standard e1-2.3 informational texts nonprint...

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Standard E1-2.3 The students will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in English 1 read informational

(expository/persuasive/argumentative) texts of the following types: historical

documents, research reports, essays (e.g., social, political, scientific, historical, natural history), position papers (e.g., persuasive brochures, campaign literature), editorials, letters to the editor, informational trade books, textbooks, news and

feature articles, magazine articles, advertisements, encyclopedia entries, journals, speeches, reviews (e.g., book, movie, product),contracts, instruction manuals,

product-support materials, and application forms.. They also read directions, schedules, and recipes, embedded in informational texts. In addition, they examine commercials, documentaries, and other forms of nonprint informational texts.

The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to more

difficult texts.

Indicator E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author’s bias such as word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information and unsupported information.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Analyze: Break material into its constituent parts and determine how the parts

relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose.

Example: A student might analyze of author’s bias by identifying images in a video that show the farming industry in a negative light.

Explanation of Indicator Author’s bias is a personal and largely unreasoned judgment either for or against a

particular person, position, or thing—a prejudice. Word choice is the effective use of the words to enhance style, tone, or clarity in writing or speaking. Bias can be

favorable or unfavorable, and can be used to sway an audience. Instructional Progression of Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for the author bias differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand author bias?

Students must be able to differentiate between fact and opinion. Students must be able to identify relevant facts and other types

of support for opinions. Relevant facts are those that are clearly applicable to the judgment. Support for opinions includes (but is not limited to) explanations, examples, anecdotes, statistics,

and logical reasons. Students must be able to identify sufficiently supported

opinions.

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Students must be able to understand the effect of word choice on a text.

Within author’s bias, what have students been taught and what

will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade. K-2.3 Exemplify facts in texts read aloud.

1-2.3 Understand the difference between fact and opinion. 2-2.3 Distinguish between facts and opinions in informational

texts. 3-2.3 Distinguish between facts and opinions in informational texts. 4-2.3 Analyze informational texts to locate and identify facts and

opinions. 5-2.3 Analyze a given text to detect author bias by locating

indicators such as unsupported opinions. 6-2.3 Understand indicators of an author’s bias such as the

omission of relevant facts and statement of unsupported

opinions. 7-2.3 Identify indicators of author bias such as word choice and

the exclusion and inclusion of particular information. 8-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author bias such

as word choice and the exclusion and inclusion of particular information.

E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author bias such

as word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinion.

E2-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author bias such as word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinion.

E3-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author bias such as word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information, and unsupported opinion. E4-2.3 Analyze informational texts for indicators of author bias such

as word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information, and unsupported opinion.

When teaching author’s bias, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas? E1-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to

make inferences. E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron and paradox). E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the

use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony,

and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E1-1.7 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to

derive pleasure.

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E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts.

E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

E1-2.5 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to gain information.

E1-2.8 Analyze the informational texts to identify propaganda

techniques. E1-3.3 Interpret the connotations of words to understand the

meaning of a given text. E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an

introduction and a conclusion, include coherent thesis, and use

support such as definitions and descriptions. E1-5.1 Produce clear and concise career-oriented/ technical writings

such as business letters, resumes, technical reports, and informational analyses.

E1-5.2 Create narratives such as personal essays, memoirs, and

narrative poems that use descriptive language to enhance character and setting.

E1-5.4 Create persuasive writings such as editorials, essays, speeches, or reports that address a specific audience and

support a clearly stated thesis with facts, statistics, and/or first-hand accounts.

E1-6.5 Create written works and oral and visual presentations that

are designed for the particular audience and purpose. E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic,

constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and organizing information.

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this

indicator, the verb is “analyze.” Students should be challenged to analyze author’s bias is a variety of informational texts and to demonstrate how author bias contributes to the overall meaning and effect of the text. When it is time for

assessment, students should be asked to show what they have learned in the same way they were taught, using cold text (text the students have not previously

experienced). Students should not be given a list of terms to match with definitions because this does not allow them the opportunity to understand.

The teacher may provide examples of print or nonprint informational text that is biased for students to determine how bias impacts the intended message of the

piece. The teacher may provide a letter to the editor for students to determine the bias of the piece. Students can examine positively or negatively biased print or nonprint texts and revise them in an unbiased form.

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Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

Considine, David M. and Gail E. Haley. Visual Messages: Integrating Imagery into

Instruction. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas Press, 1999.

Christel, Mary T. and Scott Sullivan, eds. Lesson Plans for Creating Media-Rich

Classrooms. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, 2007.

Olsen, Carol Booth. The Reading/Writing Connection. New York: Pearson, 2007.

Portalupi, Joann and Ralph Fletcher. Nonfiction Craft Lessons. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse Publishers, 2001.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.Readwritethink.org

For additional Internet sources, use the following search terms: fact/opinion propaganda

persuasion techniques audience analysis

http://www.readwritethink.org/

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Standard E1-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in English 1 read four major types of literary texts: fiction, literary

nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the

following specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, science fiction, folktales, myths, satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the category of literary nonfiction,

they read classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems, lyrical

poems, humorous poems, free verse odes, songs/ballads, and epics. The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to more

difficult texts

Indicator E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the


and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Analyze: Break material into its constituent parts and determine how the parts

relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose.

Explanation of Indicator

Author’s craft is the use of specific techniques that an author chooses to relay an intended message. Author’s craft includes tone and the use of imagery, flashback,

foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion. Tone is the writer’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience conveyed through the choice of words and details. Imagery is language that creates a sensory impression within the reader’s mind;

flashback is the technique of disrupting the chronological flow of a narrative by interjecting events that have occurred at an earlier time; foreshadowing is the use

of hints or clues to suggest future action; symbolism is the author’s use of an object, person, place, or an event that has both a meaning in itself and stands for something larger than itself; irony is the discrepancy between what one says and

what one means, what a character believes and what a reader knows, or between what actually occurs and what one expects to occur; and allusion is a brief

reference to a historical, mythological, or literary person, place, thing, or event. Author’s craft is a broad term for how an author intentionally uses techniques to

create meaning and feeling for the reader. For example, to convey tone, an author may intentionally use slang when writing the thoughts or dialogue of a teen-aged

character or use academic language to represent the thoughts or dialogue of a scholarly character. Students might demonstrate analyzing the effect of author’s craft by showing how the meaning of a text changes when one of the elements of

author’s craft is changed or eliminated from a work.

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Instructional Progression of Indicator The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some

areas of focus for the study of author’s craft differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand author’s craft?

Students must understand and know how to identify and

interpret tone, imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion.

Students must be able to talk and write independently about these techniques.

Students need to demonstrate their ability to isolate the

elements of author’s craft and their effects on meaning.

Within author’s craft, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

K-1.5 Understand how the author’s choice of words affects the meaning of the text.

1-1.5 Understand how elements of the author’s craft such as word choice affect the meaning of a given literary text.

2-1.5 Understand the effect of the author’s craft, such as word choice and the use of repetition, on the meaning of a given literary text.

3-1.5 Understand the effect of the author’s craft, such as word choice and sentence structure, on the meaning of a given

literary text. 4-1.5 Understand the effect of an author’s craft—such as word

choice, sentence structure, the use of figurative language,

and the use of dialogue—on the meaning of literary texts. 5-1.5 Understand the effect of an author’s craft—such as tone and

the use of figurative language, dialogue, and imagery—on the meaning of literary texts.

6-1.5 Understand the effect of an author’s craft (including tone and

the use of flashback and foreshadowing) on the meaning of literary texts.

7-1.5 Interpret the effect of an author’s craft (including tone and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, and irony) on the meaning of literary texts.

8-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism,

irony, and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the


and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E2-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the

use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts.

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E3-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony,

and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E4-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the


When teaching author’s craft, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

Students in English 1 will use author’s craft as they interact with other indicators such as E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron, and paradox) on the meaning of literary texts.

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods such as written works, oral presentations, media productions, and the visual and performing arts.

E1-1.7 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to derive pleasure.

E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods such as drawings, written works, oral presentations,

and media productions. E1-2.8 Analyze informational texts to identify propaganda techniques. E1-4 All indicators as students respond in writing.

E1-5 All indicators as students respond in writing.

Classroom Assessments Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “analyze.” Students should be challenged to construct

meaning from author’s craft and to demonstrate how author’s craft contributes to the overall meaning of the text. When it’s time for assessment, students should be

asked to show what they have learned in the same way they were taught, using cold text (text that the students have not previously experienced). Students should not be given a list of terms to match with definitions because this does not allow

them the opportunity to analyze, or break into parts and relate to the whole.

The teacher may provide a passage that is particularly humorous, eerie, depressing, or optimistic for students to analyze and to determine how the author’s craft created the intended effect. Through reading the works of professional writers,

the students can replicate the author’s craft in their own writing. Students can also demonstrate the use of author’s craft in original pieces.

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Dean, Nancy. Discovering Voice. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House, 2006.

---. Voice Lessons. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House, 2000.

King, Stephen. On Writing. New York: Pocket Books, 2000.

Olsen, Carol Booth. The Reading Writing Connection. New York: Pearson, 2007.

Schaffer, Jane. Teaching Style Analysis to Advanced Placement English Students.

San Diego: Jane Schaffer Publications, 2002.

Nonprint Materials http://www.Learnnc.org

http://www.Englishcompanion.com

http://www.Readwritethink.org

http://www.itv.myetv.org For additional Internet sources, use the following search terms:

style author’s craft

imagery flashback foreshadowing

symbolism irony

http://www.learnnc.org/

http://www.englishcompanion.com/


http://www.itv.myetv.org/

May 26, 2009 1



nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the following specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical

fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, young adult novels, science fiction, folktales, myths, satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and

biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems, lyrical poems, humorous poems, free verse, odes, songs/ballads,

and epics.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Compare/Contrast Detecting correspondences between two ideas,

objects, and the like

Explanation of the Indicator Reading is a problem-solving process that is active and reflective. Readers do not simply read words; they “read” ideas that spring from a particular combination of

words. Making inferences is one skill readers use to derive meaning from text and is the act or process of drawing a conclusion based on what the reader, listener, or

viewer already knows either from prior knowledge, observations, or evidence found in the text. Authors imply through facts and details; therefore, readers have to infer.

In English 1, students might need some extended practice in comparing and

contrasting in reading as well as composing. Students who write to compare or contrast will gain valuable experience with this skill.

The key to this indicator is found in the verb “compare/contrast” which implies the use of more than one text linked by theme, author, genre, or historical time period.

Students should have experiences with a variety of print and nonprint literary text that allow them to compare/contrast inferences and conclusions. For example, a thematic approach would encourage students to read a poem, listen to a speech,

and view a video of a short story, all of which were connected by a similar theme. Or students could read several works in the same or different genres by the same

author. Students could then compare/contrast inferences and conclusions among these texts. This approach lends itself to small group work.

May 26, 2009 2

In Strategies That Work, 2nd Edition (Harvey and Goudvis, 2007, p. 132), the authors define inferring as “Merging background knowledge with clues in the text to

come up with an idea that is not explicitly stated by the author. Reasonable inferences need to be tied to the text.” The authors also provide the following types

of inferences (p. 132): • Making predictions: predicting outcomes, upcoming events, and

actions

• Using context to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words/concepts

• Interpreting the meaning of language: figurative, idiomatic, and metaphoric

• Visualizing: constructing meaning with a visual image; inferring

creates a picture, movie, or slideshow in the mind • Inferring relationships: setting to plot, cause and effect, character’s

feelings and motives • Inferring the author’s purpose • Creating interpretations based on text evidence

• Using text evidence to surface themes and big ideas • Inferring the meaning of text features and visuals

• Inferring the answer to a question • Drawing conclusions based on text evidence

Students in English 1 should be able to understand that the text itself does not contain meaning but that the readers themselves make sense of the text by

inferring meaning from the words and sentences. Writers provide the words; readers provide the meaning based on their knowledge of the language and their

background knowledge they bring to the text. Instructional Progression of the Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for analyzing literary text to draw conclusions and make inferences

differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand

how to analyze literary text to draw conclusions and make inferences?

Students need to know how to generate and respond to questions that require them to dig for and think about the information and the evidence necessary to draw conclusions and make inferences.

For example, questions such as “Which event could not have happened if . . . . “ “Could this have happened in . . . ?” “What

would happen if . . .?” will prompt students to search for data from the text to support their inferences.

May 26, 2009 3

Students need to think about how they construct meaning from

words strung together in sentences to communicate ideas. For example, consider the following statement:

The Senator admitted owning the gun that killed his wife. What facts does this sentence provide? The Senator was married and his wife is now dead (although not stated directly, the reader

can conclude that his wife is dead). But this single sentence contains several assertions: (1) There is a Senator. (2) He owns a

gun. (3) He is married. (4) His wife is dead. (5) A gun caused her death. (6) The Senator admitted owning that gun. What inferences can we make? One may be that that the

investigators have recovered the gun or at least a bullet and identified the gun as the murder weapon.

What unsubstantiated inferences might the reader make that could lead to faulty conclusions? Do we know if the Senator is in any way responsible for his wife’s death? Do we know if she died of gun shot

wounds? Could she have been hit on the head with the gun? Could it have been something other than murder – suicide or an accident?

Readers need to recognize the danger and the temptation of assuming facts or interpretations where there is no evidence

(jumping to conclusions) and the need to read with the possibility of many different interpretations. (http://www.criticalreading.com/inference_reading.htm

Students need to learn how to connect the text with their background knowledge and to see that when they read, they bring

what they already know to comprehension of new text. They need to experience understanding beyond the literal by gathering all the clues in order to make an inference or draw a conclusion. For

example, when reading, listening, or viewing specific literary text, we might infer that a character has an open umbrella because it is

raining, but what if the open umbrella is to shield the character from the sun? Or a character who asks for a glass of water might be thirsty or might need the water to take some medicine. The

details from the text provide the evidence the reader needs to make the correct inference and not jump to faulty conclusions.

Making inferences and drawing conclusions require that students recognize and identify the clues in the text that will help lead them to conclusions. Students must also read between the lines; go

beyond the literal and concrete meaning; and pay attention to details, clues, and evidence when interacting with print and

nonprint literary texts.

http://www.criticalreading.com/inference_reading.htm

May 26, 2009 4

Students in English 1 already have a lot of experience making inferences; they apply this skill all the time by analyzing their peers’ physical

appearance, action, or speech, their teachers’ body language or facial expressions, or characters’ motives in movies and on television. The next

step is to help them transfer this skill to their interactions with text. Kylene Beers, When Kids Can’t Read, references thirteen types of inferences

that skilled readers make regardless of what they are reading (p. 65) and prompts that the teacher may use for each inference. Skilled readers . . .

1. Recognize the antecedents for pronouns (Look for pronouns and

figure out what to connect them to. What happens if you make

an incorrect connection between a pronoun and a noun? ) 2. Figure out the meaning of unknown words from context clues.

(What other words in the sentence or surrounding sentences give clues to what the unknown word means?)

3. Figure out the grammatical function of unknown words (What

job or role does the unknown word have in the sentence?) 4. Understand intonation of characters’ words (Look at how the

character said [insert a specific quote]). How would you have interpreted what that character said if he had said [change how

it was said or stress different words]). 5. Identify characters’ beliefs, personalities, and motivations (After

you read this section, see if you can explain why the character

acted this way.) 6. Understand characters’ relationships to one another (What

words does the author use to describe or explain how the characters feel about each other and what their relationships are.)

7. Provide details about the setting (Think about the setting and see what details you can add. What else would change about

the story if the setting changed?) 8. Provide explanations for events or ideas that are presented in

the text (Figure out explanations for these events. What clues

lead you to these explanations?) 9. Offer details for events or their own explanations of the events

(How can you explain the events of this section/chapter?) 10. Understand the author’s view of the world (What clues from the

text led you to an understanding of the author’s view of the

world?) 11. Recognize the author’s biases (As you read this section, look for

clues that would tell you how the author might feel about [insert a topic or character’s name]).

12. Relate what is happening in the text to their own knowledge of

the world (Think about something that you know about this [insert topic] and see how that fits with what’s in the text.)

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13. Offer conclusions from facts presented in the text (What conclusions do the facts from this section/chapter lead you to

make?)

Within the analysis of literary text to draw conclusions and make inference, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

In grade 3, students are expected to make predictions as well as draw conclusions. In grades 4-7, students are analyzing text in order to

draw conclusions and make inferences. Starting in grade 8 through English 4, students compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.

The words in bold indicate changes from grade to grade.

3-1.2 Analyze a given literary text to make, revise, and confirm predictions and draw conclusions.

4-1.2 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences. 5-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make



inferences.

8-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.

E2-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.

E3-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to

make inferences. E4-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to

make inferences. When teaching drawing conclusions and making inferences,

what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the

visual and performing arts). E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to

draw conclusions and make inferences. E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including

word choice and the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information, and unsupported opinions). E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety

of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral

May 26, 2009 6

and auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions).

E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and connotations of words to understand the meaning of a given text.

E1-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or narrative poems) that use descriptive language to create tone and mood.

E1-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive).

E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and

firsthand accounts).

Science: Draw conclusions and make inferences and predictions from data, research, and investigation.

Social studies: Draw conclusions and make inferences and

predictions from research, biographies, autobiographies, essays, and speeches.

Classroom Assessment

Students should be assessed in the same ways they are taught; however, students should be assessed with cold text rather than text they have read and discussed. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “compare/contrast.” Students should be

challenged to construct meaning from comparing and contrasting inferences and conclusions from a variety of text (different genres, audio, and video) and to

recognize that understanding of the text is enhanced by “reading between the lines.” Students should be able to cite instances in the texts that caused them to infer and draw conclusions. They should also be able to explain what background

information they brought to the text that helped them make inferences. When it’s time for assessment, students should be asked to show what they have learned in

the same way they were taught. For example, in either the learning or the assessing, students should not be given a worksheet to make inferences and draw conclusions from unconnected pieces of text because this does not allow them the

opportunity to interpret meaning from whole piece of texts.

