States · TX
Texas Grade 3 standards crosswalk
How each national third grade standard lines up with Texas's own standards.
How to read this
Each row takes one national third grade standard and shows the Texas standard that covers it. Same: the state standard says the same thing. Close: the same skill with small wording differences. Partly: the state covers only part of it in Grade 3. Not in Grade 3: the state has no Grade 3 standard for it (the note says where it sits, when the state says). Third Grade teaches every national standard listed here; the notes tell you what, if anything, to adjust for Texas.
Checked 2026-10-08 against official Texas documents. This is an unofficial guide; your state's own documents are the authority.
Math
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Mathematics
How Texas writes its codes: Grade, knowledge-and-skills number, then a letter for the student expectation: the rule text §111.5(b)(4)(C) is written 3.4C, 'determine the value of a collection of coins and bills'.
State-written standards · adopted 2012
9 same · 17 close · 7 partly · 4 not in Grade 3
| National standard | Texas code(s) | Match | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.OA.A.1 Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 × 7. | 3.4D, 3.4E | Texas has children find totals of equal groups and arrays and represent facts several ways, rather than interpret a product. | |
| 3.OA.A.2 Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 56 ÷ 8 as the number of objects in each share when 56 objects are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a number of shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a number of shares or a number of groups can be expressed as 56 ÷ 8. | 3.4H | Texas names finding the number in each share; finding the number of shares is not stated separately. | |
| 3.OA.A.3 Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem. | 3.4K, 3.5B | Texas also includes two-step problems here; measurement quantities are not named. | |
| 3.OA.A.4 Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true in each of the equations 8 × ? = 48, 5 = □ ÷ 3, 6 × 6 = ?. | 3.5D | Same | |
| 3.OA.B.5 Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide. | 3.4G, 3.4K | Properties are named as strategies inside the problem-solving and two-digit multiplication standards, not as a standard of their own. | |
| 3.OA.B.6 Understand division as an unknown-factor problem. For example, find 32 ÷ 8 by finding the number that makes 32 when multiplied by 8. | 3.4J | Same | |
| 3.OA.C.7 Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers. | 3.4F | Same | |
| 3.OA.D.8 Solve two-step word problems using the four operations. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding. | 3.4A, 3.4B, 3.4K, 3.5A, 3.5B | Partly | Two-step problems and estimating are Grade 3; equations with a letter for the unknown come in Grade 4 (4.5A). |
| 3.OA.D.9 Identify arithmetic patterns (including patterns in the addition table or multiplication table), and explain them using properties of operations. For example, observe that 4 times a number is always even, and explain why 4 times a number can be decomposed into two equal addends. | 3.4I, 3.5E | Partly | Texas covers number-pair tables and even and odd rules; explaining patterns with properties is not stated. |
| 3.NBT.A.1 Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. | 3.2C, 3.4B | Texas rounds to the nearest 10 or 100 to estimate and uses number lines with multiples up to 10,000. | |
| 3.NBT.A.2 Fluently add and subtract within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction. | 3.4A | Texas states it as solving one-step and two-step problems with fluency, using the same strategies. | |
| 3.NBT.A.3 Multiply one-digit whole numbers by multiples of 10 in the range 10—90 (e.g., 9 × 80, 5 × 60) using strategies based on place value and properties of operations. | 3.4G | Covered within multiplying any two-digit number by a one-digit number, which goes further. | |
| 3.NF.A.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. | 3.3C, 3.3D | Texas limits Grade 3 fractions to one whole or less (numerator no greater than the denominator), with denominators 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8. | |
| 3.NF.A.2 Understand a fraction as a number on the number line; represent fractions on a number line diagram. | 3.3A, 3.3B, 3.7A | Texas Grade 3 keeps number-line fractions between zero and one whole. | |
| 3.NF.A.2.a Represent a fraction 1/b on a number line diagram by defining the interval from 0 to 1 as the whole and partitioning it into b equal parts. Recognize that each part has size 1/b and that the endpoint of the part based at 0 locates the number 1/b on the number line. | 3.3A, 3.3C | Covered within the number line and unit fraction standards; no separate statement. | |
