We believe that the development and integration of reading, writing,
thinking, speaking, and listening skills are critical for a student’s
success in all areas of the curriculum. Mindful of individual needs and
learning styles, the Reading/Language Arts program should provide
opportunities for students to utilize their communication skills in a
functional, meaningful manner. WRITING Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process Benchmark 1. Prewriting: Uses prewriting strategies to plan written work (e.g., uses graphic organizers, story maps, and webs; groups related ideas; takes notes; brainstorms ideas; organizes information according to type and purpose of writing) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Organizes information according to the purpose of the writing 2. Uses graphic organizers to plan written work 3. Uses story maps to plan written work 4. Uses webs to plan written work 5. Groups related ideas 6. Takes notes to plan written work 7. Brainstorms ideas appropriate to grades 3-5 8. Organizes information according to the type of writing Benchmark 2. Drafting and Revising: Uses strategies to draft and revise written work (e.g., elaborates on a central idea; writes with attention to audience, word choice, sentence variation; uses paragraphs to develop separate ideas; produces multiple drafts) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses strategies to draft written work appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Uses strategies to revise written work appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Elaborates on a central idea 4. Writes with attention to audience 5. Writes with attention to word choice 6. Writes with attention to sentence variation 7. Uses paragraphs to develop separate ideas 8. Produces multiple drafts Benchmark 3. Editing and Publishing: Uses strategies to edit and publish written work (e.g., edits for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling at a developmentally appropriate level; uses reference materials; considers page format [paragraphs, margins, indentations, titles]; selects presentation format according to purpose; incorporates photos, illustrations, charts, and graphs; uses available technology to compose and publish work) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses strategies to edit written work 2. Uses strategies to publish written work 3. Edits written work for grammar appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Edits written work for punctuation appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Edits written work for capitalization appropriate to grades 3-5 6. Edits written work for spelling at developmentally appropriate level appropriate to grades 3-5 7. Uses reference materials to edit writing 8. Considers page format 9. Considers format of paragraphs 10.Considers format of margins 11.Considers format of indentations 12.Considers format of titles 13.Selects presentation format according to purpose 14.Incorporates photos appropriate to grades 3-5 15.Incorporates illustrations appropriate to grades 3-5 16.Incorporates graphs 17.Incorporates charts 18.Uses technology to compose work appropriate to grades 3-5 19.Uses technology to publish work appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 4. Evaluates own and others’ writing (e.g., determines the best features of a piece of writing, determines how own writing achieves its purposes, asks for feedback, responds to classmates’ writing) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Evaluates own writing appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Evaluates others’ writing appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Determines the best features of a piece of writing 4. Determines how own writing achieves its purposes 5. Asks for feedback 6. Responds to classmates’ writing Benchmark 5. Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, organization, point of view; determines knowledge and interests of audience) to write for different audiences (e.g., self, peers, teachers, adults) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Determines interests of the audience when writing for adults 2. Uses strategies to write for self 3. Uses strategies to write for peers 4. Uses strategies to write for teachers 5. Uses strategies to write for adults 6. Adapts focus to write for different audiences 7. Adapts focus to write for self 8. Adapts focus to write for peers 9. Adapts focus to write for teachers 10.Adapts focus to write for adults 11.Uses organization to write for different audiences 12.Uses organization to write for self 13.Uses organization to write for peers 14.Uses organization to write for teachers 15.Uses organization to write for adults 16.Uses point of view to write for different audiences 17.Uses point of view to write for self 18.Uses point of view to write for peers 19.Uses point of view to write for teachers 20.Uses point of view to write for adults 21.Determines knowledge of audience when writing for different audiences 22.Determines knowledge of audience when writing for peers 23.Determines knowledge of audience when writing for teachers 24.Determines knowledge of audience when writing for adults 25.Determines interests of audience when writing for different audiences 26.Determines interests of audience when writing for peers 27.Determines interests of audience when writing for teachers Benchmark 6. Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, point of view, organization, form) to write for a variety of purposes (e.g., to inform, entertain, explain, describe, record ideas) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses form when writing to record ideas 2. Uses strategies when writing to inform appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Uses strategies when writing to entertain appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Uses strategies when writing to explain appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Uses strategies when writing to describe 6. Uses strategies when writing to record ideas 7. Adapts focus when writing for a variety of purposes 8. Adapts focus when writing to inform 9. Adapts focus when writing to entertain 10.Adapts focus when writing to explain 11.Adapts focus when writing to describe 12.Adapts focus when writing to record ideas 13.Uses point of view to write for a variety of purposes 14.Uses point of view when writing to inform 15.Uses point of view when writing to entertain 16.Uses point of view when writing to explain 17.Uses point of view when writing to describe 18.Uses point of view when writing to record ideas 19.Uses organization to write for a variety of purposes 20.Uses organization when writing to