Common Core Rubrics: 3rd grade

Great for promoting a growth mindset. Use with students as a checklist for processing expectations or on the final draft! Either way feedback is offered in a simple and clear way for your authors!

These writing rubrics are staples in my 3rd grade classroom for ELA. I use these for final drafts and store in student portfolios. Rubrics are editable as well as pre-made for you to use. Three writing genres are included in this bundle: Informational, Essay, and Narrative.

 Each genre includes three types of rubrics: score from 1-4, (not yet, starting to, and yes) columns, and a skill based one. Draft paper with requirements listed is also included.

These are editable too!!!

How to make students in groups work more effectively.

Use examples and non-examples of good and bad group work. I use these clips from You tube to get the discussion rolling...

LINK HERE

Example of Team Norms

Have students create some "team norms" together as a class or group. These are some of the ideas we discuss before creating them. 

• Have respect for each other. - Respect each other's ideas. ...
• All group members should do an equal amount of work. ...
• Your group should have a common understanding of goals that need to be achieved. ...
• Be open to compromise. ...
• Effective communication. ...
• Time management. ...
• Be happy in the group you are in.

Purchase HERE

Define roles! Let them wear their tag or paste to the cover of their folder for the project. It will make them feel important (kids loving having "jobs") and it let's you know that the group is on task, time and target!

For each job title, you can print the description on the back. There are 4 jobs per team:

Team Captain
Facilitator
Resource Monitor
Recorder/Reporter

Use checklists that explain clear expectations to each group! 

Example

8 ways for teaching Main Idea

Main idea can be a challenge to teach. At first it doesn't seem so hard to teach. All students have to do if figure out what the passage is mostly about. But when faced with the learning objective to do so, there is a lot more that goes into that question: "What's the main idea?" Students are figuring out how to comprehend what they are being taught as well as what the most important part is without getting sidetracked by the details.

I have found that it is good to use a variety of tools and even better when you revisit the concept throughout the year.

1.) Start with an chart

 

2.) Use examples and non-examples

3.) Look at Titles

4.) Look for key words

5.) Look for the details (little ideas)

6.) Read the first line and last line

7.) Add in the missing title

8.) Use activities to reinforce and keep practicing

Purchase HERE

Practice main idea and supporting details with these short informational text cards.

• 24 practice cards, scoot page, and answer key
• 3 passages with answer keys included

Covers RI.3.2 for common core is covered. If you are not teaching Common Core, then the pack is still valuable to use when teaching 3rd grade students to find the main idea and support key details in a text.

Attitude of Gratitude

No matter what your age, THANK YOU goes such a long way. Teaching gratitude in the classroom has many benefits. One of them is that you will feel good. The happier you are, the more likely you are to inspire others too. Research has shown that certain small actions, done regularly, can give a lasting sense of joy and well-being.

1.) Writing Thank you notes that no one expects. Encourage your students to write thank you notes to people who have made an impact in their little life. Have them think about the many people who work even in their school community. The custodian, secretary, past teacher or a friend. These people do so many things that get unnoticed!

CLICK HERE to PURCHASE

2.) Practice random acts of kindness. Each year I take time to make a big deal out of random acts of kindness. This includes: saying hi to someone new, making cookies for another class, writing positive notes and placing them in lockers around the school, help a classmate with their work, or pick up trash around the playground.

3.) Thank you LORD! If you work in a faith-based system. Here is an idea. Thank the Lord for the things He has done for you with a salvation turkey. This specific activity allows kids to know they are loved and ALL apart of our Lord's community! I can't take credit for this idea. Our second grade team at Hudsonville Christian School does this each year. Each kid cuts out each part and traces their hand on 5 different colors. Then layers the papers and cuts them all at once!

4.) A Pocketful of Thankfulness- A good question to ask for gratitude is: Write down each good thing that has happened to you in the last day. Describe it in detail, where you were, who said what, and the time of day it was. These are great reflections to come back to. This lesson is explained below. 

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

What’s the best time of the year to be thankful? ANYTIME! Make a bulletin-board display that’s full of thankfulness using this creativity.

