CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4
The Standard
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
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 figure out unfamiliar school and subject words while reading informational texts. They use sentence clues, text features, word parts, and reference tools to explain each meaning.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students explain a word’s meaning in their own words and point to clues in the text. They confirm the meaning with a glossary or dictionary when needed.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose a familiar meaning that does not fit the sentence. They may rely on one nearby word instead of checking the whole sentence, headings, captions, or glossary.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short paragraph with one bold word. Ask them to write its meaning and underline two clues that support their answer.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs short science passages, word cards, and meaning cards; students match each word to a meaning and underline supporting clues.
Read a paragraph containing “migrate,” then ask, “What does migrate mean, and which words helped you decide?”
Play Context Clue Bingo: read sentences with bold words, and students cover the matching meaning on their boards.
Use a weather forecast to infer terms such as precipitation and temperature, then verify each meaning in a glossary.
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Printable RI.3.4 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetLearning progression
Where This Standard Sits
See the whole path on the Reading: Informational Text progression map.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
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