List an important detail from the beginning, middle, and end of the passage.
Use this to help you write a summary of the text.
Enduring Skill 3: Analyze how and why individuals,
events, or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their
traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Demonstrators
1. Describe a character's feelings and emotions based on information found in the text.
2. Describe a character's traits and motivations.
3. Retell the sequence of events using time order words.
4. Interpret how a character's traits, motivations, feelings, or actions contribute to actions
or sequence of events.
Assessment Items
A Day on the Slopes
© 2014 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Jaclyn Einis
(1) No matter how many times Bobby rode the chairlift, he always got frightened when he
looked down. If he stared down long enough to get that tingly feeling, he’d grip the bar in front
of him, take stock of the bar between his two legs, and reassure himself that he was secure.
Conversation helped distract him. He loved meeting people from all over the country, and
even the world, on the chairlift. Games helped distract him, too.
(2) “I spy in my little eye, something…orange,” Bobby challenged.
(3) “The plastic fence down there,” guessed Dad.
(4) “Nope!”
(5) “The square with the number on that pole,” Dad said, pointing to one of the big poles
holding up the chairlift.
(6) “Nope.”
(7) “The stripe on that guy’s jacket in front of us.”
(8) “Nope.”
(9) “Um…the sunshine?”
(10) “No way. The sun looks more yellow than orange right now, Dad.”
(11) “Okay, fine. I give up!” Dad said, throwing his head back in defeat.
(12) “The writing on the band of your goggles!”
(13) “Tricky, tricky. I’ll stump you next time.”
(14) Bobby loved winning, but he was no longer focused on playing “I Spy.” They were
close to the top.
(15) “Ready?” Dad asked.
(16) “Ready,” Bobby replied, removing his hands from the bar and skis from the little footrests
connected to the bar between his legs.
(17) Dad pulled the bar up and over their heads, and they looked forward. Skis straight and
poles held tightly, they pushed themselves away from the seat and down the small hill their
skis touched at the top.
(18) This was Bobby’s second time skiing, and he was getting the hang of it. During his first
time skiing, Dad taught him how to do the “pizza,” skiing with his skis in a wedge like a slice of
pizza. Bobby had advanced since then and could now do the “french fries,” skiing with his skis
parallel and straight like two french fries side by side. When he felt himself going too fast, he
would point his skis to the side instead of down the mountain. That would help bring him to a
stop.
(19) Normally, Bobby stayed far away from the forest, while avoiding big groups of people and
ice. Luckily, there was a lot of powdery Colorado snow on this mountain and definitely not as
much ice as there was on the mountain he had skied in New England.
(20) “Want to try skiing the glades?” Dad asked when they had stopped for a rest mid-trail.
Dad nodded to where a path veered off the trail and into the woods. Bobby saw a few skiers
follow the path into the trees. About 10 seconds later, they popped out a little ways down the
trail.
(21) Bobby felt nervous and excited. “Let’s do it!” he said with a grin.
(22) “Okay, you go, and I’ll be right behind you. Don’t go too fast. Keep your eyes on the trail,
and try to stay focused and relaxed.”
(23) “Here we go!” Bobby hollered as he glided to the side of the trail, his skis falling in line
with a path on the left that gradually curved into the woods. There were trees on either side of
Bobby, and the narrow path dipped down and then up a bit, down and then up. It felt like a
waterslide but better, because he was in control. There was one last bump on the path, where
it exited the woods. When Bobby got to it, he had gained some speed and even got a few
inches of air. He wobbled for a second, but quickly regained his balance.
(24) “Awesome!” he thought.
They were near the bottom of the hill, and the lifts were about to close.
(25) “Up for one more run?” Dad asked.
(26) “No time for talking!” Bobby said, hurrying back to the chairlift.
ES 3, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.3
1. How many times has Bobby been skiing?
A. Ten times
B. This is Bobby's first time.
C. Bobby is skiing for the second time.
D. Five Times
Answer: C
ES 3, Demonstrator 1, RL. 3.3
2. Describe how Bobby felt about going skiing. List three details from the passage to
support your answer.
ES 3, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.3
3. Which of the following did Bobby do first?
A. He skied in the glades.
B. He got off the chairlift.
C. He learned how to do “french fries”.
D. He played a game of I Spy.
Answer: D
ES 3, Demonstrator 4, RL. 3.3
1. How does Bobby feel, at first, about skiing in the glades?
A. Afraid
B. Brave
C. Fully Confident
D. Unwilling
Answer: B
Enduring Skill 4: Interpret words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including determining
technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning
or tone.
RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing
literal from non-literal language.
Demonstrators
1. Determine word and phrasing meaning through context.
2. Distinguish between literal and non-literal language.
3. Translate idioms into literal meanings.
Assessment Items
(1)Janie had been reading The Latest Adventures of Maxwell Malt all day. It was the
best book she had ever read! She just could not put it down!
(2) Suddenly, there was a knock at Janie’s bedroom door. Her mom poked her head in
and said, “Janie, are you coming down to dinner?”
(3) “Dinner?” She looked at her alarm clock. It was already 5:30 p.m.! “I had no idea
what time it was! I completely lost track of time.”
ES 4, Demonstrator 1, RL. 3.4
1. What does Janie mean when she says that she lost track of time?
A. She forgot to set her alarm clock that morning.
B. She spent the entire day reading in her room.
C. She did not know how much time had passed.
D. She lost the watch her mom had bought for her.
Answer: C
Cornel's Flying Feet
Cornel was the fastest boy on his street, He won against all the boys in every race. His feet were
lightning and couldn’t be beat. Cornel's smile stretched wide across his face. He moved as fast as the
win. After school, he’d run from class. Cornel left behind all his friends, everyone just waved as he
flew past.
ES 4, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.4
2. Which line from the poem includes a metaphor?
A.
B.
C.
D.
“His feet were lighting and couldn’t be beat.”
“Cornel left behind all his friends.”
“He won against all the boys in every race.”
“He moved as fast as the wind.”
Answer: A
ES 4, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.4
3. Which of the following sentences contains a simile?
A. "He moved as fast as the wind."
B. "After school, he'd run from class."
C. "Cornel was the fastest boy on his street."
D. "Cornel's smile stretched wide across his face."
Answer: A
Directions: Read each sentence below. Use the other words in the sentence to help you
figure out the meaning of the underlined word. Fill in the circle for the correct answer.
