AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

Grade 3
Word Study Skills and Resources
How to use this?
Teachers and Teaching Assistants use formal and informal data to determine students Words Their Way stage and their guided reading level
and:
1.
Look at the standards being taught.
2.
Determine which standard they would like to work on with their group.
3.
Refer to the Fountas and Pinnell Phonics Continuum to break down the standard further to a benchmark level.
4.
Use the following gradual release model to teach students the skill in guided reading groups or small groups during writing workshop:
4.a. Introduce the skill.
4.b. Encourage students to find the pattern in their own reading and writing.
4.c. Use reinforcement activities with students to practice the pattern further as needed.
Standards

RF3a. Identify
and know the
meaning of the
most common
prefixes and
derivational
suffixes

L.2.e Use
conventional
spelling for
high-frequency
and other
studied words
and for adding
suffixes to base
words (e.g.

Grade 3

F&P
Guided
Reading
M

F&P
Guided
Reading
N

-Take apart
variety of
endings
(boxful,
caring)
-Add a variety
of endings to
words (-ing, -
es, -ed, -er)

-Add a variety
of endings to
words (-ing, -
es, -ed, -er)

-Change words
to make a full
variety of
plurals (s, -es)

-Change words
to make a full
variety of
plurals (s, -es)
including

F&P
Guided
Reading
O

F&P
Guided
Reading
P

-Take apart
and add a
variety of
endings to
words (-ing, -
ed, -ed, -er)

WTW: Within
Word
(At end of G3,
students should
be at this WTW
level)

WTW:
Syllables &
Affixes

F&P
Detailed Phonics
Continuum (Skills

(At end of G3,

students should
be at this WTW
level)

are below, links are

possible resources)

Unit 9
-s, -es,
(plurals)

Unit 1
-ing
(inflected)

-ed
(past tense)

-ed
(past tense)
-s, -es,
(plurals)

-Change words
to make a full
variety of
plurals (s, -es)
including

-Take apart
and read
words with a
full range of
plurals

Unit 8
Affixes
(re-, un-, dis-,
mis-, pre-, ex-,
non-, in-, fore-,
uni-, bi-, tri-)

Word Structure:
Suffixes
- Understanding that
the final e is usually
dropped when adding
suffixes that begin with a
vowel or when adding y
to a word)
- Understand that the
final e is kept when
adding suffixes that begin
with a consonant to
words: rarely, careful,
careless, likeness,
wholesome
- Understand that the y is
changed to an I when
adding a suffix that
begins with a consonant:

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

sitting, smiled,
cries,
happiness)

L.2.f Use
spelling
patterns and
generalization
s (e.g. word
families,
position-based
spellings,
syllable
patterns,
ending rules,
meaningful
word parts) in
writing words.

L.4.b
Determine the
meaning of the
new word
formed when a
known affix is
added to a
known word
(e.ge.
agreeable/disa
greeable)

-Take apart
words with
common
prefixes (un-,
re-)

RF3a. Identify
and know the
meaning of the
most common
prefixes and
derivational
suffixes

L.2.e Use

Grade 3

F&P Level N

irregular
plurals

F&P Level O

irregular
plurals

-Use base
words,
prefixes and
suffixes in the
process of
deriving
meaning
-Work flexibly
with base
words, making
new words by
changing
letters
(grin/groan
and adding
prefixes
(do/undo) and
suffixes
(do/doable)

F&P Level P

including
irregular
plurals and
plurals that
require
spelling
changes

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

happily

Suffixes
(-y, -yl, -er/-
est, -ness/-
ful/-less)

Word Structure:
Suffixes/Verb
Endings

- Recognizing and using

endings that:
- add ing to words that
end in y to denote the
present participle
(carry/carrying)
- add ing to words
that end in a single vowel
and consonant to
deonote the present
participle (run/running)
- add ing to a word
ending in silent e to
denote the present
participle
(come/coming)
- ed added to a word
to make it past tense can
sound different ways
- Recognizing and using
endings that add-es or -
ed to verbs ending in a
consonant and y to form
the present or past tense
cry/cried)
- add ed to verbs
ending in a single short
vowel and consonant or a
vowel and double
consonant to make it past
tense: grab/grabbed)
- add er to a verb to
make it a noun
(read/reader)
- add-er to a verb that
ends with a short vowel
and a consonant
(dig/digger)
- add r to a verb that
ends in silent e

AERO Standard

conventional
spelling for
high-frequency
and other
studied words
and for adding
suffixes to base
words (e.g.
sitting, smiled,
cries,
happiness)

RF3a. Identify
and know the
meaning of the
most common
prefixes and
derivational
suffixes

L.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)