inform 21.Uses organization when writing to entertain 22.Uses organization when writing to explain 23.Uses organization when writing to describe 24.Uses organization when writing to record ideas 25.Uses form to write for a variety of purposes 26.Uses form when writing to inform 27.Uses form when writing to entertain 28.Uses form when writing to explain 29.Uses form when writing to describe Benchmark 7. Writes expository compositions (e.g., identifies and stays on the topic; develops the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations; excludes extraneous and inappropriate information; uses structures such as cause-and-effect, chronology, similarities and differences; uses several sources of information; provides a concluding statement) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Identifies the topic for writing 2. Stays on the topic in writing 3. Develops the topic with simple facts 4. Develops the topic with details 5. Develops the topic with examples 6. Develops the topic with explanations 7. Provides a concluding statement 8. Excludes extraneous information 9. Excludes inappropriate information 10.Uses informational structures 11.Uses cause-and-effect structures to organize ideas in oral presentations 12.Uses chronology to structure writing 13.Uses similarities to structure writing 14.Uses differences to structure writing 15.Uses several sources of information Benchmark 8. Writes narrative accounts, such as poems and stories (e.g., establishes a context that enables the reader to imagine the event or experience; develops characters, setting, and plot; creates an organizing structure; sequences events; uses concrete sensory details; uses strategies such as dialogue, tension, and suspense; uses an identifiable voice) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses an identifiable voice in writing 2. Writes poems 3. Writes stories appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Establishes context to enable reader to imagine the event or experience 5. Develops characters 6. Develops setting 7. Develops plot 8. Creates an organizing structure 9. Sequences events 10.Uses concrete sensory details 11.Uses dialogue in narrative writing 12.Uses tension appropriate to grades 3-5 13.Uses suspense appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 9. Writes autobiographical compositions (e.g., provides a context within which the incident occurs, uses simple narrative strategies, and provides some insight into why this incident is memorable) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Provides insight as to why this incident is memorable 2. Provides context within which incident occurs 3. Uses simple narrative strategies Benchmark 10. Writes expressive compositions (e.g., expresses ideas, reflections, and observations; uses an individual, authentic voice; uses narrative strategies, relevant details, and ideas that enable the reader to imagine the world of the event or experience) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses ideas that enable reader to imagine the world of the event or experience 2. Expresses ideas 3. Expresses reflections 4. Expresses observations 5. Uses an individual, authentic voice 6. Uses narrative strategies 7. Uses relevant details Benchmark 11. Writes in response to literature (e.g., summarizes main ideas and significant details; relates own ideas to supporting details; advances judgments; supports judgments with references to the text, other works, other authors, nonprint media, and personal knowledge) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Supports judgments with personal knowledge 2. Summarizes main ideas 3. Summarizes significant details 4. Relates own ideas to supporting details 5. Advances judgments 6. Supports judgments with references to text 7. Supports judgments with other works 8. Supports judgments with other authors 9. Supports judgments with non-print media Benchmark 12. Writes personal letters (e.g., includes the date, address, greeting, body, and closing; addresses envelopes; includes signature) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Includes signature 2. Writes personal letters including date 3. Writes personal letters including address 4. Writes personal letters including greeting 5. Writes personal letters including body 6. Writes personal letters including closing 7. Addresses envelopes Standard 2: Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing Benchmark 1. Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., common figures of speech, sensory details) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses descriptive language to clarify ideas appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Uses descriptive language to enhance ideas appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Uses common figures of speech 4. Uses sensory words Benchmark 2. Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., indents the first word of a paragraph, uses topic sentences, recognizes a paragraph as a group of sentences about one main idea, uses an introductory and concluding paragraph, writes several related paragraphs) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Writes several related paragraphs 2. Indents the first word of a paragraph 3. Uses topic sentences 4. Recognizes a paragraph as a group of sentences about one main idea 5. Uses an introductory paragraph 6. Uses a concluding paragraph Benchmark 3. Uses a variety of sentence structures in writing (e.g., expands basic sentence patterns, uses exclamatory and imperative sentences) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Expands basic sentence patterns 2. Understands concept of an exclamatory sentence 3. Understands concept of an imperative sentence Standard 3: Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions Benchmark 1. Writes in cursive Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows how individual letters are formed in cursive 2. Forms letters in cursive Benchmark 2. Uses pronouns in written compositions (e.g., substitutes pronouns for nouns, uses pronoun agreement) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the concept of a pronoun 2. Understands the concept of pronoun agreement 3. Substitutes pronouns for nouns 4. Uses pronoun agreement Benchmark 3. Uses nouns in written compositions (e.g., uses plural and singular naming words, forms regular and irregular plurals of nouns, uses common and proper nouns, uses nouns as subjects) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses nouns as subjects 2. Uses plural naming words 3. Uses singular naming words 4. Forms regular plurals of nouns 5. Forms irregular plurals of nouns 6. Uses common nouns in written compositions 7. Uses proper nouns in written