grade 3 - student pages

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The Essential Guide to Grade 3 Writing: Student Pages | ©2012 Empowering Writers

Grade 3 - Student Pages

The Essential Guide to Grade 3 Writing: Month 1 | ©2013 Empowering Writers

Month 1 – Bicycles


Narrative, expository/informative or Opinion?

SP1

Name:

Read the following paragraphs. Determine whether each paragraph is Narrative, Expository/Informative or Opinion

1.) My favorite mode of transportation is a bicycle. Have you ever thought about the

time it takes to walk to school? Riding your bike gets you there in half the time. Pedaling

away on a two-wheeler can also provide important exercise. And don’t forget about the

endless hours of fun you and your friends can have while riding your bikes together. So, strap

on your helmet and pedal away!

___________________________________

2.) A long time ago, in the early 1800’s, the bicycle was first invented. A bike has two

wheels and sturdy handlebars used for steering. Pedals hooked to the wheels by a chain help

a rider to move forwards or backwards. A person who rides a bicycle is known as a cyclist.

Amazingly, today there are twice as many bicycles as cars!

___________________________________

3.) I opened the box and inside was a brand new, 10-speed bicycle for my birthday. The

shiny purple paint along with the bright green handlebar grips caught my attention right

away. I hopped on the bike and rode through the neighborhood until after dark. That night I

couldn’t sleep, thinking about the sparkly bike in the driveway. As soon as the sun appeared,

I jumped out of bed and flew down the stairs. I burst out the front door! To my surprise, the

bike was gone.

____________________________________


student Page

SP2

Name:

The History of BicyclesMost kids these days know how to ride a bicycle. These same kids might be

surprised to learn that bicycles were once only ridden by adults. Let’s explore how

bicycles were invented, who rode them, and learn some amazing facts about these

popular two-wheeled vehicles.

Bicycles have gone through many changes since the first one was invented.

In 1817, a German inventor built an early bike called a draisine. Draisines were

made entirely from wood. These early inventions had no pedals! Instead, the rider

just sat on the seat and pushed with his feet. By 1865, the velocipede (meaning

fast foot) was invented. It too was made from wood and provided such a bumpy

ride that it was called the “bone shaker.” These vehicles had front pedals attached

directly to the front wheel. High wheel bicycles became

popular in the 1870s. The front wheels on these bikes

were huge because inventors realized the bigger

the wheel, the farther the rider could go each

time he pedaled. Finally someone figured out

that a chain gear could improve the bicycle’s

ride. Bikes that we’d recognize started to be

built in the 1940’s.

(continued)


student Page

SP3

At first, bicycles were only ridden by adults and later designed

for children. These two wheelers were looked upon as serious

transportation. Since early bikes were often hard to ride, getting

hurt was a possibility. Many men fell off of the high wheel

bicycles, hitting their heads and getting injured. So,

children were not allowed to ride! Bicycles were

also thought of as grown-up toys for very rich

people. Adults belonged to bicycle clubs and even

rode their bikes at special indoor centers, much like

skating rinks today! In the 1940’s, bicycles began to be designed for kids. Some

had rocket designs and chrome trim. Soon millions of kids began to enjoy bike

riding.

Let’s learn some amazing facts about bicycles! These days over 100 million

bicycles are manufactured every year! In China, where bikes are often used in place

of cars, there are over ½ billion bicycles! Sleek, modern versions are also ridden in

races. This sport is called cycling. The most famous cycling race is called the Tour de

France. American Lance Armstrong is the only person to win this race seven times!

So the next time you hop on your bike for a ride around the neighborhood,

think back to the history of these interesting vehicles and their riders. Perhaps, after

remembering the many incredible bicycle facts, you’ll become a cyclist too!


Name:

SP4

student Page

1.) NUMBER each paragraph

2.) Circle the title. This is the TOPIC.

What is this piece all about? __________________________________.

3.) Circle the INTRODUCTION. Label it “introduction”.

4.) Put a BRACKET around the BODY of the piece.

5.) Look at each underlined MAIN IDEA sentence.

Write the blurb in the margin.

6.) Box the CONCLUSION. Label it “conclusion”.

7.) What was the author’s PURPOSE? ______________________________

_________________________________________________________

BONUS: Can you list at least 3 word referents the author uses in place of the word “bicycles”? ________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Author’s Purpose: to inform

The History of Bicycles – Expository/Informative Writing

TOPIC: Bicycle HistoryMAIN IDEA #1: Inventing the bicycleMAIN IDEA #2: First bike riders were adultsMAIN IDEA #3: Amazing bike facts


student Page

SP5

Name:

The Magical BikeI ran out to the garage with my helmet in hand. It was a great day for a

bike ride! I strapped on my helmet, kicked up the kickstand, swung my leg over

the bar, and started to pedal.