L.2.f Use
spelling

Grade 3

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

(bake/baker)
- add er to a verb that
ends in y (carry/carrier)
- Recognizing and using
words that change
spelling to show past
tense (write/wrote)

Word Structure:
Suffixes/Adjectives

- Recognizing and using

endings that show
comparison (-er, est)
- Recognizing and using
endings that show
comparison for words:
- ending in e
(pale/paler)
- ending in a short
vowel and a consonant
(red/redder)
- ending in y
(scary/scariest)

Word Structure:
Suffixes/Adverbs -
Understand the concept
that an adjective can
become an adverb to tell
how something is done
happy - happily
- Recognizing and using
adverbs that add ly
(meaning like) to a base
word (sadly/really)

Word Structure:
Suffixes/Nouns

- Recognizing and using

nouns that are formed by
adding teen used to
form the suffixes for the
cardinal numbers (13
19)

AERO Standard

patterns and
generalization
s (e.g. word
families,
position-based
spellings,
syllable
patterns,
ending rules,
meaningful
word parts) in
writing words.

L.4.b
Determine the
meaning of the
new word
formed when a
known affix is
added to a
known word
(e.ge.
agreeable/disa
greeable)

Grade 3

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

- Understand that you

add-ar or or to some
verbs to indicate one
who does something
(actor, elevator)
- Recognizing and using
nouns that are formed by
adding -er to a verb to
indicate one who does
something: fighter
- Understand that when
making a noun by adding
er or-ar to a verb that
ends in silent e you drop
the e before adding the
suffix (writer, rider, liar)
- Understand that when
making a noun by adding
er to a verb that ends in
y, you change the y to I
before adding the suffix
(worrier)

Word Structure:
Prefixes

- Recognizing and using

common prefixes re-
meaning again
- Recognizing and using
common prefixes (un
meaning not or the
opposite of)
- Recognizing and using
more complex prefixes
(im-, in-, il-, dis-, non-)
- Recognizing and using
more prefixes that mean
wrong (mis)
- Recognizing and using
more prefixes that refer
to numbers (uni-, bi-,
cent-, dec-, mon-, mult-,
cot-, pent-, poly-, quad-,
semi-)
- Recognizing and using

AERO Standard

RF3a. Identify
and know the
meaning of the
most common
prefixes and
derivational
suffixes

L.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)

L.2.f Use
spelling
patterns and
generalization
s (e.g. word
families,
position-based
spellings,
syllable
patterns,
ending rules,
meaningful
word parts) in
writing words.

Grade 3

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

more prefixes that mean

make (en-, em-)

Word Structure:
Plurals
- Recognizing and using
plurals that add -es when
words end with -x, -ch,
etc)
- Recognizing and using
plurals that add s to
words that end in vowel
and y (boys, days)
- Recognizing and using
plurals that add es to
words that change f to v
and add es for words
that end with f, fe, lf
(wolves, hooves)
- Recognizing and using
plurals that end in a
vowel and o by adding s
(radios)
- Recognizing and using
plurals for words that
end in a consonant and o
by adding es (zeroes)
- - Recognizing and using
plurals that change the
spelling of a word
(child/children)
- Recognizing and using
plurals that are the same
word for singular and
plural (deer, lamb)
- Recognizing and using
plurals that are formed
by changing some letters
of the base word or by
adding an unusual suffix
(one ox, herd of oxen)

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

L.4.b
Determine the
meaning of the
new word
formed when a
known affix is
added to a
known word
(e.ge.
agreeable/disa
greeable)
RF3b. Decode
words with
common Latin
suffixes

L.4.c Use a
known root
word as a clue
to the meaning
of unknown
word with the
same root (e.g.
company,
companion)

Not taught
until Level Q

Not taught
until Level Q

Not taught
until Level Q

Not taught
until Level Q

Not taught until

Grade 4

RF3c. Decode
multi-syllable
words

-Take apart
compound
words and
discuss
meanings of
parts

-Take apart
compound
words and
discuss
meanings of
parts

-Take apart
and make
compound
words

-Take apart
and make
compound
words

NA

Unit 3
Syllables
open, closed,
inflected
endings)

Word
Meaning/Vocabulary
:Combined and
Created Words

-Take apart
multisyllabic
words to
decode
manageable

-Take apart
multisyllabic
words to
decode
manageable

-Take apart
and recognize
multisyllabic
words quickly

Unit 4
Accented
Syllables
(vowel
patterns in
accented

Spelling Patterns :
Sound to letter
patterns in
multisyllabic words

Grade 3

-Take apart
and recognize
multisyllabic
words quickly

- Recognizing and using

compound words with
frequently used components

- Understand that some

words have double

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

units (sand-
wich-es)