compositions Benchmark 4. Uses verbs in written compositions (e.g., uses a wide variety of action verbs, past and present verb tenses, simple tenses, forms of regular verbs, verbs that agree with the subject) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses verbs that agree with the subject 2. Uses a variety of action verbs 3. Uses past verb tenses 4. Uses present verb tenses 5. Uses simple tenses 6. Uses forms of regular verbs 7. Understands the concept of subject-verb agreement Benchmark 5. Uses adjectives in written compositions (e.g., indefinite, numerical, predicate adjectives) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the concept of a predicate adjective 2. Uses indefinite adjectives 3. Uses numerical adjectives 4. Uses predicate adjectives 5. Understands the concept of an indefinite adjective 6. Understands the concept of a numerical adjective Benchmark 6. Uses adverbs in written compositions (e.g., to make comparisons) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses adverbs to make comparisons 2. Understands the concept of a comparative adverb Benchmark 7. Uses coordinating conjunctions in written compositions (e.g., links ideas using connecting words) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the concept of a coordinating conjunction Benchmark 8. Uses negatives in written compositions (e.g., avoids double negatives) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the concept of a double negative 2. Avoids double negatives Benchmark 9. Uses conventions of spelling in written compositions (e.g., spells high frequency, commonly misspelled words from appropriate grade-level list; uses a dictionary and other resources to spell words; uses initial consonant substitution to spell related words; uses vowel combinations for correct spelling; uses contractions, compounds, roots, suffixes, prefixes, and syllable constructions to spell words) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses syllable constructions to spell words 2. Spells high frequency, commonly misspelled words appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Uses a dictionary to spell words appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Uses other resources to spell words appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Uses initial consonant substitution to spell related words 6. Uses vowel combinations for correct spelling 7. Uses contractions to spell words 8. Uses compounds to spell words 9. Uses roots to spell words 10. Uses suffixes to spell words 11. Uses prefixes to spell words Benchmark 10. Uses conventions of capitalization in written compositions (e.g., titles of people; proper nouns [names of towns, cities, counties, and states; days of the week; months of the year; names of streets; names of countries; holidays]; first word of direct quotations; heading, salutation, and closing of a letter) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Capitalizes the closing of a letter 2. Capitalizes titles of people 3. Capitalizes proper nouns 4. Capitalizes names of towns 5. Capitalizes names of cities 6. Capitalizes names of countries 7. Capitalizes holidays 8. Capitalizes the first word of direct quotations 9. Capitalizes names of states 10. Capitalizes days of week 11. Capitalizes months of the year 12. Capitalizes names of streets 13. Capitalizes the heading of a letter 14. Capitalizes the salutation of a letter Benchmark 11. Uses conventions of punctuation in written compositions (e.g., uses periods after imperative sentences and in initials, abbreviations, and titles before names; uses commas in dates and addresses and after greetings and closings in a letter; uses apostrophes in contractions and possessive nouns; uses quotation marks around titles and with direct quotations; uses a colon between hour and minutes) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses a colon between hour and minutes 2. Uses periods after imperative sentences 3. Uses periods in initials 4. Uses periods in abbreviations 5. Uses periods in titles before names 6. Uses commas in dates 7. Uses commas in addresses 8. Uses commas after greetings in a letter 9. Uses commas after the closing of a letter 10. Uses apostrophes in contractions 11. Uses apostrophes in possessive nouns 12. Uses quotation marks with direct quotations 13. Uses quotation marks around titles Standard 4: Gathers and uses information for research purposes Benchmark 1. Uses a variety of strategies to plan research (e.g., identifies possible topic by brainstorming, listing questions, using idea webs; organizes prior knowledge about a topic; develops a course of action; determines how to locate necessary information) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Determines how to locate necessary information 2. Identifies possible topics by brainstorming 3. Identifies possible topics by listing questions 4. Identifies possible topics by using idea webs 5. Organizes prior knowledge about topic 6. Develops a course of action Benchmark 2. Uses encyclopedias to gather information for research topics Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows the type of information found in encyclopedias Benchmark 3. Uses dictionaries to gather information for research topics Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows the type of information found in dictionaries Benchmark 4. Uses electronic media to gather information (e.g., databases, Internet, CD-ROM, television shows, cassette recordings, videos, pull-down menus, word searches) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses word searches to gather information 2. Uses databases to gather information appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Uses the Internet to gather information appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Uses a CD-ROM to gather information 5. Uses television shows to gather information 6. Uses cassette recordings to gather information 7. Uses videos to gather information appropriate to 3-5 8. Uses pull-down menus to gather information Benchmark 5. Uses key words, guide words, alphabetical and numerical order, indexes, cross-references, and letters on volumes to find information for research topics Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses key words to find information for research topics 2. Uses guide words to find information for research topics 3. Uses alphabetical order to find information for research topics 4. Uses numerical order to find information for research topics 5. Uses indexes to find information for research topics 6. Uses cross references to find information for research topics 7. Uses letters on volumes to find information for research topics Benchmark 6. Uses multiple representations of