| 3.NF.A.2.b Represent a fraction a/b on a number line diagram by marking off a lengths 1/b from 0. Recognize that the resulting interval has size a/b and that its endpoint locates the number a/b on the number line. | 3.3A, 3.3B, 3.7A | Texas stops at fractions equal to one whole on the number line in Grade 3. | |
| 3.NF.A.3 Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size. | 3.3F, 3.3G, 3.3H | Same | |
| 3.NF.A.3.a Understand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size, or the same point on a number line. | 3.3G | Same | |
| 3.NF.A.3.b Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3). Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model. | 3.3F, 3.3G | Texas says represent and explain equivalent fractions with models; generating them is not stated separately. | |
| 3.NF.A.3.c Express whole numbers as fractions, and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. | 3.3A, 3.3D | Partly | Grade 3 reaches fractions equal to one whole; fractions greater than one come in Grade 4 (4.3A). |
| 3.NF.A.3.d Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model. | 3.3H | Same | |
| 3.MD.A.1 Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes, e.g., by representing the problem on a number line diagram. | 3.7C | Partly | Grade 3 adds and subtracts time intervals in minutes; telling time to the minute is Grade 2 (2.9G). |
| 3.MD.A.2 Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem. | 3.7D, 3.7E | Texas says liquid volume (capacity) or weight with appropriate units and tools; grams, kilograms, liters and word problems with them are not named. | |
| 3.MD.B.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step "how many more" and "how many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs. For example, draw a bar graph in which each square in the bar graph might represent 5 pets. | 3.8A, 3.8B | Texas adds frequency tables and dot plots to pictographs and bar graphs with scaled intervals. | |
| 3.MD.B.4 Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units— whole numbers, halves, or quarters. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard. Measuring to the nearest marked unit is Grade 2 (2.9D); dot plots with fractions are Grade 4 (4.9A). |
| 3.MD.C.5 Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement. | 3.6C | Partly | Grade 3 uses rows of unit squares; covering a rectangle and counting square units is Grade 2 (2.9F). |
| 3.MD.C.5.a A square with side length 1 unit, called "a unit square," is said to have "one square unit" of area, and can be used to measure area. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No separate Grade 3 statement; square units are introduced in Grade 2 (2.9F). |
| 3.MD.C.5.b A plane figure which can be covered without gaps or overlaps by n unit squares is said to have an area of n square units. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Covering with no gaps or overlaps is Grade 2 (2.9F). |
| 3.MD.C.6 Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units). | — | Not in Grade 3 | Counting square units to find area is Grade 2 (2.9F). |
| 3.MD.C.7 Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition. | 3.6C, 3.6D | Same | |
| 3.MD.C.7.a Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by tiling it, and show that the area is the same as would be found by multiplying the side lengths. | 3.6C | Texas ties rows of unit squares to multiplication; tiling by itself is Grade 2 (2.9F). | |
| 3.MD.C.7.b Multiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles with whole-number side lengths in the context of solving real world and mathematical problems, and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas in mathematical reasoning. | 3.6C, 3.4E | Same | |
| 3.MD.C.7.c Use tiling to show in a concrete case that the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths a and b + c is the sum of a × b and a × c. Use area models to represent the distributive property in mathematical reasoning. | 3.4E, 3.4G | Partly | Area models and the distributive property are named, but not tiling to show the property. |
| 3.MD.C.7.d Recognize area as additive. Find areas of rectilinear figures by decomposing them into non-overlapping rectangles and adding the areas of the non-overlapping parts, applying this technique to solve real world problems. | 3.6D | Same | |
| 3.MD.D.8 Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters. | 3.7B | Partly | Texas covers perimeter and a missing side length; same perimeter with different areas is not stated. |
| 3.G.A.1 Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories. | 3.6B | Texas also names parallelograms and trapezoids among the quadrilaterals to recognize (3.6B). | |
