Pennsylvania System of School Assessment English Language Arts Grade 3

Lila and her brother Owen reached a creek in French Creek State Park. The water was clear and only as high as Lila's ankles. Flat stones made a broken line to the far bank.

Owen crossed first. He put his left foot on the nearest stone, then his right foot on the next one, and then he stepped onto the far bank. He turned around and held out a hand.

Lila bit her lip. She gripped a dry stick with both hands and did not move. Owen told her the stones were steady. Lila set the stick down, copied his steps, and let out a long breath when she reached the grass.

They shook water from their shoes. Lila picked the stick up again and pointed it at the stone she had feared. Then she laughed and raced Owen to the picnic table.

Tall windows lit the reading room of a library in Harrisburg. Jules slid a book about bridges into the return slot before he spoke to anyone. A sign by the door asked visitors to keep their voices low.

At the round desk, Ms. Chen pointed to a shelf marked Boats. She also tapped the catalog, a list of every book in the room. Jules already knew what he wanted. He took a thin book with a green cover to a table because the soft chair was already full.

Ms. Chen stamped his card and said the book was due in two weeks. Jules traced the date with his finger. He mouthed the words thank you and did not make a sound.

His sister Nina waited on the outside steps. Jules held the green book against his chest with both arms so the cover would not bend.

Aunt June parked near a covered bridge in Bucks County. The bridge was a wooden tunnel over a narrow stream. She told Priya to walk, not run, because the boards were old.

They began at the sunny end. Next they passed a small window that looked out on the water. Then they stopped in the middle, where the light was dim. Last they came out at the far end and blinked.

Priya pressed her palm to a beam. The wood felt cool. She whispered, and her voice came back. Aunt June said that returning sound is an echo.

A cyclist called out and slowed. Priya stepped to the side and kept one hand on the beam until the bike had passed. She and Aunt June walked back through the bridge, still not running.

On a class trip to an orchard in Adams County, Mr. Alvarez gave each student a small basket. He told them to pick only the apples he had marked. A blue ribbon hung on one low branch.

A board listed the steps. First, set the basket on the grass. Next, hold the apple in one hand. Then twist the apple until the stem lets go. Last, place it in the basket so it does not drop.

Nora twisted too fast. The apple thumped the ground and got a bruise, a soft dark spot from the hit. Her mouth turned down. She did not throw the apple away. She set it in a bin labeled Snacks for the birds.

Her second apple came off with a slow twist. Nora smiled, set it gently in the basket, and looked at the ribbon so she would stay on the right branch.

Snow had piled on the front steps of a house in Erie before sunrise. Ben's grandmother could not swing the storm door all the way. Ben watched her push once, stop, and rub her shoulder.

Ben got ready in order. First he pulled on wool socks. Next he stepped into his boots. Then he zipped his coat. Last he took the short shovel from the closet.

Outside, he cleared the top step, then the middle step, then the bottom step. He left the rest of the sidewalk alone. When the door could swing, his grandmother came out, cupped his cold cheeks, and laughed.

Ben's ears were red, but he bounced on his toes. He stuck the shovel upright in a snowbank so they could find it later. Then he followed his grandmother inside for oatmeal.

Ms. Ortiz handed out a one-page guide before a class walk at Ricketts Glen State Park. She said the falls are pretty, but the rocks can be slick, which means slippery.

Start Ready. Wear shoes that cover your toes. Bring a bottle of water and a light jacket. Leave balls, drippy snacks, and speakers on the bus.

On the Path. Stay on the marked trail, and walk in pairs. If a hiker needs to pass, step to the side and wait. Do not climb over the rail for a closer look at a falls.

When Weather Changes. If you hear thunder, the walk ends. The class goes back to the bus even if another waterfall is ahead. Ms. Ortiz will count students at the bus door.

On a cold morning in Lititz, Uncle Mark let Cara stand at the end of the pretzel table. The dough was soft and pale. A timer on the wall clicked, but the tray was still empty.

He showed her the order. First, roll a piece into a rope. Next, cross the ends. Then fold them down into the pretzel shape. Last, set the pretzel on a floured tray.

Cara's first rope tore in the middle. She stared at the two pieces, and her shoulders slumped. Uncle Mark did not laugh. He pressed the pieces together and said dough can be mended, which means fixed.

The second pretzel held. Cara brushed the top with a little water and sprinkled salt. She slid the tray toward the oven and clapped once, quietly, so the salt would not jump.

Mr. Dean's class stood on a path beside the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh. He read from a sheet he had written. After the rain, the river looked wide and brown.

Two Rivers Meet. The Allegheny flows into Pittsburgh and joins the Monongahela. Together they form the Ohio River. The class could see the point of land where the rivers join. People call that land the Point.

Working Boats. A barge, a long flat boat that carries cargo, moved near the far bank. A small tug pushed it. Mr. Dean said the tug is the boat that does the pushing. No one was to throw stones at either boat.

Care of the Bank. Bins for trash stand along the path. If a wrapper blows away, a student may pick it up and put it in a bin. No one wades into the river. The water is deeper than it looks.

At a county fair in Bloomsburg, Jade led her goat, Clover, into a ring covered with straw. A judge with a clipboard walked around the animals. Jade watched Clover's halter, the strap around the goat's head.

Clover tugged toward a water bucket. Jade planted her feet and used a calm voice. She did not yank the rope. The judge nodded and made a mark.

Later the judge hung a blue ribbon on Clover's pen. Jade covered her mouth with both hands. Then she hugged the goat's neck. Her father grinned at the photo on his phone.

