11/4/2011 1

Standard 7-2 The students will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven read informational

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

historical documents, informational trade books, textbooks, news and feature articles, magazine articles, advertisements, encyclopedia entries, reviews (e.g., book, movie, product), journals, and speeches. They also read directions, maps,

time lines, graphs, tables, charts, schedules, recipes, and photos 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 7-2.3 Identify indicators of author’s bias such as word choice and the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb

Identify (recognize): Locating knowledge in long-term memory that is consistent with presented material.

Students might point out words that indicate that an author is prejudiced against his/her topic. Students might point out that an author is biased because some

information is excluded from a particular print or nonprint text. For example, an advertisement for chocolate might tout the benefits of chocolate, but leave out the

information that chocolate is high in calories, which might negate the benefits. 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. For example, an author who is biased against small towns might write a text showing all the problems of living in a small town and none of the benefits of living in a small town.

Instructional Progression of Indicator

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

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

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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?

7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

7-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor and oxymoron). 7-1.8 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to

derive pleasure. 7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts. 7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw

conclusions and make inferences. 7-2.5 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to

gain information.

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6-2.8 Exemplify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering generalities and name calling) in informational texts.

7-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms encountered in texts.

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

7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central

idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs.

7-4.6 Use revision strategies to improve clarity, tone, voice, and the development of ideas in written works.

7-5.1 Create informational pieces such as books, movies, product

reviews, and news reports that use language appropriate for a specific audience.

7-5.4 Create persuasive pieces such as letters to the editor or essays that include a stated position with supporting evidence and are aimed at a specific audience.

Classroom Assessment

Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. For example, in this indicator, the verb is “identify.” Students should be challenged to identify author’s

bias in a variety of informational texts and to demonstrate how author’s bias contributes to the overall meaning and effect 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 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 could examine positively or negatively biased print or nonprint texts and revise them in an unbiased form.

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.

11/4/2011 4

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

Stenhouse, 2001.

Nonprint Materials

http://www.Readwritethink.org

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

propaganda persuasion techniques

audience analysis

11/4/2011 1

Standard Number 7.1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays,

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, Character 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 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.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Interpret: Changing from one form of representation (e.g., written) to another

(e.g., oral) (e.g., paraphrase important speeches and documents). 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 flashback and

foreshadowing. Tone is the writer’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience conveyed through the choice of words and details. Flashback is the technique of disrupting the chronological flow of a narrative by interjecting events

that have occurred at an earlier time, and foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues to suggest future action. Symbolism is the author’s use of an object, person, place,

or 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 what occurs and what one expects

to occur in a text. Some common types of irony include verbal irony, a contrast between what is said or written and what is actually meant; situational irony, when

what happens is very different from what is expected to happen; and dramatic irony, when the audience or the reader knows something a character does not know.

Students might demonstrate their ability to interpret author’s craft by imitating an

author’s style in their work.

11/4/2011 2

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

areas of focus for the 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 interpret tone,

imagery, flashback, foreshadowing, and irony. Students must be able to demonstrate the same element in

different forms, for example, in a speech, in a drawing, in a film and/or in a musical work.

Students can talk and write about these techniques with

scaffolding from the teacher.

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

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

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,

11/4/2011 3

and allusion) on the meaning of literary texts (with a focus on world literature).

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 (with a focus on American literature).

E4-1.5 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 (with a focus on

British literature).

When teaching author’s craft, what connections, links, or ties

can be made to other indicators and/or content areas? Students in grade 7 will use author’s craft as they interact with other

indicators such as 7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given narrative. 7-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor, and oxymoron) and sound devices (including onomatopoeia and alliteration).

7-1.7 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods such as written works, oral presentations, media

productions, and the visual and performing arts. 7-1.8 Carry out independent reading for extended periods of time to

derive pleasure.

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences

7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods such as written works, oral presentations, media productions, and the visual and performing arts.

7-2.8 Exemplify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering generalities and name calling) in information texts.

