Third Grade
Review any previous grade level materials as needed.
Nouns
- Review that a noun is a person, place, thing, or event. Complete grammar sheet “ Categorizing Nouns.”
- Extra Engagement: Use the information presented within the sheet to model sentences on a whiteboard or smartboard to create a whole class lesson. Cut the sheet apart, gluing the related answers from the answer key on the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking center activity.
Proper Nouns
- Consider review activities highlighted in second grade for review or warm up lessons. Complete grammar sheet “Using Proper Nouns” on the smart board or interactive whiteboard as a whole class or partner activity.
Pronouns
- Complete grammar sheet “Subject and Pronoun Editing.”
I Need a Verb (Action Verbs)
- Complete grammar sheet “Using More Interesting Action Verbs.” Bring the “juicification” of verbs to life by noticing the verb choices of favorite authors. Discuss how the verb choice makes the scene played out in the reader's head more specific. Have students examine examples of their own writing to notice the verbs they tend to use or overuse. Invite them to “juice up” their verbs using synonyms. (This would be a good real-world use for a thesaurus.)
Linking Verbs
- Practice differentiating verbs in sentences by completing grammar sheet “Action or Linking?”
- Extra Engagement: Use the “Printable Verb Cards” to review. Allow students to use the cards within a cooperative learning structure or as a partner or independent center activity. Students will look at the verbs printed on the card to determine if the verb is action or linking. Hint: Remind students that if they can do it, it's an action verb.
Complete Sentences
- Complete GrammarSongs activity “Hands-On Subject and Predicate Flip Book.” Complete grammar sheet “Identifying Errors in Completeness.”
- Extra Engagement: Use the information presented within the sheet to model sentences on a whiteboard or smart board to create a whole class lesson. Cut the sheet apart, gluing the related answers from the answer key on the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking center activity.
Run-On Sentences
- Complete grammar sheet “Identifying Run-Ons (Introductory).”
- Extra Engagement: Print out and cut the sentences from “Identifying Run-Ons (Introductory) apart from one another to create a cooperative sorting activity. Invite small groups or partner pairs to analyze each sentence and decide whether or not it is a run-on. When all partners or groups are finished sorting, have a whole group discussion and checking session. Be sure to encourage students to explain exactly why or why not they considered a specific sentence to be a run-on.
Adjectives
- Complete grammar sheet “Using Adjectives to Modify Nouns.”
- Look through real literature or through basal text for examples of “juicy” adjectives. Discuss how the adjective choice makes the picture in the reader's head more vivid. Encourage students to examine examples of their
own writing to notice the adjectives they tend to use or overuse. Invite them to “juice up” their verbs using synonyms. (This would be a good real-world use for a thesaurus.)
Beware of Contractions
- Complete grammar sheets “Using Contractions” and “Using More Contractions.”
- Extra Engagement: Use the information presented within the sheet to model sentences on a whiteboard or smart board to create a whole class lesson. Cut the sheet apart, gluing the related answers from the answer key on the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking center activity.
- Even More Engagement: Print out and play “Contraction Bingo” as a review activity prior to completing the individual grammar sheets.
Possessives
- Discuss the difference in apostrophe usage between contractions and possessives. Complete grammar sheet “Understanding Possessive Nouns” and “More Understanding Possessive Nouns.”
- Extra Engagement: Use the information presented within the sheet to model sentences on a whiteboard or smart board to create a whole class lesson. Cut the sheet apart, gluing the related answers from the answer key on the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking center activity.
Antonym Blues
- Play “Intermediate Antonym Match.” Allow students to make their own antonym matching games.
Synonym Symphony
- Play “Intermediate Synonym Match.” Allow students to make their own synonym matching games.
- Complete grammar sheet “Synonym Practice” to practice matching synonyms in a paper/pencil format.
- Use thesauruses to find antonyms and synonyms for the words listed on the “Antonym Game Cards” and “Synonym Game Cards.” Add an element of friendly competition by having partners or cooperative groups compete for the “juiciest” antonym or synonym as deemed by another class, teacher, or the principal. (Cooperating teachers could trade submissions, and each class can choose the best from the other classes' ideas.) Complete grammar sheet “Differentiating Between Synonyms and Antonyms (Basic)” to analyze word pairs and determine whether the relationship between the words is a synonym or antonym relationship.
