That doesn't sound like third grade homework to me. It doesn't even sound interesting. I'd think it'd alienate more young kids from reading than anything. Paperwork like that would be best suited to junior high or high school.

That sounds like a great project, but like one that should take a whole semester, where they learn library skills, and how to interview people for leads on good things to read, and have a reading journal where they talk about the different things they've read by individual authors, and then, after five weeks of reading and journaling, learn how to choose the strongest and most interesting subject, then reread looking for the two different styles, and learn how to make cards with bibliographical information and salient points, then learn how to organize a paper and how to create points of comparison, and then in the last two weeks write the paper.

That is, this should all be classroom work, with the teacher guiding and instructing the whole way through. If I were a parent, I would send a note to the teacher praising the early exposure to research papers, wishing her good luck, and emphasizing that I expected her to teach all the skills necessary as I would not be helping with this task and it was up to her to do her job. Furthermore, I would expect my child to be graded on his own work, and not on comparison with others whose parents were doing the work for them. And cc the principal, and, if necessary, the school board.

I don't understand--you said 2 or 3 different kinds of writing by the same author? But then you mentioned 3 different authors. Sorry, I don't quite understand.

The kids are basically still second graders. I wonder when this needs to be completed, by the end of the year?

Is this assignment expected to have parent participation?

I do think it sounds like a nice assignment, as plllog said, which should be more of a classroom project.

My oldest just started 3rd grade last week so we haven't been hit with any heavy homework yet but she did have to read a story and explain the theme and lessons learned earlier this week so it does seem that 3rd grade is expected to not only read but analyze and desconstruct stories.

I'm with socks... you described the project as finding "2 or 3 different kinds of writing by the same author" to contrast/compare that author's works, but then you named multiple authors.

FWIW, I think that comparing the works of different authors would be much easier than even *finding* an author who has produced multiple but distinctive works. lol!

Socks, we were talking on the phone trying to think of authors who would have more than one type of writing, and something he could read on his own. Seuss and Potter wrote poetry and short stories. Silverstein wrote poetry, short stories and a song that he could include if he needed 3 types of writing. That was what we came up with just chatting. Thought of EB White's Charlotte's Web , but don't know 2 other types of age appropriate writing that he did off the top of my head that would lend themselves to the assignment. Great, he wrote some poems about dogs. So that would work for 2 types of writing.

Author studies are common in school and students can enjoy them, depending upon how it's handled by the teachers. Three authors that are generally well-liked by 3rd graders are Patricia Polacco, Chris van Alsburg (Jumanji and The Polar Express are two of his books) and Kevin Henkes. All three authors have written numerous books, so it would be easy to choose 2 or 3 books by one or another of them.

My biggest question, and I don't know if you know the answer or not, is whether this is supposed to be a project done at home or is this an in-school project that was being mentioned during the Open House.

Definitely the school's librarian and the children's librarian at your public library will be able to recommend authors and their books.

Not 3 books by the same author, but 3 different kinds of writing by the same author. So poetry, fiction, short story, play, biography, nonfiction, etc. That is the challenge as well as to keep it age appropriate too. It will be interesting to see how much is done at school, but I bet most will be done at home.

This brings back memories of a middle school project. It was Roman Empire based and in years past it was evident that the parents did the work.

I complained! So, That year there was a limit to size of the display. They felt they couldn't stop parents from helping. How ridiculous. Anyway, even if it was clear that a parent helped, at least it didn't over shadow those that were actually made by the students.

Sheila, this does seem complicated for a third grader. See how the year progresses. I can't see how beneficial this class will be if your grandson constantly needs supervision to do the work.

That sound rather complicated for a third-grader. Surely the parents aren't supposed to help??

Robert Louis Stevenson

Maya Angelou

Langston Hughes

Caroline Kennedy

George Bird Grinnell

Mingmei Yip

Margaret Davidson

e.e. cummings

Maurice Sendak

Rudyard Kipling

Edgar Allen Poe (some really are child appropriate)

Welcome to Common Core. Parents hate it, good teachers hate it. This author exercise is in the Common Core guidebook. Yes teachers could be teaching the exercise in the classroom. But good luck with that.