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

7-4 All indicators as students respond in writing.

7-5 All indicators as students respond in writing.

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 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 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 interpret.

Students learn author’s craft when they read widely and use author’s craft in their own work. If students have the opportunity to read and write with an expectation of

11/4/2011 4

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

For example, students could be asked to imitate a particular author’s craft in an

original work of their own. Students could also be asked to identify the authors of several excerpts by analyzing their author’s craft. Students could also be asked to rewrite a passage of one author in the style of another author, or to rewrite an

advertisement in the style of a particular author.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts 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

May 26, 2009 1

Standard 7-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays,

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, character 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 7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences.

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 the Indicator

Inference 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 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:

• 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

May 26, 2009 2

• Inferring the meaning of text features and visuals • Inferring the answer to a question

• Drawing conclusions based on text evidence

Students in grade 7 are ready to distinguish between external text (information provided by the author) and internal text (the reader’s use of that information in a variety of ways). When authors aren’t providing literal information (facts), then

they are implying something. Then it becomes the reader’s job to draw conclusions and make inferences. One way to illustrate the difference between external and

internal text is to use bumper stickers or signs and to have students write and discuss the internal text that comes from the external text. For example, here are four bumper stickers that open up the possibility for analysis:

• Anything worth doing is worth doing right.

• Only the one who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat. • You can’t strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. • More costly than a good education is the lack of one.

The external text is what the bumper sticker says; the internal text is the reader’s

interpretation of the message, the “reading between the lines” to make an inference based on the words the writer used.

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 “What do you think could have

happened next?” “What must have happened when . . .?””If . . . had happened, what might the ending have been?” will prompt

students to search for data from the text to support their inferences.

Students also need to think about what the author is implying and

what the reader can infer by the author’s choice of words. For example, what is the difference among “walk, “trudge”, and “skip”;

“slender,” “skinny” and “thin”; “surprised,” “amazed,” and “astonished”? Concentrating on these shades of meaning (connotations) will help students make correct inferences which will

lead to better comprehension. 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

May 26, 2009 3

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, one might naturally jump to the conclusion that someone running

down a sidewalk is running away from something until paying closer attention to details reveals that this person is running toward a bus he is about to miss or running toward a child who is about to

go into the busy street. 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.

Students should have experiences with a variety of print and

nonprint literary text that allow them to analyze the text in order to make inferences and draw 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. The task of analysis would be more challenging if several texts were involved.

Students in grade 7 already know how to make inferences in their daily lives; they apply this skill all the time by analyzing their peers’ physical

appearance, action, or speech or their teachers’ body language or facial expressions. The next step is to help them transfer this skill to their interactions with text.

Kylene Beers in her book, When Kids Can’t Read, references thirteen types of

inferences and prompts that skilled readers make regardless of what they are reading (p. 65). 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.)

May 26, 2009 4

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.)

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.

6-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

8-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary

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

make inferences.

May 26, 2009 5

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? 7-1.7 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).

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information). 7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety

of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, and media

productions). 7-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms

encountered in texts.

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

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. 7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written

works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive). 7-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, letters to the

editors or essays) that include a stated position with

supporting evidence for a specific audience.

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 “analyze.” Students should be challenged

to construct meaning from the inferences and conclusions and to recognize how these skills contribute to the overall meaning of the text. Students should be able

May 26, 2009 6

to cite instances in the text that caused them to use their skills to make infer and draw conclusions. They should also be able to explain what background information

they brought to the text that helped them infer. 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 a whole piece of text.

Students in grade 7 respond well to structure. Using text students have not seen before, the teacher could give them a chart divided into two columns, “facts” and “inferences.” Students would be expected to write an inference for every fact. In

Strategies That Work, 2nd Edition by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis (2007) on page 153, the authors provide actual student work using this chart. Based on the

book Exploring the Titanic by Robert Ballard, the student wrote in the “facts” column, “The Fateful Night,” the title of a chapter. In the “inferences” column, the student wrote “The night it sank,” inferring the meaning of the title. The next fact

the student wrote was “another iceberg warning” paralleling the inference “This is not the first warning, there were more.” The student picked up on the word

“another” as an indication of previous warnings.

