3rd Grade Spelling Words

How to practice spelling words

• Hear it, then spell it. Spelling from a word you hear is the real skill. In Owl Test Prep, Owl-y says each word and uses it in a sentence, and you type it.
• Short and often. Ten words a day beats fifty on Friday night. Owl-y keeps a streak so the habit sticks.
• Missed words come back. A word you miss comes back later that day, then again over the next week, until it sticks.
• Look at the tricky part. Most misses are one spot: a double letter, a silent letter, an ending. Say it slowly and find that spot.

Animals (12)

• crocodilea large reptile with strong jaws that lives in rivers
• hamstera small pet rodent that runs on a wheel at night
• kangarooa large hopping animal that carries its babies in a pouch
• reptilea cold-blooded animal with dry scales, such as a snake
• butterflyan insect with large colorful wings that flies by day
• dinosaura huge prehistoric reptile that lived long ago
• gorillaa large ape with a heavy body and strong arms
• giraffea very tall animal with a very long neck
• porcupinea rodent covered in sharp quills
• tortoisea slow land turtle with a high domed shell
• flamingoa tall pink bird that stands on one leg
• hummingbirda tiny bird that hovers and drinks nectar from flowers

Food (12)

• vegetablea plant or part of a plant that people eat as food
• cucumbera long green vegetable with cool crunchy flesh
• tomatoa juicy red fruit often used in salads
• hamburgera cooked patty of ground meat served on a bun
• delicioustasting very good
• chocolatea sweet brown food made from cocoa beans
• cinnamona sweet brown spice from tree bark
• vanillaa sweet flavor from a plant pod used in baking
• lemonadea cold drink made from lemon juice and sugar
• pineapplea tropical fruit with spiky skin and sweet yellow flesh
• sausagechopped meat stuffed into a casing and cooked
• oatmeala warm breakfast food made from oats

Sports (12)

• basketballa game where players shoot a ball through a hoop
• footballa sport where players carry an oval ball down a field
• volleyballa game where players hit a ball over a high net
• gymnasticsa sport with flips, bars, and balance beams
• marathona very long running race of about twenty six miles
• championa person or team that wins a major contest
• uniforma special outfit that members of a team wear
• coacha person who trains and guides an athlete or team
• goalkeeperthe player who guards the goal in soccer
• stopwatcha watch that starts and stops to time races
• bicyclea two-wheeled vehicle that you pedal
• wrestlinga sport where two people grab and try to pin each other

Space (12)

• satellitean object that circles a planet in space
• asteroida rocky object that travels around the sun
• astronomythe science that studies stars and planets
• atmospherethe layer of air that surrounds a planet
• constellationa group of stars that forms a shape in the sky
• spacecrafta vehicle built to travel through space
• moonlightlight that shines from the moon at night
• horizonthe line where the sky seems to meet the land or sea
• observatorya building with telescopes for studying space
• nebulaa huge cloud of gas and dust in space
• planetaryrelating to the big worlds that orbit a star
• spacewalka time when an astronaut floats outside a spacecraft

Ocean (12)

• seahorsea tiny fish that swims upright and curls its tail
• submarinea ship that can travel underwater
• lighthousea tower with a bright light to guide ships
• driftwoodwood carried by the water and left on the shore
• seagulla white bird with a loud cry that lives near the sea
• saltwaterwater from the sea that tastes very salty
• sandpipera small shore bird that runs along the beach
• whirlpoola fast swirling current of water
• barnaclea small shell animal that clings to rocks and boats
• snorkela tube used to breathe while swimming face down
• iceberga huge floating mass of ice
• undertowa strong current that pulls swimmers under the water

Nature and weather (12)

• blizzarda heavy snowstorm with strong winds
• hurricanea very strong storm that forms over warm ocean water
• volcanoa mountain that opens to release hot melted rock
• erosionthe slow wearing away of land by wind or water
• sunflowera tall plant with a large yellow head of seeds
• evergreena tree or shrub that keeps its leaves all year
• pineconethe woody seed case that grows on a pine tree
• waterfallwater that falls steeply from a high rock edge
• thunderstorma storm with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain
• seedlinga very young plant that grows from a seed
• climatethe usual weather of a place over many years
• dewdropa tiny ball of water that forms on plants overnight

Home and family (12)

• familiesgroups of relatives who live together or are related
• grandmotherthe mother of your mother or father
• grandfatherthe father of your mother or father
• apartmenta home that is one unit in a larger building
• basementa room under the ground floor of a house
• furniturechairs, tables, beds, and other things for a room
• bathrooma room with a sink, toilet, and bathtub
• doorbella button that rings a bell when pressed at a door
• bookshelfa piece of furniture with shelves for holding books
• toothbrusha small brush used to clean your teeth
• doorknoba round handle used to open a door
• cupboarda closed cabinet used to store dishes and food

