Grade 3 PSSA Language/Conventions
PARTS of SPEECH
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
General
Explain 1) the function of nouns, pronouns,
verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general
and 2) their function in particular sentences.
Nouns
Form and use regular and irregular (e.g.,
men, children) plural nouns. (D.1.1.2)
Units of Study Lessons
How This Might Look in
Practice?
Brainpop.com
-Parts of Speech
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#30 page 46
Brainpopjr.com
-nouns
-plural nouns
-possessive nouns
Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
Brainpop.com
-nouns
http://www.scholastic.co
m/teachers/classroomsolutions/2011/10/whengrammar-meets-art-nounimage-lesson
Mentor Text: A Mink, A
Fink, and a Skating Rink
By Brian Cleary
Additional Grade 3 PSSA
Language Items #1
Irregular Plural Nouns
Additional Grade 3 PSSA
Language Items #2
Possessive Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Unit 1, Lesson 19 Confer: Edit
for pronouns and tense
Form and use regular and irregular verbs.
Form and use simple verb tenses: past,
present, future (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will
walk).
Adjectives and
Adverbs
Conjunctions
Brainpop.com
-Verbs and Their Tenses
Unit 3, Lesson 9 Share:
Handling shifts in time and
tense
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#31 page 47
Brainpopjr.com
-verbs
Brainpopjr.com
-Adjectives and Adverbs
Form and use comparative and superlative
adjectives and adverbs appropriately.
Use coordinating (e.g., and, or) and
subordinating (e.g., but, for, yet, so)
conjunctions.
Brainpop.com
-Personal Pronouns
Unit 2, Lesson 13 MidWorkshop: Coordinating and
subordinating conjunctions
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#33 page 49
Brainpop.com
-conjunctions
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#34 page 49
AGREEMENT
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Subject-Verb
Agreement
Ensure subject-verb agreement.
Units of Study Lessons
How This Might Look in
Practice?
Brainpopjr.com
-Subject and Verb
Agreement
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#32 page 48
PronounAntecedent
Agreement
Ensure pronoun-antecedent agreement.
D.1.1.6
Unit 2, Lesson 13 MidWorkshop: Making PronounAntecedent Connections
Additional Grade 3 PSSA
Language Items #3
SENTENCES
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Units of Study Lessons
Types of
Sentences
Produce three types of sentences:
 Simple: Subject-Verb, expresses
complete thought
 Compound: 2 independent clauses
connected by coordinator
 Complex: Independent and
dependent clauses, using
subordinators like because, since,
although, if, when, while, or others
Unit 4, Lesson 12 Mini-Lesson:
Editing for sentence variety;
Conferring: Helping construct
complex sentences; MidWorkshop: Finding examples
of types of sentences
How This Might Look in
Practice?
Brainpopjr.com
-Types of Sentences
Brainpop.com
-Types of Sentences
Mentor Texts: The Web
Files Margie Palatini
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#41 page 54
CAPITALIZATION
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Units of Study Lessons
Titles
Capitalize appropriate words in titles.
How This Might Look in
Practice?
Unit 1, Lesson 6 Mid-Workshop PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#35-6 page 50
PUNCTUATION
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Units of Study Lessons
Commas
Use commas in addresses.
Unit 4, Lesson 18 Share:
Commas in a series
Use commas and quotation marks in
dialogue.
Unit 1, Lesson 16:
Punctuating Dialogue
Unit 2, Lesson 19 Conferring:
Using direct quotes from texts
Apostrophes
Form and use possessives (e.g., Heidi’s).
How This Might Look in
Practice?
Brainpopjr.com
-Commas and clauses
-Commas with adjectives/lists
Mentor Text: Something
Beautiful Sharon Dennis
Wyeth
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#37 page 51
Brainpop.com
-Contractions
-Possessives
Brainpopjr.com
-Possessive
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#38 page 51
SPELLING
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Units of Study Lessons
High-frequency
words
Use conventional spelling.
Unit 1, Lesson 6: Create
personal lists of words and
mnemonics, break words into
syllables
How This Might Look in
Practice?
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#39 page 52
Unit 4, Lesson 11 Share:
Frequently misspelled words
Adding suffixes
Add suffixes to base words (e.g., sitting,
smiled, cries, happiness). D.1.2.5
Spelling patterns
and
generalizations
Use spelling patterns and generalizations
(e.g., word families, position-based
spellings, syllable patterns, ending rules,
meaningful word parts).
Additional Grade 3 PSSA
Language Items #4
Unit 3, Lesson 5 MidWorkshop: Using tools for
spellling
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#40 page 53
WORD USAGE
Topic
PA Core Eligible Content
Units of Study Lessons
Diction
Use words and phrases for effect.
Unit 1, Lesson 19 MidWorkshop: Checking for
sense
Unit 2, Lesson 6 MidWorkshop: Transition words
Unit 3, Lesson 11 Share:
Transition words
How This Might Look in
Practice?
PSSA Prelim Item
Sampler 2013-2014
#39 page 52