This approach to reading results in a more careful reader who pays close attention to words such as “fateful” and “another” as keys to more complete understanding of the text.

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 analyze 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 analyze 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.

May 26, 2009 7

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.

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.learnnc.org http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4442 (even though this is a social studies

lesson plan, it would make a worthwhile collaborative lesson between the language arts and social studies teachers in grade 7)

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

http://www.rhlschool.com/read6n3/htm http://www.readingquest.org

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

http://scholastic.com http://scholastic.com/newszone/

http://timeforkids.com http://timeforkids.com/TFK/

http://www.carolhurst.com

May 26, 2009 8

http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/7th.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

10/10/2011 1

Standard 7-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays,

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, character 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 7-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended metaphor and oxymoron).

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Interpret Change from one form of representation to another. In order to

demonstrate their ability to interpret, students might write a review of a literary text with a focus on the meaning of figurative language used

in the text. Explanation of Indicator

Figurative language refers to language that is enriched by word meanings, figures of speech, and sound devices such as simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole,

onomatopoeia and alliteration. 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”). 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, “Swing low, sweet chariot/Comin’ for to carry me home” Traditional Spiritual). Personification occurs when nonhumans (animals, objects,

and abstractions) are represented as being human or as having human attributes (for example, “The sea sang a song of peace” or “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 pie”). An extended metaphor is drawn out beyond the usual phrase to extend throughout a

stanza or an entire poem. Oxymoron places two contradictory words together for a special effect (for example, jumbo shrimp, old news, deafening silence).

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.

10/10/2011 2

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

(7-3.4). 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 (comics

in newspaper), writing (song lyrics), listening (speeches), and speaking (oral presentation) that demonstrate to students that they

already are familiar with many elements of figurative language. Begin reviewing the figurative language that students have been

taught in previous grades by having students identify and explain

examples from literary text. One way to extend this review is to have students analyze print ads for examples of simile, metaphor,

hyperbole, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and personification or to create their own advertisements with a focus on figurative language.

Students will need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of metaphor before proceeding to study extended metaphor.

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).

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 metaphor, oxymoron, pun, and paradox).

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).

10/10/2011 3

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

Students in grade 7 will use figurative language as they interact with other indicators such as:

7-1.7 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). 7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of

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

7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including

glittering generalities and name calling) in informational texts.

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

7-4 All indicators as students respond in writing.

7-5 All indicators as students respond in writing.

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

Students in grade 7 respond well to showing what they know. For figurative language, this might mean giving them the opportunity to decorate the room with

their illustrations or collages depicting all the different types of figurative language or sound devices. Students could complete this “show what you know” activity individually or in groups, on poster paper or butcher paper as a mural on a wall or

around the classroom.

Another interesting way to assess would be to pair students and give each student in the pair the same poem (but each group of pairs would have different poems). Each student in the pair would first write at least four questions about the figurative

language in the poem and the overall meaning. 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 reflected both students’ thinking. Questions that are not similar would be dealt with next in the same fashion.

10/10/2011 4

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

strategy is that students must demonstrate they can interpret the figurative language.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

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.

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.

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

Heinemann, 1992.

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

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.

Student Texts There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand 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.carolhurst.com/titles/7th.html

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

10/10/2011 5

http://www.readwritethink.org

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=417 http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=79

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=33 http://www.learnnc.org

http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/abellett1142004891 http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/JanetFore982002595

http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/JanetFore5232002762

http://www.webenglishteacher.com

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

http://www.englishcompanion.com http://www.ciconline.org/english

http://www.poets.org

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

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

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

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

January 29, 2009 1

Standard 7-3 The student will use word analysis and vocabulary strategies to read fluently.

