Reading and Writing with Science Texts

CCSS ELA / NGSS  Alignment

3rd Grade

A Note to Teachers Regarding this Alignment:

Our alignment focuses on the Science and Engineering Practices (SEP), in order to allow you and your students to engage with our articles in a variety of ways. Although many of our articles may align with your grade level’s Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) and standards, by aligning our activities to the SEP you have the flexibility to enjoy any of DOGOnews’ articles while meeting your classrooms’ need for interdisciplinary science connections.

The Next Generation Science Standards are three-dimensional. They include the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Cross-cutting Concepts (CCC) and Science and Engineering Practices (SEP). The DCI are taught in a spiral fashion, with concepts growing in complexity over the course of students’ school career. In addition, students use the SEP in increasingly difficult contexts in order to grow their abilities and behaviors as scientists and engineers. All three dimensions are assessed in conjunction with one another. For more information regarding the SEP and the NGSS Science Framework, click here.

NGSS Practices

CCSS ELA

1. Asking Questions and Defining Problems

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.6

With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the questions in the , then reread/ the article.
  • Note which paragraph contains each answer.
  • Take the .
  • Check your answers. Go back and reread the paragraphs you noted.
  • Retake the quiz to correct any mistakes you made.

  • Three Types of Questions:
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • What do you wonder about the article? Write 2-3 questions about what you read.
  • Reread the text and check for answers.
  • “Right there” questions: Some of your questions may be able to be answered by rereading, you may have just missed it the first time. This means the answer is written in the article. Try reading the  version if you are having trouble.
  • These questions could also be related to the . Try playing the  and then use a “Right There” question with one of the words.
  • “Think and Search” questions: Some of your questions may require you to interpret and think more deeply about what the article is saying, then you can make a logical guess, based on the information that is available.
  • “On your own” questions: Some of your questions may require further research or for you to think about your feelings and thoughts. (For an example of this type of question, read the .)
  • Check, what types of questions did you write? If they were “right there” or “think and search”, were you able to find the answers? If you wrote “on your own” questions, did you find an answer? Where could you look or what further thinking or investigating could you do?
  • Post one of your ‘Think and Search’ or ‘On your Own’ questions in the comments of the article.
  • Check back a few days later to see if any fellow DOGO-ers have answered! If so, respond to them with your own ideas!

  • :
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the .
  • Think about what the question is asking. Look up any unknown words. (Practice unknown words in the .)
  • Reread/listen to the article.
  • Even though this is an ‘on your own’ type of question that requires you to think about your opinion, background knowledge, or even research; using the article as a basis for your answer is important.
  • Record your answer to the question in complete sentences.
  • Use the question stem to write an introductory sentence.
  • Add 2-3 details and facts, remember to refer to the article.
  • Leave the reader with something to consider as a conclusion.

NGSS Practices

CCSS ELA

3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • Evaluate Scientific Practices
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Think about the scientists or engineers in the article. What did they do or what are they doing?
  • Remember that there are many different names for scientists and engineers; biologist, researcher, inventor, geologist, zoologist. Look for nouns that end in affixes -er or -ist to help you find them.
  • Take notes about what you remember using words or phrases, not complete sentences.
  • Reread or  the article.
  • As you read again, stop and take notes about the scientist or engineer’s actions and findings. Pay close attention to their methods for collecting data and/or what tools they used.
  • Sort your notes into two groups; what they scientists/engineers did and what they discovered.
  • Next, think about what else you think they could do to find out more.
  • How could they study this topic?
  • What might their investigatory question be?
  • What tools would they need?
  • Compile your notes into a paragraph. Write about what the scientists/engineers did and what they discovered. Then, give your opinion on what they could do next. Tell why you think these would be good next steps.

  • What If…?
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Think about what the scientists or engineers studied, what were their methods?
  • Scientists have to keep all the variables in an experiment or study the same, in order to make sure the results are accurate.
  • For example, if a scientist is studying a plant, the temperature, timing, water and sunlight all have to be the same.
  • Consider a scenario where the scientists completed the study differently.
  • What if the scientists or engineers changed a variable? What do you think would happen?
  • Write a paragraph describing your “What if…” scenario.
  • Write a few sentences describing what the scientists or engineers did in the study.
  • Next, add a sentence describing a variable that you would change.
  • Finish your paragraph by sharing what you predict would happen.
  • Try to include scientific words from the .
  • Testing for Meaning
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Scientists don’t always know the right answer right away, you can practice being a scientist when thinking about vocabulary.
  • Read the  question.
  • Try both options in the sentence.
  • Consider which option matches the part of speech and makes the most sense in the sentence.
  • Choose your answer and provide reasoning to support it.
  • Check with a partner. If they don’t agree, listen to their reasoning, then look up the definition together.

NGSS Practices

CCSS ELA

6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.6

With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • Read the , think about the question words. What information and language will your answer include? For example, to answer a ‘why’ question, your answer will include a conjunction, like  ‘because’ or ‘so’ to explain the cause and effect.
  • Then, reread/listen to the article. Pay attention, are there any text features, like maps, pictures or diagrams? How do they help you better understand the article?
  • Stop and answer each question. If applicable,  include a quick sketch or chart to support your idea, like in the text.
  • Check your answers with a partner. If you disagree, go back and reread or  the article. Work together to find the right answer.
  • Sometimes a disagreement may be based around an unknown word. Use the  or the  to help you better understand the scientific language.

  • Fact or Opinion?
  • Read or  the original or simplified article.
  • Identify the scientists or researchers in the article.
  • Underline, highlight or note the scientist’s discoveries, ideas or even their words (look for quotation marks).
  • Determine if the ideas or words are:
  • Facts: Is there data to back it up? Is it an observation?
  • Reasonable ideas: Is it based on the research? Does it take other scientific facts into consideration?
  • Opinion/speculation: Is it a guess that requires more investigation? Is the scientist describing next steps?
  • If you are unsure, think about what question(s) you would need to ask the scientist or researcher to determine this.
  • Post your question(s) in the comments using an, “I wonder…” statement.
  • Check back a few days later to see if any fellow DOGO-ers have any thoughts or similar questions. If so, respond and chat about your ideas.

NGSS Practices

CCSS ELA

8. Obtaining Evaluating and Communicating Information

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 

Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

Lesson Plan Suggestions:

  • Finding the Main Idea
  • Read or  the original or  article.
  • If you chose the original version, next read the  version of the article. This version will also include the main idea and key details of the text. Pay attention to what is included, this will help you find the main idea.
  • Who or what is the article about? What is the subject? (Your answer should be a noun: a person, place or thing.)
  • When and where did this happen? Is this information important to understanding the text?
  • Many of the articles are current events, so the time may not be pertinent. If, however, this is the ‘first’ something or scientists have been investigating something for a long time, the ‘when’ may be a key detail.
  • The same goes for the ‘where’, is this a breakthrough in science in a certain place? Maybe a new discovery? If so, the location is a key detail. If not, you may be able to leave it out.
  • How or why is it happening? Understanding these answers is important.
  • Put all your answers together to find the main idea.
  • Who did what? Why or how did they do it?
  • Share out your main idea with a partner. How is their answer the same or different?
  • If your partner’s answer is different, think back to your key details that answered questions like, ‘who?’ or ‘how?’. Are these details included in your main idea? What about your partner? Explain your reasoning for including them to your partner. Go back and reread or listen if you disagree.
  • Sometimes a disagreement may be based around an unknown word. Use the  or the  to help you better understand the scientific language.