Standard: Reading
Benchmark: The student reads fluently.
Uses knowledge of conventions and text features to read fluently at instructional or independent reading levels.
Reads expressively with appropriate pace, phrasing, intonation, and rhythm of speech.
Uses knowledge of complex sentence structure to read fluently at instructional or independent reading levels.
Uses a variety of word-recognition strategies to 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 the meaning of words or phrases using context clues (e.g., definitions, restatements, examples, descriptions, comparison-contrast, clue words) from sentences or paragraphs.
Uses synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and homographs to determine the meaning of words.
Understands and uses the references available in the classroom, school, and public libraries that are appropriate to the task.
▲ R.1.3.4 Determines meaning of words through knowledge of word structure (e.g., ▲root words, ▲prefixes, ▲suffixes).
▲ R.1.3.5 Identifies and determines the meaning of figurative language including ▲similes, ▲metaphors, ▲analogies, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, and idioms.
Identifies word connotations and word denotations.
Benchmark: The student comprehends a variety of texts (narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive).
Identifies characteristics of narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive 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) and uses such features to locate information in and to gain meaning from appropriate-level texts.
Uses prior knowledge, content, text type and text features to make, revise, and confirm predictions.
Generates and responds logically to literal, inferential, and critical thinking questions before, during, and after reading the text.
▲ R.1.4.5 Uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions.
▲ R.1.4.6 Analyzes how text structure (e.g., sequence, problem-solution, comparison-contrast, description, cause-effect) helps support comprehension of text.
▲ 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) in one or more appropriate-level texts.
▲ R.1.4.8 Explains cause-effect relationships in appropriate-level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts.
▲ R.1.4.9 Uses paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information (e.g., stated and implied main ideas, main events, important details) from appropriate-level narrative, expository, persuasive, and technical texts in logical order.
▲ 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 Identifies and describes the author's purpose and basic techniques the author uses to achieve that purpose.
Establishes a purpose for reading .
Follows directions explained in technical text.
▲ R.1.4.14 Identifies or describes evidence that supports conclusions in persuasive text.
▲ R.1.4.15 Distinguishes between fact and opinion, and recognizes propaganda (e.g., advertising, media), 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 Describes different aspects of major and minor characters (e.g., their physical traits, personality traits, feelings, actions, motives) and explains how those aspects influence characters' interactions with other characters and elements of the plot, including resolution of the major conflict.
▲ R.2.1.2 Identifies and describes the setting (e.g., environment, time of day or year, historical period, situation, place) and explains the importance of the setting to the story or literary text.
▲ R.2.1.3 Identifies major and minor events related to the conflict in a story (e.g., problem or conflict, climax, resolution) and explains how one event gives rise to another.
Identifies aspects of theme and supports with implied and/or explicit information from the text.
Identifies the use of literary devices.

Standard: Research
Benchmark: The student understands the significance of literature and its contributions various cultures.
Understands the effects history and cultures may have on works of literature.
Compares and contrasts various languages, traditions, and cultures found in literature.
Makes connections between specific aspects of literature from a variety of cultures and personal experiences.
Benchmark: The student uses effective research practices.
Formulates questions in order to create a thesis/hypothesis. Uses knowledge, comprehension, application, Analysis, and synthesis levels of questioning.
Locates and uses a variety of appropriate print and non-print resources to gather information.
Distinguishes between accurate and inaccurate or misleading information.
Selects an appropriate structure for organizing and recording information in a systematic way.
Presents findings and conclusions through a variety of media.
Categorizes relevant information from multiple sources into major components.
Benchmark: The student uses ethical research practices.
Analyzes and understands implications of plagiarism.
Expresses information in own words using evidence and examples.
Cites references for all information used or reproduced from any source.
Constructs a bibliography with author, title, publisher, year, website name and address, and copyright date.