ES 4, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.4
4. He saw in the distance a beautiful, graceful bird soaring across the sky.
A. falling
B. gliding
C. leaping
D. scooting
Answer: B
ES 4, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.4
5. The little boy became drowsy as the day turned into night.
A. desperate
B. active
C. tired
D. excited
Answer: C
Enduring Skill 5: Analyze the structure of texts,
including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole
RL.3.5: Refer to parts of stories, drama, and poems
when writing or speaking about a text, using terms
such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how
each successive part builds on earlier sections.
Demonstrators
1. Understand the difference between a story, drama, and poem and their parts (chapter,
scene, and stanza).
2. Use vocabulary particular to each genre when speaking or writing.
3. Describe how each part builds upon earlier sections when discussing the writing about
a story, drama, or poem.
Assessment Items
Read the stanza of the poem
Whose words these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
ES 5, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.5
1. What can you conclude based on this information?
A. the woods are far away from the village.
B. the woods are near some houses.
C. the owner of the woods is friends with the speaker of the poem.
D. the speaker of the poem does not like the owner of the woods.
Answer: A
ES 5, Demonstrator 1, RL 3.5
2. How many lines of this stanza rhyme?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
Answer: 3
ES 5, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.5
3. Write another line that could continue the stanza:
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Enduring Skill 6: Assess how point of view or
purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
RL. 3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from
that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Demonstrators
1. Recognize own point of view.
2. Identify the narrator's point of view and character's point of view.
3. Compare/contrast own point of view to the narrator's or character's point of view.
4. Identify first, second, third person point of view.
Assessment Items
(1)Gloria sighed and walked up the stairs. Gloria did not like her new school. It was big and
scary. There were too many students, and she did not know her teachers. She missed her
old school. She wanted to go back to her old home.
(2) As she walked up the steps, she remembered her last day at her old school. There
were only fifteen students in the whole third grade. She was good friends with all of them.
She knew every teacher in the school. They threw a goodbye party for her.
(3)"You will do so well at your new school," Mrs. Moody said. "You are a good student. I
know it will be a good change."
(4) Gloria tried not to cry. Her best friend, Angela, said, "I am going to miss you. I will write
a letter every day. We can even visit each other. Your new house is only across town."
(5) Suddenly, Gloria was pushed from behind. She fell down and her books went
everywhere. She shouted, "Watch where you are going!"
(6) A quiet voice said, "I am so sorry. I did not mean to push you. I was just looking at the
size of this place."
ES 6, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.6
1. How is the point of view of the narrator alike and different from your point of view?
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ES 6, Demonstrator 4, RL. 3.6
2. From what point-of-view is this story written?
A. first person point-of-view
B. second person point-of-view
C. third person point-of-view
D. both first and third point of view
Answer: C
Two Mice
by J. Robbins
Two mice were sitting down to tea;
Their names were Hop and Skip.
"My dear," Hop said, "I really think
we ought to take a trip."
"Whatever for?" said sleepy Skip,
"I do not like the sea."
He poured a cup and drank it up,
as calm as he could be.
Hop just shook her head and sighed;
she didn't want to fight,
so she just stared at Skip instead,
until he said, "All right."
ES 6, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.6
3. Which of the lines from the story is spoken by the speaker (narrator)?
A.
B.
C.
D.
I do not like the sea.
Whatever for?
Two mice were sitting down to tea.
I really think we ought to take a trip.
Answer: C
ES 6, Demonstrator 1, RL. 3.6
4. Do you agree with the author’s point of view? Why or why not?
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_____________________________________________________________
Enduring Skill 7: Integrate and evaluate content
presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
RL.3.7: Explain how specific aspects of a text's
illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the
words in a story.
Demonstrators
1. Identify specific aspects of a text's illustrations.
2. Explain how aspects of illustrations contribute to the words in a story to create the
mood of a story.
3. Explain how aspects of text illustrations emphasize a character and setting.
Assessment Items
ES 7, Demonstrator 1, RL. 3.7
1. The colors that an illustrator uses can tell you a lot about the story. Which colors in the
picture help show that this story is a sad story?
A.
B.
C.
D.
purple and white
blue and green
gray and brown
green and red
Answer: C
ES 7, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.7
2. Which passage goes with the illustration?
A. Henry the hippo could not stop laughing. He heard the funniest joke from Turtle the
frog! He was so funny!
B. Henry the hippo was scared. The other hippos were picking on him. He was new
at their school.
C. Henry the hippo missed his friend Turtle the frog. The other hippo felt bad for
Henry. He could not stop crying.
D. Henry was a mean hippo. He always made the other animals cry. He would
laugh and laugh when they ran away.
Answer: C
ES 7, Demonstrator 3, RL. 7
3. Which passage would most likely be on the same page as this picture?
A. John wanted to touch his snake, but it pulled away from him in fear. John hoped
his new pet would learn to like him.
B. All the kids made fun of John because he was afraid of snakes. Whenever he saw
a snake, he would run away.
C. The snake tried to hide when the boy came closer, but it was too slow. The boy
held the snake tightly in one hand.
D. John saw the grass shake and heard a hissing sound. He saw a long, brown body
slither through the grass.
Answer: A
Enduring Skill 8: (Not Applicable to Literature)
Enduring Skill 9: Analyze how two or more texts
address similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches the
authors take.
RL.3.9: Compare and contrast the themes, settings,
and plots of stories written by the same author
about the same or similar characters.
Demonstrators
1. Identify theme, setting, and plot.
2. Compare/contrast theme is stories written by the same author about the same or
similar characters.
3. Compare/contrast setting in stories written by the same author about the same or
similar characters.
4. Compare/contrast the plot in stories written by the same author about the same or
similar characters.
Assessment Items
Ratatouille takes place in Paris, France. The main character is a rat, and he can talk.
His name is Remy. He helps a new chef. The chef does not cook very well. Remy helps him
delicious meals. He enjoys cooking and loves fine food even though he is just a rat.
Madeline is also set in Paris. Madeline is a little girl. She lives at a school with other
girls. She is the smallest, but she is the brave and spunky! One day, she has to go to the
hospital. She has her appendix taken out. She gets gifts and flowers. The other girls are
jealous.
ES 9, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.9
1. What is the most similar about these two stories?
A. What happens in the stories
B. The two main characters
C. Where the stories take place
D. The ending of both stories
Answer: C
ES 9, Demonstrator 2, RL. 3.9
2. How is Remy most different from Madeline?
Answer: He is a talking rat.
