Unit Plan 7 (Grade 3 ELA): Introducing Nonfiction Texts
Weeklong Grade 3 ELA unit: teach text features (headings, captions, diagrams), main idea and key details, with daily nonfiction fluency and evidence-based responses.
Grade Level: 3
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This week launches informational reading with a spotlight on text features, main idea, and supporting details. Students learn to use headings, captions, bold print, diagrams, and labels to gather information, and to state the main idea in one clear sentence supported by key details. Daily fluency practice uses short informational passages to build accuracy, phrasing, and expression with nonfiction tone. By Friday, students read a fresh article, identify its main idea and details, explain how a text feature helps understanding, and complete a one-minute fluent read.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Ask and answer questions about informational texts using evidence from the text.
- Determine the main idea and explain how supporting details connect to it.
- Use text features (headings, captions, diagrams, bold words) to locate and interpret information.
- Read grade-level informational text aloud with accuracy, phrasing, and expression.
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 3
- Reading Informational: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.5
- Foundational Skills: RF.3.4a–c
Success Criteria — student language
- I can say what the text is mostly about in one sentence.
- I can point to two or more details that support the main idea.
- I can use a heading, caption, diagram, or bold word to find information and explain it.
- I can read an informational paragraph smoothly, pausing at punctuation and stressing key words.