Worksheets that help third grade spellers learn the meaning of leveled vocabulary.

These worksheets contain spelling activities for your 3rd grade students. They are aimed to help students learn to spell more fluidly and meet up with new vocabulary terms that are 3rd grade level appropriate. Activities include answering short questions with words from a word bank, unscrambling spelling words, filling out crossword puzzles, matching words to their definitions, dividing spelling words into groups by number of syllables, completing word shape boxes using given words, finding spelling words in a word search puzzle, completing spelling words using definition clues, using given spelling words in a sentence, and more. The 3rd grade is the age to learn words that are new and not often used at home with younger children. Children that have siblings usually have a bit of a jump at this.



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Printable 3rd Grade Spelling Worksheets

Click the buttons to print each worksheet and answer key.

Lesson One Worksheet

Lesson One Grade Three Spelling Worksheet

Using the words between the two stars** and more of your own words, write a spooky paragraph. We focus extensively on vocabulary that starts with the letter "k".

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Spelling Practice Worksheet

Spelling Practice

Circle the word that is correct. There will be three nonsense words and one correct one.

Clue Words Worksheet

Clue Words

See if students can get this one by just understanding the nature of the clues.

Spiral Spelling Worksheet

Spiral Spelling

Some solid clues here. This is super fun. Think of it as crossword that works in a spiral rather than across and down.

Definition Worksheet

Word or Definition?

They are looking for the word. You are given the definition.

Lesson Two Worksheet

Lesson Two

In the chart put the word from the bank at the top into the syllables or beats per word.

Word Shapes Worksheet

Word Shapes

Use your the vocabulary we have explored in this section to figure out what fits where?

Year in a Puzzle Worksheet

The Year in a Puzzle

Days of the week, months of the year, and measure of time.

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30 Days Worksheet

30 Days Hath September

See what you can tell us about the calendar you often use.

Cryptogram Worksheet

3rd Grade Cryptogram

Unscramble the words and put them in the boxes above, then use the circled letters to figure out the message at the bottom.

3rd Grade Rules Worksheet

3rd Grade Spelling Rules

There is a general rule that is "i before e except after e" but there are many exceptions to that rule. Fill in the chart below according to the headings, but keep that rule in the back of your mind.

Search Grid Worksheet

Search Grid

Circle or use a highlight pen to show where these words are in the word-search grid.

Together Worksheet

Piece it Together

Make the following words plural, more than one or add an s!

Six By Six Worksheet

Six By Six

Make a word spiral using any new words with the ie or ei combination.

Suffixes Worksheet

Spelling Suffixes

These are endings of words to change the root word and the meaning. Change the root word to make sense in the following sentences.

Happens When Worksheet

What Happens When?

What happens to the y when you add -ness to crazy?

Practice Worksheet

Spelling Practice

Pick the best spelling word without your list to check!

Fill in the Letters Worksheet

Fill in the Letters

Practice each word six times over. This is a great activity, if you put the time in on it.

Patterned Spelling Worksheet

Patterned Spelling

The conclusion of the previous worksheet. Again this task can be very helpful.

3rd Grade Crossword Worksheet

3rd Grade Spelling Crossword

Determine the spelling word by using the definition. These are grade level appropriate terms for you to work on.

"ke" Search

All of these words have a vowel or vowel blend before the k and some have an e following the k. Whichever way it is spelled, what happens to the vowel? Is it long or short?

Matching Worksheet

Matching Worksheet

Match the word to its definition or vice versa.

Secret Decoder Worksheet

Secret Decoder

Decode all your spelling words by using the key. This is also a great following directions activity worksheet for students.

Circle Worksheet

Circle a Word Find

Use your spelling list to find the words! This is a circular matrix for a word find activity which students will find cool.

Practice Spelling Worksheet

Practice Spelling

Find the word that makes the most sense in the series of terms.

Ii Writing Practice Worksheet

Ii Writing Practice Sheet

You will notice slight font differences for your enhanced learning opportunity.