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

and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator 7-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin

roots and affixes within texts. (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 may analyze words by examining roots and affixes to determine the meaning. For example,

students may analyze the word microscope. After identifying the word parts micro- and scope-, students can use word analysis strategies to determine the meaning of

the word microscope within the context of the sentence or text. Explanation of Indicator

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 29, 2009 2

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 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.

3-3.2 Use base words and affixes to determine the

meanings of words.

4-3.2 Use base words and affixes to determine the meanings of words.

5-3.2 Use base words and affixes to determine the meanings of words.

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.

January 29, 2009 3

When teaching Greek and Latin roots and affixes, what

connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

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

Social Studies

7-1.1 Use a map or series of maps to identify the colonial expansion of European powers in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas through 1770. (G, H, P)

7-1.5 Summarize the characteristics of European colonial powers in Asia and their effects on the society and culture of Asia,

including global trade patterns and the spread of various religions. (H, G, P, E)

7-2.1 Summarize the essential characteristics of the limited

government in England following the Glorious Revolution and the unlimited governments in France and Russia, including some

of the restraints places upon a limited government’s power and how authoritarian and totalitarian systems are considered

unlimited governments. (P, H) 7-2.2 Summarize the ideas of the Enlightenment that influenced

democratic thought and social institutions throughout the world,

including the political philosophies of John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron of Montesquieu.

7-3.1 Summarize the achievements and contributions of the scientific revolution, including its roots, the development of the scientific method, and the interaction between scientific thought and traditional

religious beliefs. (H) 7-3.4 Explain the causes and course of the Industrial Revolution in Europe,

Japan, and the United States, including the reasons that England was the first nation to industrialize, the impact of the growth of population and the rural-to-urban migration, the changes in the organization of

work and labor, and the development of socialism. (E, H, G) 7-3.5 Explain the impact of the new technology that emerged during the

Industrial Revolution, including changes that promoted the industrialization of textile production in England and the impact of interchangeable parts and mass production. (E, H)

7-4.1 Summarize the economic origins of European imperialism, including the conflicts among European nations as they competed for raw

materials and markets and for the establishment of colonies in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. (H, E, G)

7-7.2 Explain the significance and impact of the information, technological,

and communications revolutions, including the role of television, satellites, computers, and the Internet. (H)

January 29, 2009 4

Science 7-1.5 Explain the relationships between independent and dependent variables

in a controlled scientific investigation through the use of appropriate graphs, tables, and charts.

7-2.1 Summarize the structures and functions of the major components of plant and animal cells (including the cell wall, the cell membrane, the nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles).

7-2.2 Compare the major components of plant and animal cells. 7-2.3 Compare the body shapes of bacteria (spiral, coccus, and bacillus) and

the body structures that protists (euglena, paramecium, amoeba) use for food gathering and locomotion.

7-2.4 Explain how cellular processes (including respiration, photosynthesis in

plants, mitosis, and waste elimination) are essential to the survival of the organism.

7-2.5 Summarize how genetic information is passed from parent to offspring by using the terms genes, chromosomes, inherited traits, genotype, phenotype, dominant traits, and recessive traits.

7-3.2 Recall the major organs of the human body and their function within their particular body system

7-3.3 Summarize the relationships of the major body systems (including the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, nervous, muscular, and

skeletal systems). 7-3.4 Explain the effects of disease on the major organs and body systems

(including infectious diseases such as colds and flu, AIDS, and

athlete’s foot and noninfectious diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, and skin cancer).

7-4.1 Summarize the characteristics of the levels of organization within ecosystems (including populations, communities, habitats, niches, and biomes).

7-4.4 Explain the effects of soil quality on the characteristics of an ecosystem.

