South Dakota ELA 3.W.1.c

ELA3rd GradeWriting

The Standard

3.W.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

Use grade-level appropriate linking words and phrases to connect opinion and reasons.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students state an opinion and give reasons that support it. They use words like “because” and phrases like “another reason is” to connect each reason to their opinion.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can write, “We should grow beans because they sprout quickly. Another reason is that we can measure them each week.” The reader can tell how both reasons support the opinion.
Common Misconceptions: Some students list reasons without connecting them to their opinion. Others use “for example” to introduce a new reason rather than an example, or write “Because it is fun” as a complete sentence.
How to Assess It: Ask students to write an opinion on whether the class should have a plant. Have them give two reasons, use two different linking words or phrases, and underline those links.

Lesson moves

Give pairs opinion and reason sentence strips about class pets, plus “because” and “another reason is”; have them arrange and read connected sentences.
Ask, “Should our class have a plant?” Have students share two reasons and discuss which linking phrase fits before each one.
Play Link Match with opinion, reason, and linking phrase cards; teams build two connected sentences and read them aloud.
Show two lunch menu choices and have students write the cafeteria manager a preference note using “because” and “also.”

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.W.1.c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

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