Third grade is the first year New Jersey students sit for the state ELA test, and the NJSLA-A asks a lot of an eight-year-old. They read stories and articles, compare two passages, figure out word meanings from context and then write a full story or article on their own. If you’re looking for NJSLA 3rd grade ELA test prep that covers all of it, this workbook was made for you.
The New Jersey NJSLA-A 3rd Grade ELA Practice Test Workbook is aligned to the 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts and built from the NJSLA-A blueprint published by the New Jersey Department of Education. Every passage and question is original, and a certified teacher reviewed the book.
It’s a Printable PDF, so you can print the pages you need for whole-class lessons, small groups, centers or homework. Below you’ll find what’s on the test, what’s inside the book, a look-inside video and a simple plan for the months before testing.
- An 18-question pretest, a Learn It lesson + test-style practice for all 19 standards, mixed review, test-taking strategies, 2 full-length practice tests and a 227-answer key.
- Both parts of the NJSLA-A: Unit 1 Reading and Unit 2 Writing, with a story task in Test 1 and an informative article in Test 2.
- Printable PDF, 244 full-color pages, $9.99.
- Bubble answer sheets, writing rubrics, progress trackers and class data sheets make scoring quick.
- Free with a Have Fun Teaching membership.
What’s on the NJSLA-A 3rd grade ELA test?
The NJSLA-A is New Jersey’s adaptive state test. In 3rd grade, ELA comes in two units, and students take both on the computer. Paper is used only as an accommodation.
Unit 1: Reading
Two sessions of 75 minutes. Four passage sets, literary and informational, with about 31 questions in all.
It adapts
The reading unit is computer-adaptive, so the questions get easier or harder as students answer.
Vocabulary inside the sets
Four to six word-meaning questions sit inside the reading passages. There’s no dictionary on the test.
Unit 2: Writing
One extended writing task in a 90-minute session: a narrative or an informative piece in 3rd grade.
Two writing scores
Composition (ideas, organization, word choice) and Conventions (sentences, capitals, punctuation, spelling), 4 points each.
One spring window
April 19 to May 21, 2027. Your district picks the days inside it.
The reading questions come in several shapes: multiple choice, “choose two” questions, two-part Part A/Part B questions, select-a-sentence questions, table matches and complete-the-sentence questions that use drop-down menus on the computer. One of the four reading sets is usually a pair of passages that students compare. Opinion writing doesn’t start on this test until 4th grade, so 3rd graders practice stories and informative writing.
What’s inside the NJSLA 3rd grade ELA test prep workbook
The workbook follows the order you’d teach it. Find out what students already know, teach the gaps one standard at a time, mix everything together, then rehearse the real thing twice.
Inside · PretestPretest18 questions and a scoring guide that shows which standards to teach first.
Inside · Learn ItLearn It pagesA short story or article, a worked example and a tip for every standard.
Inside · ReviewMixed ReviewPaired passages and mixed questions keep earlier skills fresh.
Inside · Practice testFull practice testsTwo tests of 32 questions: Unit 1 Reading in two sessions, then Unit 2 Writing.
Each practice test ends with a writing unit set up like the real one: a topic, a Pre-Writing Page that isn’t scored, and final copy pages. Practice Test 1 asks for a story and Practice Test 2 an informative article, each with rubrics so you can score Composition and Conventions the way the state does.
Take a look inside (video)
Want to flip through it before you buy? This short look-inside video walks through the whole workbook, from the pretest to the class data sheets at the back.
How to use the printable workbook in class
Because it’s a PDF, you print only what you need, when you need it. Here’s how teachers tend to use each part.
Print the pretest
One sitting shows you which standards each reader needs most.
Small groups + centers
Pull the Learn It and practice pages for the skills your groups need.
Test day rehearsal
Give the two reading sessions on different days, then the writing unit on a third day.
Track the growth
Score with the answer key and rubrics, then fill in the progress trackers and class data sheets.
5 tips to get 3rd graders ready for the NJSLA-A
Read for evidence
Ask “How do you know?” every day. Many questions have a Part B that asks for the sentence that proves the answer.