That afternoon Jade wrote the order of the morning. First she had washed Clover's coat. Next she had walked the goat to the ring. Then the judge had looked at every goat. Last the ribbon went on the pen.

Rain tapped a mail truck on a street in Allentown. Mr. Brooks, the letter carrier, buttoned a yellow coat. He told his niece Asha that wet envelopes need a flap, a cover that keeps paper dry.

The route had three stops, always in the same order. First came the blue house with the crooked mailbox. Next came the corner store, where the mail went into a slot in the door. Last came the brick school, where a clerk took a thick bundle.

At the blue house the mailbox lid stuck. Asha held her umbrella over the envelopes while Mr. Brooks worked the lid loose. A woman waved from the window, and Asha waved with her free hand.

At the school, Asha's shoes squished, but she stood straight and passed the bundle over with both hands. The clerk said the mail was dry enough. Asha's tight shoulders dropped, and she smiled.

The garden club met behind a school in Pittsburgh. The soil in the raised beds looked pale and hard. Coach Rivera read the plan before anyone picked up a tool.

Loosen the Soil. Students used hand forks to break the crust, the hard top layer. They stopped when the soil looked crumbly. Rocks bigger than a marble went into a bucket.

Seeds in a Row. The club planted bush beans. Each child made one shallow trench with a finger, set three seeds in it, and pinched the soil closed. A stick at the end of the row said Beans.

Water and Wait. They watered only until the soil darkened. Coach Rivera said extra water would make a puddle, and seeds can rot in a puddle. If no rain fell, the next watering would be Friday.

Uncle Luis and Mateo stood on Platform B at the train station in Harrisburg. A sign said their train would leave at 9:10. The clock over the bench showed 8:55.

They followed a plan. First they checked the paper ticket to be sure it said Platform B. Next they bought two bottles of water. Then they sat on the bench away from the yellow line. Last, when the doors opened, they stepped onto the train.

While they waited, a pigeon landed near Mateo's shoe. He jerked his foot back and grabbed Uncle Luis's sleeve. The bird pecked a crumb and flew off. Mateo let go and gave a shaky laugh.

On the train, Mateo looked out the window, then sat back. He tucked the ticket into his book. He told Uncle Luis he wanted to see the bridges when the train crossed the river.

A ranger met the class at Hawk Mountain, a ridge in Pennsylvania where many hawks pass in the fall. She asked the students to keep their voices soft. Loud noise can startle the birds. Startle means scare suddenly.

Why They Come. Hawks use rising air along the ridge so the long trip south takes less work. The class might see a hawk glide. Glide means fly without flapping. Some birds would look high and small.

How to Watch. Sit on the rocks. Point with a finger instead of a shout. If you need the ranger, raise a hand. Keep binoculars, special glasses that make far things look near, on the strap around your neck.

Feet on the Rock. Do not chase a hawk downhill, and do not throw crumbs. When the ranger lifts her hat, watching time is over. The class walks back in a line.

The third-grade play filled the stage of a school in Johnstown. Eli played a baker. His line was, "The rolls are ready." At practice he had said it without a mistake.

In the show, the girl beside him finished her line and looked at Eli. His mind went blank, which means empty of the words. He opened his mouth, closed it, and stared at his shoes.

Ms. Grant stood at the side of the stage. She touched her chin and then pretended to sniff the air. That was their secret sign for the baker line. Eli's face lit up. He stood taller and said, "The rolls are ready."

People clapped. Eli bowed with the class. When he passed Ms. Grant, he squeezed her hand and whispered that the sign had saved him.

The class walked a towpath beside the Delaware Canal near New Hope. A towpath is a trail where mules once walked while they pulled boats. Now people walk and ride bikes there. The canal water was still.

Old Job of the Path. Mules pulled the boats with ropes. The mules stayed on the path, and the boats stayed in the water. A sign said the mules did not ride in the boats.

Rules for Today. Keep to the right so a bike can pass. Hold the rail on the wooden bridge. Do not feed the ducks, even if they follow. Ducks that expect snacks may leave the water and crowd the path.

Turn-Around Rock. The class will stop at a large gray rock, take a drink, and start back. The return uses the same path. Ms. Ellis will lead. The last student wears a bright vest so she can see the end of the line.

A kitchen in Chambersburg smelled like apples and cinnamon. Grandma Ruth let Dev help make apple butter. The pot had to stay on low heat. High heat would scorch it, which means burn it on the bottom.

A card on the fridge gave the order. First, wash the apples. Next, cut out the seeds. Then add the slices, a little water, and cinnamon to the pot. Last, stir every few minutes while the pot simmers, which means cooks gently.

Dev grabbed the spoon too soon. The handle was hot, and he yelped. He shook his hand and stepped back. Grandma Ruth gave him a thick cloth and told him to use it. Dev wrapped the cloth around the handle and stirred in slow circles.

When the apple butter looked thick and brown, Grandma Ruth turned the burner off. Dev grinned and held a clean spoon up like a flag. He waited until she nodded before he tasted a small bit from the edge.

Nia and her cousin Paul visited the dinosaur hall at a museum in Pittsburgh. A visit sheet explained how to look. The room was tall, and a long skeleton stretched above them.

Look Before You Read. Stand back until the whole skeleton is in view. Notice the small head and the long tail. Paul started to run under the tail. Nia caught his sleeve and shook her head.

Read the Card. Each skeleton has a card with the animal's name and the place where the bones were found. If a word is new, the card explains it. Nia read that a fossil is bone or another trace that has turned to stone over a long time.

Hands Stay Down. Do not touch the bones or the ropes. Ask a guide if you have a question. When a bell rings twice, meet by the elephant statue in the next hall.