Unit 1 — Reading with Purpose

Welcome to your first Grade 3 lesson!

You already know how to read many different kinds of books.

This year you will become a stronger reader by thinking more deeply about what you read.

Good readers do more than recognize words.

They understand ideas, notice important details, ask thoughtful questions, and think carefully about what the author is trying to communicate.

Reading Has a Purpose

People read for many different reasons.

Sometimes we read to:

• learn something new
• solve a problem
• enjoy a story
• follow directions
• discover information
• understand another person's ideas

Knowing your purpose helps you become a better reader.

Before You Read

Good readers prepare themselves before they begin.

Ask yourself:

• What do I already know about this topic?
• What do I hope to learn?
• What kind of reading is this?
• Why did the author write it?

Thinking before reading helps your brain organize new information.

While You Read

As you read, stay actively involved.

You can:

• picture what is happening
• notice important details
• ask questions
• predict what may happen next
• look for clues when something is confusing
• pause to think about what you have learned

Active readers understand more than passive readers.

After You Read

When you finish reading, spend a few moments thinking about what you learned.

Ask yourself:

• What was the main idea?
• What important details supported it?
• What surprised me?
• What questions do I still have?
• What did I learn that I did not know before?

Thinking after reading strengthens memory and understanding.

Building Vocabulary

Every book introduces new words.

When you find an unfamiliar word:

• read the sentence again
• look for context clues
• examine nearby words
• check a dictionary if needed
• use the new word in your own sentence

Every new word becomes another useful tool for learning.

Reading Different Types of Text

Readers enjoy many kinds of writing.

Some examples include:

• stories
• biographies
• poems
• newspaper articles
• science books
• history books
• instructions
• maps and charts

Each type of reading teaches us something different.

Activity

Choose a book or article.

Before reading, write one thing you expect to learn.

While reading, write down:

• three interesting facts
• two new vocabulary words
• one question you still have

After reading, summarize the passage in your own words.

Practice

Answer these questions.

Why is it helpful to know your purpose before reading?

What should you do if you find an unfamiliar word?

Why should readers ask questions while reading?

What should you think about after finishing a passage?

Name four different kinds of reading materials.

Review

Today you learned:

• readers have different purposes
• good readers prepare before reading
• active reading improves understanding
• reflection strengthens learning
• vocabulary grows one word at a time

Reading with purpose helps you become an independent learner in every subject.

Looking Ahead

Next we will learn how to understand stories and informational texts more deeply by identifying themes, comparing ideas, drawing conclusions, and supporting our thinking with evidence from what we read.