Students in English 1 respond well to brain twisters and puzzles, which can be provided through text. For example, this passage provides a type of reading puzzle:

A man and his son are driving in a car. The car crashes into a tree, killing the father and seriously injuring his son. At the hospital, the boy

needs to have surgery. Upon looking at the boy, the doctor says, “I cannot operate on him. He is my son.”

How can this be? How does this make sense? Readers quickly see that they have to find an explanation. How can the doctor have a son (“I cannot

operate on him. He is my son”) when readers know that the father is dead (“The car crashes into a tree, killing the father”). Readers are often blinded

May 26, 2009 7

by their assumption that the doctor must be a male when, in fact, the doctor in this passage is a female. This assumption gets in the way of understanding

and does not allow the readers to consider all possibilities. While this appears to be a simple exercise, it illustrates the importance of being open to all

options while reading. (http://www.criticalreading.com/inference_reading.htm

The next step would be to have students respond to two different texts (for example, a political cartoon and an essay, a short story and a poem, a

dramatization of a short story and the text of the same story), by discovering similarities and differences. This part of the process will work well if students work in pairs. Students could create a two-column chart (one column for facts, the other

for inferences) that they could use for comparison/contrast purposes.

There is no benefit from assessing students using a piece of text that has already been discussed. That would be assessing their recall, not their ability to compare and contrast new text. Also, students should be assessed on a piece of text that is

on their reading level.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation on any assessment strategy is that students must demonstrate they can compare/contrast literary text

to make inferences and draw conclusions. Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts Allen, Janet. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. 2000.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann. 2003.

Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudis. Strategies That Work: Teaching

Comprehension to Enhance Understanding. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2007.

Keene, Ellin and Susan Zimmerman. Mosaic of Thought, Second Edition.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007.

Keene, Ellin. To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension. Portsmouth,

NH: Heinemann, 2008.

Rief, Linda. Seeking Diversity: Language Arts with Adolescents. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 1992.

Robb, Laura. Teaching Reading in Middle School. New York: Scholastic, 2000.


May 26, 2009 8

Student Texts There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand

drawing conclusions and making inferences. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the

South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be

used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not

meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials http://www.criticalreading.com/inference

http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ELA/6-12/Reading

http://www.readingquest.org http://www.readingquest.org/strat/

http://scholastic.com

http://scholastic.com/newszone/ http://www.carolhurst.com

http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/9th.html

http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/inferences http://www.iclasses.org

http://www.iclasses.org/assets/literature/index.cfm full text of fiction and nonfiction selections

http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/309.htm

http://www.criticalreading.com/inference


http://www.readingquest.org/

http://www.readingquest.org/strat/

http://scholastic.com/

http://scholastic.com/newszone/

http://www.carolhurst.com/


http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/inferences

http://www.iclasses.org/

http://www.iclasses.org/assets/literature/index.cfm


10/10/2011 1



nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the following

specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, science fiction, folktales, myths, satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems, lyrical poems,

humorous poems, free verse, odes, songs/ballads, and epics. The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to more

difficult texts.

Indicator E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox).

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb

Interpret: Change from one form of representation to another (for example, paraphrase important speeches and documents). In order to

demonstrate their ability to interpret, students might perform a dramatic reading of a literary text with a focus on the meaning of examples of figurative language used in the text.


Figurative language refers to language that is enriched by word meanings, figures of speech, and sound devices such as simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. Simile is a stated comparison between two unlike

things using the words “like” or “as” (for example, “My love is like a red, red rose”). Metaphor is a device of figurative language that compares two unlike things (for

example, “My love is a red, red rose”). An extended metaphor is carried throughout the text (for example, short story, “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?” by Tim O’Brien [fear of death]; in As You Like It by William Shakespeare [pastoral allegory-

religious overtones]; “Crossing the Bar” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson [acceptance of death]). Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose sounds suggest their meaning

such as “rattle,” “murmur,” “buzz,” and “sizzle.” Alliteration is the repetition of the initial sounds or stressed syllables in neighboring words (for example, “Have you forgotten you’re facing the single finest fighting force ever assembled?” delivered

by Dan Ackroyd in the movie Dragnet.). Personification occurs when nonhumans (animals, objects, abstractions) are represented as being human or as having

human attributes (for example, “My car was happy to be washed”). Hyperbole is an overstatement, a conscious exaggeration for the purpose of making a point (for example, “I’d give my right arm for a piece of chocolate”). Oxymoron places two

contradictory words together for a special effect (for example, jumbo shrimp, old news, deafening silence). Paradox is a statement that is true even though it seems

to be saying two opposite things (for example, “The less you have the more free you are”).

10/10/2011 2

Instructional Progression of Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for figurative language differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand figurative language?

Students need to know the difference between literal and figurative language as well as denotative and connotative meanings of words.

This knowledge helps build a background needed for abstract concepts that are the foundation for figurative language.

The teacher can provide a variety of experiences in reading

(poetry), writing (descriptive), listening (commercials), and speaking (dramatic readings) that demonstrate to students that

they already are familiar with many elements of figurative language.

Begin by reviewing the figurative language that students have been

taught in previous grades by having students explain examples from literary text. One way to extend this review is to have

students analyze song lyrics for examples of simile, metaphor, extended metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and

personification, oxymoron, and paradox. Create a bulletin board titled “Opposites attract.” Students could

contribute illustrations of oxymoron based on their prior knowledge

and add to the board throughout a specific time period. The Website http://www.oxymoronlist.com contains 14 pages of

examples of oxymoron. Understanding paradox can be challenging. The definition needs to

be studied and analyzed and many examples given before students

will be able to recognize one on their own in literary text. The good news is that the word “paradox” itself is often used in the sentence

in which the paradox exists (e.g. “He is a paradox; I would not expect him to be a member of that political party.”). Although some of them are difficult, there are some examples on the website

http://www.basicincome.com/bp/egsofparadox.htm. Extended metaphor is another poetic device that stretches students

to think as they read and to stay focused on the metaphorical language. For a complete lesson plan designed to teach this figurative language device, consult the website

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=905.

Within figurative language, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

3-1.4 Distinguish among devices of figurative language (including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) and

sound devices (including onomatopoeia and alliteration).

http://www.oxymoronlist.com/

http://www.basicincome.com/bp/egsofparadox.htm

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=905

10/10/2011 3

4-1.4 Distinguish among devices of figurative language (including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) and sound

devices (including onomatopoeia and alliteration). 5-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including simile,

metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) and sound devices (including onomatopoeia and alliteration).

6-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including simile,

metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) and sound devices (including onomatopoeia and alliteration).

7-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended metaphor and oxymoron).

8-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron, and paradox). E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox). E2-1.3 Analyze devices of figurative language (including extended


E3-1.3 Evaluate devices of figurative language (including extended metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox).

E4-1.3 Evaluate devices of figurative language (including extended metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox).

When teaching figurative language, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

Students in English 1 will use figurative language as they interact with other indicators such as

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the visual

and performing arts). E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of

methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions).

E1-2.7 Analyze informational texts to identify propaganda techniques.


E1-4 All indicators as students respond in writing. E1-5 All indicators as students respond in writing. E1-6.5 Create written works and oral and auditory presentations, and

visual presentations that are designed for a specific audience and purpose.

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this

indicator, the verb is “interpret.” Students should be challenged to construct meaning from figurative language and to demonstrate how the figurative language

contributes to the overall meaning of the text. When it’s time for assessment, students should be asked to show what they have learned in the same way they

10/10/2011 4

were taught. For example, in either the learning or the assessing, students should not be given a list of terms to match with definitions because this does not allow

them the opportunity to interpret.

Students learn the different types of figurative language when they use them, not when they are asked to memorize definitions out of context. If students have the opportunity to read and write with an expectation of understanding, analyzing,

interpreting, and using figurative language, then assessment should also focus on these levels of thinking.

For example, students could be asked to use what Karen Dekker calls “unforgettable language” (Daniels and Bizar, p. 150) by writing poems in which the

object of the poem appears only in the title. Through metaphor students would describe the object in the poem, and other students would try to guess what the

object is based on the metaphors in the poem. Another strategy for motivating students to use extended metaphor is to ask them to write an entire poem based on one of the five senses (“noise,” “texture,” “scent,” “watching”).

Another possibility for assessment would be to ask students to take a commonplace

object and view it in five different ways. Ms. Dekker recommends first reading Wallace Stevens’s “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird.” Though difficult, this

poem can be used to focus on the tone of the stanzas and the variety of ways the bird is described and perceived.


Allen, Janet. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2000.

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999.

---. Reading Reminders. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000.

Antinarella, Joe and K. Salbu. Tried and True: Lessons, Strategies, and Activities for

Teaching Secondary English. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003.

Dekker, Karen. “Poetry Workshop” in Daniels, Harvey and Bizar, M. Methods that

Matter: Six Structures for Best Practice Classrooms. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse, 1998.

Monseau, Virginia (ed.) and G. Salvner. Reading Their World The Young Adult Novel

in the Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000.

10/10/2011 5

Teaching Literature in High School: The Novel. Urbana, IL: National Council of

Teachers of English, 1995.


figurative language. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department

of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read

alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the

needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA%20Standards.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.myetv.org/education/streamlinesc/newestvideos.cfm Discovering Language Arts: Fiction (grades 9-12)

http://www.itv.myetv.org Conversations with South Carolina Writers. Instructional Television, ETV and SC

Department of Education.

http://www.itv.myetv.org The Short Story. Instructional Television, ETV and SC Department of Education.

http://www.itv.myetv.org Shakespeare and His Plays. Instructional Television, ETV and SC Department of

Education. http://www.itv.myetv.org

Shakespeare Shorts. Instructional Television, ETV and SC Department of Education.

http://www.itv.myetv.org Voices and Visions. Instructional Television, ETV and SC Department of Education.

http://www.webenglishteacher.com

http://www.learnnc.org http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/Readwritethink200606212340 http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/eemackie952004553

http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/Readwritethink20060621804

http://www.englishcompanion.com

http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA%20Standards

http://www.myetv.org/education/streamlinesc/newestvideos.cfm






http://www.webenglishteacher.com/



http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/eemackie952004553



10/10/2011 6

http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=839


http://www.litplans.com http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm#Poetry_Lesson

_Chart http://www.field-trips.org/tours/lit/poet/_tourlaunch1.htm

http://www.ciconline.org/english

http://www.americanwriters.org/

Best Practices http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/cso/standards/ela/index.html




http://www.litplans.com/

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm#Poetry_Lesson_Chart

http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm#Poetry_Lesson_Chart

http://www.field-trips.org/tours/lit/poet/_tourlaunch1.htm


http://www.americanwriters.org/

http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/cso/standards/ela/index.html

January 28, 2009 1

Standard E1-3 The student will use word analysis and vocabulary strategies to read fluently.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin roots and affixes. (See Instructional Appendix: Greek and

Latin Roots and Affixes.) Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb

Analyze: Break material into its constituent parts and determine how the parts relate to one another and to an overall

structure or purpose. In order to analyze, students break information into parts and explore

understandings and relationships. In English language arts, students analyze words by examining roots and affixes to determine their meaning. For example, students

may analyze the word democracy. After identifying the root demo- and understanding its meaning, students can determine the meaning of the entire word, democracy and its relationship to what is being studied.


Nearly 75 percent of the English language is derived from Greek and Latin roots. A study of these roots and affixes offers an effective tool for teachers to nurture students’ vocabulary development. A study of Greek and Latin roots and affixes

provides students with an understanding of word parts so that they can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Etymology fosters an interest in how words and

their meanings are developed. Instruction should begin fostering an interest in word exploration. The study of words should not be done merely by having students memorize lists of words. Rather, teachers should immerse students in rich oral and

written language that promotes effective word study. Students must apply their knowledge of words and see connections to the world. The purpose of vocabulary

instruction is to make students stronger readers and writers.

Academic texts have a large number of words that come from Greek and Latin roots. Learning new words in content areas often involves learning new concepts. Understanding key content vocabulary is a building block for understanding more

advanced concepts.

January 28, 2009 2


areas of focus for the study of Greek and Latin roots and affixes differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand Greek and Latin roots and affixes?

Students must have knowledge of word structure such as base words and affixes.

Students understand that prefixes, bases, and suffixes have meaning. When joined together, they create new words.

Students should understand that prefixes come at the beginning,

bases come in the middle, and suffixes come at the end of words. Students should begin to understand that meanings of words are

often grounded in history.

Within the study of Greek and Latin roots and affixes, what

have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

Words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade. 6-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and

Latin roots and affixes within texts. 7-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes within texts.

8-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin roots and affixes within texts.

E1-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin roots and affixes.

E2-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes. E3-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes. E4-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes.

When teaching Greek and Latin roots and affixes, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

Deliberate attempts were made to list root and affixes at grade levels where connections can be made to other content areas.

English Language Arts


E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including

extended metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox). E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone

and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts.

January 28, 2009 3

E1-1.7 Compare/contrast literary texts from various genres (for example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories.

E1-1.8 Read independently for extended periods of time for pleasure.

E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinions).

E1-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information.

E1-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical terms and other unfamiliar words.

E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and connotations of words to

understand the meaning of a given text. E1-3.4 Spell new words using Greek and Latin roots and affixes.

E1-4.2 Use compound sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

E1-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard

American English, including subject-verb agreement,

pronoun-antecedent agreement, agreement of nouns and their modifiers,

verb formation, pronoun case, formation of comparative and superlative adjectives and

adverbs, and idiomatic usage.

(See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.) E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content,

and the development of ideas.

E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to incorporate into written, oral, auditory, and visual works

the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

E1-6.4 Use vocabulary (including Standard American English)

that is appropriate for the particular audience or purpose. E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a

topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, evaluating credibility, and organizing information.

Social Studies

GS-1.1 Explain the influence of Athenian government and philosophy on other civilizations including the importance

of Plato’s Republic and the concepts of participatory government, citizenship, freedom, and justice. (H, P)

GS-1.2 Summarize the essential characteristics of Roman

civilization and explain their impact today, including the influence of other civilizations on Rome’s development,

the changes to Rome’s political system over time, the economic structure of Roman trade and labor, and factors contributing to the decline of the empire. (H, G, P, E)

January 28, 2009 4

GS-1.3 Explain the rise and growth of Christianity during the

classical era, including patterns of expansion across continents, the effects of diffusion on religious beliefs and

traditions, and the influence of Christianity on culture and politics. (H, G)

GS-2.1 Explain the influence of the Byzantine Empire, including

the role the Empire played in preserving Hellenistic (Greek) and learning. (H, G, P, E)

GS-2.5 Summarize the functions of feudalism and manorialism in medieval Europe, including the creation of nation-states as feudal institutions helped monarchies to centralize

power and the evolution of the relationship between the secular states and Roman Catholic Church. (P, H)

GS-3.1 Compare the impact of the Renaissance and the Reformation on life in Europe, including changes in the status of women, the revolution in art and architecture,

the causes and effects of divisions in religious affiliation, and the presence of social oppression and conflict. (H, P)

GS-3.3 Summarize the origins and contributions of the scientific revolution. (H)

GS-3.4 Explain the ways that Enlightenment ideas spread through Europe and their effect on European society, including the role of academies, salons, and publishing;

the connection between the Enlightenment and the scientific revolution; and the political and cultural

influence of thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu. (H, G, P)

GS-4.2 Explain the economic and cultural impact of European

involvement on other continents during the era of European expansion. (H, G, P, E)

USHC-2.1 Summarize the early development of representative government and political rights in the American colonies, including the influence of the British political system, the

rule of law and the conflict between the colonial legislatures and the royal governors. (P, H)

USHC-2.5 Analyze underlying political philosophies, the fundamental principles, and the purposes of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, including the ideas

behind the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances and the influence of the Magna Carta, the

English Bill of Rights, and the colonial charters. (P, H) USHC-5.1 Summarize developments in business and industry,

including the ascent of new industries, the rise of

corporations through monopolies and corporate mergers, the role of industrial leaders such as John D. Rockefeller

and Andrew Carnegie, the influence of business ideologies, and the increasing availability of consumer goods and the rising standard of living. (E, H)

January 28, 2009 5

USHC-5.3 Explain the transformation of America from an agrarian to an industrial economy, including the effects of

mechanized farming, the role of American farmers in facing economic problems, and the rise of the Populist

movement. (H, E, P) USHC-6.1 Analyze the development of American expansionism,

including the change from isolationism to intervention,

the rationales for imperialism based on Social Darwinism and expanding capitalism, and domestic tensions. (H, G,

E) USG-1.4 Compare the characteristics and the advantages and

disadvantages of confederal, federal, and unitary

systems, including how power is distributed, shared, and limited in these systems. (P)

USG-2.1 Summarize the basic principles of American democracy including popular sovereignty, the rule of law, the balance of power, the separation of powers, limited government,

federalism, and representative government as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers,

the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. (P, H) USG-2.2 Explain philosophical influences on the development of

American government, including the philosophy and practices of the Greeks and the Romans; the ideals of the Judeo-Christian tradition; and the ideas of such European

thinkers as John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu, Thomas Hobbes, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

(P, H) Science

PS-1.3 Use scientific instruments to record measurement data in

appropriate metric units that reflect the precision and accuracy of each particular instrument.

PS-2.1 Compare the subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) of an atom with regard to mass, location, and charge, and explain how these particles affect the

properties of an atom (including identity, mass, volume, and reactivity).

PS-2.3 Explain the trends of the periodic table based on the elements’ valence electrons and atomic numbers.

PS-2.6 Compare fission and fusion (including the basic processes

and the fact that both fission and fusion convert a fraction of the mass of interacting particles into energy and

release a great amount of energy). PS-2.7 Explain the consequences that the use of nuclear

applications (including medical technologies, nuclear

power plants, and nuclear weapons) can have. PS-3.1 Distinguish chemical properties of matter (including

reactivity) from physical properties of matter (including boiling point, freezing/melting point, density [with density calculations], solubility, viscosity, and conductivity).

