Third Grade · Writing · week 20

Notes from Two Sources -- No Copying!

Take notes in your own words from two different sources, using short phrases rather than copying full sentences.

Real research uses more than one source, so you can check facts and learn more. This week you gather notes from TWO different sources about your topic.

Notes are NOT copied sentences -- they are short phrases in YOUR OWN WORDS that capture the important facts. Copying someone else's exact sentences is called plagiarism, and real writers never do it.

A good note-taking trick: read a sentence, look away from the source, then write down the fact in your own words from memory.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Sit with your child while they read from a real source (a library book, a trusted kids' encyclopedia, or a reliable website) appropriate for their reading level.
  • Model the "read, look away, write" trick yourself first on a sentence about any topic, so your child sees exactly how it works.
  • Check a note or two together against the source to confirm it captures the fact without copying the wording.
  • Celebrate short, choppy notes this week -- full sentences come later when drafting.
Talk about it:
  • What does "in your own words" mean when taking notes?
  • Why is it important to use more than one source?
  • What trick can help you avoid copying a source's exact words?

Mastery looks like: They take short, own-words notes (not copied sentences) from two different sources about their topic.

Common stumbles: Copying phrases too closely from the source instead of truly rewording; writing full sentences during note-taking instead of short phrases.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Sentence BuilderDrag word tiles into a real sentence, with a capital and end mark.try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Writing for this learner.
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