A class trip to the local nature center is told in three paragraphs: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 3rd grade students fill 11 blanks from a 12-word bank, using time clues to choose forms like went, sit, and will read. One word is left over. Two short writing prompts follow on the 3 pages. It practices L.3.1.d and L.3.1.e, and the answer key lists every blank in order and names walked as the extra word.
L.3.1.d
“Form and use regular and irregular verbs.”
The word bank mixes regular verbs like played and walked with irregular ones like went, ran, and ate.
L.3.1.e
“Form and use the simple (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk) verb tenses.”
Each paragraph stays in one tense, so students match yesterday, today, and tomorrow to past, present, and future forms. The Write Your Own prompts add one past and one future sentence.
Directions and a word bank of 12 verbs such as played, helps, will invite, and rings, with a note that one word will not be needed.
Three paragraphs with 11 blanks. The past paragraph has ducks in the pond and turkey sandwiches, the present one has students writing at their desks, and the future one ends with duck drawings on the bulletin board.
Students write one sentence with a past tense verb about last week and one with a "will" verb about the weekend.
Time clue hunt
Before students fill blanks, have them circle yesterday, today, right now, and tomorrow in the passage. The circles tell them which part of the word bank to use.
Heads-up on blank 2
Walked fits the second blank as well as ran does. Decide in advance if you will accept both, because the key lists ran there and calls walked the extra word.
Take-home practice
At about 15 minutes, the passage works as homework. The Write Your Own sentences give families an easy way to talk about the weekend.
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