Standard 1: Learners demonstrate skill in reading a variety of materials for a variety of purposes.
Benchmark 1: The proficient reader comprehends whole pieces of narration, exposition,
persuasion, and technical writing.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. make inferences from the text.
D 2. differentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
D 3. identify text structures, such as cause and effect, comparison and contrast, sequence, description, problem and solution, and narration, to aid in comprehension.
D 4. identify facts and opinions from a list of statements.
D 5. follow directions explained in technical writing. (Technology class)
° 6. summarize the text.
° 7. choose a purpose for reading a given text.
° 8. identify the author's point of view.
° 9. understand techniques used to convey viewpoint, such as word choice, language structure, and context.
° 11. compare and contrast ideas and concepts from multiple sources.
° 13. evaluate the accuracy of expository texts.
D 15. use text organizers, such as headings, topic and summary sentences, and graphic features, to locate information within a text.
Benchmark 2: The proficient reader decodes accurately and understands new words in reading materials.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. use context clues, such as definition, restatement, example, comparison and contrast, to determine meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary.
D 2. infer word meanings by the use of relationships, such as analogies, similes, and metaphors.
° 3. use word origins to determine the meaning of unknown words.
D 4. apply thesaurus, glossary, and dictionary skills to determine the appropriate-ness of word meaning.
D 5. identify and/ or use multiple meanings of words.
° 6. use roots and affixes to determine meanings of unknown words.
Benchmark 3: The proficient ¤ reader reads fluently.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. utilize natural speech rhythms with oral readings.
° 3. use their understanding of vocabulary, punctuation, and sentence structure to assist in reading fluently.
Benchmark 4: The proficient reader uses what he/ she already knows about the topic and the type of text to understand what is read.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. use knowledge of structural elements to assist in understanding various genres, such as drama, poetry, novel, and short story.
° 3. use knowledge of structural elements to assist in understanding various informational texts, such as essay, news story, historical document, periodical, and catalog.
Benchmark 5: The proficient reader draws conclusions supported by the text.
Indicators
The students:
D 1. identify a theme in a narrative text.
D 2. identify a topic in an expository text.
D 3. locate evidence that supports conclusions drawn from a single text.
° 4. determine whether or not their purposes for reading, such as to understand, interpret, enjoy, solve problems, predict outcomes, answer specific questions, form opinions, skim for facts, have been met.
Standard 2: Learners write effectively for a variety of audiences, purposes, and contexts.
Benchmark 1: A proficient writer uses ideas that are well developed, clear and interesting.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. produce compositions that have one main idea and support the main idea with details.
° 2. understand and use strategies, which may include brainstorming, listing, webbing, working in pairs or cooperative groups, and gleaning information from print sources, for generating ideas.
Benchmark 2: The proficient writer uses authentic and appropriate voice.
Indicators:
The students:
° 3. use voice appropriate for the purpose and audience.
Benchmark 3: The proficient writer uses organization that enhances the reader's understanding.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. write a coherent and cohesive piece with a clear introduction, supporting ideas, and a conclusion.
D 2. write introductions that draw the reader in.
D 3. write supporting details presented in a logical order.
° 4. use transitions to allow ideas to flow smoothly within and between paragraphs.
D 5. write conclusions that provide a sense of resolution.
Benchmark 4: The proficient writer uses effective word choice.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. choose words and phrases appropriate for purpose and such audiences as peers, teachers, and community.
D 2. choose precise words such as powerful verbs, specific nouns, and vivid adjectives and adverbs.
Benchmark 5: The proficient writer uses clear and fluent sentences.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. vary sentence structure (simple, compound, and complex) and the length of sentences for more effective writing.
D 2. write so that the flow of the writing is rhythmic and natural.
° 3. use dialogue that sounds natural.
Benchmark 6: The proficient writer uses standard American English conventions.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. use complete sentences.
° 2. use appropriate paragraphing.
D 3. correctly use a wide range of conventions, such as spelling, end marks, commas, quotation marks, semicolons, colons, subject and verb agreement, and pronoun agreement.
Benchmark 7: The proficient writer uses a writing process that includes preparation, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing to produce a written document. Students are taught and given practice using a writing process at each grade level with content and expectations that are progressively more challenging and appropriate for that grade level.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. generate ideas, narrow the topic, and gather and organize the information about the selected topic.
° 2. write a draft about the selected topic.
° 3. revise the draft to clarify and add ideas to reorganize and eliminate extraneous information, to produce an improved product.
° 4. proofread and edit their and their peers' revisions for conventions ¤ , including spelling and appropriate format.
D 5. generate a legible final copy for presentation.
Benchmark 9: The proficient writer uses a variety of modes of writing for different purposes and audiences.
Indicators:
The students:
° 3. write expository pieces, which may include lab report, math project, social studies report, and summary.
° 4. write persuasive pieces, which may include letter to the editor, advertisement, and essay.
D 6. write for the purpose of explaining.
Standard 3: Learners demonstrate knowledge of literature from a variety of cultures, genres, and time periods.
Benchmark 1: The proficient reader demonstrates knowledge of the effects of cultures on literature.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. analyze ¤ the impact of culture on a character.
° 2. compare and contrast custom, idea, and belief within literature from a variety of cultures.
Benchmark 2: The proficient reader identifies characteristics of a wide variety of literary genres in various formats.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. identify fiction and nonfiction and a variety of genres, such as mythology, science fiction, poetry, high fantasy, autobiography, biography, and informational text.
Benchmark 3: The proficient reader demonstrates knowledge of the effects of time periods on literature.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. connect main events in the literature to historical context.
Standard 4: Learners demonstrate skills needed to read and respond to literature.
Benchmark 1: The proficient reader uses literary concepts to interpret literature.
Indicators:
The students:
D 1. identify elements of fiction and drama, such as initiating event, characters' goals, attempts, and outcomes.
D 2. make inferences and draw conclusions about story elements, such as theme, plot, setting, character.
D 3. recognize use of literary devices, such as foreshadowing, flashback, and figurative language.
D 4. recognize elements of exposition, such as definition with example, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, description, sequence.
Benchmark 2: The proficient reader evaluates literature with criteria based on purposes for reading and derived from time periods and cultures.
Indicators:
The students:
° 1. interpret connections between characters and events in literature and people and events in their lives.
° 3. select literature from a variety of perspectives such as biographical, historical, and sociological.
° 4. apply criteria of evaluation, such as author's intent ¤ and appropriate audience.