Classroom learning? In your dreams. Most classroom learning (at least in California) ended with the 60s/early 70s. My children didn't do very much actual work in school at all in the mid 70s through 90s when they were in school. They took quizzes and tests in school. Back in the day (my own school days) homework was additional practice for what was taught during the school day or work you did not complete in school during the time allotted. Today the assignments are sent home and the parents are expected to teach them. The teachers are too busy grading tests and quizzes so their schools can get the "we are a great school ribbon award" and meet bureaucratic standards of "performance".

My son started elementary school in California in 1991 and he had an excellent education. They focused on whole language and writing, and it's refreshing today to see a young man who can write well.

I volunteered for Writers Workshop starting when he was in third grade. There was a big jump from third to fourth grade in writing. He went from writing about personal things in third like "My Dad" to doing a research report on Scotland in fourth. Not quite so fun, but the teachers always added a fun element for the presentation of the research, such as to create a travel brochure for his country. So I wonder if the presentation of your grandsons' research can be in a format that is grade-appropriate. A paper is not. They're barely writing a paragraph at the beginning of third grade. Though I don't see how a child that age can compare and contrast unless they know the elements of literature. Did she give examples from other years?

If you post the assignment as written, maybe some of the teachers here can help. I know there are a few elementary teachers on the Home Decor forum.

Maybe this is where the assignment comes from, Common Core. Check the second from the bottom:

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/3/

I've never actually understood the difference between "compare" and "contrast."

When you compare you point out the way two (or more) things are the same. When you contrast you point out the ways they are different from each other.

Yes, I wonder if Cyn will chime in. She always has some great feedback and insight to offer.

Daisychain and crl are elementary teachers too IIRC.

I don't know if the teacher would provide a copy of the lesson plan, but that would help clarify and would also state the goals of the lesson.

Carabubble is on point with compare (similarities ) vs contrast (differences ).

My eldest was a victim of whole language reading. Whole language is for natural readers which is what my second son is. By the time my eldest was in grade 3 a third of his grade, including him, was in LAC for reading. This assignment would have been ludicrous. As an aside, whole language is no longer taught in the school district, they have gone back to phonetic learning. Hopefully your GG is in a class of proficient readers.

Actually, the best writing, research, technical (learning the difference between compare/contrast, ) teacher my sons ever had was their History 12 teacher.

Great advice, Mayflowers.

I have been befuddled by the whipsaw learning fads that have been foisted, top down, onto teachers over the decades. I already knew how to read when I got to first grade. We had multiple level classes so I could be with a group of old children and not bored, but I still remember what the teacher did with the other, just learning groups. She started them on sight reading function words like "the" which are hard to sound out. That was concurrent with phonetic drills. Then she had them working on sentences that combined the sight words with sounding out. Then she transitioned them to the reading books. At all levels, we learned phonics, including, and using the correct names of, consonant blends, diphthongs, etc. We learned about compound words, homonyms, homophones, etc., etc. There were also concept drills and comprehension exercises. It was all done in class, though I'm sure it was assumed that we'd also be reading at home.

There were two boys who were held back half a year for developmental reasons, but they could read! Everyone coming out of the first grade could read. Well.

Then they started reinventing reading. Such a shame!

I've seen the Fourth Grade Common Core syllabus. While I was dismayed that it was very cutsified, like the teacher had to be treated like a child, the content seemed reasonable. What didn't seem reasonable was the assumption that all the children would be equally prepared for it coming in, that there would be no heat days/snow days or other days of disruption, that the lessons could be delivered in the time alloted and wouldn't need repetition or remediation--ever--and that teachers are automatons who just spit out directions and cause children to learn, rather than educated and creative beings who have to tailor their lessons to how their pupils best absorb them, create groups and one-on-ones to best serve them, and keep them engaged and happy to be learning.

No wonder Sylvan Learning, Etc. have come into being! They are today's Professional Parents. You hire them to do the homework tutoring while public school teachers are stuck teaching kids only how to ace tests -- so everybody 'looks good'.

Texas Gem - I missed your comment about your grade 3 child having to read a story and figure out the theme - something I am still unable to figure out.