| 3.G.A.2 Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. For example, partition a shape into 4 parts with equal area, and describe the area of each part as 1/4 of the area of the shape. | 3.6E | Texas adds that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape (3.6E). |
In Texas's Grade 3 standards, not in the national list
| Code | What it asks | In Third Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 3.2A | Build and break apart numbers up to 100,000 by place value, including expanded form. | not taught |
| 3.2B | Describe how each place in the base-ten system relates to the next, through the hundred thousands place. | not taught |
| 3.2D | Compare and order whole numbers up to 100,000 using the symbols for greater than, less than and equal. | not taught |
| 3.3E | Solve sharing problems, splitting an object or set among two or more people, using pictures of fractions. | not taught |
| 3.4C | Find the value of a collection of coins and bills. | not taught |
| 3.5C | Describe a multiplication expression as a comparison, such as 3 x 24 means 3 times as much as 24. | not taught |
| 3.6A | Sort and classify two- and three-dimensional figures, including cones, cylinders, spheres, prisms and cubes, using formal geometry words. | not taught |
| 3.9A | Explain how work and skills are connected to income. | Week 30 |
| 3.9B | Describe how plentiful or scarce resources affect what things cost. | Week 26 |
| 3.9C | Identify the costs and benefits of planned and unplanned spending decisions. | not taught |
| 3.9D | Explain that credit is borrowing that must be paid back to the lender, usually with interest. | not taught |
| 3.9E | List reasons to save and explain the benefit of a savings plan, including for college. | Week 31 |
| 3.9F | Identify decisions involving income, spending, saving, credit and charitable giving. | Weeks 30-31 |
English Language Arts
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading
How Texas writes its codes: Grade, knowledge-and-skills number, a letter and sometimes a roman numeral: the rule text §110.5(b)(2)(D) is written 3.2D, 'write complete words, thoughts, and answers legibly in cursive'; strands 4 and 5 have one unlettered expectation each (3.4, 3.5). A required reading list (19 TAC §110.10, adopted 2026) starts for Grade 3 in 2030-31 and does not change these expectations.
State-written standards · adopted 2017
14 same · 44 close · 20 partly · 12 not in Grade 3
| National standard | Texas code(s) | Match | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. | 3.6B, 3.6F, 3.7C | Texas splits this into generating questions, making inferences and using text evidence in responses. | |
| RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. | 3.7D, 3.8A, 3.9A | Texas asks for retelling, inferring theme and knowing traits of folktales, fables and myths; diverse cultures are not named. | |
| RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. | 3.8B, 3.8C | Texas asks for relationships among major and minor characters and plot analysis rather than traits and motivations. | |
| RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language. | 3.3B, 3.10D | Texas covers context clues and literal and figurative language in two separate standards. | |
| RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections. | 3.9B, 3.9C | Partly | Texas names stanzas in poems and acts in drama; how each part builds on earlier parts is not stated. |
| RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters. | 3.10E | Partly | Texas asks children to identify first- or third-person point of view, not to separate their own view from the narrator's. |
| RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting). | 3.10C | Partly | Texas covers print and graphic features in general; illustrations in stories are not singled out. |
| RL.3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). | 3.6E | Partly | Texas asks for connections to ideas in other texts; comparing stories by the same author is not stated. |
| RL.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2—3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. | 3.4, 3.5 | Texas asks for fluent reading of grade-level text and sustained independent reading; no text complexity band is named. | |
| RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. | 3.6B, 3.6F, 3.7C | Texas splits this into generating questions, making inferences and using text evidence in responses. | |
| RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. | 3.9D(i), 3.6G, 3.7D | Texas calls it the central idea with supporting evidence and adds retelling and paraphrasing. | |
| RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. | 3.9D(iii) | Partly | Texas names cause-and-effect and problem-and-solution patterns; links among events, ideas or steps are not spelled out. |
| RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area. | 3.3A, 3.3B | Texas vocabulary standards apply to any text; academic and subject-area words are not named separately. | |
| RI.3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently. | 3.9D(ii), 3.10C | Texas lists features such as sections, tables, timelines and bold type; search tools and hyperlinks are not named. | |
| RI.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text. | 3.10A | Partly | Texas asks for the author's purpose and message; separating the reader's own view from the author's is not stated. |
| 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). | 3.9D(ii), 3.10C | Texas names tables, graphs and timelines used to support understanding; maps and photographs are not named. | |
| RI.3.8 Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence). | 3.9D(iii), 3.10B | Texas frames this as organizational patterns and text structure rather than links between sentences and paragraphs. | |
| RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic. | 3.6E, 3.6H | Partly | Texas asks for connections across texts and synthesizing; comparing ideas across sources is named in Grade 4 (4.7B). |
| RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2—3 text complexity band independently and proficiently. | 3.4, 3.5 | Texas asks for fluent reading of grade-level text and sustained independent reading; no text complexity band is named. | |
| RF.3.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. | 3.2A(i), 3.2A(ii), 3.2A(iii), 3.2A(iv), 3.2A(v), 3.2A(vi), 3.2A(vii) | Same | |
| RF.3.3.a Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes. | 3.3C, 3.2A(v), 3.2A(vi) | Same | |
| RF.3.3.b Decode words with common Latin suffixes. | 3.2A(vi) | Texas says suffixes in general; Latin suffixes are not named. | |
| RF.3.3.c Decode multisyllable words. | 3.2A(i), 3.2A(ii), 3.2A(iv) | Same | |
| RF.3.3.d Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. | 3.2A(vii) | Texas says high-frequency words from a research-based list rather than irregularly spelled words. | |
| RF.3.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. | 3.4 | Same | |
| RF.3.4.a Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. | 3.4, 3.6A | covered within the parent standard; setting a purpose for reading is 3.6A | |
| RF.3.4.b Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings | 3.4 | covered within the parent standard | |
| RF.3.4.c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. | 3.6I, 3.3B | Texas places self-correcting under monitoring comprehension, including re-reading. | |
| W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. | 3.12C | Texas says compose argumentative texts, including opinion essays; supporting a point of view with reasons is not spelled out. | |
| W.3.1.a Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. | 3.12C, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard; introduction and structure come from the drafting standard | |
| W.3.1.b Provide reasons that support the opinion. | 3.12C, 3.11B(ii) | covered within the parent standard | |
| W.3.1.c Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard names linking or time-order words; transitions first appear in the Grade 4 drafting standard (4.11B(i)). |
| W.3.1.d Provide a concluding statement or section. | 3.12C, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard; a conclusion is required in every draft (3.11B(i)) | |
| W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. | 3.12B | Same | |
| W.3.2.a Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. | 3.12B, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard; illustrations are not named | |
| W.3.2.b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. | 3.12B, 3.11B(ii) | covered within the parent standard; Texas says relevant details | |
| W.3.2.c Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard names linking or time-order words; transitions first appear in the Grade 4 drafting standard (4.11B(i)). |
| W.3.2.d Provide a concluding statement or section. | 3.12B, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard; a conclusion is required in every draft (3.11B(i)) | |
| W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. | 3.12A | Texas names personal narratives and poetry; imagined stories are not named. | |
| W.3.3.a Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. | 3.12A, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard | |
