Language Arts

Grade 3: Writing

Overall Expectations

•communicate ideas and information for specific purposes and to specific audiences (e.g., write a notice for a community newspaper advertising an upcoming school event);

•write materials that show a growing ability to express their points of view and to reflect on their own experiences (e.g., journal notes);

•organize information into short paragraphs that contain a main idea and related details;

•begin to use compound sentences and use sentences of varying length;

•produce pieces of writing using a variety of forms (e.g., simple research reports, letters, stories, poems);

•use materials from other media (e.g., sketches) to enhance their writing;

•revise and edit their work, using feedback from the teacher and their peers;

•proofread and correct their final drafts;

•use and spell correctly the vocabulary appropriate for this grade level;

•use correctly the conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.) specified for this grade level (see below). 

Specific Expectations

The skills and knowledge inherent in the expectations outlined below are essential for producing writing that communicates effectively. They should be developed, as much as possible, in the context of writing activities that are meaningful and creative and that allow students to develop the thinking skills that underlie clear and effective writing.

Grammar

•use correct subject-verb agreement;

•correctly use nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs;

•use irregular plurals correctly (e.g., deer, loaves, children);

Punctuation

•use the apostrophe in common contractions (e.g., can't, I'll);

•use exclamation marks appropriately;

Spelling 

•use phonics and memorized spelling rules (e.g., some verbs ending with a consonant double the consonant before ed or ing; stop/stopped, signal/signalling) to increase accuracy in spelling;

•use a variety of sources (e.g., dictionary, word lists, computer) to check the spelling of unfamiliar words;

•use abbreviations to spell frequently used words (e.g., Mister/Mr.);

•divide words into syllables;

Word Use and Vocabulary Building

•use common prefixes and suffixes;

•use compound words;

•introduce new words from their reading into their writing;

•choose words that are most appropriate for their purpose (e.g., to express a feeling);

•use a dictionary to expand vocabulary;

Visual Presentation 

•accurately use titles and subheadings as organizers;

•use visual material to reinforce a message (e.g., a photograph of an object they are describing);

•select and correctly use the format suited to their purpose for writing (e.g., letter, e-mail, chart);

•print legibly and begin to use cursive writing.

Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1997.  With thanks to B.Phillips, 1998.

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