Read this book: Violet the Purple Fairy learns how to make Gratitude Soup by thinking of all the things, people, places, and experiences that she is grateful for, putting them in an imaginary soup pot. She is able to shrink her pot of soup with her imagination, and she keeps the gratitude warm and flowing in her heart all day and all night. Perfect for teaching your children about gratitude with fun and play, this rhyming, colourful picture book combines collage and watercolours as Violet the Purple Fairy tells her own story of cooking with gratitude. Your children might even be inspired to make their own Gratitude Soup! 

OR THIS ONE

This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.

THEN.....

Students brainstorm things they are thankful for. Depending on the age/time you have, they can either list ideas or write 3-5 sentences. These get published onto a 3 X 5 card and placed on the pocket. Then a picture is drawn on a blank 3 X 5 card and placed inside.

It can be displayed on a bulletin board or locker/coat hook area. A great take home just before Thanksgiving or anytime of the year.

Recommended Book List

Books! Books! and more books! Here are a few of recommended favorites for third grade! Below are some podcasts about the books they get excited about and have been reading. Use them to inspire your readers or to get new read aloud ideas!

Podcast Book Reviews done by our school librarian can be found HERE!

1.) Lemonade Wars by Jacqueline Davies

2.) I Survived the attack of 9/11 by Lauren Tarshis

3.) The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

4.) Real Friends by Shannon Hale

5.) The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

6.)The Unicorn in the Barn by Jacqueline K. Ogburn

7.) Gregor the Overlander Series by Suzanne Collins

8.) Frindle by Andrew Clements

9.) How to be Cool in Third Grade by Betsy Duffey

10.) Dog Man Series by Dav Pilkey

11.) Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm

12.) Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi

Writing Conference (Templates)

Independent writing is such an important time for students to practice the skills that have been modeled or taught to them. But what should you do during this time? Make the most of this time by conducting INDEPENDENT WRITING CONFERENCES! This one on one time with each student will provide valuable information as you get to know them better as writers. I have created a series of questions to guide you through your conferences. These questions will take all the guess work out of conferencing, allowing you to keep a structured and focused time with your students. You will differentiate and individualize instruction with every student and you will enjoy every minute of it! Each template has questions by skill which are listed from easiest to most difficult. There are so many benefits of independent writing conferences: drives your whole group instruction with the data you gather, informative data for parent conferences, bonding time with each student, able to monitor each student closely for strategies used while writing, and the list goes on! CHECK IT OUT HERE

Stretching out details with story mountains

Stretching narratives out with a story mountain

This year was the first year our school had been using the units of study since our current third graders were kindergarteners. I can tell you that we are seeing the difference. Our kids are coming into third grade really understanding what a small moment is. If your students are not, see Lesson on Small Moments. 

One area that our third graders really need scaffolding is in stretching out the details. Maybe that is the case for you too. If so, try story mountains. They really work. 

Day #1: Mapping out the Action Steps

We use an 18X12 piece of paper to make a mountain. I have students identify the most important part of their small moment first. We mark it at the top by using an action sentence. For example: "I caught a fish." "I tripped on the floor" "I sprang my ankle" "I burnt the marshmallow" 

Then I have them rewind their small moments a minute or so before this important event. They write action sentence and place it at the beginning of their mountain. 

They go back to the most important event and fast forward a minute or so after, and name another action. 

During independent work time, I have them finish mapping out their actions. 

Day #2: Mapping out the Internal Story

The next day I have students map out the internal story. I retell as story about a time when I got lost and all the thoughts that went in my head. Then I tell them that everyone has a story that goes on in their head. Today we are going to map that out. In a new color, we map out the thoughts during each action step. This time we start at the beginning and work our way through. 

Day #3: Mapping out the Dialogue (Talking out loud part)

This day is similar to the previous one. By this time, kids really understand what they are doing. I do not focus on the punctation of dialogue at this point. I just really want them to get their thoughts down on paper. We choose another new and this time map the dialogue parts with it. It is also important to note to writers that they may not remember exactly what they said in this moment, but they need to make up something realistic. 

My Example

Student motivated to learn

Student not motivated, but teachable