ES 9, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.9
3. Which experience is most similar to Remy's experience?
A. A horse with a hurt leg get better, and he learns to run and jump again.
B. A boy from a tropical country wants to ski and becomes a skiing teacher.
C. A girl dreams of becoming a singer, and one day she wins a talent contest.
D. A spider spins a web that gets washed away by rain, but she spins it again.
Answer: B
ES 9, Demonstrator 3, RL. 3.9
4. Which experience is most similar to Madeline's?
A. A boy falls from a tree and gets a cast put on his leg. All his friends sign the cast.
Now each of his friends want a cast too.
B. A dog has puppies. There are several of them. One is the smallest, but he is very
active. He's fun to play with.
C. A group of children lives at a school. They play together and go on adventures.
They have a nice teacher too.
D. A family takes a trip to France. They see all the famous places and building. They
even go up in the Eiffel Tower.
Answer: A
ES 9, Demonstrator 1, RL. 3.9
5. How are the settings, plots, and themes of both stories alike and different?
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Enduring Skill 10: Read and comprehend complex
literary and informational texts independently and
proficiently.
RL.3.10: By the end of the year, read and
comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poetry at the high end of grades 2-3 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Demonstrators:
1. Identify and comprehend the main idea and key details in literary text.
2. Recognize the genre in literature.
ELA Informational Enduring Skills – Grade 3
ELA Enduring Skill 1: Read closely to determine
what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence
when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text.
RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as a basis for the answers.
Demonstrators
1. Form and ask questions.
2. Understand the details in the text.
3. Answer questions that demonstrate understanding such as who, what, when, where,
and why.
4. Refer to text for answers.
Assessment Items
Read the article and then answer the question that follows.
The Skeletal System
(1) The human body is made up of several different systems. One of those systems is the
skeletal system. The skeletal system is made of bones. There are bones in your arms,
legs, hands, feet, all over your body.
(2) Bones have many important jobs. They give your body structure. They help you
move. They protect your organs, like your heart. Bones are made up of many different
materials. They are growing while you are growing.
(3) The outside of your bone is called the periosteum. The periosteum is a thick layer that
that has nerves and blood vessels. The job of the periosteum is to give the bones the
nutrients they need to grow and be healthy.
(4) The next layer of bone is called compact bone. That is the part you see if you look at
a skeleton. The compact bone is intertwined with cancellous. Cancellous looks like a
sponge. It is not as hard as compact bone. However, it is very strong.
(5) The inside of the bone is called bone marrow. The cancellous part of the bone
protects the bone marrow. Bone marrow is very important to the human body. It is the job
of bone marrow to make red blood cells for your entire body.
(6) Bones are very important to your body. It is important that you take care of them.
There are many things you can do to keep your bones healthy and strong.
(7) You can make all of the bones in your body stronger by eating the right kinds of
foods. Eating and drinking foods that contain calcium can make your bones stronger.
Some foods that have calcium are: milk, yogurt, and cheese.
(8) Another thing you can do to make your bones stronger is exercise. Running, dancing,
swimming, and bicycling are all good ways to get exercise. Playing sports is also a good
way to exercise.
(9)While you are exercising, be sure to protect your bones. If you ride your bike, be sure
to wear a helmet to protect your skull. Your skull is the bone that makes up your head
and protects your brain. If you are playing sports on a team be sure to wear pads to
protect your other bones. There are pads that protect your elbows and knees.
(10) Your bones are really important to your body, so be sure to keep them healthy and
strong!
ES 1, Demonstrator 2.3.4, RI.3.1
1. Why are bones important to the human body?
A. Bones are important to the human body because they grow.
B. Bones are important to the human body because they are strong.
C. Bones are important to the human body because they help protect important organs.
D. Bones are important to the human body because they are made up of different layers.
Answer: C
2. What part of the bone makes bones very strong?
A. bone marrow
B. compact bone
C. periosteum
D. red blood cells
Answer: B
3. Based on the passage, how can you protect your bones? Give an example from the
passage in your answer.
Answer Example:
You can make all of the bones in your body stronger by eating the right kinds of foods.
You can make your bones stronger by exercising.
Be sure to wear pads to protect your other bones.
4. What types of food make bones stronger?
A. fruit
B. meat
C. milk
D. vegetables
Answer: C
5. It takes
A.
B.
C.
D.
a lot of force to break a bone. Why do you think it is difficult to break a bone?
Bones are made up of many layers, and are very strong.
Bones help you move your body, so they are very important.
It is difficult to break bones if you eat foods that have calcium.
It is difficult to break bones if you are wearing protective pads.
Answer: A
Enduring Skill 2: Determine central ideas or themes
of a text and analyze their development; summarize
the key supporting details and ideas
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount
the key details and explain how they support the
main idea.
Demonstrators
1. Determine the main idea of informational text.
2. Recount the key details.
3. Explain how the key details support the main idea.
Assessment Items
DIRECTIONS
This session contains one reading selection with 6 multiple-choice. For multiple-choice questions,
mark your answers by filling in the circle next to the best answer.
Your Body, Your Hair
(1) The hair on our bodies has a very important role. Take eyelashes and eyebrows, for
example. Eyelashes grow at the edge of our eyes and eyebrows grow above our eyes. They
both protect our eyes from dirt, sweat and water, all things that could hurt a lot. Eyelashes
also protect our eyes from getting too much sunlight.
(2) As we get older, we begin to grow more hair all over our bodies. Some of the few places
we don’t grow hair are the back of our ears, the palms of our hand, the soles of our feet, and
our lips. The amount of hair each of us has varies from person to person, and depends on
several things—for instance, how much hair our parents have.
(3) Hundreds of thousands of years ago, human species had a lot more hair than we do now.
Back then, most people lived in Africa, which is generally a very hot continent, so a lot of
clothing wasn’t necessary. They had hair to protect their bodies. Although no one knows
exactly why, it is believed that, with time, our ancestors lost much of their hair. One potential
reason is that our ancestors didn’t need it to protect their skin or regulate their body
temperature.
(4) For many of us, the most prominent hair we have today is probably on our heads. The hair
on our heads is useful to us for a number of reasons. First of all, it regulates body
temperature by cooling or trapping heat when necessary. If it is too cold outside, the hair on
our heads helps to keep us warm. If it is very warm outside, the hair works the opposite way
by keeping the heat out. Hair also provides an extra cushion for your skull, so if you hit your
head, it doesn’t hurt so much!