Lesson Six Worksheet

Lesson Six Words

We focus on the use of these terms in context: About, better, bring, carry, done, drink, fail, full, grow, hold, hot, hurt, if, keep, kind, laugh, fight, myself, maybe, never, own, shall, small, start, today, together, try, and warm.

Word Search Worksheet

Standard Word Search

Where are those words in the word search. We use the standard format here and do not get too fancy.

Fallen Words Puzzle Worksheet

Fallen Words Puzzle

Unscramble the letters to create a word you can buy into. Then take those circles and make your phrase.

### Worksheet

More Words Win

Write a short story or a journal passage using as many of your 3rd grade vocabulary words as possible. You can make this into a class contest.

How to Learn to Spell Better

The 3rd grade is where students start really gobbling up new vocabulary words and learning how to spell them. Most students develop at this grade level to have the mental capacity to learn twice as many words then they did in 2nd grade. Teachers should take advantage of this by using a consistent and regular spelling program. I really encourage teachers to build a spelling word routine. Do this over the course of the week. On every Monday students get a new list of vocabulary words that are to be able to spell, define, and use in a sentence by Friday. My advanced classes are on their own to do this. With my regular pace 3rd grade classes I have an activity for them to complete in class or as homework that has them explore the word list.

Spelling in English is relatively tricky for both native speakers and foreign language learners. There are many different ways to spell and pronounce the same sound in English since the language was formed from various languages. It is easy to include new words from other languages into its vocabulary. However, enhancing your English spelling can be quite a task. How to learn to spell better, you ask? Let's find out!

The following are some effective ways to learn to spell better:

1. Read Extensively

As a general rule, reading is the greatest approach to learning new words and their correct spelling. If you stumble upon a word that seems unfamiliar, try to figure out its meaning and learn its spelling by heart. Being able to spell correctly can help you improve your reading comprehension skills. Spelling has a lot more to do with the structure of the reading brain than we give it credit for.

2. Learn Simple Rules

Knowing the rules can be a great approach to learning new things. Start with a few simple ones. You can add further rules based on your knowledge of new terms. You'll be able to spell most words before you know it. Some of the basic rules are as follows:

- I comes before e unless after c. Believe (with an I before an e) is spelled differently than "receive." I and e are generally used to spell out long vowels. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

- Suffixes ending in -able, -ible, -ous, etc., should not be added to nouns that end in a silent e. You can see why a word like "response" has an E while "responsible" does not. However, you can keep the last e to preserve the particular soft pronunciation of consonants like bravery.

- Add suffixes to words ending in y by changing the y to I. "Happily" and "bodily" are a couple of examples that stand true to this statement.

- If there is only one vowel before the final consonant, double the last consonant of a word when adding suffixes. You can consider "bar" that goes on to become "barred." If there is more than one vowel before the final consonant, the final consonant is not doubled. For instance, "bail" goes on to become "bailed."

3. Make a List of Terms That You Have Difficulty Spelling

You might already be familiar with the most prevalent misspellings. Consider making a list of all the words you find difficult to spell instead of studying one created by someone else. Make sure you know how to spell the words using mnemonics. Remember that some word groups may be complex for you to comprehend; plan accordingly.

4. Test Your Knowledge

One of the most effective methods of acquiring a new skill, such as spelling or anything else, is self-testing. Test yourself on some challenging words you regularly encounter that are hard to spell. Spend 15 minutes a day honing your skills. You can work on different exercises, such as brainstorming a list of words you have difficulties spelling, researching the words, and practicing them aloud to improve your spelling skills.

5. Break Down the Word

Some words might be difficult to spell because of their length. You can break down such words to make them easier to spell. Instead of learning a single large word, you'll only need to remember a few little ones. For instance, invisible can be divided into three little words: in vis ible. Keep these short words in mind, and you'll be able to spell invisible every time accurately. Use this technique with any word you have difficulty spelling—it will help you remember it!

Final Words

These are the most common spelling tactics employed by excellent spellers to learn to spell better. Use these tactics with your child if they are having difficulty spelling.