January 28, 2009 6

PS-3.4 Classify matter as a pure substance (either an element or a compound) or as a mixture (either homogeneous or

heterogeneous) on the basis of its structure and/or composition.

PS-4.6 Distinguish between chemical changes (including the formation of gas or reactivity with acids) and physical changes (including changes in size, shape, color, and/or

phase). PS-4.7 Summarize characteristics of balanced chemical equations

(including conservation of mass and changes in energy in the form of heat—that is, exothermic or endothermic reactions).

PS-5.1 Explain the relationship among distance, time, direction, and the velocity of an object.

PS-7.1 Illustrate ways that the energy of waves is transferred by interaction with matter (including transverse and longitudinal/compressional waves).

PS-7.2 Compare the nature and properties of transverse and longitudinal/compressional mechanical waves.

PS-7.3 Summarize characteristics of waves (including displacement, frequency, period, amplitude, wavelength,

and velocity as well as the relationships among these characteristics).

B-2.2 Summarize the structures and functions of organelles

found in a eukaryotic cell (including the nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplasts, lysosomes, vacuoles,

ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum [ER], Golgi apparatus, cilia, flagella, cell membrane, nuclear membrane, cell wall, and cytoplasm).

B-2.3 Compare the structures and organelles of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

B-2.6 Summarize the characteristics of the cell cycle: interphase (called G1, S, G2); the phases of mitosis (called prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase);

and plant and animal cytokinesis. B-3.3 Recognize the overall structure of adenosine triphosphate

(ATP)—namely, adenine, the sugar ribose, and three phosphate groups—and summarize its function (including the ATP-ADP [adenosine diphosphate] cycle).

B-5.5 Exemplify scientific evidence in the fields of anatomy, embryology, biochemistry, and paleontology that

underlies the theory of biological evolution. B-6.1 Explain how the interrelationships among organisms

(including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism,

and commensalism) generate stability within ecosystems. B-6.2 Explain how populations are affected by limiting factors

(including density-dependent, density-independent, abiotic, and biotic factors).

January 28, 2009 7

C-2.5 Compare alpha, beta, and gamma radiation in terms of mass, charge, penetrating power, and the release of

these particles from the nucleus. C-3.2 Interpret the names and formulas for ionic and covalent

compounds. C-4.3 Analyze the energy changes (endothermic or exothermic)

associated with chemical reactions.

C-6.11 Use a variety of procedures for separating mixtures (including distillation, crystallization filtration, paper

chromatography, and centrifuge). P-2.1 Represent vector quantities (including displacement,

velocity, acceleration, and force) and use vector addition.

P-2.10 Explain the relationships among speed, velocity, acceleration, and force in rotational systems.

P-5.1 Analyze the relationships among the properties of waves (including energy, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, period, phase, and speed).

P-5.3 Analyze wave behaviors (including reflection, refraction, diffraction, and constructive and destructive interference).

P-8.3 Predict the resulting isotope of a given alpha, beta, or gamma emission.

P-8.4 Apply appropriate procedures to balance nuclear equations (including fusion, fission, alpha decay, beta decay, and electron capture).

P-10.1 Summarize the first and second laws of thermodynamics. P-10.3 Exemplify the concept of entropy.

P-10.7 Apply the concepts of heat capacity, specific heat, and heat exchange to solve calorimetry problems.

ES-3.3 Summarize theory of plate tectonics (including the role of

convection currents, the action at plate boundaries, and the scientific evidence for the theory).

ES-3.5 Analyze surface features of Earth in order to identify geologic processes (including weathering, erosion, deposition, and glaciation) that are likely to have been

responsible for their formation. ES-3.6 Explain how the dynamic nature of the rock cycle

accounts for the interrelationships among igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

ES-4.2 Summarize the changes in Earth’s atmosphere over

geologic time (including the importance of photosynthesizing organisms to the atmosphere).

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Students need

multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate their knowledge of words. If vocabulary instruction is to be rich and authentic then the way in which we assess

vocabulary must change. Ideally, teachers will observe students using vocabulary strategies in authentic contexts (i.e. reading conferences related to independent, shared or guided reading) to unlock the meaning of unfamiliar words.

January 28, 2009 8

Assigning vocabulary words for students to match or complete the definitions does not provide the level of instruction required by this indicator. Students could be

assigned an unfamiliar passage containing words derived from the Greek and/or Latin root s and affixes they have studied. As part of an assessment of the

understanding of the passage, students could explain how they derived the meaning of unfamiliar words. There is no benefit from having students assessed using a piece of text that has already been discussed. That would be assessing

remembering, rather than their ability to analyze words.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts Allen, Janet. Words, Words, Words. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 1999.

---. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2000.

Bear, Donald, et al. Words Their Way. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill, 2000.

Beck, Isabelle, Margaret McKeown, and Linda Kucan. Bringing Words to Life: Robust

Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Gilford, 2002.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 2003.

Newton, Rick, Newton Evangeline. A Little Latin and A Lot of English. Adolescent

Literacy In Perspective. The Ohio Resource Center, 2005.

Rasinski, Tim, et al. Building Vocabulary from Word Roots. Huntington Beach, CA:

Beach City Press, 2007.


Greek and Latin roots. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will

continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds,

shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using

them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts. http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA+Standards

http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA+Standards

January 28, 2009 9

Nonprint Materials

http://www.quia.com/jg/65969.html Baize, Sarah R. “Greek & Latin Roots Skills.” Quia Corportation. 10 June 2008.

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/7594/roots.html “Common Latin and Greek Roots and Terms.” 10 June 2008

http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/roots.dict.html

Doyle, Dennis. “Dictionary of Greek & Latin Roots.” Glendale College English Lab/Learning Center Pages. June 10, 2008

http://www.prefixsuffix.com/ “English Language Roots: Word Prefixes, Suffixes & Syllables.” 2008.

PrefixSuffix.com. June 10, 2008 http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/ksd/MA/resources/greek_and_latin_roots/transition.html

“Greek and Latin Roots.” Mattson Middle School. 10 June 2008.

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0907017.html “Latin and Greek Word Elements.” Pearson Education. 2007. 10 June. 2008.

http://www.class.uidaho.edu/luschnig/EWO/4.htm Luschnig, C. A. E. ”Adjective Forming Suffixes.” 2003. University of Idaho. June 10,

2008

http://students.washington.edu/nwk/clas205/suffixes.html Kohagen, Nathan. “Class 205 Autumn 2004 Notes - suffixes.” 2004. University of Washington. June 10, 2008

http://urbandreams.ousd.k12.ca.us/lessonplans/hyperverbicopia/contents.html

O’Sullivan, R. “Digital Hyperverbicopia.” Oakland Unified School District. June 10, 2008

http://www.espindle.org/roots.html#up “Word Roots... your Quick Reference.” eSpindle Learning. 2005. 10 June 2008

http://www.scetv.org/education/streamlinesc/index.cfm Words. 2004. United Learning. ETV StreamlineSC. 12 June 2008

http://www.quia.com/jg/65969.html

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/7594/roots.html

http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/roots.dict.html

http://www.prefixsuffix.com/

http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/ksd/MA/resources/greek_and_latin_roots/transition.html

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0907017.html

http://www.class.uidaho.edu/luschnig/EWO/4.htm

http://students.washington.edu/nwk/clas205/suffixes.html

http://urbandreams.ousd.k12.ca.us/lessonplans/hyperverbicopia/contents.html

http://www.espindle.org/roots.html#up

http://www.scetv.org/education/streamlinesc/index.cfm

10/10/2011 1

Standard E1-5 The student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request, inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the

specific audience. Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb

Create: Put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole

Explanation of Indicator Creating informational pieces of writing requires a different approach to composing. This type of writing is more authentic, is about knowledge that the writer has to

share, gives information to explain realities or ideas, has a purpose that is related to a real-life situation, and is written for a specific audience. For example, students

might create brochures on topics they are researching or on topics related to a unit of study or a piece of literature. Informational writing often relies on prompts of who, what, when, where, and how, provides facts and details, and develops those

details rather than depending on general references. For example, in English 1, an informational writing assignment might ask students to write guidelines for a

process, interview questions and summary, a memo to a “colleague,” or create a menu for a character in a piece of literature.

Instructional Progression of Indicator The level of difficulty of the writing increases at each grade level. Additionally,

some areas of focus for informational writing differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand informational writing? • Students need to understand the process of writing.

• Students need to understand the difference between informational and creative writing.

• Students need to know the characteristics of informational writing. Regardless of the type of information the writer is sharing, the writing should (a) engage the reader by establishing a context,

creating a speaker’s voice, and developing reader interest; (b) provide a central question about an issue or situation which

becomes the thesis; (c) create an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context; (d) include appropriate facts and details; (e) exclude unnecessary details and inappropriate

information; (f) use a variety of strategies, such as describing or analyzing the subject, narrating a relevant anecdote, providing

examples; (g) draw from more than one source of information,

10/10/2011 2

such as books, newspapers, speakers; and (h) provide a sense of closure to the writing.

• Informational writing has a variety of purposes, audiences, perspectives, and structures (for example, pamphlets, diagrams,

biographies). • Informational writing is explanatory, based on reality, and relies on

knowledge, facts, and details.

Within informational writing, what have students been taught

and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade. K-5.1 Use symbols (drawings, letters, and words) to create written

communications (for example, notes, messages, and lists) to inform a specific audience.

1-5.1 Create written communications (for example, thank you notes) for a specific audience.

2-5.1 Create written communications (for example, directions and

instructions) to inform a specific audience. 3-5.1 Create written communications (for example, friendly letters that

include a greeting, body, closing, and signature and invitations that include the time, date, and place of the event).

4-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, postcards, flyers, letters, and e-mails) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.

5-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book reviews and newsletter articles) that use language appropriate for the specific

audience. 6-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, brochures, pamphlets, and

reports) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.

7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book, movie, or product reviews and news reports) that use language appropriate for a

specific audience. 8-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, reports and letters of

request, inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for

the specific audience. E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request, inquiry,

or complaint) that use language appropriate for the specific audience. E2-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, résumés, memos, letters of

request, inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the

specific audience. E3-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, résumés, memos, letters of

request, inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.

E4-5.1 Create clear and concise career-oriented and technical writings (for

example, memos, business letters, résumés, technical reports, and information analyses).

10/10/2011 3

When teaching informational writing, what connections, links,

or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas? E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts.


E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including word choice, the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinions).

E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions).

E1-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements have on the meaning of a given informational text.

E1-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts and graphs) in informational texts.

E1-2.7 Analyze propaganda techniques in informational texts.

E1-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information. E1-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines. E1-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple,

compound, complex, and compound-complex). E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and

a conclusion, include a coherent thesis, and use support (for example,

definitions and descriptions). E1-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American English,

including subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement,

agreement of nouns and their modifiers, verb formation,

pronoun case, formation of comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs,

and

idiomatic usage. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.)

E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the development of ideas. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.)

E1-4.6 Edit written pieces for correct use of Standard American English, including the reinforcement of the mechanics previously taught. (See

Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.) E1-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to incorporate into

written, oral, auditory, or visual works the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

10/10/2011 4

E1-6.3 Use a standardized system of documentation (including a list of sources with full publication information and the use of in-text citations) to

properly credit the work of others. E1-6.4 Use vocabulary (including Standard American English) that is

appropriate for the particular audience or purpose. E1-6.5 Create written works, oral and auditory presentations, and visual

presentations that are designed for a specific audience and purpose.

E1-6.6 Select appropriate graphics, in print or electronic form, to support written works, oral presentations, and visual presentations.

E1-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials. E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic,

constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, evaluating

credibility, and organizing information.

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “create.” Therefore, students should be required to create

a variety of informational writing throughout the year. Classroom assessment should be based on the domains and descriptors found on the South Carolina

Extended Response Scoring Rubric found on the SCDE Web page under the Office of Assessment PASS Writing section.


Calkins, Lucy and Pessah, Laurie. (2003). Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and

Reports. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Fletcher, Ralph. (1993). What a Writer Needs. Portsmouth, New Hampshire:

Heinemann.

Gallagher, Kelly. (2006). Teaching Adolescent Writers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Koehler, Susan. (2007). Crafting Expository Papers. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House

Publishing. Portalupi, Joann and Fletcher, Ralph. (2001). Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching

Informational Writing K-8. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.


informational writing. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department

of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media

10/10/2011 5

specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read

and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to

using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts. http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA+Standards

Nonprint Materials

http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_viewasp?id=419

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_viewasp?id=1002 http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_viewasp?id=5390

http://www.teachersfirst.com

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/expwriting.html http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagearts/secondary/writingacross

http://www.learnnc.org/topics/writing/exemplars/09/informational/intro.html

This is an excellent site with actual student writing rated as low, medium, and high, with comments from the reader of the writing.

http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Grade%204%20-%20Unit%202%20Informational%20Writing.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F68773D2636631

F3434099A192773C357B05E6F1F2C0A2A969&Type=D

http://wgu.educommons.net/liberal-arts/rhetorical-and-critical-writing-after-11-1-2008/a61.html

http://archive.metrostate.edu/writingcenter/clues/inform.html

For additional Internet sources, use the following search terms: • Informational writing

• Expository writing

Instructional Matrices http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/matrices



http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_viewasp?id=419



http://www.teachersfirst.com/

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/expwriting.html

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagearts/secondary/writingacross

http://www.learnnc.org/topics/writing/exemplars/09/informational/intro.html

http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Grade%204%20-%20Unit%202%20Informational%20Writing.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F68773D2636631F3434099A192773C357B05E6F1F2C0A2A969&Type=D





http://archive.metrostate.edu/writingcenter/clues/inform.html

http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/matrices

April 6, 2009 1



difficult texts.

Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for instruction

and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator E1-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical

terms and other unfamiliar words.


Context clues provide students multiple strategies for understanding the meaning of new and unknown words they may encounter in a text. When a good reader finds unknown or multiple meaning words, they use the words or sentences around it –

its context - to predict the word’s meaning. At this point, students are NOT identifying the context clues; they are using them to determine the meaning of

unknown, multiple-meaning words, and technical terms. The words or sentences around unknown words or terms give the reader clues to generate meaning.


areas of focus for context clues differ at each grade level. What do students need to know before they can understand

context clues? Students need to understand that it is not unusual to encounter

words we do not know when reading. Students need to understand that some words have different

meanings, depending on the context in which they are used.

Students need to understand that there are clues in any piece of text that help you figure out what an unfamiliar word means. For

instance, if you’re reading an instruction manual on assembling a cabinet, then you can assume that any technical terms you come

across will either be related to the assembly of the cabinet, possibly tools or parts for the cabinet.

Students need to understand that a reader should consider the

context of a passage when interpreting jargon and technical terms Students need to understand that a reader can interpret context

found in one sentence by relating the word to jargon or technical terms found in another sentence.

April 6, 2009 2

Within context clues, what have students been taught and what

will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

6-3.1 Use context clues (for example, those that provide an

example, a definition, or restatement) to generate the

meanings of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words. 7-3.1 Use context clues (for example, those that provide an

example, a definition, a restatement, or a comparison/contrast) to generate the meanings of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words.

8-3.1 Use context clues (for example, those that provide an example, a definition, a restatement, or a

comparison/contrast) to generate the meanings of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words.

E1-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical

terms and other unfamiliar words. E2-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical terms

and other unfamiliar words. E3-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical terms

and other unfamiliar words.

E4-3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of technical terms and other unfamiliar words.

When teaching context clues, what connections, links, or ties

can be made to other indicators? Students in English 1 will use context clues as they interact with other

indicators such as: E1-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes. (See Instructional Appendix: Greek and Latin Roots and Affixes.)

E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and connotations of words to understand the meaning of a given text. E1-3.4 Spell new words using Greek and Latin roots and affixes.

(See Instructional Appendix: Greek and Latin Roots and Affixes.)

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. In this indicator,

the verb is “use”; students should be challenged to generate meaning from using context clues and to demonstrate how that process contributes to the

understanding of text and to determining meanings of unknown words. When students are assessed, they should be asked to show what they have learned in the

same way they were taught. In either the learning or the assessing, students should not be given a list of terms to match with definitions because this does not allow them the opportunity to use context.

April 6, 2009 3

If students have the opportunity to read and write with an expectation of understanding, analyzing, interpreting, and using context clues, then assessment

should also focus on these levels of thinking.

An interesting way to assess would be to pair students and give each student in the pair the same text which contains technical or unfamiliar terms(but each group of pairs would have different texts). Each student in the pair would first write at least

four questions about the context clues in the text and the overall meaning of unknown or multiple meaning words. Then the two students would compare their

questions. Questions that are similar would be tackled first. Students would come up with a consensus response that reflects both students’ thinking. Questions that are not similar would be dealt with next in the same fashion.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation of any assessment

strategy is that students must demonstrate they can use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words.


Allen, Janet. Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2004.

Anderson, Jeff. Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer’s Workshop. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2005.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003.



Duffy, Gerald G. Explaining Reading: A Resource for Teaching Concepts, Skills, and Strategies. New York, NY: The Guildford Press, 2003.

Ray, Katie Wood. What You Know by Heart. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002.


Student Texts

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand the use of context clues. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina

Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their

library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list

has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the

April 6, 2009 4

texts prior to using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA%20Standards.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/6323.aspx

http://faculty.une.edu/cas/gchstman/seven/#language

http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.learnnc.org

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3971

http://www.webenglishteacher.com http://www.englishcompanion.com


http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/context_clues_lesson_plan

http://li.dpu.ac.th/lihp082/austin/contact/Eng%20for%20MBA/Context%20Clues.doc

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001821.shtml

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lang_mid.htm

http://www.allinfoaboutreading.com/?p=90

http://www.csupomona.edu/~lrc/crsp/handouts/context_clues.html http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/RGunnar/files/Open%20Boat%20Cont

ext%20Exercise.pdf



http://faculty.une.edu/cas/gchstman/seven/#language



http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3971




http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/context_clues_lesson_plan



http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001821.shtml

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lang_mid.htm

http://www.allinfoaboutreading.com/?p=90

http://www.csupomona.edu/~lrc/crsp/handouts/context_clues.html

http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/RGunnar/files/Open%20Boat%20Context%20Exercise.pdf

http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/RGunnar/files/Open%20Boat%20Context%20Exercise.pdf

January 29, 2009 1



difficult texts. Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for instruction

and are not intended to be all inclusive documents.