| W.3.3.b Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. | 3.12A, 3.11B(ii) | Partly | Dialogue and characters' thoughts and feelings are not named; Texas asks for genre craft and relevant details. |
| W.3.3.c Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard names linking or time-order words; transitions first appear in the Grade 4 drafting standard (4.11B(i)). |
| W.3.3.d Provide a sense of closure. | 3.12A, 3.11B(i) | covered within the parent standard; a conclusion is required in every draft (3.11B(i)) | |
| W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. | 3.11A, 3.11B(i), 3.11B(ii) | Texas asks children to plan for topic, purpose and audience and draft structured writing; adult support is not mentioned. | |
| W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. | 3.11A, 3.11C, 3.11D(i), 3.11D(xi) | Planning, revising and editing all match (editing is 3.11D(i)-(xi)); peer and adult support is not mentioned. | |
| 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. | 3.11E | Partly | Texas asks children to publish written work; technology and keyboarding are not named in the language arts standards. |
| W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. | 3.13A, 3.13B, 3.13E | Texas spells research out as questions, a plan made with adult help, and showing understanding. | |
| 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. | 3.13C, 3.7E | Texas asks children to gather relevant information and take notes; sorting evidence into categories is not named. | |
| W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Texas requires several kinds of writing (3.12A-D) but has no standard on writing routinely over long and short time frames. |
| SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. | 3.1A, 3.1C, 3.1D, 3.7G | No single discussion standard; Texas lists listening, speaking, collaborating and discussing ideas in a text separately. | |
| SL.3.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Texas has no Grade 3 standard on coming to discussions prepared. |
| SL.3.1.b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). | 3.1D | Same | |
| SL.3.1.c Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. | 3.1A | Linking comments to what others said is not stated. | |
| SL.3.1.d Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. | 3.1C | Texas asks children to speak coherently about the topic; explaining ideas in light of the discussion is not stated. | |
| SL.3.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. | 3.6G | Partly | Texas asks for key ideas from details read; main ideas from read-alouds and media are not a separate standard. |
| SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail. | 3.1A | Texas says ask relevant questions to clarify and make pertinent comments; answering with detail is not stated. | |
| SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace. | 3.1C, 3.13H | Texas asks for coherent speaking with eye contact, rate, volume and enunciation, and presenting research results. | |
| SL.3.5 Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details. | 3.13H | Partly | Texas allows written, oral or multimodal delivery of research; audio recordings of stories or poems are not required. |
| SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. | 3.1C | Texas says use the conventions of language when speaking; complete sentences are not named. | |
| L.3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. | 3.11D(i), 3.11D(ii), 3.11D(iii), 3.11D(iv), 3.11D(v), 3.11D(vii), 3.11D(viii) | Texas places grammar under editing drafts; conventions in speaking are in 3.1C. | |
| L.3.1.a Explain the function of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in general and their functions in particular sentences. | 3.11D(ii), 3.11D(iii), 3.11D(iv), 3.11D(v), 3.11D(vii) | Partly | Texas asks children to edit for verb tense, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and pronouns; explaining what each does is not stated. |
| L.3.1.b Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns. | 3.11D(iii) | Partly | Texas names singular and plural nouns; irregular plurals appear in Grade 4 word study (4.2A(i)). |
| L.3.1.c Use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood). | — | Not in Grade 3 | Abstract nouns are not named in the Texas Grade 3 standards. |
| L.3.1.d Form and use regular and irregular verbs. | 3.11D(ii) | Partly | Texas names past, present and future tense; irregular past-tense verbs are Grade 4 (4.11D(ii)). |
| L.3.1.e Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses. | 3.11D(ii) | Same | |
| L.3.1.f Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement. | 3.11D(i) | Partly | Subject-verb agreement is Grade 3; pronoun-antecedent agreement is not stated. |
