Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 1-6
Lesson Seed #1 RL.3.1
Text: “Holding Hands” poem by Ann Whitford Paul
 Ask and answer questions before, during, and after reading.
 Stop and notice if a question is answered using words and details from the text.
Lesson Seed #2 RL.3.4
Text: Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse
 Listen for interesting language when being read aloud to.
 Identify and record interesting language while reading independently.
Lesson Seed #3 RL.3.4
Texts: One Green Apple (E) by Eve Bunting; Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse; “April Rain Song” by
Langston Hughes found in The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (E), K-1 exemplar
 Define literal language (it says what it means) & non-literal (what it says is not exactly what it means).
 Identify literal and non-literal language in a text.
 Use context clues to determine the meaning of literal and non-literal language.
Lesson Seed #4 RL.3.10
Texts: The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron; Comprehension Connections by T. McGregor;
Our Gracie Aunt (E) by Jacqueline Woodson, K-1 exemplar
 Think about my thinking while reading.
 Record my thinking while reading.
Lesson Seed #5 RL.3.2
Text: The Stories Julian Tells
 Recount/retell (put in my own words) stories.
Lesson Seed #6 RL.3.2
 Include characters, setting, and important events when recounting a story.
Lesson Seed #7 RL.3.2
Texts: Our Gracie Aunt ; The Stories Julian Tells; Comprehension Connections by Tammy McGregor
 Infer the message or lesson of a story.
 Use evidence from the text to support the message/lesson the author is trying to share.
Lesson Seed #8 RI.3.1
Texts: The Stories Julian Tells; “Moon Walking” (TT); “The Eagle Has Landed” from the Comprehension Toolkit
 Ask and answer questions before, during, and after reading.
 Locate words and details to answer questions in a text.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
Lesson Seed #9 RI.3.4
Text: Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca
 Learn the meaning of words by asking and answering questions.
Lesson Seed #10 RI.3.2
Text: “At Home in the Arctic” from The Source Book of Short Text found in Comprehension Toolkit, 3-6
 Separate important information from interesting details.
Lesson Seed #11 RI.3.2
Text: “At Home in the Arctic” from The Source Book of Short Text
 Determine the main idea of a text by sorting out the important details.
Lesson Seed #12 RI.3.2
Text: “Polar Bears in Trouble” from the Mini Page archive:
http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/minipage&CISOPTR=15218&REC=4
 Summarize the important points the author is trying to make. (RI.3.2)
 Determine the main idea of a text. (RI.3.2)
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 7-12
Lesson Seed #1 RL.3.5
Texts: “Rainy Nights” poem by Irene Thompson from The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (E);
http://reocities.com/heartland/1133/rainpoems.html
 Identify stanzas in a poem.
 Refer to parts of a poem when writing or speaking about a text.
Lesson Seed #2 RL.3.5
Texts: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (E);
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/poetry-feast-form-fluent22.html?tab=1#tabs
 Describe how stanzas of a poem build on each other.
Lesson Seed #3 RI.3.2
Text: “Animal Dads” from the Mini Page
http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/minipage&CISOPTR=15458&REC=1
 Determine the main idea of an informational text.
Lesson Seed #4 RI.3.2
Text: “Polar Bears in Trouble” http://www.lib.unc.edu/dc/minipage
 Identify the supporting details of an informational text.
Lesson Seed #5 RI.3.2
Texts: “Animal Dads” from the Mini Page; “Time for Kids” by Harvey & Goudvis found in Toolkit Texts ;
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/scholasticnews/index.html
 Explain how the key details support the main idea.
Lesson Seed #6 RI.3.4
Text: “Life on Earth” in the Foss Science Stories, Structures of Life (S)
 Use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
Lesson Seed #7 RL.3.2
Texts: African folktale, A Story A Story (E) by Gail E. Haley (K-1 exemplar text);
Our Gracie Aunt by Jacqueline Woodson; http://aaronshep.com/stories/folk.html
http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/external/read_write_think/folktales.pdf
 Determine the central message of a folktale.
 Explain how the key details support this message.
Lesson Seed #8 RL.3.2
Text: fable, “Mercury and the Woodman”
http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?sel&MercuryandtheWoodman
 Determine the moral of a fable.
 Explain how the key details support this moral.
Lesson Seed #9 RL.3.3
Text: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen & Kadir Nelson
 Create a movie in my mind to help me understand the characters.
Lesson Seed #10 RL.3.3
Text: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen; Frindle (E) by Andrew Clements
 Describe the main characters by paying attention to their actions (what they say, do, and think).
Lesson Seed #11 RL.3.3
Text: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen
 Describe a character using traits and feelings.
 Use evidence from the text to support my thinking.
Lesson Seed #12 RL.3.3
Text: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen; More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby
 Ask questions to determine the motives of the main characters.