7-4.5 Summarize how the location and movement of water on Earth’s surface through groundwater zones and surface-water drainage basins, called watersheds, are important to ecosystems and to human

activities. 7-5.1 Recognize that matter is composed of extremely small particles called

atoms. 7-5.3 Compare the physical properties of metals and nonmetals 7-5.5 Translate chemical symbols and the chemical formulas of common

substances to show the component parts of the substances (including NaCl [table salt], H2O [water], C6H12O6 [simple sugar], O2 [oxygen

gas], CO2 [carbon dioxide], and N2 [nitrogen gas]). 7-5.6 Distinguish between acids and bases and use indicators (including

litmus paper, pH paper, and phenolphthalein) to determine their

relative pH.

January 29, 2009 5

7-5.10 Compare physical changes (including changes in size, shape, and

state) to chemical changes that are the result of chemical reactions (including changes in color or temperature and formation of a

precipitate or gas). Classroom Assessments

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.

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.

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

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

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

Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Gilford, 2002.

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

Hampshire: 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.

January 29, 2009 6

Student Texts

There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand Greek and Latin roots and affixes. 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

Nonprint Materials

Baize, Sarah R. “Greek & Latin Roots Skills.” Quia Corportation. 10 June 2008.

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

“Common Latin and Greek Roots and Terms.” 10 June 2008

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

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

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

html

“Latin and Greek Word Elements.” Pearson Education. 2007. 10 June. 2008

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

“Word Roots... your Quick Reference.” eSpindle Learning. 2005. 10 June 2008

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

Words. 2004. United Learning. ETV StreamlineSC. 12 June 2008

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

10/10/2011 1

Standard 7-5 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 7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book, movie, or product reviews and news reports) that use language

appropriate for a 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 the seventh grade, an informational writing assignment might ask students to take minutes of a

meeting, write an obituary of a character from a text, or create a poster advertising a product.

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? 7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts.

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the exclusion and

inclusion of particular information). 7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods

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

7-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements (for example, print styles and

chapter headings) have on the meaning of a given informational text. 7-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts and

graphs) in informational texts. 7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering

generalities and name calling) in informational texts.

7-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information. 7-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines. 7-4.2 Use complete sentences in a variety of types (including simple,

compound, complex, and compound-complex). 7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central idea with

supporting details and use appropriate transitions between paragraphs.

7-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American English, including the reinforcement of conventions previously taught. (See

Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.) 7-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing

Matrix.) 7-4.6 Edit for the correct use of written Standard American English, including

ellipses and parentheses. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix.)

7-4.7 Spell correctly using Standard American English.

7-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. 7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to incorporate into

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

7-6.3 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.

7-6.4 Use vocabulary (including Standard American English) that is appropriate for the particular audience or purpose.

7-6.5 Use appropriate organizational strategies to prepare written works, oral

and auditory presentations, and visual presentations. 7-6.6 Select appropriate graphics, in print or electronic form, to support

written works, oral presentations, and visual presentations. 7-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials.

10/10/2011 4

7-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and selecting 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 in the South Carolina Extended

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

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

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.

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

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 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

10/10/2011 5

Nonprint Materials

http://www.readwritethink.org http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_viewasp?id=311

http://www.teachersfirst.com http://www.teachersfirst.com/getsource.cfm?id=9442

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/filmmaker.html

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/stone.htm 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

January 29, 2009 1

Standard 7-6 The student will access and use information from

a variety of sources.

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

difficult texts.

Indicator 7-6.1 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 how to clarify and refine a research topic?

Students must know how to generate how and why questions

about topics of interest. Students must know the type of information answers to

questions provide. Students need to experience selecting topics of interest. Students need to know how to paraphrase information (state in

their own words). Students need to know how to appropriately credit the words

and work of others.

January 29, 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.

3-6.1 Generate a topic for inquiry.

4-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic. 5-6.1 Clarify and refine a research topic.

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 how to clarify and refine a research topic, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other

indicators and/or content areas?

English Language Arts 7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences.

7-1.5 Interpret the effect of the author’s craft (including tone and the use of flashback, foreshadowing,

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

7-1.7 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). 7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational

texts.

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the exclusion and inclusion of particular information).

7-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements (for example,

print styles and chapter headings) have on the meaning of a given informational text.