(5) Did you know that the hair on our heads is constantly growing? The average head has
about 100,000 strands of hair on it. Most people can expect to grow about six inches of hair
per year. Some people have hair that grows faster and some people have hair that grows
slower. And while our hair is growing, we are losing some of it as well. Losing as many as 50
to 100 strands of hair each day is normal, and even more hair can be lost if we do something
like brush it too hard, use too much hair gel or wash it too often. It may sound like a lot, but
we can lose hundreds of hair strands during a wash.
(6) If you want an idea of what your hair will look like as an adult, just look at your parents’
hair. The kind of hair we have depends a great deal on the kind of hair our parents have, but
that isn’t the only factor in what our hair looks like. What kind of food we eat is a big piece of
the puzzle. If we aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, for instance, our hair might not
be growing like it should. In order to have healthy hair, you must treat it with care and make
sure to get enough vitamins and minerals each day.
ES 2, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.2
1. According to the passage, how do our eyelashes and eyebrows help us?
A. They protect our faces.
B. They protect our heads.
C. They protect our eyelids.
D. They protect our eyes.
Answer: D
ES 2, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.2
2. What does the author mainly describe in the passage?
A. why we have hair and what it does
B. why humans lost most of their hair over time
C. why people don’t grow hair on their palms
D. why some people’s hair grows faster than others
Answer: A
ES 2, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.2
3. If your mom and dad have a lot of hair, you are likely to have a lot of hair. What evidence
from the passage supports this conclusion?
A. “They had hair to protect their bodies. Although no one knows exactly why, it is
believed that, with time, our ancestors lost much of their hair.”
B. “The amount of hair each of us has varies from person to person, and depends on
several things—for instance, how much hair our parents have.”
C. “Some people have hair that grows faster and some people have hair that grows
slower. And while our hair is growing, we are losing some of it as well.”
D. “The average head has about 100,000 strands of hair on it. Most people can expect to
grow about six inches of hair per year.”
Answer: B
ES 2, Demonstrator 1, RI.2.3
4. Read the following sentences: “If we aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, for
instance, our hair might not be growing like it should. In order to have healthy hair, you must
treat it with care and make sure to get enough vitamins and minerals each day.”
Based on this information, what conclusion can be made?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A healthy diet makes your hair grow slower.
Your hair is not affected by your diet.
A healthy diet can keep your hair healthy.
You should put fruit in your hair to keep it healthy.
Answer: C
ES 2, Demonstrator 1, RI.2.3
5. What is this passage mostly about?
A. Africa
B. hair
C. parents
D. eyebrows
Answer: A
ES 2, Demonstrator 2, RI.2.3
6. Read the following sentences: “The hair on our heads is useful to us for a number of
reasons. First of all, it regulates body temperature by cooling or trapping heat when necessary.
If it is too cold outside, the hair on our heads helps to keep us warm. If it is very warm outside,
the hair works the opposite way by keeping the heat out.”
As used in this sentence, what does “regulate” mean?
A. to keep something the same
B. to warm something up
C. to cool something down
D. to control or adjust
Answer: D
Optional:
7. A. What do eyelashes protect our eyes from?
8. Explain how the hair on our bodies helps us in different ways.
Enduring Skill 3: Analyze how and why individuals,
events, or ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text.
RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, using
language that pertains to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
Demonstrators
1. Identify historical events and scientific ideas.
2. Be able to identify and sequence steps in a procedure.
3. Use the language of time, such as: long ago, in this decade, century, in the future.
4. Understand a series of events and steps in a procedures.
5. Describe the impact an early event had on something that happened later in the text.
Assessment Items
DIRECTIONS
This session contains one reading selection with 6 multiple-choice. For multiple-choice
questions, mark your answers by filling in the circle next to the best answer.
Read the passage about the Statue of Liberty and answer the questions that follow.
The Statue of Liberty by Mary F. Porsche
Welcome!
1 Many people have come from other countries to live in the United States. Some come to
find new jobs. Others are looking for a better way to live. All of them want to be free.
2 For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has greeted newcomers as they sail into
New York Harbor. It gives hope to everyone who dreams of freedom.
A Gift from France
3 The people of France have been friends with the people of the United States for a long
time. One man from France wanted to share his love of freedom by giving the United States a
gift. That gift was a huge statue. The statue would show the friendship between the two
countries.
Making the Statue
4 A French artist named Frédéric Bartholdi had the job of making the statue. He began
making small models out of clay in 1875. He pictured the statue as a woman who was holding
a torch high in the air. He made the statue’s face look like his mother’s face.
5 The statue was made of copper, iron, and steel. Lots of people helped make the giant
statue. Bartholdi worked with builders who knew how to make large things.
6 The right hand and torch were the first parts that Bartholdi finished. He sent these pieces
to Philadelphia in 1876 for a special fair. The fair was for the 100th birthday of the United
States. At the fair, people could climb a ladder to the torch. Everyone was excited because
people were able to go inside the statue.
7 Back in Paris, they finished the statue in 1884. Lady Liberty, another name for the statue,
is 151 feet tall from its feet to the tip of its torch.
A Grand Party
8 On October 28, 1886, the French people presented the Statue of Liberty to the people of
the United States. People from all over the world came to see it. Bartholdi was there. The
president of the United States was there, too.
9 Many people watched the party from boats floating in New York Harbor. There were
parades, and some people gave speeches.
10 What a great day for freedom!
Liberty Still Stands
11 Many years passed, and the statue started to look old. In 1980, the people of the United
States decided to repair the statue and make her look new again. Everyone helped by giving
money. Workers replaced the rusty parts and they cleaned the inside and outside of the
statue. They even put in new elevators.
12 When the work was done in 1986, there was a big party for the statue’s 100th birthday.
Even the president was there. The people at the party watched fireworks and heard
speeches.
A Reminder of Freedom
13 Liberty Island is the place where the statue stands. Each year many people go there to
see the Statue of Liberty. It reminds them how good it is to be free.
14 The Statue of Liberty is an amazing sight. It reminds us that freedom is important for
people all over the world.