| L.3.1.g Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified. | 3.11D(iv), 3.11D(v) | Partly | Comparative and superlative adjectives are named; for adverbs Texas names time and manner, not comparative forms. |
| L.3.1.h Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. | 3.11D(viii) | Partly | Coordinating conjunctions are Grade 3; subordinating conjunctions are Grade 5 (5.11D(viii)). |
| L.3.1.i Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences. | 3.11D(i) | Partly | Simple and compound sentences are Grade 3; complex sentences come in Grade 5 (5.11D(viii)). |
| L.3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. | 3.11D(ix), 3.11D(x), 3.11D(xi) | Texas places capitalization, punctuation and spelling under editing drafts. | |
| L.3.2.a Capitalize appropriate words in titles. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Grade 3 capitalizes official titles of people, holidays and places (3.11D(ix)); titles of books and stories are Grade 4 (4.11D(ix)). |
| L.3.2.b Use commas in addresses. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Commas in addresses are not named; Grade 3 names commas in compound sentences and series, Grade 2 commas in dates (2.11D(x)). |
| L.3.2.c Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Quotation marks in dialogue are Grade 4 (4.11D(x)). |
| L.3.2.d Form and use possessives. | 3.11D(x), 3.11D(vii) | Same | |
| L.3.2.e Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness). | 3.11D(xi), 3.2B(vii) | Same | |
| L.3.2.f Use spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spellings, syllable patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts) in writing words. | 3.2B(i), 3.2B(iv), 3.2B(v), 3.2B(vi), 3.2B(vii) | Same | |
| L.3.2.g Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings. | 3.3A | Partly | Texas uses print or digital resources for meaning, syllables and pronunciation; checking spelling is not named. |
| L.3.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. | 3.11C, 3.1C | No parent standard; Texas covers word choice in revising and language conventions in speaking. | |
| L.3.3.a Choose words and phrases for effect. | 3.11C, 3.10D | Texas asks children to revise for word choice and describe how an author's language achieves a purpose. | |
| L.3.3.b Recognize and observe differences between the conventions of spoken and written standard English. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Texas has no Grade 3 standard on differences between spoken and written English. |
| L.3.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. | 3.3A, 3.3B, 3.3C | Same | |
| L.3.4.a Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. | 3.3B | Same | |
| L.3.4.b Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat). | 3.3C | Same | |
| L.3.4.c Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., company, companion). | — | Not in Grade 3 | Grade 3 names affixes only (3.3C); roots are first named in Grade 4 (4.3C). |
| L.3.4.d Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases. | 3.3A | Same | |
| L.3.5 Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings. | 3.3D, 3.10D | Texas covers synonyms, antonyms, idioms, homophones and homographs, plus literal and figurative language. | |
| L.3.5.a Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps). | 3.10D, 3.3D | Texas names literal and figurative language such as simile, and idioms, in two standards. | |
| L.3.5.b Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful). | — | Not in Grade 3 | No matching Grade 3 standard; the nearest is responding with newly learned vocabulary (3.7F). |
| L.3.5.c Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered). | 3.3D | Partly | Texas covers synonyms and antonyms; shades of meaning among related words are not named. |
| L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them). | 3.7F, 3.3B | Texas asks children to use newly acquired vocabulary; academic and subject-specific words are not named separately. |
In Texas's Grade 3 standards, not in the national list
| Code | What it asks | In Third Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1B | Follow, restate and give spoken instructions that involve a series of related steps. | not taught |
| 3.1E | Develop social communication, such as conversing politely in all situations. | not taught |
| 3.2B(ii) | Spell homophones (words that sound alike but are spelled differently). | not taught |
| 3.2B(iii) | Spell compound words, contractions and abbreviations. | not taught |
| 3.2C | Alphabetize a series of words to the third letter. | not taught |
| 3.2D | Write complete words, thoughts and answers legibly in cursive, with proper spacing between words. | not taught |
| 3.6C | Make predictions, then correct or confirm them using text features, genre traits and text structure. | not taught |
