2. Grade Level
For this assignment, we decided to focus on third grade.
Some characteristics of third graders include:
8-9 years old
Intellectual
Learn best through active, concrete experiences
Enjoy collecting, organizing, and classifying objects and information
Imaginative play in form of skits, plays, and puppet shows
Like groups and group activities
May reverse printed letters (b and d)
Interested in different types of reading (fiction, non-fiction, magazines, “how-
to” project books, information, etc.)
Enjoy planning and building
Increasing vocabulary
When something is suggested, they may say, “That‟s dumb.” or “I don‟t want to
do that.”
May show resistance to some suggestions
 Like to explain ideas, but they may exaggerate
Basic skills begin to be mastered/Begin to feel a sense of competence with
skills
Tend to be negative (e.g. “This is boring,” “I can‟t do this,” etc.)

3. Standards
New York State:
Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and
speak for literary response and expression.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and
speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and
speak for social interaction.

4. Standards
Common Core:
RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to
the text as the basis for the answers.
RL.3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the
central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivation, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.5: Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using
terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier
sections.
RL.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the
main idea.
RI.3.7: 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).
SL.3.2: Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information
presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and
relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
SL.3.6: Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide
requested detail or clarification.

5. Reading Expectations
Select literature on the basis of personal needs and interests from a
variety of genres and by different authors
Engage in purposeful oral reading in small and large groups
Relate the setting, plot, and characters in literature to own lives, with
assistance
Explain the difference between fact and fiction
Use previous reading and life experiences to understand and compare
literature
Make predictions, draw conclusions, and make inferences about
events and characters
Identify cultural influences in texts and performances, with assistance
Use specific evidence from stories to describe characters, their
actions, and their motivations; relate sequences of events

6. Reading Expectations-2
Use knowledge of story structure, story elements, and key vocabulary
to interpret stories
Summarize main ideas and supporting details from imaginative
texts, both orally and in writing
Evaluate the content by identifying
The author‟s purpose
Important and unimportant details
Whether events, actions, characters, and/or settings are realistic
Statements of fact and opinion
Compare and contrast characters, plot, and setting in literary
works, with assistance
Analyze information on the basis of new or prior knowledge and/or
personal experience
Respect the age, gender, social position, and cultural traditions of the
writer
Recognize the types of language (e.g. informal vocabulary and jargon)
that is appropriate to social communication

7. Reading Expectations-3
Use a variety of structures to organize
and categorize text information.
Cause and Effect
Comparing and Contrasting
Information
Sequencing
Comparing Story Elements
Fact and Opinion
Directions
Time Sequence
Engage in or lead discussion about
grade-level texts by integrating multiple
strategies.
Ask Questions
Clarify Misunderstandings
Support Point of View
Summarize Information
Use genre features to aid comprehension.
Folk Tales
Legends
Fables
Biographies
Poetry
Plays
Stories
Use knowledge of the structure of
imaginative text to identify and interpret
plot, character, point of view (first and third
person)
Demonstrate comprehension of grade-level
text through creative responses.
Writing
Drama
Oral Presentation
Use text information to support point of view.

8. Types of Texts
Used
Stories:
Gannett, Ruth Stiles. My Father’s
Dragon
Averill, Esther. The Fire Cat
Steig, Wiliam. Amos & Boris
Shulevitz, Uri. The Treasure
Cameron, Ann. The Stories Julian
Tells
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain
and Tall
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge:
The First Book of Adventures
Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms
LaMarche, Jim. The Raft
Rylant, Cynthia. The Lighthouse
Family: The Storm
Osborne, Mary Pope. The One-
Eyed Giant (Book One of Tales from
the Odyssey)
Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and
Cocoa
Poetry:
Dickinson, Emily. “Autumn.”
Rossetti, Christina. “Who Has Seen
the Wind?”
Millay, Edna St. Vincent. “Afternoon
on a Hill.”
Frost, Robert. “Stopping by Woods
on a Snowy Evening.”
Field, Rachel. “Something Told the
Wild Geese.”
Hughes, Langston. “Grandpa’s
Stories.”
Jarrell, Randall. “A Bat Is Born.”
Giovanni, Nikki.
“Knoxville, Tennessee.”
Merriam, Eve. “Weather.”
Soto, Gary. “Eating While Reading.”