Indicator E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and connotations of words to

understand the meaning of a given text.


Interpret Change from one form of representation to another (e.g. clarify, paraphrase, represent, translate).

In order to demonstrate the ability to interpret connotations as a means of approaching a text, students might read two persuasive pieces on the same topic

(for example, campaign speeches, advertisements, or essays that present opposing viewpoints), highlighting words that reveal whether the stance is positive or

negative. To demonstrate the ability to interpret euphemisms, students might look at obituaries or at names of government agencies, making note of phrases that alter the reader’s perception through indirectness such as “senior citizens” and

“passed on to his heavenly reward.”

Explanation of Indicator Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word as it might be recorded in a dictionary or other reference source. Connotation refers to qualities, attributes, and

characteristics implied or suggested by the word. Euphemism refers to “a device in which indirectness replaces directness, usually to avoid giving offense” (Harmon

197). The reader’s ability to determine bias and to interpret extended metaphors,

oxymorons, puns, euphemisms, and idioms depends a great deal on his recognition of connotation. Because connotations often create emotional responses in an

audience, writers and speakers use connotation to affect the reader’s perception of a given idea. For example, a friend’s clothing might be described as “trendy and free spirited” while an enemy might be described as “sloppy and unkempt.” Both

sets of terms carry the same literal meaning but the connotations of the words have very different associations. The former phrase might be considered a

euphemism because, in an attempt to avoid offense, it uses indirectness to communicate the idea that the person in question has less than formal attire.

January 29, 2009 2

To meet the requirements of this indicator, students must know what information a

word transmits (denotation) and must recognize additional meanings the word suggests (connotation). Further, students must understand that euphemisms, like

connotations, may distort the reader’s perception by using phrases that avoid bluntness. Finally, students must be able to use knowledge of those implications to gain perspective about how the devices affect the text.

For example, in these lines from “The Highwayman,” Alfred Noyes uses connotation

as reflected by the italicized words to create the metaphor that introduces setting and the mood it creates:

“The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.”

Other elements of sound, pattern, and figurative language are obvious in this passage but the reader may see the impact of connotation by replacing the

italicized words with neutral ones (river or flood for torrent, windy for gusty, and swayed by for tossed upon).

Another example appears in this excerpt from Winifred M. Letts’ “The Spires of

Oxford” in which she reflects on the sacrifices of war: “God rest you, happy gentlemen,

Who laid your good lives down, Who took the khaki and the gun

Instead of cap and gown. God bring you to a fairer place Than even Oxford town.”

The italicized euphemism (substituted for the more direct word “died”) allows the

writer to maintain a benign, romantic depiction of the sacrifice of young men to war.

In both the poetry texts, replacing the italicized words with ones that carry no charged attributes changes the meanings of the passages, proving the potential

impact of both connotations and euphemisms.

January 29, 2009 3

Instructional Progression of Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for connotation differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can interpret connotations?

Students need to be able to compare (note similarities in) and contrast (note differences between) words.

Students need to know that relationships among word meanings (including synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms) affect how readers think about an idea.

Students need to know the difference between the literal meaning of a word (denotation) and the implied meaning of a word

(connotation). Students need to know that both euphemisms and idioms use word

connotations to create meanings beyond the literal and that such

constructions affect the reader’s experience with a text. The teacher can provide a variety of experiences in reading

(advertisements), writing (slogans), listening (speeches), and speaking (oral presentations) that demonstrate to students that

they are already familiar with the connotative meanings of words. Students in later grades will gather information about cultural or

historic sources of the implied attributes present in some

connotations.

Within connotation, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

1-3.5 Understand the relationship between two or more words

(including synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms). 2-3.4 Identify idioms in context. 2-3.5 Recognize synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms in context.

3-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms encountered in texts. 3-3.5 Use context clues to determine the relationship between two

or more words (including synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms).

4-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms encountered in texts.

5-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms encountered in texts.


6-3.4 Distinguish between the denotation and the connotation

of a given word. 7-3.4 Interpret the connotations of words to understand the

meaning of a given text.

January 29, 2009 4


8-3.4 Interpret the connotations of words to understand the meaning of a given text.


E2-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and the connotations of words to

understand the meaning of a given text. E3-3.3 Explain how American history and culture have influenced

the use and development of the English language. E4-3.3 Explain how British history and culture have influenced the

use and development of the English language.

When teaching connotations, what connections, links, or ties

can be made to other indicators? Students in English 1 will use connotations as they interact with other

indicators such as: E1-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make

inferences. E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts.

E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox).

E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of an author’s craft (including tone and the

use of imagery, symbolism, irony, and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts.

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the visual and performing

arts. E1-1.7 Compare/contrast literary texts from various genres (for

example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories). E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts. E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to draw

conclusions and make inferences. E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including word

choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinions).


E1-4 All indicators as students respond in writing. E1-5 All indicators as students respond in writing.

January 29, 2009 5


Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. In this indicator, the verb is “interpret;” students should be challenged to construct meaning from

word connotations and from euphemisms and to demonstrate how implied meanings contribute to the overall meaning of the text. When it is time for assessment, students should be asked to show what they have learned in the same

way they were taught. In either the learning or the assessing, students should not be given a list of terms to match with definitions because this does not allow them

the opportunity to interpret. Students learn the different types of implied meanings when they use connotative

words and euphemisms, not when they are asked to memorize definitions out of context. If students have the opportunity to read and write with an expectation of

understanding, analyzing, interpreting, and using connotations and euphemisms, then assessment should also focus on these levels of thinking.

Students in English 1 respond well to showing what they know. Teachers might give student pairs print advertisements and ask that they highlight words that carry

either positive or negative connotations as ways of convincing consumers to adopt a behavior (such as buying something) or to avoid a behavior (such as smoking).

Students should then paraphrase what the advertisement communicates, drawing attention to how ad designers use connotation to reach a goal.

To demonstrate command of the concept of euphemisms students might translate titles or lyrics of popular songs into euphemisms that might be acceptable to a

nineteenth-century audience. Teachers will need to provide background information about the strictures of the Victorian era during which even table legs had to be obscured by skirts lest they bring to mind unacceptable ideas.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation of any assessment

strategy is that students must demonstrate they can interpret word connotations and/or euphemisms to gain meaning from a text.


Allen, Janet. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2000.



---, Illuminating Texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2001.

Harmon, William and Hugh Holman. A Handbook to Literature, Ninth Edition. Upper

Saddle River, NH: Prentice Hall, 2003.

January 29, 2009 6

Keene, Ellin Oliver and Susan Zimmerman. Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 2007.

Monseau, Virginia (ed.) and G. Salvner. Reading Their World: The Young Adult

Novel in the Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000.

Ray, Katie Wood. What You Know by Heart. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002.


Heinemann, 1992.


---, Differentiating Reading Instruction. New York: Scholastic, 2008.

Stockland, Patricia M. (ed.). Poet’s Toolbox. Mankato, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004.

Tsujimoto, Joseph I. Teaching Poetry Writing to Adolescents. Urbana, IL: National

Council of Teachers of English, 1988.


connotations. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue

to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds,

shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using

them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA%20Standards.

Nonprint Materials

http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/lessonplans/connotation-in-propaganda

http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/13497.aspx http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=389

http://www.readwritethink.org




January 29, 2009 7

http://www.write101.com/lethamcritique.htm

http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/connotationdenotation.asp

http://www.webenglishteacher.com http://www.englishcompanion.com


http://www.scetc.org/education/streamlinesc/index.cfm

http://www.field-trips.org/tours/

http://www.scetc.org http://www.scetv.org/programs_a_to_z/index.cfm#w





http://www.scetc.org/

http://www.scetv.org/programs_a_to_z/index.cfm#w

January 30, 2009 1

Standard E1-6 The student will access and use information from a variety of sources


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Clarify Changing from one form of representation to another

For example, students will need to clarify (translate, interpret, paraphrase) a research topic to refine (narrow or widen) the scope of the research. Most problem-

solving research models suggest that students restate the research topic as a question that the student requires information to answer.

Explanation of Indicator A research topic is the subject matter that requires the student to access and

use information. Students will need to clarify (translate, interpret, paraphrase) a research topic to refine (narrow or widen) the scope of the research. Most problem-solving research models suggest that students restate the research

topic as a question the student requires information to answer.

Instructional Progression of Indicator The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for clarifying and refining a research topic (such as subject

matter) differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand clarifying and researching a topic?

Students need to know how to generate how and why

questions to clarify the research topic. Students need to know how to generate a topic for inquiry.

Students should be familiar with clarifying and refining a research topic. However, some students may need additional instruction and practice with developing questions to narrow and

focus a research topic. Students need to know how to paraphrase (state in their

own words) the research topic to demonstrate full understanding of the research problem.

Students may also need additional assistance with formulating

questioning that leads them beyond basic how and why questions to questions that require higher order thinking skills.

January 30, 2009 2

Within clarifying and refining a research topic, what have

students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

6-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

7-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. 8-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

E1-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. E2-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. E3-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

E4-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

When teaching clarifying and refining a research topic, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

English Language Arts


E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion) on

the meaning of literary texts. E.1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety

of methods such as written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the visual and performing arts.

E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts.


E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias

(including word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported

opinions). E1-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements have on the

meaning of a given informational text.


E1-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information.

E1-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting

techniques, discussions, graphic organizers, models, and outlines.

January 30, 2009 3

E1-4.6 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American English including the reinforcement of

conventions previously taught. E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries

to incorporate into written, oral, auditory, and visual works the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

E1-6.4 Use vocabulary (including Standard American English) that is appropriate for the particular

audience or purpose. E1-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference

materials.

E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing

resources, evaluating credibility, and organizing information.

Science

PS-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of how scientific inquiry and technological design,

including mathematical analysis, can be used appropriately to pose questions, seek answers, and

develop solutions. B-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of

how scientific inquiry and technological design,


develop solutions. C-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of



develop solutions. P-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of



develop solutions. ES-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of



develop solutions. Social Studies

F Ask geographic questions: Where is it located? Why

is it there? What is significant about its location? How is its location related to that of other people,

places, and environments?

January 30, 2009 4

T Plan and organize a geographic research project (e.g., specify a problem, pose a research question

or hypothesis, identify data sources)

Classroom Assessments Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. This indicator addresses one part, and a critical part, of a larger whole in which students will

ultimately participate. At this grade level, students should be assessed based upon that what the indicator is asking of them, in this case clarifying and refining a topic

for research. The topics students choose to inquire about should become more complex, therefore the need to clarify and refine becomes more important. Students must learn and expand upon the foundational components of the research

process before demonstrating their knowledge of the total process in later grades.

Because the research topic is the foundation upon which the student builds the overall research project, the teacher should assess the student’s research topic for clarity and refinement and prompt the student as needed to revise the topic before

proceeding with research. Conferencing with the student as well as providing specific written feedback is an excellent way to assess this indicator.

Students might also keep a research journal or log. The student should spend a few

minutes each day to reflect on his list of topics and the types of questions and the search strategies needed to gather the most relevant information. The journal or log serves as both a self-assessment mechanism as well as a tool for use for

assessing classroom performance.


Buzzeo, Toni. Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for

7-12. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Co., 2002.

Hackman, Mary H. Library Information Skills and the High School English Program.

2nd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999.

Johnson, Doug. Learning Right From Wrong in the Digital Age: An Ethics Guide for

Parents, Teachers, Librarians, and Others Who Care About Computer-Using

Young People. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Co., 2003.

Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan. Build Your Own Information Literate School. Salt

Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2003.

January 30, 2009 5

Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan. Info Tasks for Successful Learning. Portland, ME:

Pembroke Publishers, 2001.

Loertscher, David V., and Blanche Wools. Information Literacy. 2nd ed. San Jose,

CA: Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2002.

Loertscher, David V., Carol Koechlin, and Sandi Zwaan. Ban Those Bird Units: 15

Models for Teaching and Learning in Information-Rich and Technology-Rich

Environments. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research & Publishing, 2005.

Ryan, Jenny, and Steph Capra. Information Literacy Toolkit. Chicago: American

Library Association, 2001.

Stanley, Deborah B. Practical Steps to the Research Process for High School.

Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999.

Thompson, Helen M, and Susan A. Henley. Fostering Information Literacy:

Connecting National Standards, Goals 2000, and the SCANS Report.


Valenza, Joyce Kasman. Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters.

Chicago: American Library Association, 2003.

Volkman, John D. Cruising Through Research: Library Skills for Young Adults.

Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.

Whitley, Peggy, Catherine Olson, and Susan Goodwin. 98 Jumpstarts to Research:

Topic Guidelines for Finding Information on Current Issues. Englewood, CO:

Libraries Unlimited, 2001.

January 30, 2009 6


clarifying and refining a research topic. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South

Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be


meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts. http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA+Standards.

Nonprint Materials

Alewine, Martha. “The Simple Four: An Information Problem-Solving Model.” School

Library Media Services, South Carolina Department of Education. 9 Sept

2007.

http://martha.alewine.googlepages.com/thesimplefour

“Changing the Questions.” Springfield Township High School. 6 Sept 2007

http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/questions.html

“Detailed Explanation of an "Essential Question".” Bellingham Public Schools. 6 Sept

2007.

http://wwwgen.bham.wednet.edu/probsol2.htm

Discovering Language Arts: Research Skills (Grades 9-12). 2007. United Learning.

ETV StreamlineSC. 12 June 2008


“Information Studies: K-12.” Ontario Library Association. 6 Sept 2007.

http://www.accessola.com/action/positions/info_studies/html/

Jansen, Barbara A. “Questioning Strategies.” 2006. St. Andrews Episcopal School. 6

Sept 2007.

http://library.sasaustin.org/questioning.php



http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/questions.html

http://wwwgen.bham.wednet.edu/probsol2.htm


http://www.accessola.com/action/positions/info_studies/html/

January 30, 2009 7

McKenzie, Jamie. “Framing Essential Questions.” Sept. 1996. From Now On.Org. 6

Sept 2007

http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html

Whelan, Debra Lau. "Making Research Count." School Library Journal (Nov. 2002).

9 Sept. 2007

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article

http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article

February 5, 2009 1

Standard E1-5 The student will write for a variety of purposes and

audiences.

The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to

more difficult texts.

Indicator E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials,

essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and firsthand accounts).


Create Put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganize elements into a new pattern or structure


Persuasive writing is a form of writing whose purpose is to convince or to prove or refute a point of view or issue.

Reading and writing are intimately related. The material that students read will influence their writing, so they must be immersed in the kinds of texts

they are asked to create. As students read persuasive texts and note the techniques used by authors, they can incorporate those same techniques in their own writing.

In preparation for writing their own editorials, essays, and speeches,

students in English 1 should study numerous examples of these genres. They should study speeches in both written and oral formats. They should analyze how various authors handle the important elements of persuasive writing and

compare effective and ineffective examples. Research skills are required as students gather concrete evidence to support their positions in persuasive

writing. Students will need a familiarity with interview techniques in order to incorporate firsthand accounts, and they may need help in using statistical

data as well.

February 5, 2009 2

Instructional Progression of Indicator As students progress through the grade levels, the writing topics and the

sophistication of the compositions will become more challenging to the learner. Additionally, areas of focus for creating persuasive writing will differ

at some grade levels. What do students need to know before they can create

persuasive writing? One of the most complex and challenging projects that students will

face is that of writing persuasive papers. To be successful, students must draw upon prior learning in the areas of reading, writing, and research. Skills that students will draw upon include:

• reading informational texts • discerning cause and effect

• drawing conclusions • making inferences • writing for various purposes and audiences

• awareness of author’s craft • central idea, thesis, supporting evidence, and how these

elements work together • importance of adequate supporting evidence

• discriminating between fact and opinion • awareness of author’s bias • evaluating resource material for reliability and validity

• creating a logical argument • comparing differences among several types of persuasive

writings • all aspects of Standard 4: pre-writing, organizing ideas,

using sentence variety, structuring sentences effectively,

correctness of grammar and mechanics, revising, and editing

Within persuasive writing, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

6-5.4 Create persuasive writings (for example, print

advertisements and commercial scripts) that develop a central idea with supporting evidence and use language appropriate for the specific audience.

7-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, letters to the editor or essays) that include a stated position with

supporting evidence for a specific audience. 8-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials,

essays, or speeches) that support a clearly stated

position with concrete evidence.

February 5, 2009 3

E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated

thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and first-hand accounts).

E2-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and first-

hand accounts). E3-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays,

speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and first-hand accounts).

E4-5.4 Create persuasive writings (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that address a specific

audience and use logical arguments supported by facts or expert opinions.

When teaching persuasive writing, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

Students in English 1 demonstrate their knowledge of persuasive writing skills through the application of the following indicators:

E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including

word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information, and unsupported opinions). E1-2.7 Analyze propaganda techniques in informational texts.


E1-4 The student will create written work that has a clear

focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, effective use of voice, and correct use of the conventions of

written Standard American English. (all indicators) E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works

the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and organizing information.

Cross-Curricular Connections

Social Studies Students draw conclusions, interpret and analyze texts, and create

persuasive writing.

Students analyze and create propaganda. Math

Students study statistics and probability. Students interpret data and statistics.

February 5, 2009 4

Science Students interpret data and statistics.


Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Therefore, students should be assessed on their ability to apply the persuasive writing skills they have been taught. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways,

including reading and analyzing various types of persuasive writing, propaganda techniques, and advertisements. Students should have direct

instruction on persuasive writing skills and be given numerous opportunities to create pieces of persuasive writing.