7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering generalities and name calling) in informational texts.

7-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information.

7-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions, graphic organizers, models, and outlines.

January 29, 2009 3

7-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American English including the reinforcement of

conventions previously taught. 7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

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

7-6.4 Use vocabulary (including Standard American English) that is appropriate for the particular audience or

purpose. 7-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference

materials.

7-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing

resources, and selecting and organizing information. Mathematics

7-1.1 Generate and solve complex abstract problems that

involve modeling physical, social, or mathematical phenomena.

Science 7-1.2 Generate questions that can be answered through

scientific investigation.

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.

January 29, 2009 4

Suggested Instructional Resources

Research is not taught in isolation. Students need to know how they can find out about things they don’t know, and they need to know how to share what they’ve

learned with others. Suggested texts are listed below; however, what you use depends on the topic of interest. Students ask the best how and why questions about topics that interest them, then they clarify and refine their research within

that topic. Teachers should collaborate with their library media specialist for additional suggestions and ideas on how to incorporate research into the seventh

grade classroom. Professional Texts

Berkowitz, Robert E. and Eisenberg, Michael B. The Big6 Research Notebook.

Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2006.

Buzzeo, Toni. Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for

7-12. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing Co., 2002.

Harrington, LaDawna. Guided Research in Middle School: Mystery in the Media

Center. Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2007.

Jansen, Barbara A. The Big 6 in Middle School: Teaching Information and

Communications Technology Skills. Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2007.

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.

Keane, Nancy J. Middle School Pathfinders: Guiding Student Research.

Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2005.

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.

January 29, 2009 5

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.

Thompson, Helen M, and Susan A. Henley. Fostering Information Literacy:

Connecting National Standards, Goals 2000, and the SCANS Report.

Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2000.

Valenza, Joyce Kasman. Power Research Tools: Learning Activities and Posters.

Chicago: American Library Association, 2003.

Whitley, Peggy, Catherine Olson, and Susan Goodwin. 98 Jumpstarts to Research:

Topic Guidelines for Finding Information on Current Issues. Englewood, CO:

Libraries Unlimited, 2001.

Student Texts There are many titles that teachers and students may select to better understand how to clarify and refine 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 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+Standards

January 29, 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

Baker, Frank. “Media Literacy Clearinghouse.” 28 Sept. 2007.

http://www.frankwbaker.com/

“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 6-8). 2006. United Learning.

ETV StreamlineSC. 12 June 2008

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

Eisenberg, Mike, and Bob Berkowitz. "The Big6: Information Skills for Student

Achievement." Big6: an Information Problem-Solving Model. 27 Aug. 2007.

Big6 Associates. 27 Aug. 2007

http://www.big6.com/

"The Four Phases of Instruction in an I-Search Unit: Phase 1: Becoming Immersed

in a Topic and Generating a Question." Literacy Matters. 23 Aug. 2007.

Education Development Center, Inc..

http://www.literacymatters.org/content/isearch/phase1.htm

January 29, 2009 7

“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

McKenzie, Jamie. “Framing Essential Questions.” Sept. 1996. From Now On.Org. 6

Sept 2007

http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html

Online Research Techniques. 1998. United Learning. ETV StreamlineSC. 12 June

2008

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

Whelan, Debra Lau. "Making Research Count." School Library Journal (Nov. 2002).

9 Sept. 2007

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article

April 6, 2009 1

Standard 7-3 The student will use word analysis and vocabulary strategies to read fluently.

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

and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator 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.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Use Applying a procedure to an unfamiliar task

Explanation of Indicator

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 context clues; they are using them to determine the meaning of

unknown or multiple-meaning words. The words or sentences around an unknown word may give an example, a definition, or a restatement to help the reader generate meaning.

Context clues that provide an example: While floating in the harbor, the buoy lit the

water and warned the ship to stay away from the rocks. (The unknown word buoy is something that floats, lights the water, and warns the ship to stay away.)

