CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3

ELA3rd GradeKey Ideas and Details

The Standard

Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students identify the events, ideas, or steps in an informational passage and explain how they connect. They use words such as before, next, because, and as a result to show time, sequence, or cause.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can place at least three events, ideas, or steps in the order presented. The student explains whether each link shows time or cause, using passage details and accurate connecting words.
Common Misconceptions: Students often retell details as a list without explaining the links between them. They may assume that an earlier event caused a later one, or confuse a reason with a result.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Give students, "A seed absorbs water. Its coat softens. Then a root begins to grow." Ask them to explain two connections using because, after, or as a result.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs sentence cards from a plant life cycle; students order them and connect cards with arrows labeled before, after, because, or therefore.
Read a short passage about the first flight, then ask, "Which event led to another, and what words prove the connection?"
Play Connection Match: students pair event cards, choose a time or cause connector, and read the completed relationship aloud.
Students write lunchroom cleanup steps in order, then add one sentence explaining what happens if a step is skipped.

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