Cluster 3: Integration of Knowledge and IdeasArchived

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General Information
Number: LAFS.3.RI.3
Title: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Type: Cluster
Subject: English Language Arts - Archived
Grade: 3
Strand: Reading Standards for Informational Text

Related Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Access Points

LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.7a
Use illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) in informational texts to answer questions.
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.7b
Identify information learned from illustrations and information learned from the words in an informational text .
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.7c
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why and how key events occur).
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.7d
Within informational texts, locate or identify evidence in the text or graphics to support the central ideas.
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.8a
Identify signal words that help determine the text structure in an informational text.
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.8b
Describe the connection between sentences and paragraphs in a text (order, comparison, cause/effect).
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.9a
Compare the similarities of two or more texts or adapted texts on the same topic or by the same author.
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.9b
Contrast the differences of two texts or adapted texts on the same topic or by the same author.
LAFS.3.RI.3.AP.9c
When researching a topic, compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two informational texts on the same topic.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plans

Amazing Dolphins:

In this lesson, students will explore vocabulary, answer questions about the text, and identify the details and the central idea of an informational text about dolphins. Students will demonstrate their new knowledge about this amazing animal by completing an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

Comparing and Contrasting Washington and Lincoln:

In this lesson, students will identify the relevant details and central idea of two informational texts about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They will then compare and contrast the two presidents using a graphic organizer and write an expository essay to explain the presidents' similarities and differences.

Type: Lesson Plan

Understanding Chronological Order:

In this lesson, students will learn how to effectively read a timeline text feature and understand its purpose within a text. Students will also be able to create a timeline by extracting relevant details from a grade-level text on a given topic.

Type: Lesson Plan

States of Water Part 2:

Students will be able to describe water as it changes state through boiling, evaporation, and condensation.

Type: Lesson Plan

Exploring the States of Water:

This is a week long lesson which helps children explore the three states of water: solid, liquid, and gas. Students will explore examples of where and what conditions the states of matter occur and investigate how to collect observations on the various states of water.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using Text Features to Learn About Reptiles:

In this lesson, students will identify and use text features to learn about reptiles while reading the book REPTILES by Melissa Stewart. As the students practice identifying and using text features, they will also identify relevant details in the text. Using the text features and relevant details, students will identify the central idea. The students will then create a Reptile Poster using central ideas, relevant details, and text features. This lesson will use the text Reptiles by Melissa Stewart. However, this lesson can be done with any reptile-based book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Compare and Contrast Signals:

An interactive third grade lesson introducing the key words that signal a comparison or contrast in a text. This lesson is designed to be used with an interactive whiteboard, although pieces of it can be used without one.

Type: Lesson Plan

Exploring Cause and Effect Using Expository Texts About Natural Disasters:

This lesson helps students explore the nature and structure of expository texts that focus on cause and effect. Students begin by activating prior knowledge about cause and effect; the teacher then models discovering these relationships in a text and recording findings in a graphic organizer. Students work in small groups to apply what they learned using related books and then write paragraphs outlining the cause-and-effect relationships they have found.

Type: Lesson Plan

Field Trip Fundraiser:

This 3rd grade MEA asks students to work as a team to figure out which product would be the best choice for their fundraiser for their field trip. They will compare two vendor's products and make a decision about which product would be the best option for their school.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Understanding an Author's use of Text Features in a Non-Fiction Text:

This lesson focuses on helping students identify text features in order to better understand author’s purpose. Students will apply this knowledge to understand the informational text Great Migrations Elephants by Laura Marsh.

Type: Lesson Plan

Student Center Activities

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast:

In this activity, students will identify similarities and differences between two topics. NOTE: The activity will need to compare and contrast information from two texts on the same topic to fully meet the aligned standards.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Detail Delight:

In this activity, students will identify the topic and key details in informational text. As an extension, students may also compare and contrast the important details presented by two texts on the same topic.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Text Feature Find:

In this activity, students will locate text features and explain how they help the reader understand the text.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Text Structure Reflection:

In this activity, students will identify text structures and complete corresponding graphic organizers. Multiple graphic organizers are provided, and a reference sheet is also provided that includes an explanation, signal words, and graphic organizer templates for each text structure.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Text Structure Sort:

In this activity, students will sort sentences based on their text structures. As an extension activity, students can write about a topic using each text structure.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Write Cause or Effect:

In this activity, students will identify the relationship between cause and effect. NOTE: This is an introductory activity for cause and effect. Students will need to extend their learning using text containing a cause/effect text structure to fully meet the expectations of the aligned standards.

Type: Student Center Activity

Teaching Idea

Native American Living Then and Now:

This teaching idea describes a project third grade students participated in after studying Native Americans. Students created their own illustration page and described the artwork with descriptive paragraphs.

Type: Teaching Idea

Unit/Lesson Sequence

Using Science Texts to Teach the Organizational Features of Nonfiction:

Science captures even the most reluctant readers and writers. Students are naturally drawn to the colorful photographs and layouts of nonfiction science texts. This lesson supports students in grade 3 as they explore the organizational features of nonfiction texts, such as labels, captions, headings, fonts, and so on. Students then have an opportunity to work together with their classmates to create a two-page spread using those features to present information about their local environment.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Parent Resources

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