Maryland ELA W.3.2.d

ELA3rd GradeWriting

The Standard

W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

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

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students write about a topic using words that name the exact parts and actions. They use subject words correctly, not just words that sound impressive.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student writes, “Roots absorb water from the soil,” rather than “The plant gets stuff.” Their word choices make the explanation clear without making the reader guess.
Common Misconceptions: Some students pick a long word that does not fit the meaning. Others use “absorb” to mean “make” or write “it gets stuff” without naming the plant part or material.
How to Assess It: Give students this prompt: “Explain in two sentences how a plant gets water from soil. Use roots and absorb correctly, and avoid the word stuff.”

Lesson moves

Give pairs a scallion with roots attached and a magnifier; ask them to label the roots and write how they take in water.
Write “Roots get stuff” and “Roots absorb water from soil” on the board; ask pairs which sentence teaches more and why.
Give pairs plant sentences with “thing,” “stuff,” and “gets”; have them replace those words using a roots, water, soil, absorb word bank.
Show a seed packet’s planting directions; have students rewrite one direction for a younger gardener using soil, depth, and water accurately.

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