information (e.g., maps, charts, photos, diagrams, tables) to find information for research topics Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses tables to find information 2. Uses maps to find information 3. Uses charts to find information 4. Uses photos to find information 5. Uses diagrams to find information Benchmark 7. Uses strategies to gather and record information for research topics (e.g., uses notes, maps, charts, graphs, tables, and other graphic organizers; paraphrases and summarizes information; gathers direct quotes; provides narrative descriptions) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses strategies to gather information for research topics 2. Uses strategies to record information for research topics 3. Uses notes to record information appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Uses maps to record information 5. Uses charts to record information 6. Uses graphs to record information 7. Uses tables to record information 8. Uses graphic organizers to record information 9. Paraphrases information 10. Summarizes information 11. Gathers direct quotes 12. Provides narrative descriptions Benchmark 8. Uses strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporates notes into a finished product; includes simple facts, details, explanations, and examples; draws conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data from different sources; uses appropriate visual aids and media) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses strategies to compile information into written reports 2. Uses strategies to compile information into written summaries 3. Incorporates notes into finished product 4. Includes simple facts in research report 5. Includes details in research report 6. Includes explanations in research report 7. Includes examples in research reports 8. Draws conclusions from relationships that emerge from data from different sources 9. Draws conclusions from patterns that emerge from data from different sources 10. Uses visual aids appropriate to grades 3-5 11. Uses visual media in oral presentations appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 9. Cites information sources (e.g., quotes or paraphrases information sources, lists resources used by title) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Lists resources used by title 2. Quotes information sources 3. Paraphrases information READING Standard 5: Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process Benchmark 1. Previews text (e.g., skims material; uses pictures, textual clues, and text format) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses text format to preview text 2. Skims material to preview a text 3. Uses pictures to preview text 4. Uses textual clues to preview text Benchmark 2. Establishes a purpose for reading (e.g., for information, for pleasure, to understand a specific viewpoint) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Reads to understand a specific viewpoint 2. Reads for information 3. Reads for pleasure appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 3. Makes, confirms, and revises simple predictions about what will be found in a text (e.g., uses prior knowledge and ideas presented in text, illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing clues) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Makes predictions about what is found in the text 2. Confirms predictions about what is found in the text 3. Revises predictions about what is found in the text 4. Uses prior knowledge to make predictions 5. Uses ideas presented in text to make predictions 6. Uses illustrations to make predictions 7. Uses titles to make predictions 8. Uses topic sentences to make predictions 9. Uses key words to make predictions 10. Uses foreshadowing clues to make predictions Benchmark 4. Uses phonetic and structural analysis techniques, syntactic structure, and semantic context to decode unknown words (e.g., vowel patterns, complex word families, syllabication, root words, affixes) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses phonetic techniques to decode unknown words 2. Uses structural analysis techniques to decode unknown words 3. Uses syntactic structure to decode unknown words 4. Uses semantic context to decode unknown words 5. Uses vowel patterns to decode unknown words 6. Uses complex word families to decode unknown words 7. Uses syllabication to decode unknown words 8. Uses root words to decode unknown words appropriate to grades 3-5 9. Uses affixes to decode unknown words Benchmark 5. Use a variety of context clues to decode unknown words (e.g., draws on earlier reading, reads ahead) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Reads ahead to decode unknown words 2. Draws on earlier reading to decode unknown words Benchmark 6. Uses word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus) to determine the meaning, pronunciation, and derivations of unknown words Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses word reference materials to determine the meaning of unknown words 2. Uses word reference materials to determine the pronunciation of unknown words 3. Uses word reference materials to determine derivations of unknown words 4. Uses glossaries to determine the meaning of unknown words 5. Uses dictionaries to determine the pronunciation of unknown words 6. Uses thesaurus to determine derivations of unknown words Benchmark 7. Understands level-appropriate reading vocabulary (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homophones, multi-meaning words) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands reading vocabulary 2. Understands synonyms appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Understands antonyms appropriate to 3-5 4. Understands homophones 5. Understands multi-meaning words Benchmark 8. Monitors own reading strategies and makes modifications as needed (e.g., recognizes when he or she is confused by a section of text, questions whether the text makes sense) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Monitors own reading strategies 2. Makes modifications to reading strategies 3. Recognizes when he/she is confused by a section of text 4. Questions whether or not the text makes sense Benchmark 9. Adjusts speed of reading to suit purpose and difficulty of the material Knowledge/skill statements 1. Adjusts speed of reading to suit purpose of material 2. Adjusts speed of reading to suit difficulty of material Benchmark 10. Understands the author’s purpose (e.g., to persuade, to inform) or point of view Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows when an author’s purpose is to persuade 2. Knows when an author’s purpose is to inform 3. Understands an author’s point of view appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 11. Uses personal criteria to select reading material (e.g., personal interest, knowledge of authors and genres, text difficulty, recommendations of others) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses recommendations of others to select reading material 2. Uses personal interest to select reading material 3. Uses knowledge of authors to select reading material 4. Uses knowledge of genres to select reading material 5. Uses text difficulty to select reading material Standard 6: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts Benchmark 1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of literary passages and texts (e.g., fairy tales, folktales, fiction, nonfiction, myths, poems, fables, fantasies, historical fiction, biographies, autobiographies, chapter books) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Reads fairy tales appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Reads folktales appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Reads fiction appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Reads nonfiction appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Reads myths appropriate to grades 3-5 6. Reads poems appropriate to grades 3-5 7. Reads fables 8. Reads fantasies 9. Reads historical fiction 10. Reads biographies 11. Reads autobiographies 12. Reads chapter books Benchmark 2. Knows the defining characteristics of a variety of literary forms and genres ( e.g., fairy tales, folk tales, fiction, nonfiction, myths, poems, fables, fantasies, historical fiction, biographies, autobiographies, chapter books) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows the defining characteristics of chapter books 2. Knows the defining characteristics of various genres 3. Knows the defining characteristics of fairy tales 4. Knows the defining characteristics of folk tales 5. Knows the defining characteristics of fiction appropriate to grades 3-5 6. Knows the defining characteristics of nonfiction appropriate to grades 3-5 7. Knows the defining characteristics of myths appropriate to grades 3-5 8. Knows the defining characteristics of poems appropriate to grades 3-5 9. Knows the defining characteristics of fables 10. Knows the defining characteristics of fantasies appropriate to grades 3-5 11. Knows the defining characteristics of historical fiction 12. Knows the defining characteristics of biographies appropriate to grades 3-5 13. Knows the defining characteristics of autobiographies appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 3. Understands the basic concept of plot (e.g., main problem, conflict, resolution, cause-and-effect) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands cause-and-effect in the plot of a story 2. Understands the main problem in the plot of a story 3. Understands conflict in the plot of a story 4. Understands the concept of resolution in the plot of a story Benchmark 4. Understands similarities and differences within and among literary works from various genre and cultures (e.g., in terms of settings, character types, events, point of view; role of natural phenomena) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands similarities among literary works from various genres 2. Understands differences among literary works from various genre 3. Understands similarities within literary works from a particular culture 4. Understands similarities among literary works from various cultures 5. Understands differences within literary works from a particular culture 6. Understands differences among literary works from various cultures 7. Understands similarities in literary works in terms of events 8. Understands similarities in literary works in terms of character types 9. Understands similarities in literary works in terms of point of views 10. Understands similarities in literary works in terms of settings 11. Understands similarities in literary works in terms of role of natural phenomena 12. Understands differences in literary works in terms of settings P 13. Understands differences in literary works in terms of character types P 14. Understands differences in literary works in terms of events P 15. Understands differences in literary works in terms of point of views 16. Understands differences in literary works in terms of role of natural phenomena Benchmark 5. Understands elements of character development in literary works (e.g., differences between main and minor characters; stereotypical characters as opposed to fully developed characters; changes that characters undergo; the importance of a character’s actions, motives, and appearance to plot and theme) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the importance of a character’s appearance to plot and theme 2. Understands differences between main and minor characters 3. Understands changes that characters undergo 4. Understands the importance of characters’ actions to the plot and theme 5. Understands the importance of characters’ motives to the plot and theme 6. Identifies stereotypical characters in literary works Benchmark 6. Knows themes that recur across literary works Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the concept of a recurring theme Benchmark 7. Understands the ways in which language is used in literary texts (e.g., personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery, hyperbole, rhythm) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands the use of rhythm in literary texts 2. Understands the use of personification in literary texts 3. Understands the use of alliteration in literary texts 4. Understands the use of onomatopoeia in literary texts 5. Understands the use of simile in literary texts 6. Understands the use of metaphor in literary texts 7. Understands the use of imagery in literary texts 8. Understands the use of hyperbole in literary texts Benchmark 8. Makes connections between characters or simple events in a literary work and people or events in his or her own life Knowledge/skill statements 1. Makes connections between characters in literary work and people in his/her own life 2. Makes connections between characters in literary work and events in his/her own life 3. Makes connections between events in literary work and people in his/her own life 4. Makes connections between events in literary work and events in his/her own life Standard 7: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts Benchmark 1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e.g., textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Reads textbooks appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Reads biographical sketches appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Reads