Strategies to assist students with creating persuasive writing and which can be used as formative and/or summative assessments include:

Creating a variety of types of persuasive writing Writing editorials, essays, and speeches Determining qualities of excellence in editorials, essays,

and speeches Developing charts specifying the traits of a variety of

types of persuasive writing Designing rubrics for evaluating various types of

persuasive writing Evaluating pieces of professionally-produced persuasive

writing (cold texts)

Showing results of teacher-evaluated pieces of student- produced persuasive writing using the Extended Response

Rubric

Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts Allen, Janet. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2000.

Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading,

and Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, 1998.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth,


Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to

Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 1999.

February 5, 2009 5

Culham, Ruth. 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide Grades 3 and Up.

NY, NY: Scholastic, 2003

Daniels, Harvey and Steven Zemelman. Subjects Matter: Every Teacher’s

Guide to Content-Area Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2004.

Feathers, Karen M. Informational Texts: Reading and Learning. Toronto:

Pippin, 2004.

Fletcher, Ralph and Joann Portalupi. Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching

Information Writing K-8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2001.

Harvey, Stephanie. Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in

Grades 3-8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 1998.

Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. Strategies That Work: Teaching

Comprehension to Enhance Understanding. Portland, ME: Stenhouse,

2007.

Ray, Katie Wood. What You Know by Heart: How to Develop Curriculum for

Your Writing Workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002.

Ray, Katie Wood. The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts

(And They’re All Hard Parts). Urbana, IL: NCTE Publication, 2001

Student Texts There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better

understand persuasive writing. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to

match the indicators. This will continue to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional

suggestions. These titles can be used for read-alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each

classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts:

http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA%20Standards.


February 5, 2009 6

Nonprint Materials http://www.readwritethink.org

http://www.learnnc.org

http://www.lpb.org

http://www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/litlearn/

http://www.readingquest.org

http://www.readingquest.org/strat/ http://scholastic.com


http://timeforkids.com http://timeforkids.com/TFK/

http://www.scetc.org http://www.scetc.org/education/streamlinesc/index.cfm

http://www.ciconline.org

http://www.ciconline.org/english http://www.carolhurst.com


http://literacynet.org http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html

http://www.iclasses.org http://www.iclasses.org/assets/literature/index.cfm

http://www.unitedstreaming.com



http://www.lpb.org/






http://timeforkids.com/

http://timeforkids.com/TFK/



http://www.ciconline.org/




http://literacynet.org/

http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html



http://www.unitedstreaming.com/

January 30, 2009 1

Standard E1-6 The student will access and use information from a variety of sources.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Use Applying a procedure to an unfamiliar task

Explanation of Indicator Students will use an effective search strategy to locate reference sources and

information within those sources to meet the requirements of the research project. Instructional Progression of Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for the accessing and using information from a variety of sources

differ at each grade level. What do students need to know before they can understand

how to access and use information from a variety of sources? Students need to be aware of the benefits and disadvantages

of the various types of print and electronic reference materials so that they can select the most appropriate reference material(s) for the information needed.

Students should be able to determine the best sources of information to meet their information needs.

Students should be familiar with a variety of electronic reference sources as well as many types of print sources.

Students may also need to include personal interviews and

communications, audio recordings, and audiovisual recordings as part of their strategy for locating information.

Students should be familiar with all locations and sources locating information sources, including the library media

center, electronic pathfinders, and search engines. Students should be able to evaluate all information sources

using criteria such as currency, authority, accuracy, relevancy,

objectivity, and purpose of publication.

January 30, 2009 2

Within accessing and using information from a variety of sources, what have students been taught and what will they be

taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

3-6.2 Use print sources (for example, books, magazines, charts, graphs,

diagrams, dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and thesauri)

and nonprint sources (for example, pictures, photographs, video, and television) to access information.

4-6.2 and 5-6.2: Use print sources (for example, books, magazines, charts, graphs, diagrams, dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, thesauri,

newspapers, and almanacs) and nonprint sources to access information.

6-6.7, 7-6.7, 8-6.7, E1-6.7, E2-6.7, E3-6.7, and E4-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials.

When teaching using a variety of print and electronic reference materials, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other

indicators and/or content areas? English Language Arts


E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including, word

choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinions). [For example,

when doing a compare/contrast research project, students will evaluate the methods the author of the information sources used to support his/her opinion]

E1-2.7 Analyze propaganda techniques in informational texts. E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and connotations of words to

understand the meaning of a given text. E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works the

information gathered from a variety of research sources. E1-6.3 Use a standardized system of documentation (including a

list of sources with full publication information and the use of in-text citations) to properly credit the work of others.

E1-6.6 Select appropriate graphics, in print or electronic form, to

support written works, oral presentations, and visual presentations.

Science PS-1.5 Organize and interpret the data from a controlled scientific

investigation by using mathematics (including formulas and

dimensional analysis), graphs, models, and/or technology. B-1.5 Organize and interpret the data from a controlled scientific

investigation by using mathematics, graphs, models, and/or technology.

January 30, 2009 3

C-1.5 Organize and interpret the data from a controlled scientific investigation by using mathematics (including formulas,

scientific notation, and dimensional analysis), graphs, models, and/or technology.

P-1.5 Organize and interpret the data from a controlled scientific investigation by using (including calculations in scientific notation, formulas, and dimensional analysis), graphs,

tables, models, diagrams, and/or technology. ES-1.5 Organize and interpret the data from a controlled scientific

investigation by using mathematics (including calculations in scientific notation, formulas, and dimensional analysis), graphs, tables, models, diagrams, and/or technology.

Social Studies Literacy Elements Interpret calendars, time lines, maps, charts, tables,

graphs, flow charts, diagrams, photographs, paintings, cartoons, architectural drawings, documents, letters, censuses, and other artifacts.

Consider multiple perspectives of documents and stories.

Locate, gather, and process information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including maps.

Interpret information obtained from maps, aerial photographs, satellite-produced images, and geographic

information systems.

Interpret and synthesize information obtained from a variety of sources—graphs, charts, tables, diagrams, texts, photographs, documents, and interviews


Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “use.” As this indicator addresses one part of an overall approach to research, the student’s ability to use a variety of print and electronic

reference materials should only be assessed as part of the overall research process and not in isolation. Students should be evaluated on their rationale for selecting a

particular source. Each source should be evaluated for a variety of criteria including currency, authority, relevancy, accuracy, objectivity, and purpose of publication.

January 30, 2009 4

One criterion in a scoring rubric for a research assignment might evaluate the variety of print and electronic reference materials cited to the topic or overall

project. However, because the reference materials used by the student provide the information needed to address the topic or inquiry, the teacher should offer some

ongoing evaluation of the student’s use of reference materials as a part of the research process. For example, the teacher might prompt the student to vary the types of print and electronic sources and to select those materials most likely to

provide the information most appropriate for the research project. Conferencing with the student or written feedback from the teacher would be a good means of

assessing this indicator during the research. An additional form of assessment might be a research journal/log. Students would

reflect on their use of sources each day and note their success and frustrations with each type of source. This journal would be both a self-assessment for students and

an assessment for the classroom performance. A research log would help the teacher identify issues with plagiarism prior to the final evaluation.


Buzzeo, Toni. Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for

7-12. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Co., 2002. Hackman, Mary H. Library Information Skills and the High School English Program.

2nd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1999.

Johnson, Doug. Learning Right From Wrong in the Digital Age: An Ethics Guide for

Parents, Teachers, Librarians, and Others Who Care About Computer-Using

Young People. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Co., 2003. Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan. Build Your Own Information Literate School. Salt

Lake City: Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2003.

Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan. Info Tasks for Successful Learning. Portland, ME:

Pembroke Publishers, 2001.

Loertscher, David V., and Blanche Wools. Information Literacy. 2nd ed. San Jose,

CA: Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2002.

January 30, 2009 5

Loertscher, David V., Carol Koechlin, and Sandi Zwaan. Ban Those Bird Units: 15

Models for Teaching and Learning in Information-Rich and Technology-Rich

Environments. Salt Lake City: Hi Willow Research & Publishing, 2005. Ryan, Jenny, and Steph Capra. Information Literacy Toolkit. Chicago: American

Library Association, 2001.

Stanley, Deborah B. Practical Steps to the Research Process for High School.


Thompson, Helen M, and Susan A. Henley. Fostering Information Literacy:

Connecting National Standards, Goals 2000, and the SCANS Report.


Valenza, Joyce Kasman. Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters.

Chicago: American Library Association, 2003.

Volkman, John D. Cruising Through Research: Library Skills for Young Adults.

Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998. Whitley, Peggy, Catherine Olson, and Susan Goodwin. 98 Jumpstarts to Research:

Topic Guidelines for Finding Information on Current Issues. Englewood, CO:

Libraries Unlimited, 2001.


using a variety of print and electronic reference materials. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to

match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These

titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are

encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class. Use the following link for the SCASL suggested texts. http://scasl.pbwiki.com/ELA+Standards.


January 30, 2009 6

Nonprint Materials Alewine, Martha. “The Simple Four: An Information Problem-Solving Model.” School

Library Media Services, South Carolina Department of Education. 9 Sept

2007.

http://martha.alewine.googlepages.com/thesimplefour.

“Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need.” 21 July 2007. NoodleTools

Inc. 09 Sept 2007.

http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/

adviceengine.html.

“Evaluating Sources of Information.” 2004. Purdue University. 09 Sept 2007.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/EvalSrcW/index.html.

NetFiles #301: Research Applications. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 11

September 2007.

http://www.unitedstreaming.com/.

Schrock, Kathy. “Critical Evaluation Surveys and Resources.” 2007. Discovery

Education. 09 Sept 2007.

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html.

Smith, Alistair. “Evaluation of Information Sources.” 19 Oct 2006. Victoria

University of Wellington. 09 Sept 2007.

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/staff/alastair_smith/evaln/evaln.htm


http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/%0badviceengine.html

http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/%0badviceengine.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/EvalSrcW/index.html


http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html

http://www.vuw.ac.nz/staff/alastair_smith/evaln/evaln.htm

May 27, 2009 1

Standard E1-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in English 1 read informational (expository/persuasive/

argumentative) texts of the following types: historical documents, research reports, essays (for example, social, political, scientific, historical, natural history), position papers (for example, persuasive brochures, campaign

literature), editorials, letters to the editor, informational trade books, textbooks, news and feature articles, magazine articles, advertisements,

journals, speeches, reviews (for example, book, movie, product), contracts, government documents, business forms, instruction manuals, product-support materials, and application forms. They also read directions, schedules, and

recipes embedded in informational texts. In addition, they examine commercials, documentaries, and other forms of nonprint informational

texts.



Indicator E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts.


objects, and the like.

Explanation of the Indicator The thesis is the main or most important idea in a piece of writing. It is what the author wants you to remember most. In order to demonstrate mastery of the

indicator, students must be able to find the thesis within a text and in related texts and to define similarities and differences in the way the thesis is presented

in those texts. Finding the Central Idea

Teaching the strategy of how to find the thesis is important. Once the subject/topic of the paragraph is discovered, the thesis, what the author has to

say about his or her topic, may be determined by analyzing the supporting evidence.

Subject/Topic

+ What the author says about the subject (Supporting evidence) = Thesis

May 27, 2009 2

Most authors of informational texts state the thesis while a few will imply it as reflected in these examples:

Stated: “Green minded activists failed to move the broader public not

because they were wrong about the problems, but because the solutions they offered were unappealing to most people.” (from an essay, “The Next Green Revolution,” – thesis:

Environmentalism has not been universally popular because it requires effort unwelcome to many modern consumers.)

Implied: “Women’s rights is not only an abstraction, a cause; it is also a personal affair. It is not only about “us”’ it is also about me and

you.” (from an essay, “Cinderella’s Stepsisters” - thesis: Women must support each other in seeking equality rather than allowing

themselves to become part of the oppression.) Because the purpose of informational texts is either to inform or to persuade, the

thesis can usually be found in one or more sentences near the beginning of the text (following an introductory strategy such as an anecdote or scenario, a

statistic, or a quotation). The thesis may also be located immediately before the end of a text where it functions as a parting lesson or conclusion the reader is to

have reached. Comparing and Contrasting Theses

Once theses have been located, the student must be able to detect correspondences between those ideas, proving the similarities and differences

with evidence from the texts such as: *tone (the author’s attitude toward the subject, including author’s bias), *the point of view from which information is presented,

*persuasive techniques (including word choice, figurative language, loaded language, and propaganda techniques),

*organization (including use or absence of headings and sub-headings as well as the order in which information is presented), *visual elements of the text (including words bolded, italicized, colored, or

in varied fonts; graphs, charts, maps, and other illustrations, and *information included or excluded (such as a concession, factual

omissions, or unsupported opinion). Teachers will wish to consult Support Documents for all other Standard 2

Indicators when providing instruction on comparison/contrast of texts. Students may also consider validity of the source (timeliness, acknowledged bias of the

writer or target audience, and purpose of publication) when defending assessed similarities and differences.

May 27, 2009 3

Instructional Progression

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some

areas of focus for main idea and details differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts?

Students should understand that the thesis is the “big idea” of a text. It is what the author wants the reader to remember most. To

determine points of comparison and contrast, students must understand tone, point of view, the impact of persuasive techniques, organization of a text, the impact of visual elements of a text, and

how to determine information included or excluded from a text.

Within the study of central idea and supporting evidence, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

K-2.1 Summarize the central idea and details from informational

texts read aloud. 1-2.1 Summarize the central idea and supporting evidence in

an informational text during classroom discussion. 2-2.1 Analyze the central idea and supporting evidence in an

informational text during classroom discussion.

3-2.1 Summarize evidence that supports the central idea of a given informational text.

4-2.1 Summarize evidence that supports the central idea of a given informational text.

5-2.1 Summarize the central idea and supporting evidence of

a given informational text. 6-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational

texts. 7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts. 8-2.1 Compare/contrast central ideas within and across

informational texts. E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational

texts. E2-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational

texts.

E3-2.1 Evaluate theses within and across informational texts. E4-2.1 Evaluate theses within and across informational texts.

May 27, 2009 4

When teaching thesis and supporting evidence, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?


E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on a given literary text. E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended


E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony,

and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to draw

conclusions and make inferences.

E1-2.3 Analyze informational text for author bias (including word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information,

and unsupported opinion). E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of

methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and

auditory presentations, discussions, and media presentations). E1-2.5 Analyze the impact that that text elements have on the

meaning of a given informational text. E1-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example,

charts and graphs) in informational text. E1-2.7 Analyze propaganda techniques in informational texts. E1-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain

information. E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an

introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis, and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request,

inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.


E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays,

speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and firsthand

accounts). E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works the

information gathered from a variety of research sources. E1-6.5 Create written works, oral and auditory presentations, and

visual presentations that are designed for a specified audience and purpose.

E1-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials.

E1-6.8 Design and carry our research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, evaluating


May 27, 2009 5


Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. In order to

demonstrate mastery of the indicator, students must be able to find theses within one informational text or among related texts and to compare and contrast how

those ideas are presented. Whether responses are to be drawn, written, oral/auditory presentations, discussions, or media productions, students should be offered specific information about the structure of comparison/contrast texts.

To compare/contrast theses within and across texts information will be presented

in one of two ways: In block format (in which all information is presented about subject A

and then all information is presented about subject B with similarities

and differences noted throughout as well as in the conclusion), or in point-by-point (in which the reader/writer/presenter tells in the

introduction what points will be compared and contrasted and uses each body paragraph to provide details).

Student readers/writers/presenters might be encouraged to recognize signal words when determining similarities and differences in theses within and among

texts. Signal words of comparison/contrast that student readers and writers might recognize and use include: similar, like, unlike, although, as opposed to,

yet, conversely, on the other hand, as well as, both, but, compared with, different from, either… or, even though, however, instead of, in common, on the other hand, otherwise, and still.

To assess the indicator, teachers might choose two or more previously unfamiliar

informational texts on a specific topic such as school uniforms or animal rights. With texts chosen from a variety of sources and in a variety of formats (for instance, a cartoon from a school newspaper, an article from an educational

journal, and a website excerpt), students will identify the theses of the texts and then determine what supporting details in each text compares to and contrasts

with those in other texts in the set. For example, a cartoon from a school newspaper would likely use details to present a position against the use of school uniforms while an article from an educational journal might present a positive

position.

The primary focus of this assessment would be to determine if students can determine how ideas presented within and across texts are similar or different and can support that assessment with details from the text. Students’ independent

application of those skills could be assessed using sample informational text or cold text, with multiple choice or constructed response questions.

May 27, 2009 6


Burke, Jim. Reading Reminders, Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers,

2000. Burke, Jim. Writing Reminders, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003.

Harvey, Stephanie, and Anne Goudis, The Comprehension Toolkit, Portland, ME:

Stenhouse, 2006

Harvey, Stephanie, and Anne Goudis, Strategies That Work, Portland, ME:

Stenhouse, 2007 Oczkus, Lori, Interactive Think-Aloud Lessons, New York: Scholastic Inc., 2009.

Portalupi, Joann and Ralph Fletcher, Nonfiction Craft Lessons, New York:

Stenhouse, 2001.

Reader’s Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning, Wilmington, MA:

Great Source Education Group, 2002. (Although this is a student book it has excellent examples of reading strategies

and skills.) Student Texts

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand facts and opinions. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association

of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their

library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list

has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials

http://readwritethink.org http://readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=951

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/readingStrat/

http://www.brainpopjr.com/reading/comprehension/mainidea/grownups.weml

http://www.ttms.org

http://readwritethink.org/

http://readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=951

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/readingStrat/

http://www.brainpopjr.com/reading/comprehension/mainidea/grownups.weml

May 26, 2009 1


Students in English 1 read four major types of literary texts: fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the following

specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, young adult novels, science fiction, folktales, myths,

satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems,

lyrical poems, humorous poems, free verse, odes, songs/ballads, and epics.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Analyze Break material into its parts and determine how the

parts relate to one another and to an overall structure

and purpose

Explanation of the Indicator The perspective, or vantage point from which an author presents a story, is called point of view.

