CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.1c

ELA3rd GradeConventions of Standard English

The Standard

Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use nouns that name ideas, feelings, qualities, or stages of life rather than physical objects. They choose words such as fairness, joy, trust, and youth in complete sentences.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given a situation, students can choose an accurate abstract noun and use it correctly in a complete sentence. They can revise “Lena was brave” to “Lena showed bravery.”
Common Misconceptions: Students may think every noun names something they can see or touch. They may also use an adjective or verb instead of its noun form, such as brave for bravery or decide for decision.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Write one sentence about a time someone showed courage, kindness, or patience. Underline the abstract noun.

Lesson moves

Have students sort word cards such as pencil, honesty, anger, and puppy into concrete noun and abstract noun groups.
Ask students to write about which quality makes a good friend, using two abstract nouns in their response.
Play noun charades where students act out abstract nouns such as fear, joy, patience, or pride while classmates guess.
Read school rules and circle abstract nouns such as safety, respect, fairness, and responsibility, then discuss what each looks like in action.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.1c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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