Maryland ELA RF.3.3.a

ELA3rd GradeReading Foundational Skills

The Standard

RF.3.3: Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in reading (decoding) and writing (encoding) words. Know and apply phonics skills to read (decode) and write (encode) words. Read (decode) and write (encode) multi-syllable words with known letter-sound correspondences. (neighbor, suitcase, fascinate, suggest) Read (decode) and write (encode) words with common prefixes and derivational suffixes. Know and apply spelling rules to write (encode) words with increased accuracy and automaticity.

Know and apply phonics skills to read (decode) and write (encode) words.

Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use letter patterns and word parts to read unfamiliar words. They use those same patterns to spell words they hear.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student reads raincoat, hopping, and unfair without guessing from the first letter. They spell words with the right vowel pattern and double a consonant when needed.
Common Misconceptions: Students may guess a word from its first letters instead of reading all the way through it. They may spell boat as bote or hopping as hoping because they miss the vowel pattern or doubled consonant.
How to Assess It: In a quick one-to-one check, show raincoat and hopping for the student to read aloud. Then dictate sailboat and running for the student to write.

Lesson moves

Give pairs letter tiles to build rain, train, and rainfall, then have them read and write each word.
Ask students to write how they split sunshine into parts and how each part helped them read and spell it.
Run a word sort: students place boat, hope, hopping, train, and running under vowel team, silent e, or doubled consonant.
Give students a grocery list with cheese, bread, and beans; have them read it, then add two foods with vowel teams.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to RF.3.3.a, 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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