In the first person point of view, the story is told by one of the characters. The

character uses pronouns such as I or we and usually participates in much of the action. Because the story is told from just one character’s point of view, however, the reader is limited to knowing only what that character knows, thinks, and feels.

In the third person point of view, the story is told by a narrator who is not a

character in the story. The narrator will use pronouns such as she, he, and they. Sometimes the narrator will relate the thoughts and feelings of all the characters. This point of view is called the third-person omniscient point of view; the narrator

functions as an all-seeing, all-hearing, all-knowing speaker who reads the thoughts and feelings of any and all characters. More often, however, the narrator will relate

the thoughts and feelings of just one character, usually the protagonist. This is called the third-person limited omniscient point of view; the narrator’s omniscience is limited, or restricted, to a single character.

To analyze means to break material into its parts and determine how the parts

relate to one another and to an overall structure and purpose. For students to be able to analyze the impact of point of view students should first be able to

identify the three points of view and differentiate among the three points of view when presented with a variety of texts written from the first-person, limited omniscient (third person), and omniscient (third person) points of view.

May 26, 2009 2

Students should also be able to explain the effect of point of view on a literary text.

When analyzing point of view, students may complete a chart which answers the

following questions: Who is the narrator? From which of the three points of view is the literary text told?

What does the narrator know that no one else could know? What does the narrator not know?

What are the narrator’s biases, if any? How does the point of view affect the way you feel about the

characters? (Does it help you identify with a character? Does it

make you sympathize more with one character than another?) Is the literary text narrated by a major or minor character? Why do

you think the author chose this character as the narrator? Is the narrator reliable or unreliable? Why do you think the author

chose this character as the narrator?

Choose a different point of view from which the story could be told. How would the story change if this point of view were used?

What impact does the point of view of the literary text have on the reader?

Students may use their answers to the questions above to create written responses which analyze the impact of point of view on a literary text. As always, students

should support their answers with evidence from the text.

Instructional Progression of the Indicator The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for the study of point of view differ at each grade level, including the

level of higher-order thinking required of students.

What do students need to know before they can understand point of view? Students should possess a working knowledge of first person,

second person, and third person subject and object pronouns. Students should know that in the second person point of view,

though rarely used, the narrator addresses the reader as you. Students should possess a working knowledge of narrative text

structure and plot elements.

Students should be able to draw conclusions and make inferences about literary texts.

Students should understand the author’s development of characters as well as the effect of author’s craft on literary texts.

Students should be able to differentiate among first person, limited

omniscient (third person), and omniscient (third person) points of view.

Students should be able to explain the effect of point of view on a given literary text.

May 26, 2009 3

Within the study of point of view, what have students been taught

and what will they be taught in the future? In kindergarten through grade two, students focus on determining who

is narrating the text. In grades three and four, students are introduced to the first and third person points of view. Beginning at grade five, students are first introduced to the concepts of limited omniscient

(third person) and omniscient (third person) points of view. From grade five through English 4, the level of higher-order thinking

students must apply to the literary text and their understanding of the three points of view becomes increasingly more difficult.

The words in bold indicate changes from grade to grade. K-1.3 Understand that a narrator tells the story.

1-1.3 Analyze a narrative text to determine the narrator. 2-1.3 Analyze the text to determine the narrator. 3-1.3 Analyze the text to determine first-person point of view.

4-1.3 Distinguish between first-person and third-person points of view.

5-1.2 Differentiate among the first-person, limited-omniscient (third person), and omniscient (third person) points of view.

6-1.2 Differentiate among the first-person, limited-omniscient (third person), and omniscient (third person) points of view.

7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given narrative text.

8-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given literary text. E2-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts.

E3-1.2 Evaluate the impact of point of view on literary texts. E4-1.2 Evaluate the impact of point of view on literary texts.

When teaching point of view, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?


E1-1.4 Analyze the relationship among character, plot, conflict,

and theme in a given literary text. E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of author’s craft (including tone and

the use of imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts.

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods

(for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the visual and performing

arts). E1-1.7 Compare/contrast literary texts from various genres (for

example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories).

E1-5.2 Create narratives (for example personal essays, memoirs, or narrative poems) that use descriptive language to create tone

and mood.

May 26, 2009 4

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, if a

graphic organizer was used to help students analyze the impact of point of view on a given literary text, then a graphic organizer should be part of the assessment.

However, students should be assessed with cold texts rather that texts they have already read and discussed. There is no benefit to assessing students using a piece of text that has already been used during classroom instruction. That would be

assessing their ability to remember, not their ability to analyze the impact of point of view on a given literary text. Students should be assessed using a piece of text

that is on their grade level. In this indicator, the verb is analyze. Students should be challenged to deconstruct

a literary text in order to examine both the narrator and point of view in order to ascertain the impact point of view has on the literary text. Students may be given a

literary text and be asked whether the narrator is reliable or unreliable, biased or unbiased, and what impact that has on the unfolding of events in the text as well as the reader’s understanding of the text. Students should also be expected to provide

evidence defending their thinking by citing the text and adding their background knowledge or the understanding that brought them to their analysis of the impact

point of view has on a given literary text. Written assignments may be used to assess students’ ability to explain the effect of point of view on a given literary text.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation on any assessment strategy is that students must demonstrate they can analyze the impact of point of

view on a given literary text.


Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, Ninth Edition. Florence, KY: Cengage

Learning. 2008 Bass, Helen Ruth and Diane Morrill. Prose and Poetry: A Comprehensive Guide to

Understanding Literature. Portland, ME: Walch Publishing. 1998.

Moon, Brian. Literary Terms: A Practical Glossary. Urbana, IL: National Council of

Teachers of English. 1999.

Student Texts Reader’s Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning, Wilmington, MA:

Great Source Education Group, 2002.

May 26, 2009 5

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand text features. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of

School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue

be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read

and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using

them in class. Nonprint Materials

ReadWriteThink: Exploring Setting: Constructing Character. Point of View, Atmosphere, and Theme

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1094 ReadWriteThink: Elements of Fiction

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/lit-elements/overview/

ReadWriteThink: Knowledge or Instinct? Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=648

Point of View http://mrshatzi.com/files/pointofview-ws.pdf

Exploring Point of View

http://www.learner.org/interactives/literature/read/pov1.html Types of Point of View

http://www.learner.org/interactives/literature/read/pov2.html

Teaching Point of View http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/11686.aspx

Literary Terms http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html

Sleeping Beauty: Points of View http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/pv.html

Literary Element: Point of View

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/hc_point_of_view.pdf


http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/lit-elements/overview/

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=648

http://mrshatzi.com/files/pointofview-ws.pdf




http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/pv.html

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/hc_point_of_view.pdf

May 26, 2009 1



nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the following specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical

fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, young adult novels, science fiction, folktales, myths, satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and

biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems, lyrical poems, humorous poems, free verse, odes, songs/ballads,

and epics.


difficult texts.

Indicator E1-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.


objects, and the like

Explanation of the Indicator Reading is a problem-solving process that is active and reflective. Readers do not simply read words; they “read” ideas that spring from a particular combination of

words. Making inferences is one skill readers use to derive meaning from text and is the act or process of drawing a conclusion based on what the reader, listener, or

viewer already knows either from prior knowledge, observations, or evidence found in the text. Authors imply through facts and details; therefore, readers have to infer.

In English 1, students might need some extended practice in comparing and

contrasting in reading as well as composing. Students who write to compare or contrast will gain valuable experience with this skill.

The key to this indicator is found in the verb “compare/contrast” which implies the use of more than one text linked by theme, author, genre, or historical time period.

Students should have experiences with a variety of print and nonprint literary text that allow them to compare/contrast inferences and conclusions. For example, a thematic approach would encourage students to read a poem, listen to a speech,

and view a video of a short story, all of which were connected by a similar theme. Or students could read several works in the same or different genres by the same

author. Students could then compare/contrast inferences and conclusions among these texts. This approach lends itself to small group work.

May 26, 2009 2

In Strategies That Work, 2nd Edition (Harvey and Goudvis, 2007, p. 132), the authors define inferring as “Merging background knowledge with clues in the text to

come up with an idea that is not explicitly stated by the author. Reasonable inferences need to be tied to the text.” The authors also provide the following types

of inferences (p. 132): • Making predictions: predicting outcomes, upcoming events, and

actions

• Using context to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words/concepts

• Interpreting the meaning of language: figurative, idiomatic, and metaphoric

• Visualizing: constructing meaning with a visual image; inferring

creates a picture, movie, or slideshow in the mind • Inferring relationships: setting to plot, cause and effect, character’s

feelings and motives • Inferring the author’s purpose • Creating interpretations based on text evidence

• Using text evidence to surface themes and big ideas • Inferring the meaning of text features and visuals

• Inferring the answer to a question • Drawing conclusions based on text evidence

Students in English 1 should be able to understand that the text itself does not contain meaning but that the readers themselves make sense of the text by

inferring meaning from the words and sentences. Writers provide the words; readers provide the meaning based on their knowledge of the language and their

background knowledge they bring to the text. Instructional Progression of the Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for analyzing literary text to draw conclusions and make inferences

differ at each grade level.


how to analyze literary text to draw conclusions and make inferences?

Students need to know how to generate and respond to questions that require them to dig for and think about the information and the evidence necessary to draw conclusions and make inferences.

For example, questions such as “Which event could not have happened if . . . . “ “Could this have happened in . . . ?” “What

would happen if . . .?” will prompt students to search for data from the text to support their inferences.

May 26, 2009 3

Students need to think about how they construct meaning from

words strung together in sentences to communicate ideas. For example, consider the following statement:

The Senator admitted owning the gun that killed his wife. What facts does this sentence provide? The Senator was married and his wife is now dead (although not stated directly, the reader

can conclude that his wife is dead). But this single sentence contains several assertions: (1) There is a Senator. (2) He owns a

gun. (3) He is married. (4) His wife is dead. (5) A gun caused her death. (6) The Senator admitted owning that gun. What inferences can we make? One may be that that the

investigators have recovered the gun or at least a bullet and identified the gun as the murder weapon.

What unsubstantiated inferences might the reader make that could lead to faulty conclusions? Do we know if the Senator is in any way responsible for his wife’s death? Do we know if she died of gun shot

wounds? Could she have been hit on the head with the gun? Could it have been something other than murder – suicide or an accident?

Readers need to recognize the danger and the temptation of assuming facts or interpretations where there is no evidence

(jumping to conclusions) and the need to read with the possibility of many different interpretations. (http://www.criticalreading.com/inference_reading.htm

Students need to learn how to connect the text with their background knowledge and to see that when they read, they bring

what they already know to comprehension of new text. They need to experience understanding beyond the literal by gathering all the clues in order to make an inference or draw a conclusion. For

example, when reading, listening, or viewing specific literary text, we might infer that a character has an open umbrella because it is

raining, but what if the open umbrella is to shield the character from the sun? Or a character who asks for a glass of water might be thirsty or might need the water to take some medicine. The

details from the text provide the evidence the reader needs to make the correct inference and not jump to faulty conclusions.

Making inferences and drawing conclusions require that students recognize and identify the clues in the text that will help lead them to conclusions. Students must also read between the lines; go

beyond the literal and concrete meaning; and pay attention to details, clues, and evidence when interacting with print and

nonprint literary texts.


May 26, 2009 4

Students in English 1 already have a lot of experience making inferences; they apply this skill all the time by analyzing their peers’ physical

appearance, action, or speech, their teachers’ body language or facial expressions, or characters’ motives in movies and on television. The next

step is to help them transfer this skill to their interactions with text. Kylene Beers, When Kids Can’t Read, references thirteen types of inferences

that skilled readers make regardless of what they are reading (p. 65) and prompts that the teacher may use for each inference. Skilled readers . . .

1. Recognize the antecedents for pronouns (Look for pronouns and

figure out what to connect them to. What happens if you make

an incorrect connection between a pronoun and a noun? ) 2. Figure out the meaning of unknown words from context clues.

(What other words in the sentence or surrounding sentences give clues to what the unknown word means?)

3. Figure out the grammatical function of unknown words (What

job or role does the unknown word have in the sentence?) 4. Understand intonation of characters’ words (Look at how the

character said [insert a specific quote]). How would you have interpreted what that character said if he had said [change how

it was said or stress different words]). 5. Identify characters’ beliefs, personalities, and motivations (After

you read this section, see if you can explain why the character

acted this way.) 6. Understand characters’ relationships to one another (What

words does the author use to describe or explain how the characters feel about each other and what their relationships are.)

7. Provide details about the setting (Think about the setting and see what details you can add. What else would change about

the story if the setting changed?) 8. Provide explanations for events or ideas that are presented in

the text (Figure out explanations for these events. What clues

lead you to these explanations?) 9. Offer details for events or their own explanations of the events

(How can you explain the events of this section/chapter?) 10. Understand the author’s view of the world (What clues from the

text led you to an understanding of the author’s view of the

world?) 11. Recognize the author’s biases (As you read this section, look for

clues that would tell you how the author might feel about [insert a topic or character’s name]).

12. Relate what is happening in the text to their own knowledge of

the world (Think about something that you know about this [insert topic] and see how that fits with what’s in the text.)

May 26, 2009 5

13. Offer conclusions from facts presented in the text (What conclusions do the facts from this section/chapter lead you to

make?)

Within the analysis of literary text to draw conclusions and make inference, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

In grade 3, students are expected to make predictions as well as draw conclusions. In grades 4-7, students are analyzing text in order to

draw conclusions and make inferences. Starting in grade 8 through English 4, students compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.

The words in bold indicate changes from grade to grade.

3-1.2 Analyze a given literary text to make, revise, and confirm predictions and draw conclusions.

4-1.2 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make




inferences.

8-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to make inferences.



make inferences. E4-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary texts to

make inferences. When teaching drawing conclusions and making inferences,

what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, media productions, and the

visual and performing arts). E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to

draw conclusions and make inferences. E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including

word choice and the exclusion and inclusion of particular

information, and unsupported opinions). E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety

of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral

May 26, 2009 6

and auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions).




E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and

firsthand accounts).

Science: Draw conclusions and make inferences and predictions from data, research, and investigation.

Social studies: Draw conclusions and make inferences and

predictions from research, biographies, autobiographies, essays, and speeches.


Students should be assessed in the same ways they are taught; however, students should be assessed with cold text rather than text they have read and discussed. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “compare/contrast.” Students should be

challenged to construct meaning from comparing and contrasting inferences and conclusions from a variety of text (different genres, audio, and video) and to

recognize that understanding of the text is enhanced by “reading between the lines.” Students should be able to cite instances in the texts that caused them to infer and draw conclusions. They should also be able to explain what background

information they brought to the text that helped them make inferences. When it’s time for assessment, students should be asked to show what they have learned in

the same way they were taught. For example, in either the learning or the assessing, students should not be given a worksheet to make inferences and draw conclusions from unconnected pieces of text because this does not allow them the

opportunity to interpret meaning from whole piece of texts.

Students in English 1 respond well to brain twisters and puzzles, which can be provided through text. For example, this passage provides a type of reading puzzle:

A man and his son are driving in a car. The car crashes into a tree, killing the father and seriously injuring his son. At the hospital, the boy

needs to have surgery. Upon looking at the boy, the doctor says, “I cannot operate on him. He is my son.”

How can this be? How does this make sense? Readers quickly see that they have to find an explanation. How can the doctor have a son (“I cannot

operate on him. He is my son”) when readers know that the father is dead (“The car crashes into a tree, killing the father”). Readers are often blinded

May 26, 2009 7

by their assumption that the doctor must be a male when, in fact, the doctor in this passage is a female. This assumption gets in the way of understanding

and does not allow the readers to consider all possibilities. While this appears to be a simple exercise, it illustrates the importance of being open to all

options while reading. (http://www.criticalreading.com/inference_reading.htm

The next step would be to have students respond to two different texts (for example, a political cartoon and an essay, a short story and a poem, a

dramatization of a short story and the text of the same story), by discovering similarities and differences. This part of the process will work well if students work in pairs. Students could create a two-column chart (one column for facts, the other

for inferences) that they could use for comparison/contrast purposes.

There is no benefit from assessing students using a piece of text that has already been discussed. That would be assessing their recall, not their ability to compare and contrast new text. Also, students should be assessed on a piece of text that is

on their reading level.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation on any assessment strategy is that students must demonstrate they can compare/contrast literary text

to make inferences and draw conclusions. Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts Allen, Janet. Yellow Brick Roads. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. 2000.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann. 2003.

Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudis. Strategies That Work: Teaching

Comprehension to Enhance Understanding. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2007.

Keene, Ellin and Susan Zimmerman. Mosaic of Thought, Second Edition.


Keene, Ellin. To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension. Portsmouth,



Heinemann, 1992.



May 26, 2009 8


drawing conclusions and making inferences. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the

South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be


meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials http://www.criticalreading.com/inference




http://scholastic.com/newszone/ http://www.carolhurst.com


http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/inferences http://www.iclasses.org

http://www.iclasses.org/assets/literature/index.cfm full text of fiction and nonfiction selections


http://www.criticalreading.com/inference








http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/inferences




October 13, 2011 1



difficult texts.

Indicator E1-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or

narrative poems) that use descriptive language to create tone and mood.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Create Put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole,

reorganize elements into a new pattern or structure.

Explanation of Indicator When creating narratives, students will write compositions that explain an event or series of events. Descriptive language includes details that appeal to the senses and

figurative language. Tone is the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience conveyed through the choice of words and details.

Instructional Progression The type of narratives created and author’s craft used by students changes at each

grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for the creation of narratives differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand creating narratives?

Before the student can create narrative pieces that use descriptive language to create tone and mood, the student must be able to

apply the writing process to create narratives. The writing process should include pre-writing techniques, drafting,

revising, and editing.