School (12)

• classrooma room where students learn with a teacher
• calculatora machine that does math problems quickly
• dictionarya book that lists words and tells what they mean
• scissorsa tool with two blades that cuts paper
• assignmenta task that a student is given to finish
• vocabularyall the words that a person knows or uses
• grammarthe rules for how words fit together in sentences
• semesterhalf of a school year, about four months long
• historythe study of events that happened in the past
• homeroomthe class where students gather at the start of the day
• lunchrooma room where students eat their midday meal
• educationthe process of learning in school

Music and art (12)

• orchestraa large group of musicians playing many instruments together
• sculpturea work of art carved or shaped from stone or metal
• photographa picture taken with a camera
• costumeclothes worn to look like a character in a play
• harmonicaa small instrument you play by blowing and sucking air
• saxophonea shiny brass instrument played with a single reed
• potterybowls and vases made from shaped clay
• melodya tune made of notes played one after another
• microphonea device that makes sound louder or recordable
• gallerya room or building where art is shown
• postera large printed picture or sign for display
• instrumenta tool or device used to make music

Body and health (12)

• skeletonthe bones that hold up and protect a body
• eyelashone of the short hairs along your eyelid
• eyebrowthe line of hair above your eye
• fingernailthe hard covering at the tip of each finger
• heartbeatone beat of your heart
• eardruma thin skin inside your ear that picks up sound
• appetitethe desire to eat food
• vitamina substance in food that keeps the body healthy
• hygienehabits that keep your body clean and healthy
• cheekbonethe bone just below your eye on your face
• toenailthe hard covering on the tip of each toe
• hiccupa sudden jump in your breathing that makes a sound

Places and travel (12)

• continentone of the seven large areas of land on the planet
• peninsulaa piece of land that sticks out into water
• neighborhooda small area within a town or city
• downtownthe busy central part of a city
• suburba residential area on the edge of a city
• countrysidethe land outside of towns and cities
• boulevarda wide street lined with trees
• campgroundan outdoor area where people set up tents
• crosswalka marked path where people walk across a street
• skyscrapera very tall building in a big city
• hilltopthe very top of a hill
• sidewalka paved path beside a road for walkers

Science (12)

• microscopea tool that makes tiny things look much bigger
• moleculethe smallest bit of a substance that keeps its properties
• electricitya form of energy that powers lights and machines
• inventiona new useful device or idea that someone creates
• evaporationthe process when liquid turns slowly into vapor
• condensationwater droplets forming when vapor cools into liquid
• solutiona mixture where one substance dissolves in another
• reactiona change that happens when two things mix
• chemistrythe science of what matter is made of
• fossilthe preserved remains of an ancient plant or animal
• dissolveto mix completely into a liquid
• pollutionharmful material that dirties air, water, or land

People and feelings (12)

• responsibleable to be trusted to do what needs doing
• curiouswanting to learn or know more about something
• cooperateto work together with others toward a goal
• confidentbelieving in yourself and your abilities
• determinedfirmly deciding to keep trying until you succeed
• disappointedsad because something did not go as hoped
• gracefulmoving smoothly, calmly, and with beauty
• gratefulfeeling thankful for something good
• energeticfull of energy and eager to move or act
• musiciana person who plays or writes music
• engineera person who designs and builds machines or structures
• friendshipa bond of caring and trust between two people

Adventure (12)

• expeditionan organized trip with a clear goal, such as exploring
• mysteriousstrange and hard to explain or understand
• courageousshowing courage and facing danger bravely
• legendaryfamous in stories from long ago
• adventurera person who seeks out exciting journeys
• kingdoma land ruled by a king or queen
• sorcerera person who uses magic spells in stories
• enchantedunder a magic spell
• unicorna magical horse with one long horn on its head
• navigateto plan and steer a route across land or water
• fortressa strong building built to protect a place
• mermaida magical creature with a human top and fish tail

Tricky words (12)

• knowledgefacts and skills a person has learned
• whistleto make a high sound by blowing air through your lips
• wrinklea line or fold in cloth or skin
• ghosta spooky figure that looks like a pale floating person
• beautifulvery pleasant to look at or hear
• especiallymore than others, or in particular
• definitelywithout any doubt
• addressthe place where someone lives, with street and number
• surprisesomething unexpected that happens or is given
• exercisephysical activity done to stay fit
• pleasantnice, friendly, or enjoyable
• sensea feeling or ability to notice, such as sight

Questions people ask