letters appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Reads diaries appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Reads directions appropriate to grades 3-5 6. Reads procedures appropriate to grades 3-5 7. Reads magazines appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 2. Knows the defining characteristics of a variety of informational texts (e.g., textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows characteristics of biographical sketches appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Knows characteristics of letters appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Knows characteristics of diaries appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Knows characteristics of directions appropriate to grades 3-5 5. Knows characteristics of procedures appropriate to grades 3-5 6. Knows characteristics of magazines appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 3. Uses text organizers (e.g., headings, topic and summary sentences, graphic features, typeface, chapter titles) to determine the main ideas and to locate information in a text Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses text organizers to determine main ideas 2. Uses headings to determine main ideas 3. Uses topic sentences to determine main ideas 4. Uses summary sentences to determine main ideas 5. Uses graphic features to determine main ideas 6. Uses typeface to determine main ideas 7. Uses chapter titles to determine main ideas 8. Uses text organizers to locate information in text 9. Uses headings to locate information in text 10. Uses topic sentences to locate information in text 11. Uses summary sentences to locate information in text 12. Uses graphic features to locate information in text 13. Uses typeface to locate information in text 14. Uses chapter titles to locate information in text Benchmark 4. Uses the various parts of a book (e.g., index, table of contents, glossary, appendix, preface) to locate information Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses the index to locate information 2. Uses the table of contents to locate information 3. Uses the glossary to locate information 4. Uses the appendix to locate information 5. Uses the preface to locate information Benchmark 5. Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts (e.g., includes the main idea and significant supporting details of a reading selection) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Summarizes information in texts appropriate to grades 3-5 2. Paraphrases information in texts appropriate to grades 3-5 3. Includes main idea when summarizing or paraphrasing a reading selection 4. Includes supporting details when summarizing or paraphrasing information Benchmark 6. Uses prior knowledge and experience to understand and respond to new information Knowledge/skill statements 1. Use prior knowledge to understand and respond to new information 2. Uses prior experience to understand and respond to new information Benchmark 7. Understands structural patterns or organization in informational texts (e.g., chronological, logical, or sequential order; compare-and-contrast; cause-and-effect; proposition and support) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands structural patterns in informational text 2. Understands the organization of informational text 3. Understands the use of chronological order in informational texts 4. Understands the use of logical order in informational texts 5. Understands the use of sequential order in informational texts 6. Understands the use of compare-and-contrast in informational texts 7. Understands the use of cause-and-effect in informational texts 8. Understands the use of proposition and support patterns in informational texts LISTENING AND SPEAKING Standard 8: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes Benchmark 1. Contributes to group discussions Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows appropriate times to contribute to group discussions 2. Knows appropriate ways to contribute to group discussions Benchmark 2. Asks questions in class (e.g., when he or she is confused, to seek others’ opinions and comments) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Asks questions if confused 2. Seeks others opinions by asking questions 3. Seeks others comments by asking questions Benchmark 3. Responds to questions and comments (e.g., gives reasons in support of opinions, responds to others’ ideas) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Answers questions appropriate to 3-5 2. Responds to comments 3. Gives reasons in support of opinions 4. Responds to others’ ideas Benchmark 4. Listens to classmates and adults (e.g., does not interrupt, faces the speaker, asks questions, summarizes or paraphrases to confirm understanding, gives feedback, eliminates barriers to effective listening) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Listens to classmates 2. Listens to adults 3. Does not interrupt when listening 4. Faces the speaker when listening 5. Asks questions to obtain information appropriate to 3-5 from a speaker 6. Summarizes to confirm understanding of a speakers message 7. Paraphrases to confirm understanding of a speakers message 8. Gives feedback to a speaker 9. Eliminates barriers to effective listening Benchmark 5. Uses strategies to convey a clear main point when speaking (e.g., expresses ideas in a logical manner, uses specific vocabulary to establish tone and present information) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Expresses ideas in logical manner when speaking 2. Uses vocabulary to establish tone when speaking 3. Uses vocabulary to present information when speaking Benchmark 6. Uses level-appropriate vocabulary in speech (e.g., familiar idioms, similes, word play) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses familiar idioms in speech 2. Uses similes in speech 3. Uses word play in speech Benchmark 7. Makes basic oral presentations to class (e.g., uses subject-related information and vocabulary; includes content appropriate to the audience; relates ideas and observations; incorporates visual aids or props; incorporates several sources of information) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses subject-related information in oral presentations 2. Uses subject-related vocabulary in oral presentations 3. Includes content appropriate to audience in oral presentations 4. Relates ideas in oral presentations 5. Relates observations in oral presentations 6. Incorporates visual aids or props in oral presentations 7. Incorporates sources of information Benchmark 8. Uses a variety of nonverbal communication skills (e.g., eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, posture) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses eye contact appropriate to grades 3-5 in speaking situations 2. Uses gestures in speaking situations 3. Uses facial expressions in speaking situations 4. Uses posture appropriate to grades 3-5 in speaking situations Benchmark 9. Uses a variety of verbal communication skills (e.g., projection, tone, volume, rate, articulation, pace, phrasing) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses projection to enhance oral communication 2. Uses tone appropriate to grades 3-5 to enhance oral communication 3. Uses volume appropriate to grades 3-5 to enhance oral communication 4. Uses rate to enhance oral communication 5. Uses articulation to enhance oral communication 6. Uses pace to enhance oral communication 7. Uses phrasing to enhance oral communication Benchmark 10. Organizes ideas for oral presentations (e.g., uses an introduction and conclusion; uses notes or other memory aids; organizes ideas around major points, in sequence, or chronologically; uses traditional structures, such as cause-and-effect, similarity and difference, posing and answering a question; uses details, examples, and anecdotes to clarify information) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Uses an introduction in oral presentations 2. Uses a conclusion in oral presentations 3. Uses notes for oral presentations appropriate to grades 3-5 4. Uses memory aids for oral presentations 5. Organizes ideas around major points in a sequence in oral presentations 6. Organizes ideas around major points chronologically in oral presentations 7. Uses traditional structures to organize ideas in oral presentations 8. Uses cause-and-effect structures to organize ideas in oral presentations 9. Uses similarity to organize ideas in oral presentations 10. Uses differences to organize ideas in oral presentations 11. Poses and answers questions as a method of organizing ideas in oral presentations 12. Uses details to clarify ideas in oral presentations 13. Uses examples to clarify ideas in oral presentations 14. Uses anecdotes to clarify information in oral presentations Benchmark 11. Listens for specific information in spoken texts (e.g., plot details or information about a character in a short story read aloud, information about a familiar topic from a radio broadcast) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Listens for plot details in short story read aloud 2. Listens for information about character in short story read aloud 3. Listens for information about familiar topic from radio broadcast Benchmark 12. Understands the main ideas and supporting details in spoken texts (e.g., presentations by peers or quest speakers, a current affairs report on the radio) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands main ideas in spoken texts 2. Understands supporting details in spoken texts 3. Understands presentations given by peers 4. Understands presentations given by guest speakers 5. Understands current affairs given on radio Benchmark 13. Listens to and understands persuasive messages (e.g., television commercials, commands and requests, pressure from peers) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands persuasive messages in television commercials 2. Understands persuasive messages that use commands 3. Understands persuasive messages that use requests 4. Understands persuasive messages that use peer pressure Benchmark 14. Interprets the use of nonverbal cues used in conversation Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows the meaning of a variety of verbal cues 2. Knows the meaning of a variety of nonverbal cues Benchmark 15. Knows specific ways in which language is used in real-life situations (e.g., buying something from a shopkeeper, requesting something from a parent, arguing with a sibling, talking to a friend) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows that language is used differently in different situations 2. Knows language that might be used to request something from parent 3. Knows language that might be used to argue with sibling 4. Knows language that might be used to talk with a friend 5. Knows language that might be used in commercial transactions Benchmark 16. Understands that language reflects different regions and cultures (e.g., sayings; expressions; usage; oral traditions and customs; historical, geographical, and societal influences on language) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands sayings that reflect different regions or cultures 2. Understands expressions that reflect different regions or cultures 3. Understands different language usage in different regions and cultures 4. Understands oral traditions 5. Understands oral customs 6. Understands historical influences on language 7. Understands geographical influence on language 8. Understands societal influences on language 9. Understands that language reflects different regions 10. Understands that language reflects different cultures VIEWING Standard 9: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media Benchmark 1. Understands different messages conveyed through visual media (e.g., main ideas and supporting details; facts and opinions; main characters, setting, and sequence of events in visual narratives) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands messages conveyed through visual media 2. Understands main ideas in visual media 3. Understands how different tones of voice in audio productions convey messages 4. Understands adjustments made to convey messages to various audiences 5. Understands opinions in visual media 6. Understands main characters in visual media 7. Understands setting in visual narratives 8. Understands sequence of events in visual narratives Benchmark 2. Understands techniques used to convey messages in visual media (e.g., animation; different tones of voice in audio productions; adjusting messages for different audiences) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands how animation conveys messages 2. Understands how different tones of voice in audio productions convey messages 3. Understands adjustments made to convey messages to various audiences Benchmark 3. Knows that film and television have features that identify different genres (e.g., style of dress, setting in a western or a drama) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows how style of dress in film and television helps identify genre 2. Knows how the setting in a western helps identify its genre 3. Knows how the setting in a drama helps identify its genre Benchmark 4. Understands the different ways in which people are stereotyped in visual media (e.g., clever people wearing glasses, mothers working at home, scientists wearing