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Teaching Informational Text in 3rd Grade

3rd Grade students are ready to deepen their understanding of informational text in ela by moving from concrete models toward more abstract reasoning. At this stage, students can handle multi-step tasks, collaborative projects, and more independent application of concepts.

3rd Grade is a pivotal year for informational text mastery. Students who develop fluency and conceptual understanding at this stage are better prepared for the increased rigor of middle school ela.

Teaching Strategies for 3rd Grade Informational Text

  • 1Teach text features explicitly — headings, captions, diagrams, bold words, tables of contents, glossaries — and how each one aids comprehension.
  • 2Identify nonfiction text structures (cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution, sequence, description) and their signal words.
  • 3Model how to take notes from informational text using graphic organizers matched to text structure.
  • 4Teach students to evaluate sources for credibility, bias, and relevance.

Common 3rd Grade Informational Text Standards & Skills

A upper elementary informational text lesson plan typically addresses skills like:

Determine the main idea and explain how key details support it
Describe the structure of informational text (cause/effect, compare/contrast, etc.)
Use text features to locate information efficiently
Integrate information from multiple texts on the same topic
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points

3rd Grade Informational Text Activity Ideas

Text Feature Scavenger Hunt

find and label text features in a nonfiction article, then explain how each one helps the reader.

Two-Column Notes

main ideas on the left, supporting details on the right, during independent reading.

Fake vs. Real

compare a credible source with a misleading one on the same topic; discuss how to tell the difference.

Expert Presentation

read multiple sources on a topic and teach the class using visual aids.

Assessment Ideas for 3rd Grade Informational Text

  • Main idea and details quiz with short informational passages.
  • Text structure identification assessment — match passages to their organizational structure.
  • Exit ticket: list three text features found in a nonfiction book and explain how one helped you understand the content.
  • Research summary — synthesize information from two sources into one paragraph with citations.

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