Important Dates for the Statue of Liberty
“The Statue of Liberty” by Mary F. Porsche, from On Our Way to English, Guided Reading
Book, Level L. Copyright © 2004 by Harcourt Achieve, Inc. Reprinted by permission of
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Woodcut copyright © North Wind Picture
Archives.
Mark your choices for multiple-choice questions 1 through 6 by filling in the circle next to the
best answer.
ES 3, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.3
1. Based on paragraphs 4 and 5, other people worked with Bartholdi to
A. build the Statue of Liberty.
B. move the Statue of Liberty.
C. make models of the Statue of Liberty.
D. think of ideas for the Statue of Liberty.
Answer: A
ES 3, Demonstrator 2 and 4, RI.3.3
2. According to the text, what was the sequence in building the Statue of Liberty?
Answer: Small models, face made to look like his mother’s face, right hand and torch in
1876 and then the rest of statue finished in 1884
ES 3, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.3
3. According to the reading, how long has Statue of Liberty has been in the harbor and what
is its purpose?
Answer: For more than 100 years the Statue has been in the harbor as a symbol of
freedom.
ES 3, Demonstrator 5, RI.3.3
4. How does the gift of the Stature of Liberty in 1886 impact people today?
Answer: It reminds us that freedom is important for people all over the world.
Enduring Skill 4: Interpret words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including determining
technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning
or tone.
RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic
and domain specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to grade 3 topic or subject area.
Demonstrators
1. Understand that words may have multiple meanings.
2. Use root words, Latin and Greek suffixes and prefixes, to determine the meaning of
academic words in science, history/social studies.
3. Understand that words may be used as figurative language.
4. Use antonyms and synonyms as clues to find the meaning of grade level words.
Assessment Items
Excerpt from The Adventures of Pinocchio
by Carlo Collodi
(1) As he was about to put the last touches on the finger tips, Gepetto felt his wig being
pulled off. He glanced up and what did he see? “Pinocchio, give me my wig!”
(2) But instead of giving it back, Pinocchio put it on his own head, which was half
swallowed up in it.
(3) At the unexpected trick, Geppetto became very sad and downcast, more so than he
had ever been before. “Pinocchio, you wicked boy!” he cried out. “you are not yet
finished, and you start out by being impudent to your poor old father. Very bad, my son,
very bad!”
(4) And he wiped away a tear.
(5) The legs and feet still had to be made. As soon as they were done, Geppetto felt a
sharp kick on the tip of his nose.
(6) I deserve it!” he said to himself. “I should have thought of this before I made him.
Now it's too late!”
(7) He took hold of the Marionette under the arms and put him on the floor to teach him to
walk.
Pinocchio's legs were so stiff that he could not move them, and Geppetto held his
hand and showed him how to put out one foot after the other.
(9)
When his legs were limbered up, Pinocchio started walking by himself and ran all
around the room. He came to the open door, and with one leap he was out into the
street. Away he flew!
(10)
Poor Geppetto ran after him but was unable to catch him, for Pinocchio ran in
leaps and bounds, his two wooden feet, as they beat on the stones street, making as
much noise as twenty peasants in wooden shoes.
(11)
“Catch him! Catch him!” Geppetto kept shouting. But the people in the street,
seeing a wooden Marionette running like the wind, stood still to stare and to laugh until
they cried.
(8)
ES 4, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.4
1. In Paragraph 2, Pinocchio puts on Geppetto's wig, and his head is “half swallowed up in it.”
What does that mean?
A. The wig comes to life and bites Pinocchio.
B. Pinocchio is trying to eat Geppetto's wig.
C. The wig is too big for Pinocchio's head.
D. Pinocchio can't get the wig off his head.
Answer: C
ES 4, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.4
Read this sentence from Paragraph 3.
“You are not yet finished, and you start out by being impudent to your poor father.”
2. What is the best definition for the word poor?
A. Having no food
B. Bad quality
C. Deserving pity
D. Having too much
Answer: C
ES 4, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.4
Read this phrase from paragraph 10.
“...for Pinocchio ran in leaps and bounds...”
3. Which related word for ran has a stronger shade of meaning?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Scampered
Rushed
Moved
Sprinted
Answer: D
ES 4, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.4
4. What does the author mean by saying Pinocchio was “running like the wind”?
Answer: Pinocchio was running very fast.
ES 4, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.4
5. Read paragraphs 8 and 9 and find the antonym for the word stiff.
Answer: Limbered
Enduring Skill 5: Analyze the structure of texts,
including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
RI.3.5: Use text features and search tools (e.g. key
words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information
relevant to a given topic efficiently.
Demonstrators
1. Understand internet usage.
2. Determine relevant information.
3. Understand the importance of key words.
Assessment Items
DIRECTIONS
This session contains one reading selection with 6 multiple-choice. For multiple-choice
questions, mark your answers by filling in the circle next to the best answer.
A Bit About Buttons
Buttons are everywhere: on our shirts, the remote control, our jackets and our phones. (Okay,
not so many on the phone anymore!) They can be round or square or spider‐shaped, made of
wood or plastic, have stickers on them or numbers, but we see them wherever we look.
Where did they come from? What were they first made for? And why are there dozens of
them in every house?
Push and Fasten
Let’s look at the word first. Button comes from the French verb “bouter,” which means “to
push.” But the first time a button was actually pushed through a buttonhole was in the 13 th
century. The earliest buttons were made of animal parts: bones, horns and leather. The most
common use of buttons is as fasteners in clothing. They hold two pieces of fabric together.
But their first uses were as decoration on clothes and jewelry.
Archaeologists (the folks who study the past by recovering fossil remains, monuments, etc.)
have found buttons from many ancient civilizations. The Indus Valley people used them, as
did the ancient Egyptians and the ancient Chinese.
Useless?
“Even the simplest things had a glorious pointlessness to them. When buttons came in [...]
people couldn't get enough of them, and arrayed them in decorative profusion on the backs
and collars and sleeves of coats, where they didn't actually do anything. One relic of this is
the short row of pointless buttons that are still placed on the underside of jacket sleeves near
the cuff. These have been purely decorative and have never had a purpose…”
Buttons were mostly pointless, so why do we use so many of them? Do this quick exerci se:
count the number of buttons on a man’s (suit) jacket—front, pockets, sleeves and everywhere
else. They were placed there not because of their functionality, but because someone,
centuries ago, thought they looked good. Hundreds of years later, they are still with us.