| 3.6D | Create mental images to deepen understanding while reading. | not taught |
| 3.7A | Describe personal connections to a variety of sources, including self-selected texts. | not taught |
| 3.7B | Write a response to a literary or informational text that shows understanding of it. | Week 3 |
| 3.8D | Explain how the setting influences the plot. | Week 1 |
| 3.9E(i) | Identify the claim in an argumentative text. | not taught |
| 3.9E(ii) | Tell facts from opinion in an argumentative text. | not taught |
| 3.9E(iii) | Identify the intended audience or reader of an argumentative text. | not taught |
| 3.9F | Recognize the characteristics of multimodal and digital texts. | not taught |
| 3.10F | Discuss how an author's use of language contributes to voice. | not taught |
| 3.10G | Identify and explain the use of hyperbole (exaggeration for effect). | not taught |
| 3.11D(vi) | Edit writing for correct use of prepositions and prepositional phrases. | not taught |
| 3.12D | Write correspondence such as thank-you notes or letters. | not taught |
| 3.13D | Identify primary and secondary sources. | not taught |
| 3.13F | Recognize the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using sources. | not taught |
| 3.13G | Create a works cited page. | not taught |
Science
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Science
How Texas writes its codes: Grade, knowledge-and-skills number, then a letter: the rule text §112.5(b)(9)(B) is written 3.9B, 'identify the order of the planets in Earth's solar system in relation to the Sun'.
State-written standards · adopted 2021
0 same · 4 close · 8 partly · 6 not in Grade 3
| National standard | Texas code(s) | Match | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-PS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. | 3.7A, 3.7B | Partly | Texas investigates how pushes and pulls change position and motion; equal and unequal forces come in Grade 5 (5.7A). |
| 3-PS2-2 Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard on using motion patterns to predict; Grade 4 (4.7) explores patterns of forces on objects. |
| 3-PS2-3 Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. | 3.7A, 3.6A | Partly | Texas covers magnetism as a force acting at a distance and tests objects for magnetism; electric forces are not in Grade 3. |
| 3-PS2-4 Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets. | 3.1A, 3.1B | Partly | Texas has general practices for defining problems and designing solutions, but no magnet design standard. |
| 3-LS1-1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death. | 3.13B | Texas says explore, illustrate and compare life cycles; the shared birth-to-death pattern is not stated. | |
| 3-LS2-1 Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard on animal groups; Grade 5 (5.13B) mentions learned behaviors such as orcas hunting in packs. |
| 3-LS3-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Inherited traits are Grade 4 (4.13B: inherited and acquired physical traits). |
| 3-LS3-2 Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. | 3.12A | Partly | Texas covers how temperature and precipitation affect animal growth and behavior (migration, hibernation) and plant dormancy; acquired traits are Grade 4 (4.13B). |
| 3-LS4-1 Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago. | 3.12D | Texas says identify fossils as evidence of past organisms and environments and adds common Texas fossils. | |
| 3-LS4-2 Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. | — | Not in Grade 3 | No Grade 3 standard on variation among individuals; 3.13A covers how animal body structures help survival. |
| 3-LS4-3 Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. | 3.13A, 3.12C | Partly | Texas explains how animal structures aid survival and how floods and droughts make some organisms thrive, perish or move; no argument about one habitat. |
| 3-LS4-4 Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change. | 3.12B, 3.12C | Partly | Texas describes how floods, droughts and food-chain changes affect organisms; judging a solution is not required. |
| 3-ESS2-1 Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. | 3.10A | Partly | Texas compares day-to-day weather in different places at the same time; typical weather by season is not stated. |
| 3-ESS2-2 Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Climate is Grade 4 (4.10C: differentiate between weather and climate). |
| 3-ESS3-1 Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard. | — | Not in Grade 3 | Severe weather is Grade 2 (2.10C); Grade 3 models rapid Earth changes (3.10C) but has no hazard design solution. |