- Extra Engagement: Use the information presented in the grammar sheet as a whole class smart board or white board activity, at a center, or within a cooperative learning structure to practice differentiating between synonyms and antonyms.
Context Clues
- When reading, identify the type of context clue that you encounter when figuring out an unfamiliar word. Was the clue a definition, synonym, antonym, or an example?
- Play the GrammarSong activity “Context Clue Game (Intermediate) to practice using context clues in a game-friendly format. The self-checking cards can be used with a game board, withing a cooperative learning structure, or as a literacy center.
Interjections
- Complete grammar sheet “Categorizing Interjections.” Make note of the interjections we use in our everyday oral communication. Point out interjections when reading aloud in class.
- Complete grammar sheets “Homophone Practice (Basic)” and “Homophone Differentiation (Intermediate).
- Extra Engagement: Use and apply the information presented within the grammar sheet as a white board or smart board introduction.
- Even More Engagement: Print out and cut apart “Homophone Matching Cards (Intermediate).” Allow students to cooperatively play as a memory match/concentration matching game. When a child gets a match, he or she should orally use each of the words in a sentence. This provides an instant formative assessment to exemplify the student's understanding of each individual homograph.
- Make note of homophone errors when writing in everyday life. Complete the grammar sheet “Homophone Help” as a whole class smart board activity or as an easily prepared writing center.
- Notice homophones used everyday in speaking.
Homograph Blues
- Complete grammar sheet “Using Homographs” either as an independent assignment or use the information presented as a warm-up activity or within a cooperative learning structure.
- Invite students to bring in riddles that use homophones and homographs for humor. Ask students to explain whether the riddle they are telling uses a homograph or a homophone, and why.
Adverbs
- Complete grammar sheets "Identifying Adverbs.”
- Extra Engagement: Use and apply the information presented within the grammar sheet as a whiteboard or smart board introduction.
- Add adverbs into sentences when writing. Identify the verb the adverb is modifying. Complete grammar sheet “Using Adverbs When Writing” to practice locating verbs and modifying them with adverbs.
Preposition Composition
- Complete grammar sheets “Illustrating Prepositions” and “Understanding Prepositions.”
- Extra Engagement: Use the information in the grammar sheet as a whole class activity on the smart board or white board. Use the information presented within the sheet in a cooperative learning structure, or cut and paste the answers to the backs of sentences for a self-checking literacy center.
- Write directions from one place to another place in your house or school. Circle the prepositions used when writing and giving directions. Create a treasure hunt using prepositions in directions to lead to the treasure.
Alliteration
- Complete grammar sheet “Alliteration.” Read books of tongue-twisters, or make up tongue-twisters of your own. Ask students to verbalize why tongue-twisters are examples of alliteration.
Junc Func (Conjunctions)
- Complete grammar sheet “Identifying Conjunctions” or use to model locating conjunctions on the smart board or white board. Cut the sentences apart and paste the answers from the key to the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking literacy center.
- Complete grammar sheet “Using Conjunctions to Combine Sentences” to practice using conjunctions in a practical, real-world way.
- Notice the use of conjunctions in literature, basal texts, or texts within other subject areas when reading together. Encourage students to look for their own use of conjunctions in their own writing.
Main Idea
- Complete grammar sheet “Main Idea (Intermediate).” Reinforce summarizing the main idea in books and basal texts you may read.
Making Inferences
- Complete grammar sheet “Making Inferences” independently or with partners to connect the fact that we make inferences in our real life communication everyday without even knowing it! Use grammar activity “Making Inferences Intro” on the smart board or interactive white board to model how to make and support inferences (by showing text evidence) when reading.
Onomatopoeia
- Complete “Onomatopoeia Match.” Create onomatopoeia matching games matching nouns or pictures to the sound they make.
Idioms
- Play grammar sheet “Idiom Match.” Create drawings of idioms if they were interpreted literally. Write the true meaning of the idiom below the illustration or on the back. Notice idioms used in everyday speech or when reading.
Similes and Metaphors
- Discuss the difference between similes and metaphors. Notice and identify similes and metaphors when used in everyday speech or when reading.
Prefix Mix
- Complete grammar game “Prefix Match with Answer Key.”
- Extra Engagement: Use “Prefix Game Cards” to practice matching prefixes with definitions from the song. Notice prefixes on words when reading. Have students verbalize how the prefix alters the meaning of the root or base word.