“Pearlie King of Somers Town”
Our friend Bryson might not think too highly of buttons, but some people have taken them
very seriously. One such man was a street sweeper in London called Henry Croft. He would
wear suits with thousands of white pearly buttons to attract attention towards the cause of
local hospitals. He started the tradition of “Pearlie Kings and Queens” that, even today,
collects funds for charity through the wearing of pearly suits.
Fun Facts about Buttons
 Did you know that the word button is a relative of the verb “butt,” which also means “to
push”?
 Button collecting is a very popular hobby. The National Button Society was formed in
1939 in Chicago. It has more than 3,000 members!
 Till the 18th century, buttons were very expensive. Only the rich could wear them, and
they were a status symbol.
 Special metal buttons were used to hide compasses during the World Wars.
 The Waterbury Button Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut and The Button Room in
Gurnee, Illinois have large collections of buttons. The “button room” was an actual
room in Elizabeth Hewitt’s house in Gurnee, where she loved telling stories about her
collection of buttons.
ES 5, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.5
1. What is one thing that buttons are used for?
A. building monuments
B. pushing people out of the way
C. sweeping streets
D. decoration
Answer: D
ES 5, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.5
2. What does the author include a list of in this passage?
A. The author includes a list of the kings and queens of England.
B. The author includes a list of the ways ancient Egyptians used buttons.
C. The author includes a list of fun facts about buttons.
D. The author includes a list of different kinds of phones.
Answer: C
ES 5, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.5
3. Some buttons are pointless.
What evidence from the passage supports this statement?
A. Special metal buttons were used to hide compasses during the World Wars.
B. “Pearlie Kings and Queens” collects money for charity through the wearing of pearly
suits.
C. Buttons on the underside of jacket sleeves near the cuff are purely decorative and
have never had a purpose.
D. Buttons can be round, square, spider-shaped, wooden, plastic, and come with
numbers or stickers on them.
Answer: C
ES 5, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.5
4. What is an example of a button that has a purpose?
A. a button on a remote control that turns on the television when it is pressed
B. a button on the underside of a jacket sleeve near the cuff
C. a button that costs a lot of money and appeared on a coat collar in the 18th century
D. a round button made out of wood
Answer: A
ES 5, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.5
Read the following sentence: “Buttons were mostly pointless, so why do we use so many of
them?”
5. What does the word pointless mean?
A. without any use
B. too long
C. not safe for children
D. very cold
Answer: A
Enduring Skill 6: Assess how point of view or
purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
RI.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that
of the author of a text.
Demonstrators
1. Demonstrate understanding of the author’s intent.
2. Look for language or ideas expressing what the author believes about the information
he/she is presenting.
3. Understand who is speaking.
4. Express their own thoughts about the information they have read.
Assessment Items
DIRECTIONS
This session contains one reading selection with 6 multiple-choice. For multiple-choice
questions, mark your answers by filling in the circle next to the best answer.
U.S. Presidents
George Washington
(1) George Washington is regarded1 as the Father of Our Country. He guided America and
helped it evolve2 into the nation that it is today. Before becoming president, Washington led
the Continental Army to victory, winning American independence from Britain during the
Revolutionary War. After the war ended, he was a key player at the convention3 that drafted
the United States Constitution. Finally, as president, Washington’s leadership solved many
problems. It showed people that the Constitution could work to govern a new nation.
(2) America was a very different place back in Washington’s time. The nation was small and
weak. There were only 11 states in the U.S. when Washington took office. When he left after
two terms there were 16. The country only stretched as far as the Mississippi River. Most
people farmed and struggled to make a living. Many children never went to school. Most
adults could not read or write. Communication and transportation were slow and difficult. It
took days for Washington to travel the distance covered in a couple of hours by car today.
1 regarded – thought of, considered
2 evolve – to develop gradually
3 convention – a meeting arranged for a special purpose
Most Americans loved Washington for the way he handled hardship. As a general, he lost
many battles and suffered greatly. Washington never gave up, even during the bitter winters
when he and his troops had barely enough food or supplies to survive. Washington’s officers
admired his loyalty and strength so much that they wanted to make him king. Washington
refused.
(3) Today, George Washington is honored in many ways. His face adorns America’s dollar bill
and its quarter. Both Washington state and our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., are named
after the first president. The bridge that stretches across the Hudson River from New Jersey
to New York is named the George Washington Bridge. It is located exactly where Washington
crossed the Hudson with his troops to defeat British forces. Perhaps one of Washington’s
officers expressed America’s feelings about Washington best: “He was first in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”
ES 6, Demonstrator 2, RI. 3.6
1. What sentence does the author use that lets you know he admires George Washington?
A. how George Washington became president
B. how America was different during Washington’s time
C. how George Washington is honored today
D. how Washington helped win the Revolutionary War
Answer: 3
ES 6, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.6
2. How can America’s feelings about George Washington best be described?
A. intimidated
B. divided
C. appalled
D. respectful
Answer: D
ES 6, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.6
3. What is this passage mostly about?
A. how the United States was different during the time of George Washington
B. George Washington, the first President of the United States
C. why George Washington’s face is on the dollar bill and the quarter
D. how George Washington helped defeat the British in the Revolutionary War
Answer: B
ES 6, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.6
4. After reading the passage, what do you think was the speaker?
A. Someone who does not like George Washington
B. Someone who thinks that George Washington was not a good president
C. Someone who admires George Washington
D. Someone who likes history
Answer: C
Optional:
5. Explain how George Washington helped America evolve into the nation it is today. Support
your answer with two examples from the passage.
Enduring Skill 7: Integrate and evaluate content
presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
RI.3.7: Use information gained from illustrations
(e.g. maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g. where,
when, how, and why key events occur).
Demonstrators
1. Understand maps and legends.
2. Understand the importance of pictures and how they relate to text.
3. Understand that key information is found in the graphics that accompany the text.
4. Explain what they learned from the text.
Assessment Items
(Picture 1) Mexico's "Volcano of Fire" roars back to life. When will the next big explosion
occur?
The Colima (koh-LEE-mah) Volcano in Mexico has roared to life again. The 12,500-foot
volcano is also called the "Volcano of Fire." Over the past few centuries, it has had several
major eruptions.
(Picture 2)
The Volcano of Fire is Mexico's most active1 volcano. It has erupted many times over the
years. What scientists are most worried about is the next big eruption. The volcano has had
huge eruptions about every hundred years. In the 20th century, there was one that took place
in 1913.
