Definition:

explain the author's purpose and message within a text

Goal: Students should be able to justify their understanding of the main point or idea being conveyed in a text. Once students understand the message of the text, they should be able to analyze how the author’s purpose has a specific effect on the reader such as to entertain, to convince a reader to believe an idea, to share an experience, or to provide information.

Definition:

analyze plot elements, including the use of foreshadowing and suspense, to advance the plot

Goal: Students should be able to analyze foreshadowing and suspense and the effect these elements have on events and conflict resolution. Student are expected to recognize and analyze the basic components such as setting, plot, characterization, point of view, theme, and tone that are present in a variety of literary works. Students should also be able to differentiate among these components, evaluate their functions in a literary text, and determine how they interact with each other.

Definition:

generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information

Goal:

Have students create a three-column chart of questions they generate before, during, and after reading a text. Provide examples of questions as well as specific concepts (main idea, connections, predictions, author’s purpose) for students to focus on as they develop questions.

Before Reading:

What questions would I like to ask the author before reading this text?

What am I wondering about as I look at the cover and back of the text?

Why am I reading this?

What predictions can I make?

During Reading:

What do I understand from what I just read?

What is the main idea?

What picture is the author painting in my head?

What connections am I making to the text?

What questions do I have about what has happened so far?

After Reading:

Which of my predictions were right? What did I read that tells me I am correct?

What were the main ideas?

What is something I would ask the author?

What else would I like to know about this topic?

Definition:

make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society

Goal: This assessment requires students to describe how a text connects to their own life experiences. Students interact with the ideas the text presents. They should be able to recognize the larger themes and messages and how they can apply knowledge gained from the text to their lives and the world around them to build a framework for understanding the text. Students demonstrate comprehension of the text as they recognize these connections and can draw comparisons between them.

Definition:

plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate for a particular topic, purpose, and audience using a range of strategies such as discussion, background reading, and personal interests

develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing by:

organizing your writing

developing an idea with facts, details, and examples

Revise our drafts for clarity, organization, style, word choice, and sentence variety

Goal:

Students are expected to plan the rough draft of a piece of writing as the first step in the writing process. Often referred to as prewriting, students choose the topic, identify the audience and intended purpose, and begin to organize their thoughts using strategies such as brainstorming.

Definition:

write responses that demonstrate understanding of texts, including comparing sources within and across genres

Goal:

This TEK requires students to be able to write and make a connection to multiple texts and genres. Students will be able to comprehend a text, understand the key idea, and purpose of multiple texts.

Definition:

analyze how characters' qualities influence events and resolution of the conflict

Goal:

Students are able to track a character in a story and see how they develop and change throughout. They are also able to organize how the setting, plot, characterization, POV, theme, and tone present themselves in the story. Students should be able to see character traits are developing in a story and how their traits impact the plot.

Definition:

analyze how the setting influences character and plot development

Goal:

Students are able to read a text and notice the setting. They are also able to identify how the setting of the text impacts how the plot of the story will go.