RF3c. Decode
multi-syllable
words

Grade 3

F&P Level N

units (free-
dom)
-Take apart
and read
words using
open and
closed
syllables

F&P Level O

-Take apart
and read
words using
open and
closed
syllables

F&P Level P

-Take apart
and read
words using
open and
closed
syllables

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

syllables)
Unit 5
Unaccented
Syllables

Phonics Continuum
consonants in the pattern
- Notice and use a frequently
appearing syllable pattern in
multisyllable words
(a/alone)
- Notice and use frequently
appearing syllable patterns
in multisyllable words (en-,
o, -er, -ar, -at, -it, -in, -is, -un,
be-, re-, -or, -a, -y, -ey, -ble, -
I, -ur, -um, -ick, -et, im)
- Notice and use short vowel
patterns that appear in
multisyllable words (other
than most frequent (ab-, -ad,
-ag, -age, -ang, -am, -ent, -el,
-ep, -es, -ev, -id, -ig, -ob, -ol, -
om, -on, -op, -ot, -ub, -uck, -
up, ug, -us, -ut, -uz)
-Notice and use long vowel
patterns that appear in
multisyllable words

Word Structure:
Syllables

- Recognizing and using

syllables in words with
double consonants
- Recognizing and using
syllables ending in a
vowel (open syllable)
- Recognize and using
syllables ending in a
vowel and at least one
consonant (closed)
- Recognize and using
syllables with a vowel
and a silent e
- Recognize and using
syllables with vowel
combinations
- Recognizing and using
syllables with vowel and
r
- Recognize and using
syllables in words with
the VCC pattern (syllable
juncture)

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

- Recognize and using

syllables with consonant
and le
- Recognize and using
three of more syllables in
words
Recognize and use
syllables in words with
the VV pattern (ri-ot)

RF3c. Decode
multi-syllable
words

RF3d. Read
grade-
appropriate
irregularly
spelled words

L.2.f Use
spelling
patterns and
generalization
s (e.g. word
families,
position-based
spellings,
syllable
patterns,
ending rules,
meaningful

Grade 3

Phonics Continuum

Word Structure:
Compound words
- Recognize and
understand simple
compound words (into,
itself, myself, etc)
- Recognizing and
understanding patterns
that appear frequently in
compound words
- Recognize and
understand more
complex compound
words (airplane, airport,
etc)

-Recognize
words with
multiple
meanings
(homographs
&
homophones)

-Recognize
words with
multiple
meanings
(homographs
&
homophones)

-Recognize
words with
multiple
meanings
(homographs
&
homophones)

-Recognize
words with
multiple
meanings
(homographs
&
homophones)

-Take apart
and read full
range of
contractions

-Take apart
and read full
range of
contractions

-Take apart
and read full
range of
contractions

-Take apart
and read full
range of
contractions

Unit 8
High
Frequency
Words
(words
starting with
a- & be-)

Contractions

Word
Meaning/Vocabulary
:Related Words
- Recognizing and using
homophones and
homonyms

High Frequency
Words
- Noticing patterns and
categorizing high-
frequency words to
assist in learning them
quickly

Word Structure:
8

AERO Standard

word parts) in
writing words.

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

Contractions

- Recognize and use

contractions

Word Solving Action:

Using What is
Known to Solve
Words
RF3d.Read
grade-
appropriate
irregularly
spelled words

L.2.f Use
spelling
patterns and
generalization
s (e.g. word
families,
position-based
spellings,
syllable
patterns,
ending rules,
meaningful
word parts) in
writing words.

- Using parts of known

words that are like other
words: my, sky, try, she,
etc)
- Use word parts
(onset/rime) to read a
word
- Change the onset and
rime to make a new word
- Add letter clusters to
the beginning or end of a
word to make a new
word (in/win)
- Remove letter clusters
from the beginning of
words (sit/it)
- Remove letters from the
end of a word to make a
new word
- Take apart compound
words or joining words
to make compound
words (into, sidewalk)
- Breaking down a longer
word into syllables in
order to decode
manageable units (for-
got-ten)

Word Solving Action:

Making Connections
Between and Among
Words to Solve
Them
- Connecting words that:

Grade 3

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

-start the same,

- end the same,
- have the same
pattern,
- sound the same but
look different and have
different meanings
- Connecting words that
mean the same or almost
the same wet/damp

L.2.Form and
use
possessives

-Solve words
of two or three
syllables,
many words
with
inflectional
endings and
complex
letter-sound
relationships

-Solve words
of two or three
syllables,
many words
with
inflectional
endings and
complex
letter-sound
relationships

-Solve words
of two or three
syllables,
many words
with
inflectional
endings and
complex
letter-sound
relationships

-Solve words

of two or three
syllables,
many words
with
inflectional
endings and
complex
letter-sound
relationships

L.2.g Consult
reference
materials,
including
beginning
dictionaries as
needed to
check and
correct
spellings.