Scientists study the pattern of activity and compare it to data taken from the major
eruption of 1913. Volcano experts can use their studies to predict a time period when there
might be a large, explosive eruption.
1 active: erupting or erupted not long ago
Living Near the Volcano
(Picture 3)
The volcano is 20 miles north of the city of Colima. To make sure no one is in danger, officials
created a safety zone around the volcano. People aren't allowed in that area.
Scientists use special equipment to track changes within the volcano. "We're looking for clues
of another large, explosive eruption," says Luhr. "That way, we can be prepared."
How a Volcano Works
Volcanoes are openings called vents on the
surface of Earth. Volcanoes can be active
(currently erupting or erupted not long ago),
dormant (not currently active but likely to erupt
someday), or extinct (unlikely to erupt again).
Magma is hot, melted rock beneath the surface of
the Earth. When magma erupts onto the surface
of the Earth, it is called lava. Magma collects in
chambers beneath Earth's surface. After pressure
from gases in the magma builds up, the magma
erupts out of volcanoes. Volcanoes let out gases,
ash, steam, and lava.
(Picture 4)
ES 7, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.7
1. How often has the Colima Volcano had huge eruptions?
A once every 50 years
B once every 500 years
C once every 200 years
D once every 100 years
Answer: D
ES 7, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.7
2. The problem for scientists was finding when Colima would have its next big eruption and
how they could keep people safe. What is the solution to this problem, as described in the
passage?
A Scientists have estimated when the volcano will erupt, and they have notified the
officials of Colima.
B Officials created a safety zone around the volcano.
C Scientists use special equipment to determine when the volcano will erupt.
D A safety zone that includes Colima has been created, and no one is allowed in that
area.
Answer: D
ES 7, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.7
3. Scientists can predict the next eruption of a volcano based on its history of eruptions. What
information from the text supports this conclusion?
A Scientists study the pattern of activity and compare it to data taken from the major
eruption of 1913. Volcano experts can use their studies to predict a time period when
there might be a large, explosive eruption.
B What scientists are most worried about is the next big eruption. The volcano has had
huge eruptions about every hundred years.
C The volcano is 20 miles north of the city of Colima. To make sure no one is in danger,
officials created a safety zone around the volcano.
D Magma collects in chambers beneath Earth's surface. After pressure from gases in the
magma builds up, the magma erupts out of volcanoes.
Answer: A
ES 7, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.7
4. How does the reader discover how a volcano works?
Answer: Picture 4
ES 7, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.7
5. What useful information does picture number three give the reader?
A. It shows the reader where the volcano is located.
B. It shows the reader where Mexico is located.
C. It shows the reader where the Pacific Ocean is located.
D. It shows the reader how close Mexico is to the United States.
Answer: A
ES 7, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.7
6. How does picture 1 relate to the text?
A. It illustrates to the reader a picture of a volcano.
B. It illustrates to the reader what an active volcano looks like.
C. It allows the reader to see the large size of the volcano.
D It allows the reader to see Colima (koh-LEE-mah) Volcano in Mexico that the story is
about.
Enduring Skill 8: Delineate and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in a text, including the
validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance
and sufficiency of the evidence.
RI.3.8: Describe the logical connection between
particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g.
comparisons, cause/effect, first/second/third in a
sequence).
Demonstrator
1. Identify facts and details the author has cited as evidence to support his point.
2. Identify how one sentence is connected to the sentence before and after it.
3. Understand how a concept continues from one paragraph to another.
4. Understand cause and effect.
5. Understand comparisons.
6. Understand the importance of sequencing.
Assessment Items
China - The Giant Panda
(1) Deep in a forest, a black-and-white bear sits peacefully. It chews the green leaves of a
plant. The bear is alone, but there are others not too far away. Later, it might amble over to
find them. They may play together. This is the giant panda in nature.
(2) The giant panda is a bear native to China. It is unusual for a bear to be found only in one
place. For over a hundred years, scientists thought that giant pandas might belong to the
raccoon family. Then research in the 1980s showed that giant pandas are bears after all.
These bears are black and white, with black patches of fur around their eyes.
(3) Giant pandas live in bamboo forests, high in the mountains in the western part of China.
This is their habitat. Here they eat bamboo. Bamboo is a grass that can grow 100 feet high. It
has hollow green stalks.1 Giant pandas peel off the leaves and stems to eat. Their paws are
well adapted to this task. They have a special thumb that helps them grasp the bamboo.
Giant pandas spend about 10-15 hours a day eating this plant.
(4)Pandas are an endangered species.2 Based on a survey completed in the mid-1980s,
researchers determined there were only 1,000 giant pandas left in the wild. This was the
lowest number ever recorded. One reason the population of giant pandas had declined is that
they had less bamboo to eat. A lot of the bamboo forests where giant pandas lived had been
wiped out by logging. Logging is the practice of cutting down trees for lumber. Loggers had
cut down the forests for fire wood, and the cleared land was used for farming.
(5) In 1998, the Chinese government banned logging in the giant panda habitats in order to
protect giant pandas. However, there are still some threats to giant pandas, and giant pandas
are killed each year. China has more people than any country in the world, and these people
need food, clothing, and homes.
1 stalk
– the stem of a plant
species – a type of animal that is disappearing from the world
2 endangered
People still illegally log in the giant panda habitats. In addition, sometimes giant pandas
get killed by getting caught in traps that people set to hunt other animals, such as deer and
takins. Conservationists and the Chinese government have tried to eliminate the threats to
giant pandas. Thanks to their efforts, the giant panda population overall has been i ncreasing.
In 2004, the giant panda population reached 1,600, and it continues to grow. Many people are
working hard to strengthen the protection of giant panda habitats, learn more about the bears,
and end the remaining threats. Thus, the future looks hopeful for giant pandas.
ES 8, Demonstrator 4, RI.3.8
1. In the mid-1980s, researchers determined there were only 1,000 giant pandas
left in the wild. In 2004, the giant panda population reached 1,600. Based on the
text, what is one thing that may have caused this increase?
A. decrease in the population of China
B. increase in the population of China
C. increased logging in the bamboo forests of western China
D. the Chinese government’s ban on logging
Answer: D
ES 8, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.8
2. How are paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 connected?
Answer: All three paragraphs tell us about the Giant Panda.
