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At McRuffy Press we believe in giving young learners the tools they need to achieve academic success. As concepts become more complex and lessons more challenging, our 3rd grade phonics and reading program is designed to build on skills students have already learned and take them to the next level.

Our 3rd grade phonics and reading materials include comprehensive programs and supplemental materials that prepare students for continued success. Our materials are used in home school programs and for classroom phonics in learning centers all over the world.

SE (Special Edition) The current (©2008) 3rd Grade Language Arts Special Edition (SE) curriculum is more comprehensive than the McRuffy Press original (©2004) black and white version. This version features new lesson plans and color workbooks divided by subject areas with more than 100 new activities designed to reinforce and teach 3rd grade phonics and reading skills. (An SE Public School version is also available.)

Our Special Editions are available exclusively from McRuffy Press. We also offer a public school version for classroom phonics.

Black and White Replacement materials for the original (©2004) black and white version is still available.

3rd Grade SE Language Arts / Phonics and Reading Curriculum:

The Teacher's Manual for our 3rd grade phonics and reading program includes daily lesson plans, copy masters, and reference material. The 3rd grade phonics lessons are integrated with language, spelling, and handwriting. Reading materials are integrated with creative writing, reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and handwriting. The teacher's manual is published in two volumes to offer easier handling. See sample lesson plans: Sample Part 1 Sample Part 2 Sample Part 3 Two Special Edition workbooks with laminated covers for durability. These provide a wide variety of activities to reinforce reading, language, and spelling concepts. The workbooks are spiral bound to lay flat or fold back completely. Activities cover spelling, 3rd grade phonics, reading comprehension and much more. The Language and Reading (LAR) color workbook contains fun and engaging language and grammar activities, poems, writing instruction, and additional reading materials. The Spelling and Phonics (SAP) color workbook contains activities emphasizing word structure, spelling rules, 3rd grade phonics, and spelling. See sample LAR workbook pages. See sampleSAP workbook pages.
Students read chapters from our original chapter books as daily reading assignments. The teacher's manual uses carefully constructed questions that emphasize a variety of thinking skills designed to increase reading comprehension and transference of knowledge. Students will read about characters from previous levels as well as many new ones. The stories are now coil bound in two volumes similar to the workbooks. The books now contain color illustrations. See sample pages from Reading Book 2.
Handwriting assignments are included in the Teacher's Manual. Check out the optional Third Grade McRuffy Handwriting books which provide additional tracing and practice exercises. Handwriting Books are sold separately.

The weekly spelling lists are based upon 3rd grade phonics concepts.

3rd Grade Phonics Concepts Taught:

The third grade language arts program reviews phonics concepts from previous levels and applies them to more complex words. The 3rd grade phonics instruction also includes word structure analysis with an emphasis on different prefixes, suffixes, and root meanings.

3rd Grade Language Concepts Taught:

Language concepts explore syntax (sentence structure), grammar, language reasoning such as analogies and categorizing, vocabulary development, story structure and graphic representations, semantics, and creative writing.

Third Grade McRuffy Handwriting books are sold separately.

Individual Materials:

Third Grade McRuffy Handwriting books are sold separately.

Public School (SE)
3rd Grade Language Arts Curriculum

The SE public school edition is nearly identical to our original SE version, except stories have been edited to eliminate scripture references. This edition is also suitable for home school programs looking for a secular curriculum. (Note: All other grade levels on this website are appropriate for public, private or Christian schools, therefore, only one edition is offered for levels K, 1, and 2. )

Public School Individual Materials:

Black & White - Third Grade (©2004) Phonics and Reading Curriculum:

The Teacher's Manual includes daily lesson plans, copy masters, and reference material. The 3rd grade phonics lessons are integrated with language, spelling, and handwriting. Reading materials are integrated with creative writing, reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and handwriting. Two black and white workbooks provide a total of 150 pages of reading and phonics activities. Students also complete other tasks that go beyond workbook activities.

Students read chapters from our original chapter books as daily reading assignments. The teacher's manual uses carefully constructed questions that emphasize a variety of thinking skills designed to increase reading comprehension and transference of knowledge. Students will read about characters from previous levels as well as many new ones. The stories are now coil bound in two volumes similar to the workbooks.

Handwriting assignments are included in the Teacher's Manual. Check out the optional Third Grade McRuffy Handwriting books which provide additional tracing and practice exercises.

The weekly spelling lists are based upon 3rd grade phonics concepts.

Third Grade Phonics Concepts Taught:

The third grade language arts program reviews phonics concepts from previous levels and applies them to more complex words. Phonics instruction also includes word structure analysis with an emphasis on different prefixes, suffixes, and root meanings.

Language Concepts Taught:

Language concepts explore syntax (sentence structure), grammar, language reasoning such as analogies and categorizing, vocabulary development, story structure and graphic representations, semantics, and creative writing.

View and print sample lesson plans, worksheets, and the Scope and Sequence.

Replacement Materials (©2004):

Other Materials:

Although the lesson plans give a daily handwriting assignment that can be done on blank writing paper, the handwriting books feature additional practice exercises and guidance arrows that show the formation of the letters.

Not interested in a full curriculum? Check out the Dynamic Phonics Learning Book. It includes 98 great lesson plans and charts to teach all of the basic 3rd grade phonics concepts.