L.4.d Use
glossaries or
beginning
dictionaries,
both print and
digital, to
determine and

Grade 3

Word Structures
- Recognizing and using
possessives for names that
end in s and singular words
that end in s-add an
apostrophe
- Recognizing and using
plural possessives to show
that the item belongs to a
group add apostrophe
after the s

Word-Solving
Actions: Spelling
Strategies
- Use a dictionary to
learn how to spell a word
- Use word history to
assist in spelling a word

Word-Solving
Actions: Spelling
Strategies
- Use resources to learn
about word meanings
- Understand when to
use a dictionary to assist
in spelling and make
writing efficient
- Understand
alphabetical order and

10

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

how to use it in reference

resources
- Notice and use syllable
divisions in a dictionary

clarify the
precise
meaning of key
words and
phrases.
L.4.a Use
sentence level
context as a
clue to the
meaning of a
word or
phrase.

Grade 3

Phonics Continuum

- Use the
context of a
sentence,
paragraph or
whole text to
determine the
meaning of a
word

- Use the
context of a
sentence,
paragraph or
whole text to
determine the
meaning of a
word

- Use the
context of a
sentence,
paragraph or
whole text to
determine the
meaning of a
word

-Apply
problem-
solving
strategies to
technical
words or
proper nouns
that are
challenging

- Identify
words with
multiple
meanings,
discuss
alternative
meanings and
select the
precise
meaning
within the text

- - Use the

context of a
sentence,
paragraph or
whole text to
determine the
meaning of a
word

- Solve content
specific words
using graphics
and definitions
embedded in
the text as well
as background
knowledge

Identify words
with multiple
meanings,
discuss
alternative
meanings and
select the
precise
meaning
within the text

Word-Solving
Actions: Strategies to
Determine Word
Meaning
- Understand that the
context of the sentence,
paragraph or whole text
helps determine the
meaning of a word
- Understanding word
parts help you learn what
a word means

11

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

L.5.a
Distinguish the
literal and
non-literal
meanings of
words and
phrases in
context (e.g.
take steps)

- Understand
words with
multiple
meanings

- Begin to
notice new
and
interesting
words, record
them and
actively add
them to
speaking or
writing
vocabulary

Grade 3

F&P Level N

- Begin to
notice new
and
interesting
words, record
them and
actively add
them to
speaking or
writing
vocabulary

- Understand
words that
stand for
abstract ideas

F&P Level O

- Understand
connotative
meaning of
words

- Understand
words when
used
figuratively

- Notice new
and
interesting
words, record
them and
actively add
them to
speaking or
writing
vocabulary

- Solve some
undefined
words using
background
knowledge

- Understand
words with
multiple
meanings

- Understand
words that
stand for
abstract ideas

F&P Level P

- Understand
connotative
meaning of
words

- Understand
words when
used
figuratively

- Notice new
and
interesting
words, record
them and
actively add
them to
speaking or
writing
vocabulary

- Solve some
undefined
words using
background
knowledge


- Understand
words with
multiple
meanings

- Understand
words that
stand for
abstract ideas

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

12

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

L.5.b Identify

real-life
connections
between words
and their use
(e.g. describe
people who are
friendly or
helpful)

L.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)

- Connect
words that
mean the same
or almost the
same to help
in
understanding
a text and
acquiring new
vocabulary

- Connect
-
words that
mean the same
or almost the
same to help
in
understanding
a text and
acquiring new
vocabulary

L.6.a Acquire
and use
accurately
grade-
appropriate
conversational,
general
academic and
domain

- Solve
content-
specific words,
using graphics
and definitions
embedded in
the text

Grade 3

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

Word-Solving
Actions: Making
Connections
Between Words
- Connect words that
mean the same or almost
the same (wet, damp)

Word
Meaning/Vocabulary
: Related Words
- Recognize and use
words that are related in
many ways: sound,
spelling and meaning
- Recognize and use
synonyms
- Recognize and use
antonyms
- Recognize and use
words with multiple
meanings (can, beat)

- Solve
content-
specific words,
using graphics
and definitions
embedded in
the text

- Solve

content-
specific words,
using graphics
and definitions
embedded in
the text

13

AERO Standard

F&P Level M

F&P Level N

F&P Level O

F&P Level P

WTW: Within

WTW: Syllables

Phonics Continuum

specific words
and phrases,
including those
that signal
spatial and
temporal
relationships
(e.g. After
dinner that
night we went
looking for
them).

Grade 3

14