South Dakota ELA 3.L.3.b

ELA3rd GradeLanguage

The Standard

3.L.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Recognize and observe differences between formal and informal English.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students notice how word choice changes with the audience. They choose words and greetings that fit a friend, teacher, or principal and explain their choices.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can tell which of two requests fits a friend and which fits a principal. They can point to clues such as 'Hey' or 'Dear Principal Lee' and rewrite a message without changing its meaning.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think informal English is wrong or that formal English always needs long words. They may judge a message by its punctuation alone instead of considering its words and audience.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Label each request as better suited to a friend or a principal: 'Hey, can we use the gym?' and 'Dear Principal Lee, may our class use the gym?' Circle the words that helped you decide.

Lesson moves

Give pairs printed message cards, including 'Hey, want to play?' and 'Dear Coach, may I join?' Have them sort by audience and underline clues.
Write 'Can I borrow your pencil?' and 'May I borrow a pencil, Ms. Kim?' on the board; ask what changed and why.
Play audience switch: draw a 'friend' or 'principal' card, rewrite 'Can we have more recess?' for that reader, and underline changed words.
Have students write a text to a cousin and an email to the school office asking about a lost jacket; compare their greetings.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.L.3.b, 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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