Students in the primary grades learn to recognize
and decode printed words, developing the skills that are the foundations
for independent reading. They discover the alphabetic principle (sound-symbol
match) and learn to use it in figuring out new words. They build a stock
of sight words that helps them to read quickly and accurately with comprehension.
By the end of the third grade, they demonstrate fluent oral reading, varying
their intonation and timing as appropriate for the text.
Benchmark A. Use letter-sound correspondence
knowledge and structural analysis to decode words. 1. Identify and distinguish between letters, words and sentences. 2. Identify and say the beginning and ending sounds in words. 3. Demonstrate an understanding of letter-sound correspondence by
saying the sounds from all letters and from a variety of letter patterns,
such as consonant blends and long- and short-vowel patterns, and by matching
sounds to the corresponding letters. 4. Decode by using letter-sound matches. 5. Use knowledge of common word families (e.g., -ite or -ate) to
sound out unfamiliar words. 6. Blend two to four phonemes (sounds) into words. 7. Add, delete or change sounds in a given word to create new or
rhyming words. Benchmark B. Demonstrate fluent oral reading, using sight words and
decoding skills, varying intonation and timing as appropriate for text. 8. Demonstrate a growing stock of sight words. 9. Read text using fluid and automatic decoding skills, including
knowledge of patterns, onsets and rimes. 10. Read aloud with changes in emphasis, voice, timing and expression
that show a recognition of punctuation and an understanding of meaning.
Students acquire vocabulary through exposure
to language-rich situations, such as reading books and other texts and
conversing with adults and peers. They use context clues, as well as direct
explanations provided by others, to gain new words. They learn to apply
word analysis skills to build and extend their own vocabulary. As students
progress through the grades, they become more proficient in applying their
knowledge of words (origins, parts, relationships, meanings) to acquire
specialized vocabulary that aids comprehension.
Benchmark A. Use context clues to determine
the meaning of new vocabulary. 1. Use knowledge of word order and in-sentence context clues to
support word identification and to define unknown words while reading. Benchmark B. Read accurately high- frequency sight words. 4. Recognize common sight words. Benchmark C. Apply structural analysis skills to build and extend
vocabulary and to determine word meaning. 6. Predict the meaning of compound words using knowledge of individual
words (e.g., daydream, raindrop). 7. Recognize contractions (e.g., isn’t, aren’t, can’t, won’t) and
common abbreviations (e.g., Jan., Feb.). 8. Read root words and their inflectional endings (e.g., walk, walked,
walking). Benchmark D. Know the meaning of specialized vocabulary by applying
knowledge of word parts, relationships and meanings. 2. Identify words that have similar meanings (synonyms) and words
that have opposite meanings (antonyms). 3. Classify words into categories (e.g., colors, fruits, vegetables). 5. Recognize that words can sound alike but have different meanings
(e.g., homophones such as hair and hare). Benchmark E. Use resources to determine the meanings and pronunciations
of unknown words. 9. Determine the meaning of unknown words using a beginner’s dictionary.
Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension
Strategies and
Self-Monitoring Strategies
Students develop and learn to apply strategies
that help them to comprehend and interpret informational and literary texts.
Reading and learning to read are problem solving processes that require strategies
for the reader to make sense of written language and remain engaged with texts.
Beginners develop basic concepts about print (e.g., that print holds meaning)
and how books work (e.g., text organization). As strategic readers, students
learn to analyze and evaluate texts to demonstrate their understanding of
text. Additionally, students learn to self-monitor their own comprehension
by asking and answering questions about the text, self-correcting errors and
assessing their own understanding. They apply these strategies effectively
to assigned and self-selected texts read in and out of the classroom.
Students develop and learn to apply strategies
that help them to comprehend and interpret informational and literary texts.
Reading and learning to read are problem solving processes that require strategies
for Benchmark A. Establish a purpose for reading and use a range of reading
comprehension strategies to understand literary passages and text. 1. Describe the role of authors and illustrators. 2. Establish a purpose for reading (e.g., to be informed, to follow
directions or to be entertained). 3. Visualize the information in texts and demonstrate this by drawing
pictures, discussing images in texts or writing simple descriptions. Benchmark B. Make predictions from text clues and cite specific
examples to support predictions. 4. Make predictions while reading and support predictions with information
from the text or prior experience. Benchmark C. Draw conclusions from information in text. 6. Recall the important ideas in fictional and non-fictional texts. Benchmark D. Apply reading skills and strategies to summarize
and compare and contrast information in text, between text and across subject
areas. 5. Compare information (e.g., recognize similarities) in texts with
prior knowledge and experience. 7. Create and use graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams or webs,
with teacher assistance, to demonstrate comprehension. Benchmark E. Demonstrate comprehension by responding to questions
(e.g., literal, informational and evaluative). 8. Answer literal, simple inferential and evaluative questions to
demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic
and visual media. Benchmark F. Apply and adjust self-monitoring strategies to assess
understanding of text. 9. Monitor comprehension of independently- or group-read texts by
asking and answering questions. 10. Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g.,
personal interest, knowledge of authors and genres or recommendations
from others). 11. Independently read books for various purposes (e.g., for enjoyment,
for literary experience, to gain information or to perform a task).
