Standard: Reading
Benchmark: The student read fluently.
Adjusts reading rate to support comprehension when reading narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts.
Benchmark: The student expands vocabulary.
▲ R. 1.3.1 Determines meaning of words or phrases using context clues (e.g., definitions, restatements, examples, descriptions, comparison-contrast, clue words, cause-effect) from sentences or paragraphs.
Locates and uses reference materials available in the classroom, school, and public libraries (e.g., dictionaries, thesaurus, internet) that are appropriate to the task.
▲ R. 1.3.3 Determines meaning of words through structural analysis, using knowledge of ▲Greek, ▲Latin, and Anglo-Saxon ▲roots, ▲prefixes, and ▲suffixes to understand complex words, including words in science, mathematics, and social studies.
▲ R. 1.3.4 Identifies, interprets, and analyzes the use of figurative language, including similes, metaphors, analogies, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, idioms, imagery, and symbolism.
Discriminates between connotative and denotative meanings and interprets the connotative power of words.
Benchmark: The student comprehends a variety of texts (narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive).
Identifies characteristics of narrative and technical texts.
▲ R. 1.4.2 Understands the purpose of text features (e.g., title, graphs/charts and maps, table of contents, pictures/illustrations, boldface type, italics, glossary, index, headings, subheadings, topic and summary sentences, captions, sidebars, underlining, numbered or bulleted lists, footnotes, annotations) and uses such features to locate information in and to gain meaning from appropriate-level texts.
Uses prior knowledge, content, and text type features to make, to revise, and to confirm predictions.
▲ R. 1.4.5 Uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions.
▲ R. 1.4.6 Analyzes and evaluates how authors use text structure (e.g., sequence, problem-solution, comparison-contrast, description, cause-effect) to help achieve their purposes.
▲ R. 1.4.7 Compares and contrasts varying aspects (e.g., characters' traits and motives, themes, problem-solution, cause-effect relationships, ideas and concepts, procedures, viewpoints, authors' purposes, persuasive techniques, use of literary devices, thoroughness of supporting evidence) in one or more appropriate-level texts.
▲ R. 1.4.8 Explains and analyzes cause-effect relationships in appropriate-level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts.
▲ R. 1.4.9 Uses paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information (stated and implied main ideas, main events, important details, underlying meaning) from appropriate-level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts in logical or sequential order, clearly preserving the author's intent.
▲ R. 1.4.10 Identifies the topic, main idea(s), supporting details, and theme(s) in text across the content areas and from a variety of sources in appropriate-level texts.
▲ R. 1.4.11 Analyzes and evaluates how an author’s style (e.g., word choice, sentence structure) and use of literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing, flashback, irony, symbolism, tone, mood, satire, imagery, point of view, allusion, overstatement, paradox) work together to achieve his or her purpose for writing text.
▲ R. 1.4.14 Identifies the author's position in a persuasive text, describes techniques the author uses to support that position (e.g., bandwagon approach, glittering generalities, testimonials, citing authority, statistics, other techniques that appeal to reason or emotion), and evaluates the effectiveness of these techniques and the credibility of the information provided.
▲ R. 1.4.15 Distinguishes between fact and opinion, and recognizes propaganda (e.g., advertising, media, politics, warfare), bias, and stereotypes in various types of appropriate-level texts.

Standard: Literature
Benchmark: The student uses literary concepts to interpret and respond to text.
▲ R. 2.1.1 Identifies and describes different types of characters (e.g., protagonist, antagonist, round, flat, static, dynamic) and analyzes the development of characters.
▲ R. 2.1.2 Analyzes the historical, social, and cultural contextual aspects of the setting and their influence on characters and events in the story or literary text.
▲ R. 2.1.3 Analyzes and evaluates how the author uses various plot elements (e.g., problem or conflict, climax, resolution, rising action, falling action, subplots, parallel episodes) to advance the plot and make connections between events.
Identifies, analyzes, and evaluates the use of literary devices (e.g., foreshadowing, irony, figurative language, point of view,) in a text.

Standard: Research
Benchmark: The student uses effective research practices.
Generates relevant, investigating, and researchable questions in order to create a thesis/hypothesis.
Uses knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels of questioning.
Locates appropriate print and non-print information using text and technical resources, periodicals, and book indices, including databases and internet.
Verifies the accuracy, relevance, and completeness of information.
Systematically organizes relevant information to support central ideas, concepts, and themes.
Presents organized statements, reports, and speeches using visuals or media to support meaning, as appropriate.
Documents sources of information using standard format.
Uses a manual or form such as Modern Language Association (MLA).
Benchmark: The student uses ethical research practices.
Analyzes and understands implications and consequences of plagiarism (e.g., ethical, legal, professional).
Expresses information in own words using appropriate organization and grammar, word choice, and tone sufficient to the audience.
Cites references for all sources of information including summarized and paraphrased ideas from other authors.
Constructs a works cited with author, title, publisher, year, website name and address, and copyright date using standard style format (e.g., MLA).