I rode down the street, pedaling as fast as I could, enjoying the speed and

the wind in my hair. My neighbors waved, but I concentrated on steering.

Suddenly, something strange began to happen. The pedals started to get

warm and began to vibrate. My mouth fell open as the handlebars began to

glow! My knuckles turned white as I clenched the soft grips of the shimmering

bars tightly. WHIRRR! WHIRRR! The bike tires whistled as sparks began to

shoot from the spokes like Fourth of July sparklers. In the blink of an eye, the

mysterious two-wheeler rose from the pavement. I gulped and swallowed a

scream as the bike continued up and away hovering over buildings and trees.

The strange new powers of my pedal driven vehicle had

me wondering if I was in danger. As I looked down,

I couldn’t help but notice the checkered pattern

of the land below resembling my favorite

gameboard. In less than a minute, the bike had

gone from rolling along the street, to soaring

(continued)


student Page

SP6

high in the sky. I reached up with one hand to touch the

puffy white clouds, when, to my surprise, the land below

was gone, replaced by a gigantic field of cotton. “This

must be what it is like flying above the clouds in an

airplane,” I said. I watched a flock of birds fly by,

flapping their wings and chirping to one another.

“None of my friends will ever believe me when I

tell them I flew above the clouds beside the birds on my magical bicycle!”

I exclaimed. I shivered and goosebumps began to appear on my arms, as

I suddenly realized the temperature was quickly changing. I could smell a

faint scent of rain. “What now?” I worried. The strange machine must have

heard my chattering teeth and felt my pounding heart because as the panic

worsened, the bike dipped under the cloudy skies and descended toward solid

ground. It wasn’t long before my feet rested on the pavement again.

I pinched my cheeks and patted the bar below my bicycle seat.

Surprisingly, I was awake. I breathed a heavy sigh and hugged the handlebars

of my enchanted cycle.

I’ll never forget the thrill of my adventure on a magical bike. Next time,

I’m going to bring along a sweater and a camera, just to prove to my friends

that I really do have a supernatural bike. I only hope there is a next time!


Look at each book cover. Write the correct title on each. Cut and fold each book cover.

__________________________

expository/informative and Narrative Book covers

SP7

Name:

✁

✁

__________________________


Write your summaries below. Cut out and glue inside the correct book.

expository/informative and Narrative Book covers

SP8

Name:

TOPIC:

MAIN IDEA #1:

MAIN IDEA #2:

MAIN IDEA #3:

This story is about ___________________.

The problem was that ________________

____________________________________.

The problem was solved when _________

____________________________________

____________________________________.

✁

✁


Name:

SP9

The Right Bike for you

Look at each bicycle below and the features of each. Think about how and where you’d ride and the

kinds of biking experience you enjoy best. Circle the bike of your choice, then on another paper write

your opinion about why it’s the best bike for you. Use the sentence starters below to help you.

Neighborhood Bike• basket

• bell

• fancy handlebars

• pedal brakes

• great for riding in your neighborhood

Road Bike• lightweight frame

• 3 gears for riding around town

• hand brakes

• perfect for longer rides

BMX• fat tires for traction

• sturdy grips

• one fixed gear

• This is the bike for doing tricks.

Tandem Bike• basket

• hand brakes

• A good choice for best friends.

Sentence Starters My favorite bicycle is _________________________because______________.

I really enjoy riding a ________________because______________________.

What I look forward to riding most is ______________because____________.

I can’t ever wait to ride my __________________because________________.

I like my ____________ bike better than any other bike because___________.


Name:

who/what doing/describing

Sentences are made of two parts – a “who/what” part and a “doing/describing” part: Ryan / rode a bike.

Read each sentence and use a SLASH / to separate the who/what and doing/describing parts of the sentence.

Sara crashed the bike.

The tires went flat.

Sara cried many tears.

Ryan loaned her a bike.

Dad used his air pump to fix the tires.

The children rode bikes together.

Now write two sentences about Ryan or Sara. Use a slash to separate the who/what and doing/describing parts of the sentence. Be sure to begin with a capital letter and end with a period!

Do you think your sentences belong in a narrative story or an expository/informative piece?

sentences about Bicycles

SP10


SP11

Doing/Describing Task cards

blinked

cried

smiled

✁


SP12


winked

pedaledswiftly

laughed

✁


SP13


leaned over the

handlebars

stomped

gasped

✁


SP14


crouched

scratched an itch

popped a wheelie

✁


SP15


sneezed

pointed

looked up

✁


SP16


seemed mad

filled up the tire

waved at the neighbor

✁


SP17


made a fist

rode with no hands

padlocked the bike

✁


SP18


yawned

waved

looked down

✁


SP19


gripped thehandlebars

covered his/her eyes

laid the bike over

✁


SP20


hit the brakes

put up thekickstand

bounced onthe seat

✁


Bicycle Basket Turnover!

