Grades 3-5 Common Core ELA Resources

Overview

The Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts for Grades 3-5 emphasize the need to provide all students with consistent opportunities to confront and comprehend grade-level complex text—through individual reading, through read-alouds, or as a group reading activity. Although this may require extra scaffolding for some students, all students should have an opportunity to engage with complex text as a member of a class.

Characteristics of high-quality reading materials for Grades 3-5:

appropriately complex texts

contain more sophisticated academic vocabulary

lend themselves to more complex tasks

able to support rich dialogue

well-written and, as appropriate, richly illustrated

appeal to students’ interests (“texts of their choice”)

wide range of materials on a variety of topics and genres

vary in length and density

at students’ own reading levels as well as complexity levels that will challenge and motivate students

National Geographic's many award-winning nonfiction materials—from children's books to classroom magazines to interactive digital products—provide upper elementary students with opportunities to practice the foundational reading skills required to achieve fluency and comprehension.

Credits

Media Credits

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A Project of the

National Geographic Society Common Core Committee

Last Updated

April 3, 2013

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