Lesson Seed #13 RL.3.3
Text: Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen; http://highlightskids.com/stories
 Explain how the actions of a character contribute to what happens next in the story.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 13-18
Lesson Seed #1 RI.3.3
Texts: Oil Spill! (CL) by Melvin Berger; “Shadows” and “Crackle, Flash, Boom” from Toolkit Texts
 Identify the cause and effect relationships in a scientific text.
Lesson Seed #2 RI.3.3
 Describe the relationship between scientific ideas using language that pertains to cause and effect.
Lesson Seed #3 RI.3.7
Text: Oil Spill! (CL) by Melvin Berger
 Gain information from illustrations (maps, photographs, diagrams, etc.) and the words of a text.
 Use information from illustrations to show understanding (where, when, why, & how key events occur).
Lesson Seed #4 RI.3.3
Texts: Five Brave Explorers (CL) by Wade Hudson; Wilma Rudolph (CL) by Victoria Sherrow; and
The Story of Anne Frank (CL) by Brenda Ralph Lewis
 Identify the key events in a text and place them in sequential order.
Lesson Seed #5 RI.3.3
Text: Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
 Describe the key events in a biography using language that pertains to time.
Lesson Seed #6 RI.3.3
Text: Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
 Describe the key events in a biography using language that pertains to cause and effect.
Lesson Seed #7 RI.3.3
Text: procedural text “Flying a Rocket Balloon”
 I can identify the purpose of a procedural text.
 I can identify the structure of a procedural text.
Lesson Seed #8 RI.3.3
Texts: procedural text “Flying a Rocket Balloon”; Reading and Writing: Genre with Purpose by Nell Duke
 Describe the relationship between a series of steps in a procedural text using sequence words.
Lesson Seed #9 RL.3.6
Texts: I am the dog. I am the cat. by Donald Hall & Barry Moser; Verse by Marilyn Singer;
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume;
More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby; The Great Gracie Chase! Stop That Dog! by Cynthia Rylant
 Identify who is telling the story.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
Lesson Seed #10 RL.3.6
Texts: I am the dog. I am the cat. by Donald Hall & Barry Moser; Verse by Marilyn Singer;
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume; The Three Little Pigs (original);
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (CL) by Jon Scieszka; Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer
 Identify the point of view of the narrator and other characters.
Lesson Seed #11 RL.3.6
Texts: Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts; One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
 Distinguish between my own point of view & that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Lesson Seed #12 RL.3.5
Texts: “The King Who Had Dirty Feet” (a play); “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm; http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE.html
 Refer to parts of a drama when writing or speaking about a text.
Lesson Seed #13 RL.3.5
Text: “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
 Identify the key events of scenes in a play.
Lesson Seed #14 RL.3.5
Text: “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
 Describe how the scenes build on each other.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 19-24
Lesson Seed #1 RL.3.1
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Preview a book before reading to gain information about the plot.
Lesson Seed #2 RL.3.1
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Identify what is happening in a story by paying careful attention to the details.
Lesson Seed #3 RL.3.1
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Identify the details that help me understand the characters and the plot.
Lesson Seed #4 RL.3.5
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Describe how chapters build on each other.
Lesson Seed #5 RL.3.3
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Describe the characters in a book by visualizing their actions and paying close attention to the details.
Lesson Seed #6 RL.3.3
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Use the characters thoughts, words, and actions to grow ideas about a character.
Lesson Seed #7 RL.3.10
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Identify patterns in a story.
 Use patterns to help me gain a deeper understanding of the book.
Lesson Seed #8 RL.3.9
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
 Identify the theme of a story.