SP21

Name: I can’t believe my luck! I was riding my bike to school this morning with all of my belongings piled in the basket attached to my handlebars. As I arrived at school, I pulled the bike into the school’s bike rack. I was trying to lock the chain around the tire when my bike fell over. All of my gear went flying out across the school yard. Help me sort my items from the basket into three piles:

Snacks Toys School Supplies

________________ ________________ __________________

________________ ________________ __________________

________________ ________________ __________________

________________ ________________ __________________

When I saw all of my belongings scattered across the school yard, I felt _______________________

________________________________________.

This is a picture of my face showing how I felt.


The classroom library

SP22

Name: Sara’s teacher, Mrs. Grant needs help arranging her classroom library. The students took

all the books off the shelves and spread them on the floor. Some books are narrative stories

with characters who have problems or adventures that entertain the reader. Other books are

expository/informative pieces that inform the reader.

Look at each book cover. If it’s narrative, mark it with an “N”. If it’s expository/informative,

mark it with an “E”. (Optional: Beside each “N” write Character/Problem/Solution or Personal

Experience)

Titles:

Make up your own narrative book title: ___________________________

___________________________________________________________

Make up your own expository/informative book title: ________________

___________________________________________________________

Write these titles on the blank books.

Lions, Tigers and other Wild

Felines

Elephants Should

Not Ride Bikes!

PenguinsHow to Ride a

Bike Safely

The Haunted

House Adventure

Dirt Bikes vs. Mountain

Bikes

The Magical

Bike

The Princess in My Attic


SP23

The classroom library

You want to find out which bike is the best bike for you.

Which book would you read?________________________________________

If you wanted to laugh and be entertained, what book would you pick?

_______________________________________________________________

Which book would teach you how to do something?

_______________________________________________________________

You are interested in wild cats. Which book would you read?

_______________________________________________________________

If you enjoy adventure stories, which book would you choose?

_______________________________________________________________


48

Student Name:_______________________________________________Grade: ______________

Teacher: ________________________________________________________________________

Prompt: _________________________________________________________________________

Assessment Date: ________________________________________________________________

Observations to Note: ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

The Student:

1) uses correct punctuation and capitalization. Yes ______ No ______

2) wrote a story that has a basic beginning, middle and end. Yes ______ No ______

3) wrote a story that makes sense. Yes ______ No ______

4) wrote a story that can be summarized using the narrative framework. Yes ______ No ______

5) included some general descriptive detail. Yes ______ No ______

6) wrote a story of adequate length. Yes ______ No ______

7) wrote an entertaining, deliberately crafted beginning. Yes ______ No ______

8) demonstrated powerful word choice. Yes ______ No ______

9) used powerful specific elaborative detail. Yes ______ No ______

10) evidence of story narrative voice. Yes ______ No ______

11) used suspenseful elements. Yes ______ No ______

12) included a fully elaborated main event. Yes ______ No ______

13) crafted a satisfactory conclusion and extended story ending. Yes ______ No ______

14) expressed frustration or indecisiveness during the experience. Yes ______ No ______

Teacher Feedback-at-a-Glance FormNARRATIve

The Essential Guide to Grade 3 Writing: Month 1 | ©2013 Empowering Writers The Essential Guide to Grade 3 Writing: Month 1 | ©2013 Empowering Writers

49

Student Name:_______________________________________________Grade: ______________

Teacher: ________________________________________________________________________

Prompt: _________________________________________________________________________

Assessment Date: ________________________________________________________________

Observations to Note: ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

The Student:

1) demonstrates a grasp of conventional spelling, grammar, mechanics. Yes ______ No ______

2) uses mostly proper punctuation and capitalization. Yes ______ No ______

3) applied a logical organizational strategy. Yes ______ No ______

4) included an introduction paragraph with a lead and topic sentence. Yes ______ No ______

5) began each paragraph in the body of the piece with a strong main idea sentence. Yes ______ No ______

6) provided adequate powerful, specific supporting details. Yes ______ No ______

7) included powerful word choice. Yes ______ No ______

8) included good sentence variety. Yes ______ No ______

9) used more powerful elaboration techniques (quotes, anecdotes, statistics). Yes ______ No ______

10) included a conclusion paragraph that reiterates main ideas. Yes ______ No ______

11) communicated with a strong sense of voice. Yes ______ No ______

12) included a title. Yes ______ No ______

13) expressed frustration or indecisiveness during the experience. Yes ______ No ______

Teacher Feedback-at-a-Glance FormexPOsITORY/INFORMATIve

grade 3 - student pages

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