Use the clues around a word
There’s no dictionary, so practice figuring out a new word from the sentences around it.
Compare two texts
Paired passages show up on the test. A quick Venn diagram after two short texts builds the habit.
Plan, then write
Teach a five-minute plan on scrap paper before every story or article. The test gives them a Pre-Writing Page for this.
Build stamina
Seventy-five minutes is a long sit for a 3rd grader. Stretch independent reading time a little each month.
Printable PDF: $9.99, or free with a membership
The workbook comes as one Printable PDF with all 244 full-color pages. Print as many copies as your class needs, year after year.
Already a member? The Printable PDF is included with your Have Fun Teaching membership, so you can download it today at no extra cost.
When do 3rd graders take the NJSLA-A ELA test?
The 2027 spring window runs from April 19 to May 21, and 3rd through 5th graders have no fall testing. Districts pick their own days inside the window, so check your school calendar. Here’s an easy way to spread your NJSLA 3rd grade ELA test prep across the year so spring never turns into a cram session.
Now: give the pretest
Score it with the guide and circle the standards each reader needs most.
Fall into winter: teach the gaps
Use one Learn It + practice set a few times a week, in the order your pretest points to.
Winter: mix it up
Mixed review keeps reading and vocabulary skills fresh while you teach new units.
March: Practice Test 1
Run both units like test day, story task included, then reteach what slipped.
Early April: Practice Test 2
A second full run, with an informative article this time, builds stamina and shows real growth.
Test day: celebrate
They’ve seen every question type already. Tell them so.
For the official test details, visit the New Jersey Department of Education NJSLA-A page. Our New Jersey test prep page has every New Jersey workbook, and test prep by state keeps every state in one place.
Members: it’s already yours
With a Have Fun Teaching membership, the Printable PDF of this workbook is included, along with every other state test prep workbook PDF and the whole resource library. See membership plans.
3rd grade ELA worksheets to pair with it
When the pretest flags a skill, a single-page worksheet is an easy way to add one more round of practice. These three line up with big 3rd grade reading skills on the test.
3rd · WorksheetMain Idea and Three DetailsFind the main idea of an article and the details that support it.
3rd · WorksheetContext CluesUse the words around a new word to figure out what it means.
3rd · WorksheetNonfiction Text FeaturesHeadings, captions and more, the tools for finding facts in an article.
Keep exploring
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NJSLA 3rd grade ELA test prep: questions teachers ask
Are these real NJSLA-A questions?
No. Have Fun Teaching wrote every story, article and question from scratch, and a certified teacher reviewed the book. It is aligned to the 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts and built from the published NJSLA-A blueprint, but it is an independent practice resource and does not use real test items.
How long is the NJSLA-A 3rd grade ELA test?
The reading unit is two sessions of 75 minutes each, with four passage sets and about 31 questions. The writing unit is one 90-minute session with a single extended writing task. Many schools give the units on different days, and the practice tests in this workbook are set up the same way.
What kind of writing is on the 3rd grade NJSLA-A?
Third graders write either a narrative, such as a story that continues a short story starter, or an informative piece. Each response gets a Composition score and a Conventions score, up to 4 points each. The workbook practices both: Practice Test 1 has a story task and Practice Test 2 an informative article.
How much does the workbook cost?
The Printable PDF is $9.99 for all 244 full-color pages, and you can print as many copies as your class needs. With a Have Fun Teaching membership, the PDF is included at no extra cost, along with the Printable PDF of every other state test prep workbook and the rest of the library.
Is the NJSLA-A test online or on paper?
The NJSLA-A is taken on the computer, and the reading unit is adaptive, so the questions adjust as students answer. A paper test is used only as an accommodation. The printable practice tests let students rehearse the same question types, passages and writing task on paper at their desks.
Walk into test day ready.
Start with the pretest this week, and have every standard covered by spring.
NJSLA and NJSLA-A are trademarks of the New Jersey Department of Education. Have Fun Teaching, LLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by the New Jersey Department of Education. Not an official test.