Lesson Seed #9 RL.3.9
Text: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Superfudge by Judy Blume
 Compare and contrast the problems and solutions in a book by the same author.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 25-30
Lesson Seed #1 RL.3.2
Text: The True Story of the Three little Pigs! (E) by Jon Scieszka
 Recount a story
Lesson Seed #2 RL.3.2
 Include the characters, setting and important events when recounting a story
Lesson Seed #3 RL.3.2
Texts: The Three Little Pigs (traditional story); Those Shoes (E) by Maribeth Boelts;
“Bens Best Foot Forward” (guided reading text)

Determine the central message of a story; identify key details that support the message
Lesson Seed #4 RL.3.2
Texts: A Story A Story (E) by Gail Haley; The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy;
Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth; The Giant Cabbage: An Alaskan Folktale by Cherie B. Stihler; and
http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/external/read_write_think/folktales.pdf;

http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/018.html;
Determine the central message of a folktale; identify key details that support the message
Lesson Seed #5 RL.3.2
Texts: http://happychild.org.uk/nvs/cont/stories/aesopsfables/page0003.htm
www.umass.edu/aesop/fables.php; http://aesopfables.com/;
http://www.parenting-by-example.com/free-fables-for-children
 Determine the moral of a fable and identify key details that support the moral
Lesson Seed #6 RL.3.5
Texts: My Father’s Dragon (E) by Ruth Stiles Gannett (2-3 exemplar text); and the sequels-Elmer and the Dragon; The Dragons of Blueland
 Recount the chapters in a story
 Refer to parts of a story when writing or speaking about a text
 Describe how chapters build on each other
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
Lesson Seed #7 RL.3.9
Texts: My Father’s Dragon (E) by Ruth Stiles Gannett (2-3 exemplar text); and the sequels-Elmer and the Dragon; The Dragons of Blueland; also,
George and Martha (James Marshall);
A Letter to Amy; The Snowy Day; Goggles; and Peter’s Chair (Ezra Jack Keats)
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse; Lilly’s Big Day (Kevin Henkes)
Amazing Grace; Boundless Grace; Starring Grace (Megan McDonald)
Stink the Incredible Shrinking Kid (Mary Pope Osborne)
The Stories Julian Tells (Ann Cameron)
Ivy and Bean (Annie Barrow & Sophie Blackall)

Compare and contrast the problems and solutions in books by the same author
Lesson Seed #8 RL.3.5
Texts: http://reocities.com/heartland/1133/rainpoems.html; and poem “Rainy Nights” by Irene
Thompson in The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (K-1 exemplar text);
 Identify the stanzas in a poem
 Refer to parts of a poem when writing or speaking about a text
Lesson Seed #9 RL.3.5
Text: “Rainy Nights” by Irene Thompson in The Random House Book of Poetry for Children
 Describe how the stanzas of a poem build on each other
Lesson Seed #10 RI.3.5
Texts: “Shark!” (TT) by Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis;
Deep in the Ocean by Natalie Rompella
 Use text features to locate information
Lesson Seed #11 RI.3.5
Texts: “Wings in Water” (TT); “The Long Swim” (TT)
 Ask and answer questions while reading informational texts
 Use text features to locate information
Lesson Seed #12 RI.3.5
 Use search tools to locate information on the Internet
Lesson Seed #13 RI.3.8
Text: excerpt from Everything Dolphin (CL) by Marty Crisp
 Identify the connection (cause/effect, sequence, problem/solution, compare/contrast)
between sentences or paragraphs
Lesson Seed #14 RI.3.8
Text: excerpt from Everything Dolphin (CL) by Marty Crisp
 Describe the connection (cause/effect, sequence, problem/solution, compare/contrast)
between sentences or paragraphs
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
Lesson Seed #15 RI.3.9
Texts: “Shark!” (TT); “Sharks with Sense” and “Bouncing Back” (FOSS); “Seeing with Sound” (TT)
 Identify the most important points and key details in a text
Lesson Seed #16 RI.3.9
Texts: “Bouncing Back” (FOSS) and “Seeing with Sound” (TT);
“Jackie Robinson Breaks Barriers” and “Jack Roosevelt Robinson: Baseball’s First Black Superstar” (TT);
“Penguins in Motion” (TT) and http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/minipage&CISOPTR=15872&REC=18 ;
“The Great Chicago Fire” (TT) and http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/greatchicagofire18712.htm

Compare and contrast the most important points and key details in a text.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html
Reading Workshop ~ Unit Overview: 3rd grade
WEEKS 31-36
Lesson Seed #1 RL.3.5
Text: plays “The King Who Had Dirty Feet” and “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
 Refer to parts of a drama.
Lesson Seed #2 RL.3.5
Text: “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
 Identify key events of scenes in a play.
Lesson Seed #3 RL.3.5
Text: “The Shoemaker and the Millionaire”
 Describe how scenes build on each other.
Lesson Seed #4 RI.3.2
Text: informational text “Jackie Robinson Breaks Barriers”
 Determine the main idea and supporting details in an informational text.
Lesson Seed #5 RI.3.4
Text: “Jackie Robinson Breaks Barriers”
 Infer the meaning of unknown words.
Lesson Seed #6 RL.3.10
Text: Book Club—“Getting Started With Book Clubs”
 Preview a book to gather information about the plot.
Lesson Seed #7 RL.3.3
Text: Book Club
 Keep track of important characters in a chapter book.
Lesson Seed #8 RL.3.3
Text: Book Club
 Describe characters by visualizing their actions.
Lesson Seed #9 RL.3.3
Text: Book Club
 Describe characters by visualizing their actions and paying close attention to details.
Lesson Seed #10 RL.3.3
Text: Book Club
 Grow ideas about characters by paying attention to their thoughts, words, and actions.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Classroom Library (CL), Text Exemplar (E), Science (S), Social Studies (SS), Toolkit Texts (TT), Rigby ®
Also see: http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/Curriculum%20Maps/2012_2013/INS_Elem_ELA.html