Sylvan Learning was able to get my eldest reading and writing - undoing the damage of Whole Language. He got through university but to this day he still hates reading.

Back to the OP - do grade 3 students even know what poetry is or will this be part of the learning outcome of this assignment. Yes, they all have poetry reading done to them with that sing-songy voice that we all use with Dr. Suess - but can they pick it out themselves.

This should be an interesting assignment - I'm just not sure for who.

Our province has changed it's education methods this year for all grades as well. I'm just glad my kids won't be the guinea pigs for this experiment. I always feel sorry for the teachers because they may not agree with the new methods but they still have to teach by them

For what I'm about to say, no offense is intended for any of you who are teachers or who work in education. I have several such persons in my family, and also have three kids who have completed their educations. My information is second-hand but from several different sources and perspectives. .

My view is that too many public districts are NOT producing graduates who have adequately mastered the required subject matter at each grade level. The capability level of too many of today's teachers is lower than it was just a few decades ago. Poor performing teachers can't be dismissed because of union rules on tenure. (Who ever thought that was a good idea?) Additionally, open positions attract the less rather than more more accomplished college grads because the more capable ones can pursue job choices with much better pay.

Enter the Common Core. Let there be no mistake about what students need to learn at each grade level and how to do present the material so that they do so. The carping about "teaching to the test" is just that - it's what's done at other levels of education, why is that not appropriate in elementary levels?

I also know people who teach at the college level. Ask them about what they encounter concerning deficiencies in basic skills - math, writing, critical thinking - of high school graduates. No, it's not just ESL/foreign born students. Outside the districts in high income neighborhoods, too many schools are failing to do their jobs.

Try something new and different? Sure, there's nowhere to go but up.

Blfenton, kids are exposed to a lot of songs in poetic style, and if they're not book deprived they should also have exposure to written poetry. Not rhymes, like Dr. Seuss, but stories in verse like Stevenson and A.A. Milne (another good candidate for the reading list) and modern poetry like e.e. cummings, and Maya Angelou. They make lovely children's picture books from the works of great poets, which any decent library should have.

plllog - I understand what you're saying but my point is do they actually know, by definition, what poetry is. If you were to show them a poem, could they, at the age of 8, tell you, yes that is a poem and this is what poetry is.

It depends on what you mean by definition. Obviously, not a college level definition of poetry, which can be quite high falutin', but, yes, if they haven't been deprived (which proviso I must include because some 8-year-olds have barely seen a book), they should be able to recognize My Shadow, Caged Bird, maggie and milly and molly and mae, and Buckingham Palace as "poems". (Stevenson, Angelou, cummings and Milne) Some might argue about what is poetry vs. doggerel, but I don't think one needs to go there with 8-year-olds. As long as it's structured verse, it's okay for them to call it "poetry" as opposed to prose. Kids have an easier time recognizing patterned rhyming, but they also get the assonance in Caged Bird when they hear it spoken, and they're actually more open to oblique references than many adults. Are they up to counting trochees? Probably, if they're given lessons, but they can recognize trochaic verse as a poem without knowing anything about meter.

Poetry isn't required, however. Margaret Davidson, for instance, wrote biographies and tales.

blfenton- last year my 3rd grader (2nd at the time) actually wrote me a few poems so I would say she recognizes poetry.

I don't have a basis to know whether that is atypical though as she is very advanced in her reading level and she is my oldest.

I'm quickly learning that I can't expect any of my kids to be the same. (I know, DUH!!!)

Her sister is in first grade this year and fairly advanced with math concepts but still struggles with reading. Every kid is different.

I asked a top teacher of long experience in elementary school about Common Core. She said it's just a comprehensive set of curriculum standards, so that when families move from state to state the kids aren't totally lost. She also said that there's no requirement to teach the curriculum in any set way. Teachers can teach the way they've always taught, using their own materials, unless their districts have adopted a scripted text (hers did, briefly, then dumped it). Sounds like there are some growing pains. Her problem isn't the curriculum. It's the number of hours she's required by her district to devote to assessments while her pupils are basically unsupervised. She's losing quite a number of instructional days to assessments.

Shielajoyce, do find out if the teacher is actually teaching the children how to do the paper. If she/he is, it might really be a great project.