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3rd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 12 of 13

Wonder & Find Out

What you know, good questions, choosing facts and stories that include everyone.

What your child practices

Practices using what you already know, asking focused questions, choosing information from sources, deciding what to include, and noticing diversity and inclusion in stories.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Writing 1 · asking research questions and choosing sources

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Start with what you already know, then ask a clear, focused question.
  2. Look in books, websites written by experts, and people who know.
  3. Pick only facts that answer your question, and share what you found.

Example: You want to learn how fast snow melts. Which question fits: “Is snow nice?” or “Does snow melt faster in sun or shade?” A good question can be tested or looked up. The second question can be checked. Answer: Does snow melt faster in sun or shade?

Wonder & Find Out in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 12 of 13 in 3rd grade English Language Arts, after Reading Patterns and before Media Messages.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A field trip to a farm can help you learn…

    • only how to ride a bus
    • about how food is grown
    • nothing at all

  2. Question 2

    Which is a source of knowledge for a project about bees?

    • A beekeeper who visits the class
    • A game you made up
    • A random guess

  3. Question 3

    Which is a focused question about plants?

    • What do seeds need to sprout?
    • Plants?
    • Is it Tuesday?

  4. Question 4

    When you review your notes, you decide what to…

    • lose forever
    • keep and what to leave out
    • erase from the library

  5. Question 5

    After finding new information, you can…

    • forget it
    • hide it
    • talk about it with others

  6. Question 6

    Telling a friend what a story says about being fair is…

    • sharing how an idea is presented
    • copying
    • spelling

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