ES 8, Demonstrator 3, RI. 3.8
3. What do you think the main purpose is of this passage?
A. list the reasons that giant pandas have become an endangered species
B. show that giant pandas and black bears are closely related
C. convince people that they should take action to protect giant pandas
D. describe giant pandas and the dangers facing them
Answer: A
ES 8, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.8
4. Read all of the paragraphs in the story. What is importance about the sequence of the
paragraphs?
A. The paragraphs are connected to tell about Giant Pandas.
B. The paragraphs are unconnected.
C. The paragraphs are about panda.
D. The paragraphs have funny details.
Answer: A
ES 8, Demonstrator 1. RI.3.8
5. According to the text, how does logging affect the giant panda population in
China?
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Enduring Skill 9: Analyze how two or more texts
address similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches the
authors take.
RI. 3.9: Compare and contrast the most important
points and key details presented in two texts on the
same topic.
Demonstrators
1. Identify the points an author is trying to make.
2. Identify the key details presented.
3. Compare and contrast the points made in two different text
Assessment Items
Dinosaurs (passage 1)
Dinosaurs were the largest animals to have walked the earth thousands of year ago. The
work “dinosaur” means “terrible lizard”. They weighed up to fifty tons and were twenty five
meters long.
All dinosaurs did not live at the same time. No one ever saw a dinosaur. They died out long
before there were any humans around. Scientists know about them because they have
studied their bones and skeletons, which have been found in various places. There were
many kinds of dinosaurs.
The Brontosaurus was a plant-eating dinosaur. It weighted as much as six elephants put
together. They spend most of their time in swamps, because water supports their weight.
Their fed on water plants. When on dry land, they ate leaves and grass. They stayed
together in herds because they were attacked by meat eating dinosaurs like the Allosaurus
The largest plant eating dinosaur was the Diplodocus. It was able to raise its head very high
so it could eat leaves from the tops of the trees.
Dinosaurs (passage 2)
(1) Today, human beings control the Earth. Millions of years ago, before humans existed,
dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Their fossils have been found all over the world. They ruled the
Earth for 160 million years. That is much longer than people have been here.
(2) Dinosaurs became extinct long before humans existed. Humans and dinosaurs never lived
at the same time. Dinosaurs ruled the Earth until an unknown catastrophic1 event made
them extinct.
(3) Scientists believe that a very long time ago, all of the continents were one. As time went
by, the continents drifted apart. This explains why dinosaur fossils can be found all over the
world. The weather was warmer and more stable than it is today. The temperature would
barely rise or fall throughout the year. Therefore, there were no seasons.
(4) Dinosaurs were not alone on the planet. Small mammals and birds existed. There were
many reptiles, such as crocodiles and lizards, roaming about. Some fish, sharks, and shellfish
were living as well. The Earth had many plants. There was plenty of food to go around and
the Earth’s creatures maintained a balanced food chain. No one is sure why the dinosaurs
became extinct. There are many theories, but none have been proven.
ES 9, Demonstrator 1, RI.3.9
1. Paragraph 3 begins, “Many scientists believed…” What does paragraph 3 mostly
describe?
A. How the earth’s continents and weather were different during the time of the dinosaurs
B. How dinosaurs became extinct
C. Animals that lived at the same time as dinosaurs
D. How dinosaurs changed the earth
Answer: A
ES 9, Demonstrator 2, RI.3.9
2. Which conclusion is supported by information in the passage?
A. There was plenty of food to go around during the age of dinosaurs.
B. There was a lack of plant and animal diversity during the time of dinosaurs.
C. Dinosaurs only lived in one section of the earth.
D. Dinosaurs became extinct when humans came into existence.
Answer: A
ES 9, Demonstrator 3, RI.3.9
3. When comparing the two dinosaur texts, what is a similar statement that each author
made.
A. A statement about the types of food that dinosaurs ate.
B. A statement about how dinosaurs existed before humans existed.
C. A statement about how the Brontosaurus was a plant-eating dinosaur.
D. A statement about how the earth had many plants.
Answer: B
Enduring Skill 10: Read and comprehend complex
literary and informational texts independently and
proficiently
RI.3.10: By the end of the year, read and
comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts,
at the high end of the grades 2-3 complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Demonstrators:
1. Know how to use text features to help comprehend informational text.
2. Have experience reading grade level science textbooks.
3. Have experience reading grade level history/social studies books.
4. Read informational texts independently and proficiently.
5. Know how to self-monitor for understanding.
ELA Foundational Enduring Skills – Grade 3
Enduring Skill 3: Know and apply grade level
phonics and word analysis skills in decoding
words.
RF.3.3.A:
A. Identify and know the meaning of the most
common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
B. Decode multi-syllable words.
C. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
D. Read grade appropriate irregularly spelled
words.
Demonstrators
1. Understand that meaningful chunks can be added to words to change their meaning.
2. Understand that prefixes are added to the beginning of a word.
3. Know the meaning of common prefixes such as re-, un-, dis-, etc.
4. Understand that suffixes are added to the ending of a word.
5. Recognize that derivational suffixes, -ly, -ish, -hood, -ful, -ness, -ment, -ets, and how
they change the meaning of the word.
6. Recognize common Latin suffixes such as –ment, -tion, -ly, -able, and –tible.
7. Recognize and use common syllable patterns such as doubles.
Assessment Items
The teacher may select a passage and apply the questions stems and prompts to the
passage.
Question Stems and Prompts
Can you point to the root word?
Are there any chunks you know that can help you figure out what this word says?
Does the word have suffixes or prefixes you know?
How many parts do you hear in that word?
Are there any patterns you can use to help you write
Enduring Skill 4: Read with sufficient accuracy and
fluency to support comprehension.
RF.3.4.A:
A. Read on-level text with purpose and
understanding.
B. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with
accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on
successive readings.
C. Use context to confirm or self-correct word
recognition and understanding, re-reading as
necessary.
Demonstrators
1. Set a purpose for reading.
2. Use expression when reading.
3. Use strategies for self-correction.
4. Recognize when they become confused or have lost the meaning of the text.
5. Skim the text.
6. Re-read for fluency and comprehension.
7. Self-monitor for understanding.
Assessment Items
Question Stems and Prompts
Why did you choose this selection?
What can you do when the story/text doesn’t make sense?
What strategies can you use when you don’t understand the text?
Can you read this paragraph fluently and with expression?
Why is it important to scan the page?
Did you skim the page looking for information?