How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect
A 40-minute Grade 3 lesson on describing the logical connection between sentences and paragraphs in a text.
How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect is a free 40-minute Grade 3 English lesson plan for Common Core standard RI.3.8 — name how one sentence or paragraph connects to the next. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- RI.3.8
Grade 3 · Reading: Informational Text
RI.3.8
Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
Objective
Students will be able to name the logical connection between two paragraphs.
Students are successful when they can
- Names the connection type.
- Says what the second paragraph does to the first.
- Notices when a paragraph breaks the pattern.
What you need
- A text with varied paragraph relationships
- Connection cards: adds to, gives an example of, compares with, explains, contrasts with
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — what does this one do?
5 min- Read two consecutive paragraphs. Hold up a connection card for the second.
- Ask what made the choice.
Teach — a paragraph has a job
13 min- Read four paragraphs. For each after the first, name what it does to the one before.
- Show that 'adds to' and 'gives an example of' are different jobs.
- Find a paragraph that contrasts and note the signal word.
- Remove one paragraph and read across the gap. Say what broke.
- Say the point: paragraphs are not just chunks, they are moves.
“It is not just the next thing. It is doing something to what came before.”
Guided practice — label four
12 min- Pairs label four paragraph transitions with cards.
- They give the signal word for each where there is one.
- They find one transition with no signal word at all.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the connections page.
- The passage has numbered paragraphs.
Close
2 min- Read two paragraphs. Take the connection card.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Says every paragraph 'adds more information'.
Why: It is true of nearly all of them.
Fix: Force a choice among the five cards. 'Adds to' is the default that hides the specific move.
Relies entirely on signal words.
Why: 'However' and 'for example' make it easy.
Fix: Include transitions with no signal. The relationship exists whether or not it is announced.
Describes the content rather than the connection.
Why: Content is what a paragraph is about, and summarising is habitual.
Fix: Ask what it does, not what it says. The card names a job.
If they are not there yet
- Three cards rather than five.
- Transitions with signal words only.
If they finish early
- Find a paragraph that connects to one two back rather than the last.
- Reorder two paragraphs and say what breaks.
- Write a missing transition sentence.
Exit ticket
What does paragraph 3 do to paragraph 2?
What to look for: A named job. 'Adds more' means the five-card choice needs enforcing.
Printable practice for RI.3.8
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- How Sentences ConnectRead the text, then answer the questions.
Questions about How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect
How long does the How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.8 — RI.3.8, Reading: Informational Text for Grade 3: “Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).” In plain terms, name how one sentence or paragraph connects to the next.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A text with varied paragraph relationships, connection cards: adds to, gives an example of, compares with, explains, contrasts with and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: says every paragraph 'adds more information'; relies entirely on signal words and describes the content rather than the connection. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “What does paragraph 3 do to paragraph 2?.” A named job. 'Adds more' means the five-card choice needs enforcing. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect?
Yes — 1 printable RI.3.8 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is How Sentences and Paragraphs Connect free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to RI.3.8 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.