THIRD GRADE READING PROGRAM: “MAKING MEANING”
All of the students in Third Grade at University Academy will be using a
valuable reading comprehension curriculum called “Making Meaning.”
The “Making Meaning” program is a classroom –tested K-8 reading
comprehension curriculum that combines the latest comprehension
research with support for students’ social and ethical development.
Here are some of the Third Grade “Making Meaning Units”:
 VISUALIZING-Good readers form visual and other sensory images during reading to better
understand, remember, and enjoy texts. Students use figurative language and
deepen their understanding of poems and stories.
 MAKING INFERENCES-Good readers use prior knowledge and information in a text to
Create meanings not explicitly stated, moving from literal to a
deeper understanding of texts. Students think more deeply about
Narrative and Expository texts.
 WONDERING AND QUESTIONING-Good readers ask questions about a text.
Students generate questions before, during, and
after reading to make sense of text and then they
analyze their questions to deepen their
understanding of the reading.
 UNDERSTANDING TEXT STRUCTURE-Good readers use their knowledge of
Narrative and Expository text structure to
Improve their comprehension. Students
also use Story Elements to help them
understand stories. Students also use
cause and effect and compare and contrast.
 DETERMING IMPORTANT IDEAS-Students identify information that is essential to
know and remember.
THERE WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO FOLLOW REGARDING THIS EXCITING
READING PROGRAM THAT ALL THIRD GRADE CLASSES WILL BE INITIATING THIS YEAR AT
UNIVERSITY ACADEMY. WE ARE EXCITED!