white coats; super heroes; people from different socio-cultural or minority groups) and understands that people could have been represented differently Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands people could be represented differently in visual media 2. Knows the stereotype of clever people wearing glasses in visual media 3. Knows the stereotype of mothers working at home in visual media 4. Knows the stereotype of scientists wearing white coats in visual media 5. Knows the stereotypes of super heroes in visual media 6. Knows the stereotype of people from different socio-cultural in visual media 7. Knows the stereotype of people from minority groups in visual media Benchmark 5. Understands techniques used to establish mood in visual media (e.g., use of camera angles and distances to create a specific feeling or point of view, tension heightened by dramatic music, sound effects such as a heartbeat or squeaking chair, use of a deep voice, somber lighting to imply mystery or fear) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands use of camera angles to create feeling in visual media 2. Understands use of camera angles to create point of view in visual media 3. Understands use of camera distance to create feeling in visual media 4. Understands use of camera distance to create point of view in visual media 5. Understands tension heightened by dramatic music in visual media 6. Understands sound effects may imply mystery in visual media 7. Understands sound effects may imply fear in visual media 8. Understands heartbeat sound effect may imply mystery or fear in visual media 9. Understands squeaking chair sound effects may imply mystery or fear in visual media 10. Understands use of deep voice may imply mystery or fear in visual media 11. Understands somber lighting may imply mystery or fear in visual media Benchmark 6. Understands the use and meaning of symbols and images in visual media (e.g., the use of color, such as red to represent emotion, anger, or excitement; the use of expressions, such as smiling to mean happiness; the dependence of symbols on shared social and cultural understandings; symbolic links between product names or logos and products) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands use of symbols in visual media 2. Understands use of images in visual media 3. Understands meaning of symbols in visual media 4. Understands meaning of images in visual media 5. Understands use of color in visual media 6. Understands the color red represents emotion in visual media 7. Understands the color red represents anger in visual media 8. Understands the color red represents excitement in visual media 9. Understands use of expressions in visual media 10. Understands smiling expression means happiness 11. Understands that symbols depend on shared social understandings 12. Understands that symbols depend on shared cultural understandings 13. Understands symbolic links between product names and products 14. Understands symbolic links between product logos and products Benchmark 7. Understands basic elements of advertising in visual media (e.g., sales approaches and techniques aimed at children, appealing elements used in memorable commercials, possible reasons for the choice of specific visual images) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands possible reasons for choice of visual images in advertising 2. Understands sales approaches aimed at children in advertising 3. Understands techniques aimed at children in advertising 4. Understands appealing elements uses in memorable commercials MEDIA Standard 10: Understands the characteristics and components of the media Benchmark 1. Knows the main formats and characteristics of familiar media (e.g., the format of quiz shows on television: host/hostess, contestants, competition for prizes of commercial value; types of advertising such as billboards, T-shirts, or commercials; characteristics of films and magazines) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows formats of familiar media 2. Knows characteristics of familiar media 3. Knows format of quiz shows on television 4. Knows the role of host or hostess on quiz shows 5. Knows the role of contestants on quiz shows 6. Knows about competition for prizes on quiz shows 7. Knows types of advertising 8. Knows billboards as a type of advertising 9. Knows t-shirts as a type of advertising 10. Knows commercials as a type of advertising 11. Knows characteristics of films 12. Knows characteristics of magazines appropriate to grades 3-5 Benchmark 2. Understands similarities and differences among a variety of media (e.g., ways in which documentary films, the Internet, and the radio present similar information; similar categories, such as news and feature stories in magazines, tabloid newspapers, and on television; literary elements in film and written stories) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands similarities among media 2. Understands differences among media 3. Understands ways documentary films present information 4. Understands ways the internet presents information 5. Understands ways the radio presents information 6. Understands similar categories of media 7. Understands that news and feature stories in magazines are similar 8. Understands that tabloid newspapers and television are similar 9. Understands that literary elements in film and written stories are similar Benchmark 3. Knows that a variety of people are involved in the creation of media messages and products (e.g., actors, directors, cinematographers, producers, scriptwriters, graphic artists, illustrators, news photographers) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Knows variety of people involved in creation of media messages 2. Knows people involved in creation of media products 3. Knows actors are involved in creation of media 4. Knows directors are involved in creation of media 5. Knows cinematographers are involved in creation of media 6. Knows producers are involved in creation of media 7. Knows scriptwriters are involved in creation of media 8. Knows graphic artists are involved in creation of media 9. Knows illustrators are involved in creation of media 10. Knows news photographers are involved in creation of media Benchmark 4. Understands that media messages and products are composed of a series of separate elements (e.g., shots in movies, sections of a newspaper) Knowledge/skill statements 1. Understands media messages are composed of a series of separate elements 2. Understands media products are composed of a series of separate elements 3. Understands that separate shots in movies compose the film as a whole 4. Understands that different sections make up a newspaper |
3-5 Language Arts |