TUSD CURRICULUM MAP—ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Grade 3, Quarter 1A
Unit Title: Awareness of Self & Others
Unifying Concept: Everyone Has a Story to Tell
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING:
The more we learn about ourselves the better we can understand and appreciate differences in others.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
Why do we hand stories down to the next generation?
How are we all alike?
In what ways are we all different?
SELECTED READINGS OF COMPLEX TEXTS
STANDARDS
EXTENDED TEXT(S):
Constant:
3.RL.4; 9; 10
Harcourt Reading Selections
Additional Literature Options
3.RI.4, 10
Papa Tells Chita a Story by Elizabeth
Because Winn Dixie by Kate Di Camillo
3.RF.4
Fitzgerald Howard
3.W.3a-d; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 10
The Stories That Julian Tells by Ann
Boys at Work by Gary Soto
3.SL.2; 3; 4; 6
Cameron
3.L.1a, b, d, i ; 2a, e, f, g; 3a; 4a-d; 5c; 6
The Stories That Julian Tells by Ann
Cameron
Show Way by Jaqueline Woodson
Target:
Songs From the Loom: a Navajo Girl
 Reading – Literature Focus
Learns to Weave by Monty Rossel
3.RL.1; 2; 3; 6
Chachaji’s Cup by Uma Krishnaswami
3.RI.1; 2; 6
 Writing - Opinion Focus
SHORT CONNECTED TEXTS & MEDIA (5-9):
3.W.1a-d
Harcourt Reading Selections
Additional Literature Options
 Speaking & Listening
The Spanish-American War, TE p. 14G Alexander, Who Use to be Rich Last
3.SL.1b, d
Sunday, by Judith Viorst
 Language
Meet the Author p. 30 & p. 298
Aunt Flossie's Hats by Elizabeth
3.L.1j
Fitzgerald Howard
The Friendship Trip by Wolfgang
Author, A True Story by Helen Lester
Slawski, TE p. 282G
Complementary:
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
3.RL.6, 7
by Jon Sciesska
3.RI.5; 7; 9
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polocco
3.RF.3a-d
Langston Hughes's “Aunt Sue's
3.W.1;4a
Stories”
3.SL.5a-c
Oral Histories
3.L.1e, f, g, h; 2b, c, g
This is a Rope: A Story from the Great
Migration by Jaqueline Woodson
Big Moon Tortilla by Joy Cowley
RESEARCH COMPONENT:
After students research the characters and setting in the above readings, they will write a letter to the class sharing their
opinion on which author paints the clearest picture in their mind using vivid vocabulary. Students will include evidence from
the text to support their opinion.
NARRATIVE COMPONENT:
Students will write and illustrate a short story about themselves or someone they know that includes vivid vocabulary to
describing the character and setting.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTION:
Social Studies:
 Text(s)/Activity(ies)
o Papa Tells Chita a Story
o The Spanish-American War
o Aunt Flossie's Hats
o The Keeping Quilt
o Langston Hughes's “Aunt Sue's Stories”
 Strand 1 & 2. Concept 1.
o PO3 Use primary source materials (e.g., photos, artifacts, interviews, documents, maps) and secondary source
materials (e.g., encyclopedias, biographies) to study people and events from the past.
o PO 4. Retell stories to describe past events, people and places.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS:
 Summative Assessment: Students will select one of the above listed texts to write a book recommendation for the class
newsletter. The book recommendation will include their opinion using specific examples, vocabulary, and use of
figurative language from the text to support the reasons for their recommendation.
 Formative Assessments will be administered once or twice a week by having students respond to text selections within
the unit through various text types (e.g., narrative, opinion, informative/explanatory) and modalities of writing (e.g.,
digital story telling, letters, poetry).