| 3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. | 3.1A, 3.1B | Texas asks children to define problems and use engineering practices; criteria and constraints are not spelled out. | |
| 3-5-ETS1-2 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. | 3.2D, 3.3A | Texas asks children to evaluate a design using criteria and propose solutions; comparing several solutions is not stated. | |
| 3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. | 3.1B, 3.1G, 3.2B | Partly | Texas has investigations, prototypes and sources of error; controlled variables (fair tests) are not named in Grade 3. |
In Texas's Grade 3 standards, not in the national list
| Code | What it asks | In Third Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1C | Use safe practices and safety equipment during classroom and field investigations. | not taught |
| 3.1D | Use science tools such as hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, graduated cylinders, scales and magnets. | Week 19 |
| 3.1E | Collect observations and measurements as evidence. | Week 8 |
| 3.1F | Build graphic organizers to collect data, including tables, bar graphs, line graphs, Venn diagrams and flow charts. | Week 8 |
| 3.2A | Identify advantages and limits of models, such as size, scale, properties and materials. | not taught |
| 3.2C | Use math calculations to compare patterns and relationships in data. | not taught |
| 3.3B | Communicate explanations and solutions alone and with others in a variety of settings and formats. | Week 35 |
| 3.3C | Listen actively to others' explanations to identify evidence and take part respectfully in scientific discussion. | not taught |
| 3.4A | Explain how scientific discoveries and inventive solutions affect science and society. | not taught |
| 3.4B | Explore museums, libraries, organizations, companies and mentors to investigate careers in science, technology, engineering and math. | not taught |
| 3.5A | Identify and use patterns to explain what happens in nature or to design solutions. | Week 6 |
| 3.5B | Identify and investigate cause-and-effect relationships to explain events or analyze problems. | not taught |
| 3.5C | Use scale, proportion and quantity to describe, compare or model different systems. | not taught |
| 3.5D | Examine and model the parts of a system and how they depend on each other. | Week 17 |
| 3.5E | Investigate how energy flows and matter cycles through systems. | Week 12 |
| 3.5F | Explain how structure relates to function in objects, organisms and systems. | not taught |
| 3.5G | Explain how conditions affect stability and change in objects, organisms and systems. | not taught |
| 3.6B | Classify matter as solid, liquid or gas; show solids keep their shape while liquids and gases take the shape of their container. | not taught |
| 3.6C | Predict, observe and record changes of state from heating or cooling, such as melting ice, condensation and water vapor. | not taught |
| 3.6D | Combine materials by their physical properties to make or improve objects, and justify the choice of materials. | not taught |
| 3.8A | Identify everyday examples of energy, including light, sound, thermal and mechanical. | not taught |
| 3.8B | Investigate how the speed of an object is related to its mechanical energy. | not taught |
| 3.9A | Build models and explain the orbits of the Sun, Earth and Moon in relation to each other. | not taught |
| 3.9B | Identify the order of the planets in the solar system from the Sun. | not taught |
| 3.10B | Explain how soils such as sand and clay form from weathered rock and decayed plant and animal remains. | not taught |
| 3.10C | Model and describe rapid changes to Earth's surface, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. | not taught |
| 3.11A | Explain how people use natural resources in construction, farming, transportation and making products. | Week 4 |
| 3.11B | Explain why conserving natural resources is important. | not taught |
| 3.11C | Identify ways to conserve natural resources by reducing, reusing or recycling. | not taught |
Social Studies
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Social Studies
How Texas writes its codes: Grade, knowledge-and-skills number, then a letter: the rule text §113.14(c)(8)(A) is written 3.8A, 'identify the purposes of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights'; strand 12 has one unlettered expectation (3.12). These 2022 standards are in force for 2026-27; new standards adopted in 2026 (19 TAC §113.4) start for Grade 3 in 2030-31.
adopted 2022
Grade 3 focus in Texas: How individuals, events and ideas have shaped communities past and present, with named heroes, inventors, writers and artists, plus maps, basic economics, government and good citizenship.
In Texas's Grade 3 social studies standards, not covered by a unit