TEKS ELAR 3.12

3.12 is a knowledge and skills statement. These are the student expectations under it.

• 3.12.A

  compose literary texts, including personal narratives and poetry, using genre characteristics and craft

• 3.12.B

  compose informational texts, including brief compositions that convey information about a topic, using a clear central idea and genre characteristics and craft

• 3.12.C

  compose argumentative texts, including opinion essays, using genre characteristics and craft

• 3.12.D

  compose correspondence such as thank you notes or letters.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students write stories, poems, informational pieces, opinion pieces, and letters for different purposes. They organize each piece correctly and use details, word choice, and other features that fit the genre.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students choose a structure that fits their purpose and keep their writing focused. They use details, sequence, facts, reasons, line breaks, or letter parts where each genre calls for them.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may mix genres, such as adding unsupported opinions to an informational piece. They may retell events without a clear sequence, state opinions without reasons, or write letters without greetings and closings.

04

How to Assess It

Assign one exit ticket: Write about recess as a four-sentence opinion paragraph with a clear claim, two reasons, and a closing sentence.

1. 01

   Give groups sample paragraphs to cut apart, sort by genre, and label the clues that reveal each genre.

2. 02

   Ask students to write the same classroom event as a personal narrative, an informational paragraph, and an opinion paragraph.

3. 03

   Play Genre Challenge by drawing a topic card and genre card, then writing a matching opening in three minutes.

4. 04

   Have students write and deliver thank-you notes to a school employee, using a greeting, specific message, and closing.

• 8.11

  The student uses genre characteristics and craft to compose multiple texts that are meaningful.

• 4.12

  The 4th Grade version of this standard.

• 5.12

  The 5th Grade version of this standard.

• 6.11

  The student uses genre characteristics and craft to compose multiple texts that are meaningful.