CAASPP Success - Grade 3 ELA Performance Task #3

Source #1: "Life in Colonial America"

Life in colonial America was very different from today. Families lived in small homes, usually made of wood, with just a few rooms. Most people worked on farms, and everyone, even children, helped with daily chores. Boys helped their fathers in the fields, planting and harvesting crops like corn and wheat. Girls worked with their mothers, cooking meals, making clothes, and taking care of younger siblings.

In towns, some people had jobs like blacksmiths, who made tools, or cobblers, who made shoes. There were no big stores like today, so people traded goods with their neighbors. Most people had to make everything they used, like their own furniture, clothes, and food.

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School was also very different. Many children didn’t go to school because they were needed to help at home. If they did go, school was often just one room, and students of all ages learned together. They learned how to read, write, and do math, but they also learned skills that would help them run a farm or a shop when they grew up.

During this time, people in the American colonies started hearing about the conflict with Britain. The British government wanted the colonies to pay taxes, but the colonists thought this was unfair because they didn’t have a say in British decisions. This disagreement led to protests and meetings in towns where people talked about fighting for their freedom.

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As the American Revolution approached, families had to make tough choices. Some wanted to stay loyal to the king of England, while others wanted to fight for independence. This caused disagreements in many towns and even within families.

Although life was hard in colonial America, people worked together and supported each other. Their daily life was simple, but they were brave and worked hard to create the country we live in today.

Source #3: "A Letter from Lucy to Her Cousin Sarah"

Dear Sarah,

I hope you and your family are well. Life here near Boston has been very busy, and I have so much to tell you! I miss you dearly and wish you could visit soon, but with all the talk of trouble between the colonies and Britain, I know travel is difficult.

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Each day I help Mother with the chores. In the morning, I gather eggs from the chickens and fetch water from the well. I’m getting quite good at milking the cow, too! It’s hard work, but I like to help because it makes me feel grown up. After breakfast, I help Mother sew clothes or make candles. Sometimes, I get to bake bread with her, which I enjoy because the kitchen smells so nice when the bread is done.

Father is very busy these days. He talks to our neighbors about what the British are doing. They are angry about the taxes we have to pay. Father says it's unfair because we don’t have a say in any of the decisions. I don’t quite understand all of it, but Father says we might have to fight for our freedom. That sounds scary to me, but he says we’ll be fine as long as we stick together.

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We’ve also heard about the fighting in Boston. Last week, soldiers marched right through our town. Mother and I watched from the window as they passed by. It was frightening to see them with their red coats and guns. Some of the men in town want to join the fight, but Father says it’s dangerous, and we should stay here for now.

In the afternoons, if I finish my work early, I play outside with my little brother. We like to pretend we are soldiers, but he always makes me be the British soldier! I also enjoy reading, especially when Father brings home newspapers with stories from faraway places. I want to know more about what’s happening, but it all feels so big and confusing sometimes.

I miss you, Sarah, and hope we can see each other soon. Please write back and tell me what’s happening where you are.

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With love,

Lucy