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical
and Persuasive
Text
Students gain information from reading for
purposes of learning about a subject, doing a job, making decisions and accomplishing
a task. Students need to apply the reading process to various types of informational
texts, including essays, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, instruction manuals,
consumer and workplace documents, reference materials, multimedia and electronic
resources. They learn to attend to text features, such as titles, subtitles
and visual aids, to make predictions and build text knowledge. They learn
to read diagrams, charts, graphs, maps and displays in text as sources of
additional information. Students use their knowledge of text structure to
organize content information, analyze it and draw inferences from it. Strategic
readers learn to recognize arguments, bias, stereotyping and propaganda
in informational text sources.
Benchmark A. Use
text features and structures to organize content, draw conclusions and build
text knowledge.
1. Use title page, photographs, captions and illustrations (text features)
to develop comprehension of informational texts. Benchmark B. Ask clarifying questions concerning essential elements
of informational text. Benchmark C. Identify the central ideas and supporting details
of informational text.
2. Identify the sequence of events in informational text.
3. Ask questions concerning essential elements of informational text (e.g.,
why, who, where, what, when and how).
Benchmark D. Use visual aids as sources to gain additional information from
text.
4. Identify central ideas and supporting details of informational text with
teacher assistance. Benchmark E. Evaluate two- and three-step directions for proper
sequencing and completeness.
5. Identify and discuss simple diagrams, charts, graphs and maps as characteristics
of nonfiction.
6. Follow multiple-step directions.
Students enhance their understanding
of the human story by reading literary texts that represent a variety of
authors, cultures and eras. They learn to apply the reading process to the
various genres of literature, including fables, folk tales, short stories,
novels, poetry and drama. They demonstrate their comprehension by describing
and discussing the elements of literature (e.g., setting, character and
plot), analyzing the author’s use of language (e.g., word choice and figurative
language), comparing and contrasting texts, inferring theme and meaning
and responding to text in critical and creative ways. Strategic readers
learn to explain, analyze and critique literary text to achieve deep understanding.
Benchmark A. Compare and contrast plot
across literary works. 1. Provide own interpretation of story, using information from the
text. 3. Retell the beginning, middle and ending of a story, including
its important events. Benchmark B. Use supporting details to identify and describe main ideas,
characters and setting. 2. Identify characters, setting and events in a story. Benchmark C. Recognize the defining characteristics and features
of different types of literary forms and genres. 4. Identify differences between stories, poems and plays. 5. Recognize predictable patterns in stories and poems Benchmark D. Explain how an author’s word choice and use of methods
influences the reader. Benchmark E. Identify the theme of a literary text.
Students’ writing develops when they
regularly engage in the major phases of the writing process. The writing
process includes the phases of prewriting, drafting, revising and editing
and publishing. They learn to plan their writing for different purposes and
audiences. They learn to apply their writing skills in increasingly sophisticated
ways to create and produce compositions that reflect effective word and
grammatical choices. Students develop revision strategies to improve the
content, organization and language of their writing. Students also develop
editing skills to improve writing conventions.
Benchmark A. Generate ideas for written compositions. 1. Generate writing ideas through discussions with others. 2. Develop a main idea for writing. Benchmark B. Develop audience and purpose for self-selected and
assigned writing tasks. 3. Determine purpose and audience. Benchmark C. Use organizers to clarify ideas for writing assignments. 4. Use organizational strategies (e.g., brainstorming, lists, webs
and Venn diagrams) to plan writing. Benchmark D. Use revision strategies and resources to improve
ideas and content, organization, word choice and detail. 5. Organize writing to include a beginning, middle and end. 7. Mimic language from literature when appropriate. 9. Reread own writing for clarity. 10. Add descriptive words and details. 11. Use resources (e.g., a word wall, beginner’s dictionary, word
bank) to select effective vocabulary. Benchmark E. Edit to improve sentence fluency, grammar and usage. 6. Construct complete sentences with subjects and verbs. 12. Proofread writing to improve conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling,
punctuation and capitalization). Benchmark F. Apply tools to judge the quality of writing. 13. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist, feedback) to judge the
quality of writing. Benchmark G. Publish writing samples for display or sharing with
others, using techniques such as electronic resources and graphics. 8. Use available technology to compose text. 14. Rewrite and illustrate writing samples for display and for sharing
with others.