The student must be able to sequence events logically. The student must be able to select descriptive language.

The students must be able to create tone and mood in writing. For example, teachers might help students learn to read like writers and study other writers’ use of descriptive language these writers

create tone and mood in their works.

Within creating narratives, what have students previously learned and what they will learn in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

5-5.2 Create narratives that have a fully developed plot and a

consistent point of view. 6-5.2 Create narratives that have a fully developed plot and a

consistent point of view.

October 13, 2011 2

7-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays or narrative poems) that communicate the significance of an issue of

importance and use language appropriate for the purpose and the audience.

8-5.2 Create narratives (for example, memoirs) that communicate the significance of particular personal relationships.

E1-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or


E2-5.2 Create narrative pieces (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or narrative poems) that use figurative language and word choice to create tone and mood.

E3-5.2 Create narrative pieces (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or narrative poems) that use figurative language

and word choice to create tone and mood. E4-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays, memoirs, and

narrative poems) that use descriptive language to enhance

voice and tone.

When teaching narratives, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

English 1 students will create narratives as they respond to a variety of texts by creating multiple-paragraph compositions. The students might also create narratives in response to material studied in classes other

than English.

Classroom Assessment Individual assessment of narratives should be completed throughout the writing process by peers, by the students themselves, and by the teacher. Teachers should

also consider assessing some narratives using the HSAP and SAT writing rubrics.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts Atwell, Nancie. 1998. In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading,

and Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

-----. 2002. Lessons that Change Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Burke, Jim. 2003. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to

Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession. 2nd ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

-----.2003. Writing Reminders: Tools, Tips, and Techniques. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

October 13, 2011 3

Discovering Language Arts: Style, Structure, and Tone (Grades 9-12). ETV

Streamline Video.

Elbow, Peter. 1981. Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing

Process. New York: Oxford University Press.

Fletcher, Ralph. 1993. What a Writer Needs. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Lane, Barry. 1993. After the End: Teaching and Learning Creative Revision.

Portsmouth, NH.

Ray, Katie Wood. 2006. Study Driven: A Framework for Planning Units of Study in

the Writing Workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Student Texts

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand narrative writing. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of

School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media

specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read

and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.englishcompanion.com

http://www.readwritethink.org

http://www.webenglishteacher.com




October 14, 2011 1

Standard E1-4 The student will create written work that has a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, effective

use of voice, and correct use of the conventions of written Standard American English.


more difficult texts. Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for

instruction and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis,

and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Create Put elements together to form a coherent or functional

whole; reorganize elements into a new pattern or structure.

Explanation of Indicator Students in English 1 will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

There is no one organizational structure appropriate for all pieces. Giving students a formula as to how many sentences or paragraphs a piece of writing should contain actually limits them. Instead, teachers should help

students develop a variety of organizational strategies that can be applied appropriately to match the genre, purpose, and audiences. of each piece of

writing.

The single most important component in teaching students how to organize

writing is the use of literary models. Teachers should provide students with numerous examples of the kind of writing they are asked to produce. Before

writing a letter of inquiry, students should read and analyze a number of letters of inquiry, concentrating on exactly how the various authors organized

their letters. Memoir will be organized very differently from letters of inquiry, and students should study the organization of many examples of memoir before writing their own.

Ideally, teachers will create their own writing to use as models in teaching

students how to organize. Modeling several examples of the same type of writing students are being asked to produce will show students how one type of writing may be organized in a variety of ways.

October 14, 2011 2

Instructional Progression of Indicator As the texts students create become more sophisticated, organization at

each grade level may become more challenging.

What do students need to know before they can create organized writing? To be successful in creating well organized pieces of writing, students must

draw upon prior learning in the areas of reading and writing. Skills that students will draw upon include:

Recognizing/evaluating different types of texts Producing texts for different purposes and audiences Sequencing logically and effectively

Using transitional devices Recognizing/creating adequate supporting evidence

Discriminating between fact and opinion Comparing and contrasting Making predictions

Within the study of organizing writing, what have students been

taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate a change from grade to grade.

5-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central

idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions

between paragraphs. 6-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central

idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs.

7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central

idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs.

8-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs.

E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis,

and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

E2-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an

introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis, and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

E3-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

E4-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis, and

use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

October 14, 2011 3

When teaching the organization of writing, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

Students in English 1 demonstrate their knowledge of the organization of writing through the application of the following indicators:


make inferences.

E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts. E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the


E1-2.2 Compare/contrast information within and across texts to draw

conclusions and make inferences. E1-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines. E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite

Writing Matrix.) E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request,

inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.


E1-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for example, narrative, expository, and persuasive).

E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays, speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and firsthand

accounts). E1-5.5 Create technical pieces (for example, proposals, instructions,

and process documentation) that use clear and precise language appropriate for the purpose and audience.

E1-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

E1-6.5 Create written works, oral and auditory presentations, and visual presentations that are designed for a specific audience and purpose.

E1-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, evaluating


October 14, 2011 4

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Therefore,

students should be assessed on their ability to apply in their writing the organizational strategies they have been taught. This can be accomplished in

a number of ways. In addition to organizing their own pieces of writing, students can benefit from reading and analyzing the organization of a variety of written pieces. Students should have direct instruction on organizational

strategies and be given numerous opportunities to create and organize their own pieces of writing.

Strategies to assist students with organizing writing and which can be used as formative and/or summative assessments include:

Creating numerous pieces of writing in a variety of genres and for various purposes and audiences

Experimenting with organizing a single piece of writing in two (or more) different ways

Determining the components of a piece of writing that contribute to its

organization Collecting examples of writing with effective leads or introductions

Collecting examples of writing with effective conclusions Developing charts showing effective transitional devices

Explaining the techniques that an author uses to move a reader through a piece of writing

Collecting examples of writing that use unusual methods of

organization Collecting examples of writing that use unconventional methods of

transition Evaluating the organization of professional pieces of writing (cold

texts)

Using the Extended Response Rubric to evaluate the organization of their own writing


Culham, Ruth. 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. NY, NY: Scholastic, 2003.

Fletcher, Ralph. What a Writer Needs. Portsmouth, NY: Heinemann, 1993. Laminack, Lester L. Cracking Open the Author’s Craft. NY, NY: Scholastic,

2007.

Lane, Barry. After The End. Portsmouth, NY: Heinemann, 1993. Ray, Katie Wood. What You Know by Heart. Portsmouth, NY: Heinemann,

2002.

October 14, 2011 5

Student Texts There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better

understand organizing writing. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the

South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional

suggestions. These titles can be used for read-alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed

by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.learnnc.org

http://www.lpb.org



http://scholastic.com http://scholastic.com/newszone/

http://timeforkids.com


http://www.scetc.org

http://www.scetc.org/education/streamlinesc/index.cfm http://www.ciconline.org


http://www.carolhurst.com http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/6th.html


http://www.iclasses.org


full text of fiction and nonfiction selections




http://www.lpb.org/



















May 28, 2009

Standard E1-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in English 1 read informational

(expository/persuasive/argumentative) texts of the following types: historical documents, research reports, essays (for example, social,

political, scientific, historical, natural history), position papers (for example, persuasive brochures, campaign literature), editorials, letters to the editor, informational trade books, textbooks, news and feature articles, magazine

articles, advertisements, journals, speeches, reviews (for example, book, movie, product), contracts, government documents, business forms,

instruction manuals, product-support materials, and application forms. They also read directions, schedules, and recipes embedded in informational texts. In addition, they examine commercials, documentaries, and other

forms of nonprint informational texts.



Indicator E1-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts and graphs) in informational texts.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Analyze Break material into its constituent parts and determine

how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose.

Explanation of Indicator Graphic features that are intended to aid readers can sometimes overwhelm

them. Textbooks, for example, rely heavily on such features as boxed information, sidebars, and boldface fonts. Also, the format and purpose of

graphic features will differ from one text to another. In addition to textbooks, students should be exposed to a wide variety of real world texts that employ graphic features. The following kinds of texts can be collected and brought

into the classroom for analysis: newspapers, magazines, operation manuals, brochures, pamphlets, advertisements, maps, almanacs, catalogs, phone

books, calendars, cookbooks, reference books, and field guides. Special consideration should be given to the format of web sites and graphic features used on the internet.

In analyzing the graphic features in a variety of texts and formats, students

should be encouraged to consider why the features are used, what purpose they accomplish, and how they relate to the written text.

May 28, 2009

Instructional Progression of Indicator The nature of graphic features students encounter at each grade level may

become more challenging.

What do students need to know before they can analyze graphic features? To be successful analyzing graphic features, students must draw upon prior

learning in the area of reading. Skills that students will draw upon include: Reading informational texts

Discerning cause and effect Drawing conclusions Making inferences

Comparing/contrasting Making predictions

Recognizing/providing adequate supporting evidence Recognizing propaganda Discriminating between fact and opinion

Recognizing author’s bias

Within graphic features, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

5-2.6 Use graphic features (including illustrations, graphs, charts, maps, diagrams, and graphic organizers) as sources of information.

6-2.6 Interpret information from graphic features (for example, illustrations, graphs, charts, maps, diagrams, and graphic

organizers). 7-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts

and graphs) in informational texts.

8-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts and graphs) in informational texts.


E2-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts

and graphs) in informational texts. E3-2.6 Evaluate information from graphic features (for example,

charts and graphs) in informational texts. E4-2.6 Evaluate information from graphic features (for example, charts

and graphs) in informational texts.

May 28, 2009

When teaching graphic features, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

Students in English 1 demonstrate their knowledge of graphic features

through the application of the following indicators: E1-2.1 Compare/contrast theses within and across informational texts.


E1-2.3 Analyze informational texts for author bias (including word choice, the exclusion and inclusion of particular information, and unsupported opinions).

E1-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and

auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions). E1-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements have on the meaning of

a given informational text.


E1-2.7 Analyze propaganda techniques in informational texts. E1-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain

information. E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request,

inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the

specific audience. E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays,

speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and firsthand accounts).

E1-5.5 Create technical pieces (for example, proposals, instructions, and process documentation) that use clear and precise language

appropriate for the purpose and audience. E1-6.5 Create written works, oral and auditory presentations, and

visual presentations that are designed for a specific audience

and purpose. E1-6.6 Select appropriate graphics, in print or electronic form, to

support written works, oral presentations, and visual presentations.

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Students will

need to analyze graphic features as they complete assignments in all content areas. In addition, in the ELA classroom, students can demonstrate their ability to analyze graphic features in order to incorporate such features in

their own writing of informational pieces, persuasive pieces, and research presentations. For an accurate assessment of students’ ability to analyze

graphic features, they should be presented with texts they have not previously studied.

May 28, 2009


Professional Texts Allen, Janet. On the Same Page. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, 2002.

Daniels, Harvey and Steven Zemelman. Subjects Matter. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2004.

Harvey, Stephanie. Nonfiction Matters. York, ME: Stenhouse, 1998.

Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. Strategies that Work. York, ME:

Stenhouse. 2007.

Jobe, Ron and Mary Dayton-Sakari. Info-Kids. Portland, ME: Pembroke

Publishers. 2002. Student Texts

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand graphic features. Library Media Specialists from the South

Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to

match the indicators. This will continue to be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read-alouds, shared reading, and

independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each

classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials http://www.readwritethink.org

http://www.learnnc.org

http://www.lpb.org http://www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/litlearn/

http://www.readingquest.org



http://scholastic.com/newszone/ http://timeforkids.com


http://www.ciconline.org http://www.ciconline.org/english



http://www.lpb.org/










May 28, 2009

http://www.carolhurst.com




http://www.frankwbaker.com/default1.htm






http://www.frankwbaker.com/default1.htm

May 27, 2009 1

Standard E1-4 The student will create written work that has a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, effective

use of voice, and correct use of the conventions of written Standard American English.


difficult texts. Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for instruction


Indicator E1-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, and complex) in writing. (See

Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix) Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb

Use Apply a procedure to a familiar task.

Explanation of the Indicator The study of syntax allows students to learn how sentences are constructed. When students understand that clauses are the building blocks of sentences, they can use

clauses as tools to assemble a strong variety of sentences in their own writing. A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its subject and that is used as

part of a sentence. An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself as a sentence. A subordinate clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. A simple sentence has one

independent clause and no subordinate clauses. A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses. A complex sentence has

one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause. A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause.

Students should begin with knowledge of subjects, predicates, independent and

subordinate clauses, coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and the use of commas and semicolons in punctuating different types of sentences. This

knowledge will allow them to classify types of sentences, analyze sentence types in the literature they are studying, and create written work which employs varied sentence structure. Varying sentence structure to promote rhythmic reading is an

important component of voice in writing, as is effective phrasing. Studying sentence types should not be an isolated grammatical exercise. Students should connect

their study of syntax to their own writing and to the literature they are currently studying. Teachers should help students make that connection by modeling extensively, by expecting students to use varied sentence structure in their own

writing, and by providing a rich variety of literature for students to analyze. Effective teaching practices in the study of sentence structure will strengthen

students as both readers and writers.

May 27, 2009 2

A review of the sentence types and accompanying punctuation rules learned in previous grades is essential before teachers begin instruction in the new sentence

types. An effective way to do this is through mini-lessons based upon what students are reading and writing.

Instructional Progression of the Indicator The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some

areas of focus for the study of Greek and Latin roots and affixes differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand how to use complete sentences in a variety of types?

Students should understand the definition and function of subjects and predicates in sentences.

Students should understand the definition and function of clauses in sentences.

Students should be able to distinguish between an independent

clause and a subordinate clause. Students should know and be able to use coordinating conjunctions

correctly in sentences. Students should know and be able to use subordinating

conjunctions correctly in sentences. Students should be able to correctly punctuate compound,

complex, and compound-complex sentences using commas and

semicolons.

Within the study of using complete sentences in a variety of types, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate changes from grade

to grade.

K-4.2 Generate complete sentences orally. 1-4.2 Use simple sentences in writing. 2-4.2 Use complete sentences (including simple sentences

with compound subjects and predicates) in writing. 3-4.2 Use complete sentences (including compound

sentences) in writing. 4-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including

simple and compound sentences) in writing.

5-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, and complex) in writing.

6-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, and complex) in writing.

7-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including

simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex). 8-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including

May 27, 2009 3

E1-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).

E2-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).

E3-4.3 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex). E4-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including

simple, compound, complex, and compound complex.).

When teaching how to use complete sentences in a variety of types, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

E1-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American

English including the reinforcement of conventions previously taught.

E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the development of ideas (see Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix).

E1-4.6 Edit written pieces for correct use of American Standard English including the reinforcement of the mechanics previously taught

(see Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix).

Classroom Assessment Students should have many opportunities to practice constructing sentences in a variety of types before being asked to demonstrate their knowledge for

assessment. After introducing students to clauses, the teacher might begin by offering students “pieces” of sentences with which to construct simple, compound,

and complex sentences. This could be done quite literally by putting the pieces of sentences on construction paper and having students find their matching counterparts to construct sentences, or the sentence pieces could be written on the

board for the students to match.

Once students gain confidence with constructing sentences of different types, they can begin to look at how to improve writing by varying sentence structure. The teacher should offer the students models of paragraphs written completely in

simple sentences or completely in complex sentences so students can see the effects of not varying sentence structure. Since one purpose of varying sentence

structure is to promote rhythmic reading, ask students to read these model paragraphs aloud so they can hear the effects of not varying sentence structure. After students revise the models to use a variety of sentence structure, they should

read the paragraphs aloud again.

May 27, 2009 4

Students also need to examine the literary and informational texts they are currently reading and analyze them for the effective use of various types of

sentences. They should determine if there are types of writing which use one sentence type more than another and why that is so.

Finally, students need to apply their knowledge of constructing sentences in a variety of types to their own writing. The teacher should hold the students

accountable for their knowledge by expecting them to use varied sentence structure in their writing and by evaluating that use with the voice domain of the PASS

writing rubric. Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Students need

multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate their knowledge of sentence structure. In order to address the definition of the verb “use,” opportunities for

demonstration of knowledge should be drawn from cold text. Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts Baker, Sheridan. The Practical Stylist. New York, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell

Company, 1997.

Culham, Ruth. 6+1 Traits of Writing. New York, New York: Scholastic, 2003.

Frank, Steven. The Pen Commandments: A Guide for the Beginning Writer. New

York, New York: Pantheon Books, 2003. Longknife, Amy and Sullivan, K.D. The Art of Styling Sentences. Hauppauge, New

York: Barron’s, 2002.

Strong, William. Sentence Combining: A Composing Book. New York, New York:

McGraw-Hill, 1994.

Strunk, William Jr., and White, E.B. The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition. New York, New York: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York, New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

May 27, 2009 5


sentence structure and variety. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina

Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for

read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet

the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials http://eslbee.com/sentences.htm

http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/sentence2.html

http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/sentences.htm

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/sentence_types_quiz.htm

http://itech.pjc.edu/writinglab/senpat.htm

http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/compound.htm

http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/9ba7aca253306cee852569c3007117cf?OpenDocument

http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/comcomplexterm.htm

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/coleytech/dynamic_curriculum/Language/Simple,%20Compound,%20a

nd%20Complex%20Sentences%20in.ppt.

http://myweb.wssu.edu/wallr/ENG3321/simplecompoundcomplex.htm http://www.leasttern.com/Grammar/Sentences.html

http://flightline.highline.edu/writingcenter/workshops/sentence-structure.doc

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/573/02/



http://eslbee.com/sentences.htm

http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/sentence2.html

http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/sentences.htm



http://itech.pjc.edu/writinglab/senpat.htm

http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/compound.htm



http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/comcomplexterm.htm

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/coleytech/dynamic_curriculum/Language/Simple,%20Compound,%20and%20Complex%20Sentences%20in.ppt



http://myweb.wssu.edu/wallr/ENG3321/simplecompoundcomplex.htm

http://www.leasttern.com/Grammar/Sentences.html

http://flightline.highline.edu/writingcenter/workshops/sentence-structure.doc




May 27, 2009 6

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/grammar/PDFs/g_commacomp.pdf

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=C568C497-02BD-4284-BAF9-6AAD48CC8FBE&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=0B4F19EB-94FD-459D-8E90-E260C1E15A4B&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=660913E5-9C6A-

4FFF-9B31-2C3A9656F1F2&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/grammar/PDFs/g_commacomp.pdf





http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=660913E5-9C6A-4FFF-9B31-2C3A9656F1F2&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=660913E5-9C6A-4FFF-9B31-2C3A9656F1F2&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

June 30, 2009 1


Students in English I read four major types of literary texts: fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry, and drama. In the category of fiction, they read the following specific types of texts: chapter books, adventure stories, historical

fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, young adult novels, science fiction, folktales, tall tales, myths, satires, parodies, allegories, and monologues. In the

category of literary nonfiction, they read classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, and speeches. In the category of poetry, they read narrative poems, lyrical poems, humorous poems, free verse,

odes, songs/ ballads, and epics.