9. Types of Texts
Used
Read-Aloud Stories:
Kipling, Rudyard. “How the Camel
Got His Hump.”
Thurber, James. The Thirteen
Clocks
White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web
Selden, George. The Cricket in
Times Square
Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for
Delicious
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not
Buddy
Say, Allen. The Sign Painter
Read-Aloud Poetry:
Lear, Edward. “The Jumblies.”
Browning, Robert. The Pied Piper
of Hamelin
Johnson, Georgia Douglas. “Your
World.”
Eliot, T. S. “The Song of the
Jellicles.”
Fleischman, Paul. “Fireflies.”

10. Types of Texts Used
Informational Texts:
Aliki. A Medieval Feast
Gibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant
Milton, Joyce. Bats: Creatures of the
Night
Beeler, Selby. Throw Your Tooth on the
Roof:
Tooth Traditions Around the World
Leonard, Heather. Art Around the World
Ruffin, Frances E. Martin Luther King
and the March on Washington
St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be
President?
Einspruch, Andrew. Crittercam
Kudlinski, Kathleen V. Boy, Were We
Wrong About Dinosaurs
Davies, Nicola. Bat Loves the Night
Floca, Brian. Moonshot: The Flight of
Apollo 11
Thomson, Sarah L. Where Do Polar
Bears Live?
Read-Aloud Informational Texts:
Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A
Photobiography
Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby
Bridges
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: A Book of
Science and Wonder
Smith, David J. If the World Were a
Village:
A Book about the World’s People
Aliki. Ah, Music!
Mark, Jan. The Museum Book:
A Guide to Strange and Wonderful
Collections
D’Aluisio, Faith. What the World Eats
Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks! A Guide to
Nature’s Footprints
Deedy, Carmen Agra. 14 Cows for
America

11. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
Before (example questions)
What did the author/illustrator do to get you interested in the book? (All)
“The title makes me think about a time I went to the beach and built a
sandcastle. I had a lot of fun, so I am excited to read about it in the book.”
What do you know about where and when the story takes place? (Fiction)
“I see a beach in the pictures, so I know that the story takes place on a
beach by some water. It looks like it is during the day because I see the sun
shining. It is probably summer because I go to the beach during the
summer with my family.”
What have you discovered about the main character(s) so far? (Fiction)
Do you have any hunches about what might happen next? (Fiction)
What do you want to learn from this book? (Non-Fiction)
Standards: RI.3.7: 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).

12. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
During(example questions)
What happened in the story that surprised you? (Fiction)
“I thought the character was a boy the whole time because it was about a
bully in school, but it ended up being a girl!”
If you could speak to one of the characters in your book, what might you say
to them? (Fiction)
“I would like to ask the boy what his favorite baseball team is because he
says he likes baseball in the book.”
In what ways has the main character changed since the beginning of the
book? Why? (Fiction)
What is the main problem in the story? (Fiction)
Does the author include opinion and fact statements into the book? Find
examples of each. (Non-Fiction)
Standards:
RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a
text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivation, or feelings)
and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

13. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
After(example questions)
Is the title a good choice for this book? Why or why not? What would be another
good title? Why? (All)
“I think the title, „Charlotte‟s Web,‟ is a good one because Charlotte is the
main character and she writes messages in her web. It could also be called
„Charlotte and Wilbur‟ because Wilbur is another important character in the
book.”
Did the story end the way you expected it to? Why or why not? (Fiction)
“I did not think Charlotte would die at the end of the book, so that surprised
me. She was so important so I did not think the author would have that happen.”
What can you imagine will happen to the character(s) after the story ended? Why
do you think so? (Fiction)
Did the book leave you with unanswered questions? What are these? (All)
If you could talk to the author, what would you say and ask? (All)
Standards: RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a
text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivation, or feelings) and explain
how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the
characters.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

14. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
Another form of response is making text-to-
self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
Examples of responses/worksheets
Text-to-Self
Possible Questions:
What does this story remind you of?
Can you relate to the characters in the story?
Does anything in this story remind you of anything in your own life?
A third grader might respond to “Love that Dog” by Sharon Creech by saying
how he had a dog that he loved but passed away. He may also write his own
poem about his dog to go along with the book.
Standards:
RL.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of
the characters.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and
evaluation.

15. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
Text-to-Text
Possible Questions:
What does this remind you of in another book you have read?
How is this text similar to other things you have read?
How is this text different from other things you have read?
A third grader might compare and contrast the original “Three Little Pigs” to
“The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” using a Venn diagram or other
worksheet.
Standards:
RL.3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse
cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is
conveyed through key details in the text.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and
evaluation

16. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
Text-to-World
Possible Questions:
What does this remind you of in the real world?
How are events in this story similar to things that happen in the real
world?
How are events in this story different from things that happen in the real
world?
A third grader might compare the book, “Earthquake (The Magic School Bus to
the Rescue),” by Joanna Cole, to the disaster in Haiti (or any other earthquake
they are familiar with), applying it to the events that occur in the book.
Standards:
RL.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of
the characters.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and
evaluation.

17. Examples of Text Questions and
Responses
There are many different forms of Reader
Response you can use in a 3rd grade classroom.
We included some general examples teachers can
use for any text. Some other examples might
include: reader‟s theater, reading response
blogs, reading tweets (students have to respond to
the book in 30 words or less), reader response tic-
tac-toe (students have several choices of ways to
respond to the text, they choose which activity to
complete), and there are many other options you
can use. Take some time to explore everything that
is out there!

18. Analysis
From our findings we have realized how much reader response has to offer in the third
grade. There are endless ways to present this educational tool, and we were only able to really
scratch the surface of it. Overall we feel that reader response in third grade is a great resource
for teachers to use. From our own experiences we have realized how much students vary in
their learning styles, and reader response offers a variety of ways to reach each student and
his or her unique needs. By making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world
connections, students are able to pull on their background knowledge and personal
experiences to gain meaning and understanding on a deeper level than they would without
making any comparisons or connections. Also, by asking questions and obtaining responses
from students before, during, and after reading, students are able to remain connected and
inquisitive in all aspects of the reading process. They are constantly thinking, asking
questions, and analyzing what they are reading, instead of just simply filling out a
worksheet, for example, post-reading.
Spiegel (1998) discusses the importance of making meaning from reading, and there are
several modes of doing this. Discussion is one of the ways the author mentions in order to gain
understanding and interpret what has been read. Spiegel (1998) also emphasizes the
importance of personal connections to the text. She notes that each student will have different
responses and opinions, and each one should be valued and accepted, as this helps make
meaning and understanding.
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) emphasize the use of multiple literacies and
texts. It is important for teachers to introduce these various forms to students in order to make
them well rounded, as well as bring them to discover their own strengths and weaknesses
within the different text forms. The expectations of third grade reader response require
students to dig deeper, going beyond what is directly in front of them and bringing them to work
in a variety of ways, including group and independently, to reach conclusions and prepare for

19. ReferencesCommon Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects. (2013). Appendix b: Text exemplars and sample performance
tasks. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf.
GCISD. (2002). Developmental characteristics of third graders. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.glendale.k12.wi.us/3_char.aspx.
International Reading Association. (2013). Making connections . Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/making-connections-
30659.html.
New York State Education Department. (2005). English language arts core curriculum: Grade 3.
Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elacore.htm.
New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy.
(2013).Standards for english language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical
subjects. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/common_core_standards/pdfdocs/p12_common_core_learning_st
andards_ela.pdf.
Oswego City School District. (2011). Elementary test prep ela3. Retrieved from
http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela3.cfm.
Scholastic Inc. (2013). Five minute reading responses. Retrieved from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/02/five-minute-reading-responses.
Zimmerman, A. (2013). Third grade reading response questions. Retrieved from
http://www.alyciazimmerman.com/uploads/3/0/7/3/3073052/reading_response_questions.pdf.