Students need to understand that various
types of writing require different language, formatting and special vocabulary.
Writing serves many purposes across the curriculum and takes various forms.
Beginning writers learn about the various purposes of writing; they attempt
and use a small range of familiar forms (e.g., letters). Developing writers
are able to select text forms to suit purpose and audience. They can explain
why some text forms are more suited to a purpose than others and begin
to use content-specific vocabulary to achieve their communication goals.
Proficient writers control effectively the language and structural features
of a large repertoire of text forms. They deliberately choose vocabulary
to enhance text and structure in their writing according to audience and
purpose.
Benchmark A. Compose writings that convey
a clear message and include well-chosen details. 1. Write simple stories with a beginning, middle and end that include
descriptive words and details. 4. Produce informal writings (e.g., messages, journals, notes and
poems) for various purposes. Benchmark B. Write responses to literature that demonstrate an
understanding of a literary work. 2. Write responses to stories that include simple judgments about
the text. Benchmark C. Write friendly letters and invitations complete
with date, salutation, body, closing and signature. 3. Write friendly letters or invitations that follow a simple letter
format.
Students learn to master writing conventions
through exposure to good models and opportunities for practice. Writing
conventions include spelling, punctuation, grammar and other conventions
associated with forms of written text. They learn the purposes of punctuation:
to clarify sentence meaning and help readers know how writing might sound
aloud. They develop and extend their understanding of the spelling system,
using a range of strategies for spelling words correctly and using newly
learned vocabulary in their writing. They grow more skillful at using the
grammatical structures of English to effectively communicate ideas in writing
and to express themselves.
Benchmark A. Print legibly using appropriate
spacing. 1. Print legibly and space letters, words and sentences appropriately. Benchmark B. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly. 2. Spell words correctly with regular short vowel patterns and most
common long vowel words (e.g., time, name). 3. Spell high-frequency words correctly. 4. Create phonetically-spelled written work that can usually be
read by the writer and others. 5. Spell unfamiliar words using strategies such as segmenting, sounding
out and matching familiar words and word parts. Benchmark C. Use conventions of punctuation and capitalization
in written work. 6. Use end punctuation correctly, including question marks, exclamation
points and periods. 7. Use correct capitalization (e.g., the first word in a sentence,
names and the pronoun I). Benchmark D. Use grammatical structures in written work. 8. Use nouns, verbs and adjectives (descriptive words).
Students define and investigate self-selected
or assigned issues, topics and problems. They locate, select and make
use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference and technological
sources. Students use an appropriate form to communicate their findings.
Benchmark A. Generate questions for
investigation and gather information from a variety of sources. 1. Discuss ideas for investigation about a topic or area of personal
interest. 2. Utilize appropriate searching techniques to gather information,
with teacher assistance, from a variety of locations (e.g., classroom, school
library, public library or community resources). 3. Use books or observations to gather information to explain a
topic or unit of study with teacher assistance. Benchmark B. Retell important details and findings. 4. Recall important information about a topic with teacher assistance. 5. Report information to others.
Students learn to communicate effectively
through exposure to good models and opportunities for practice. By speaking,
listening and providing and interpreting visual images, they learn to apply
their communication skills in increasingly sophisticated ways. Students
learn to deliver presentations that effectively convey information and persuade
or entertain audiences. Proficient speakers control language and deliberately
choose vocabulary to clarify points and adjust presentations according to
audience and purpose.
Benchmark A. Use active listening strategies
to identify the main idea and to gain information from oral presentations. 1. Use active listening skills, such as making eye contact or asking
questions. Benchmark B. Connect prior experiences, insights and ideas to
those of a speaker. 2. Compare what is heard with prior knowledge and experience. Benchmark C. Follow multi-step directions. 3. Follow simple oral directions. Benchmark D. Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace and volume. 4. Speak clearly and understandably. Benchmark E. Deliver a variety of presentations that include
relevant information and a clear sense of purpose. 5. Deliver brief informational presentations that: a. demonstrate an understanding of the topic; b. include and sort relevant information and details to develop
topic; c. organize information with a clear beginning and ending; and d. express opinions. 6. Deliver brief informal descriptive presentations recalling an
event or personal experience that convey relevant information and descriptive
details. 7. Deliver simple dramatic presentations (e.g., recite poems, rhymes,
songs and stories).
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