The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to more difficult texts.

Indicator E1-1.4 Analyze the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and

theme in a given literary text.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Evaluate Make judgments based on criteria and standards

Explanation of the Indicator Analyzing the relationship among literary elements requires the reader to

consider what each element contributes to the text and how each affects the others.

Plot immediately impacts all other elements because the events in a text must be arranged in temporal order in the reader’s mind for the story to make sense.

Authors may use time to manipulate the amount of information the reader has at given point in a text, to gradually reveal traits and behaviors of the characters in a story, and to engineer emotional responses; however, the reader must ultimately

have a sense of the order of events to gain understanding of the author’s perspective on the central idea or theme. For example, in Romeo and Juliet,

Shakespeare introduces the feud in Act I, Scene 1 – long before the reader/viewer meets either central protagonist and, in so doing, prepares the audience for the conflicts that will prevent a happy ending while initiating several possible themes,

among them “Destiny versus Free Will” or “The Capriciousness of Fate” and “The Individual versus Society.”

Conflict, because its presence creates the story, also has an immediate effect on all other elements. Again, in Romeo and Juliet, the reader/viewer explores the

themes of “The Capriciousness of Fate” and “The Individual versus Society” as both protagonists repeatedly try to avert disaster in the form of adult interference

with the union that would end violence. These conflicts revealed through plot events - man-versus-man (Romeo versus Tybalt), man-versus-nature (Friar John versus the illness that delayed the letter to Mantua), man-versus-himself (Romeo

June 30, 2009 2

versus his own impulsivity), and man-versus-society (the young couple versus the feuding families) – change the characters as Romeo and Juliet lose faith in the

ability of power structures to help them (including government, parents/adult role models, and church). Ultimately, the remaining family heads (the Capulets and Lord

Montague), having learned from the sacrifice of the young lovers, agree to set aside ancient differences.

Characters may have the strongest impact in a text because it is through them that the reader explores a theme, endures and learns from conflicts, and

experiences plot events perhaps like or very much unlike their own lives. The author portrays characters in a text (including the narrator – see E1-1.2 for point of view) with as much or as little detail as he wants the reader to have, controlling

what the reader knows about a situation or idea and, thus, how he will feel about it. Thus, such decisions as how the narrator will be involved in the plot or whether he

will merely observe and whether the protagonist will be a positive character (like Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice) or a negative one (like Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights) affect the reader’s perception and the ideas he will take away

from the reading experience (the theme).

Theme affects all other elements of a text because it is the idea the writer is trying to communicate and, therefore, controls all decisions made about a text. The

author’s careful choices about plot, conflicts that move events along, and characters who participate in those events must all ultimately allow the reader to explore a central idea and to take away from an experience with a text the ideas

that the writer was hoping to represent.

Teachers may provide support for students in analyzing relationships among elements of a text by modeling thinking during reading or discussions, by targeting these elements through literary circles, and by crafting prompts for writing that

encourage exploration of those connections. Ultimately, any study of relationships among elements should include texts from varied genres (fiction, literary nonfiction,

informational, poetry, drama, etc.) as well as those from non-print sources. Encouraging students to note specific information about the elements (plot, character, conflicts, and theme) and record it in a double-entry journal, on a Venn

diagram, or on sticky notes in texts, or sharing information in group or partner discussions can support the student who is learning to analyze the relationships

among elements in literary texts.

June 30, 2009 3

Instructional Progression of the Indicator The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level and some areas of

focus for the study of Literary Elements differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand analyze the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and theme in a given literary text?

Students need to understand how to identify the characters,

conflicts, plots, and themes in texts. Students need to understand that authors tell stories with a

deliberate sequence of events or actions that presents and resolves

a conflict. Students need to search for and use connections to knowledge gained

through personal experiences and reading other texts. Students need to use knowledge of text types, elements, structures

and formats to enhance understandings and connections in reading.

Students need to identify and comprehend the elements of the texts so the aspects of the texts can be related and connected.

Students need to know how to use information in texts to infer what is not said directly.

Students need to know how to use personal experiences and feelings or knowledge of other people or characters to make inferences about characters in the stories they read.

Students need to recognize the tools of development (detailed above) within texts and be able to determine how elements affect each other

and the reader’s experience with the text as a whole.

Within the study of Literary Elements, what have students been

taught and what will they be taught in the future? The words in bold indicate changes from grade to grade.

K-1.5 Generate a retelling that identifies the characters and the

setting in a story and relates the important events in sequential

order. 1-1.5 Generate a retelling that identifies the characters and

the setting in a story and relates the important events in sequential order.

2-1.5 Analyze a narrative text to identify characters, setting, and

plot. 3-1.5 Analyze the relationship among characters, setting, and plot

in a given literary text. 4-1.5 Analyze the impact of characterization and conflict on plot.

5-2.2 Analyze informational texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences. 6-1.4 Analyze an author’s development of characters, setting, and

conflict in a given literary text.

June 30, 2009 4

7-1.4 Analyze an author’s development of the conflict and the

individual characters as either static, dynamic, round, or flat in a given literary text.

8-1.4 Analyze a given literary text to determine its theme.

E1-1.4 Analyze the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and theme in a given literary text.

E2-1.4 Analyze the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and theme in a given literary text.

E3-1.4 Evaluate the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and

theme in a given literary text. E4-1.4 Evaluate the relationship among character, plot, conflict, and

theme in a given literary text. When teaching Literary Elements, what connections, links, or

ties can be made to other indicators?


E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts.

E1-1.6 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, written works, oral and auditory presentations,

discussions, media productions, and the visual and performing arts). E1-1.7 Compare/contrast literary texts from various genres (for

example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories). E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.)

Classroom Assessment Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Students need

multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate their understanding of the relationships among elements. Teachers should observe students talking about the

relationship among plots, conflicts, characters, and themes in authentic contexts, such as writing and reading conferences or in literature circles as they read multiple texts that explore a central idea from various perspectives, including varied genres

and treatments of the theme.

To address the definition of the verb “analyze,” teachers must model and then allow students to demonstrate on unfamiliar texts strategies authors employ in terms of relationships among elements in texts. In addition, students should be encouraged

to explore the impact each element has on the reader’s experience with the text as a whole. Assessments might include individual or group story maps, double-entry

journals, Venn diagrams, dramatic presentations, literature circle assignments, flow charts, and written or oral analyses of characters, conflicts, plots, and themes. The most complete assessment would involve students choosing a text and collecting

evidence about the impact of each element (plot, conflict, character, and theme) on

June 30, 2009 5

the text as a whole and on other elements, ultimately writing a reflection about how the relationships benefit the reader.


Professional Texts Keene, Ellin Oliver. To Understand. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008.

Keene, Ellin Oliver and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1997.

Pinnell, Gay Su and Irene C. Fountas. The Continuum of Literacy Learning.


Pinnell, Gay Su and Patricia Scharer. Teaching for Comprehension in Reading. New

York, NY: Scholastic Professional Books, 2003. Rasinsky, Timothy and Nancy Padak. Effective Reading Strategies. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.

Swartz, Stanley, et al. Guided Reading and Literacy Centers. Carlsbad, CA: Dominie Press: 2003.


Literacy Elements. Using a variety of student texts, written by different authors, with varying story structures and plots will extend opportunities to learn about

characters, setting, sequential order and the relationships among them. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians

(SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in

progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed

by professionals, some of these titles may not meet the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in

class. Nonprint Materials

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/html

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1353.html http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d109.html

http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/Columns/tt/feb19.htm


http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/html

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1353.html

http://www.indiana.edu/~reading/ieo/digests/d109.html

http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/Columns/tt/feb19.htm


June 30, 2009 6

http://okscribbler.blogspot.com/2009/02/teaching-summarizing-story.html

http://www.cherylsclassroomtips.com/2008/11/whats-your-favorite-read-

aloud.html

http://okscribbler.blogspot.com/2009/02/teaching-summarizing-story.html

http://www.cherylsclassroomtips.com/2008/11/whats-your-favorite-read-aloud.html

http://www.cherylsclassroomtips.com/2008/11/whats-your-favorite-read-aloud.html

June 29, 2009

1


The teacher should continue to address earlier indicators as they apply to more difficult texts.

Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for instruction


Indicator E1-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for example, narrative, expository, and persuasive).

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Create Put elements together to form a coherent or functional

whole; reorganize elements into a new pattern or structure Explanation of the Indicator

Effective descriptive writing paints a picture with words. Whether students are writing a purely descriptive essay or incorporating description into other forms

of writing, they can use description as a tool to evoke emotions in the reader through the power of words. As part of a narrative, description can make the setting and characters more vivid. When students are writing a process paper, they

can use description to help the reader envision the finished product. Specific descriptive details can make persuasive writing more powerful. Descriptive writing

requires paying close attention to detail and using all of the senses. Instruction in writing description must be closely tied with literary and

informational texts, vocabulary, and the writing process. Since figurative language is an effective tool in writing descriptively, students should learn the types of

figurative language and analyze the use of figurative language in the texts they study throughout the year. The teacher should show students how figurative language, imagery, and specific sensory details create strong descriptions in both

poetry and prose. Students should analyze how description is related to an author’s style and is part of voice, tone, mood, and atmosphere.

Teachers should expect students to think constantly about word choice. The

precise language and vivid details needed for effective description will result from rich vocabulary instruction where students are immersed in word study. Students should analyze the author’s word choice in the texts they are studying and their

own word choice in their writing. As students write descriptive pieces, the teacher should expect them to employ strong, specific words at every step of the writing

process. When students are prewriting, they should be taught how to use specific

sensory details as part of a graphic organizer or other brainstorming. Adding specific details and choosing more effective vocabulary should always be a part of

the revision process. Students should be instructed in use of the thesaurus, and they should learn that specific nouns and strong verbs, as well as adjectives, are

June 29, 2009

2

essential tools for descriptive writing. The teacher should provide mini-lessons throughout the year to show students both effective and non-effective examples of

descriptive writing. Teachers should help students make the connection between their own writing and the literature they are currently studying by emphasizing

vocabulary study, by modeling extensively, by expecting students to use description in their own writing, and by providing a rich variety of texts for students to analyze. Effective teaching practices in the study of descriptive writing will

strengthen students as both readers and writers.

Instructional Progression of the Indicator The level of difficulty of the writing increases at each grade level. Additionally, some areas of focus for creating descriptions differ at each grade level.


how to create descriptions? Students should know devices of figurative language and be able to

analyze their use in texts they are studying.

Students should be able to interpret the use of figurative language as part of an author’s style.

Students should be able to employ figurative language effectively in their own writing.

Students should be able to analyze an author’s use of imagery in texts they are studying and employ imagery effectively in their own writing.

Students should be able to identify sensory details in texts they are reading and employ sensory details in their own writing.

Students should be able to identify vivid verbs and specific adjectives in texts they are reading and employ them in their own writing.

Students should be able to analyze diction (word choice) as an important part of an author’s style.

Students should understand how to use a thesaurus to improve word choice in their own writing.

Within the study of creating descriptions, what have students been taught and what will they be taught in the future?

The words in bold indicate changes from grade to grade. K-5.3 Use symbols (drawings, letters, and words) to create

descriptions of personal experiences, people, places, or things. 1-5.3 Create written pieces that describe personal experiences,

people, places, or things and that use words that appeal to the senses.

2-5.3 Create written pieces that describe objects, people, places, or

events and that use words that appeal to the senses. 3-5.3 Create written descriptions about people, places, or

events.

June 29, 2009

3

4-5.3 Create written descriptions using language that appeals to the readers’ senses.

5-5.3 Create written descriptions using precise language and vivid details.

6-5.3 Create written descriptions using precise language and vivid details.

7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of

written works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive).

8-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive).

E1-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written

works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive). E2-5.3 Create descriptive pieces (for example, personal essays,

travel writing, or restaurant reviews) that use sensory images and vivid word choice.

E3-5.3 Create descriptive pieces (for example, personal essays, travel

writing, or restaurant reviews) that use sensory images and vivid word choice.

E4-5.3 Create descriptive pieces (for example, personal essays, travel writing, or restaurant reviews) that use sensory images and

vivid word choice. When teaching how to create descriptions, what connections, links,

or ties can be made to other indicators? E1-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox). E1-1.5 Analyze the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the


and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts. E1-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines.

E1-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that have an introduction and a conclusion, include a coherent thesis, and use support (for example, definitions and descriptions).

E1-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the development of ideas (see Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix).

E1-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, letters of request, inquiry, or complaint) that use language appropriate for the

specific audience. E1-5.2 Create narratives (for example, personal essays, memoirs, or


E1-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, editorials, essays,

speeches, or reports) that develop a clearly stated thesis and use support (for example, facts, statistics, and firsthand

accounts).

June 29, 2009

4

Classroom Assessment Students should have many opportunities to practice creating descriptions in

a variety of types before being asked to demonstrate their knowledge for assessment. Students should analyze how authors create description in both literary and informational texts. Teachers should introduce many examples (both

print and nonprint) of real-world writing which use description, such as real estate advertisements, travel brochures, resumes, and theater reviews. Students can

demonstrate knowledge of figurative language, sensory details, and specific word choice through class discussion, a ticket out the door, or more formal test questions.

Once students gain confidence with analyzing descriptive details in the texts

they are studying, they can learn how to improve writing through elaborating with description. The teacher should offer the students models which use description effectively and models which lack description. Students can demonstrate knowledge

of descriptive writing techniques by revising models which lack description.

Finally, students need to apply their knowledge of creating description to their own writing. The teacher should hold the students accountable for their

knowledge by expecting them to use description in their writing and by evaluating that using the PASS writing rubric or other scoring rubrics. Students should be exposed to scoring rubrics during instruction.

Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. Students

need multiple opportunities and ways to demonstrate their knowledge of creating description. In order to address the definition of the verb “create,” students should be allowed to demonstrate their knowledge through writing essays, producing

advertisements, filming commercials, and creating a rich variety of print and nonprint products.


Baker, Sheridan. The Practical Stylist. New York, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell

Company, 1997. Culham, Ruth. 6+1 Traits of Writing. New York, New York: Scholastic, 2003.

Fletcher, Ralph. What a Writer Needs. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann,

1993. Frank, Steven. The Pen Commandments: A Guide for the Beginning Writer. New

York, New York: Pantheon Books, 2003.

Lane, Barry. After the End: Teaching and Learning Creative Revision. Portsmouth,

June 29, 2009

5

New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1993.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York, New York: HarperCollins, 2001.


sentence structure and variety. Library Media Specialists from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) are collaborating with the South Carolina

Department of Education to provide a sampling of texts to match the indicators. This will continue be a work in progress. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialists for additional suggestions. These titles can be used for

read alouds, shared reading, and independent reading. While each title on the list has been read and reviewed by professionals, some of these titles may not meet

the needs of each classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to read the texts prior to using them in class.

Nonprint Materials http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/diary/

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/descriptive.html

www.nebo.edu/misc/learning_resources/ppt/6-12/writing.ppt

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_describe.html

http://writingfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/descriptive_writing_exercises http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/composition/narrative.htm

www.lexington1.net/rbe/21cc/Descriptive%20Writing.ppt

www.nwrel.org/assessment/pdfGeneral/Prompts_BlowingAway.pdf

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/descriptive-writing.html

http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_33_35.html http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/text_forms/descriptions.html

http://www.kisd.org/khs/english/help%20page/Descriptive%20Words.htm

http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/lesson13.htm

http://www.msgarrettonline.com/descripwords.html

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/diary/

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/descriptive.html

http://www.nebo.edu/misc/learning_resources/ppt/6-12/writing.ppt

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_describe.html

http://writingfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/descriptive_writing_exercises

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/composition/narrative.htm

http://www.lexington1.net/rbe/21cc/Descriptive%20Writing.ppt

http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/pdfGeneral/Prompts_BlowingAway.pdf

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/descriptive-writing.html

http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_33_35.html

http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/resources/text_forms/descriptions.html

http://www.kisd.org/khs/english/help%20page/Descriptive%20Words.htm

http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/lesson13.htm

http://www.msgarrettonline.com/descripwords.html

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm

June 29, 2009

6

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/draftdescribe.htm

http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/Faculty/Zobel/DescriptiveParagraph.html

http://www.you-can-teach-writing.com/descriptive-paragraph.html http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/prompts/descriptive.asp

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=72CB3E1C-1CBE-

44C8-B7FB-1063C8208A9D&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=95D95344-AAFB-

4A3B-83F9-13E633EFF382&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/draftdescribe.htm

http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/Faculty/Zobel/DescriptiveParagraph.html

http://www.you-can-teach-writing.com/descriptive-paragraph.html

http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/prompts/descriptive.asp

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=72CB3E1C-1CBE-44C8-B7FB-1063C8208A9D&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=72CB3E1C-1CBE-44C8-B7FB-1063C8208A9D&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=95D95344-AAFB-4A3B-83F9-13E633EFF382&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=95D95344-AAFB-4A3B-83F9-13E633EFF382&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US