Context clues that provide a definition: The food was stored in a large larder, or pantry. (The unknown word larder is defined as a pantry.)

Context clues that provide a restatement: The food was bland. In fact, everyone

called it tasteless. (The unknown word bland is restated in simpler terms in the second sentence as tasteless.)

Context clues that provide a comparison/contrast: Although some men are loquacious, others hardly talk at all. (The unknown word loquacious can be

understood from the contrasting example in the phrase – others hardly talk at all. The word loquacious would mean to talk a lot.)

The teacher can provide a variety of experiences in reading, writing, listening, and speaking that demonstrate to students that they are already

familiar with using context clues.

April 6, 2009 2

Begin reviewing context clue strategies that students have been taught in previous grades by having students identify and explain examples from

literary text. One way to extend this review is to have students analyze a given text with unknown words and discuss how context clues can be used to

determine the meaning of the unknown or multiple-meaning words. Instructional Progression of Indicator

The level of difficulty of the text increases at each grade level. Additionally, some 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 that we do not know when reading.

Students need to understand that, when good readers get “stuck” on a problem during reading, they stop and figure out how to fix the problem.

Students need to know that, when good readers find unfamiliar words or multiple meaning words, they use the surrounding words or sentences

(the context) to predict the word’s meanings. Students need to understand that some words have different

meanings depending on the context in which they are used.

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.

3-3.1 Generate the meaning of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning

words by using context clues.

4-3.1 Generate the meaning of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words by using context clues (for example, those that

provide an example or a definition). 5-3.1 Use context clues (for example, those that provide an

example, a definition, or a restatement) to generate the

meanings of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words. 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.

April 6, 2009 3

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 grade 7 will use context clues as they interact with other indicators such as:

7-3.2 Analyze the meaning of words by using Greek and Latin roots and affixes within texts. (See Instructional Appendix: Greek

and Latin Roots and Affixes.) 7-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms

encountered in texts.

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

7-3.5 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. Students learn the different types of context clues 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 context clues, then assessment should also focus on these levels of thinking.

Students in grade 7 respond well to showing what they know. For context clues, this might mean giving them the opportunity to decorate the room with illustrations

or collages depicting the different kinds of context clues. Students could complete this “show what you know” activity individually or in groups, on poster paper or butcher paper, or as a mural on a wall or around the classroom.

Another interesting way to assess would be to pair students and give each student

in the pair the same text (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

April 6, 2009 4

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.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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

April 6, 2009 5

http://www.learnnc.org

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

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

http://www.englishcompanion.com

http://www.ciconline.org/english http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/context_clues_lesson_plan

January 29, 2009 1

Standard 7-3 The student will use word analysis and vocabulary strategies to read fluently.

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

and are not intended to be all inclusive documents.

Indicator 7-3.4 Interpret the connotations of words to understand the

meaning of a given text.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb 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 the words that reveal whether the stance is positive or negative.

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. The reader’s ability to determine bias and to interpret metaphors, 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 literal meaning that the person

in question has less than formal attire but the connotations of the words have very different associations.

To meet the requirements of this indicator, students must know what information a word transmits (denotation), must recognize additional meanings the word

suggests (connotation), and must be able to use knowledge of those implications to gain perspective about how the word affects 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 the

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.”

January 29, 2009 2

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).

A prose example finds O. Henry in “After Twenty Years” describing a policeman’s actions and using the connotations of descriptive words and phrases to support the

author’s previous statement that the man “moves impressively.”

“Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eye down the pacific thoroughfare, the officer with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a

fine picture of a guardian of the peace.”

In both the poetry and prose texts, replacing the italicized words with ones that carry no charged attributes, changes the meanings of the passages and proves the importance of connotations.

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).

January 29, 2009 3

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.

6-3.3 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. 8-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms

encountered in texts.

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

E1-3.3 Interpret euphemisms and 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 grade 7 will use connotations as they interact with other

indicators such as: 7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make inferences. 7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given narrative text.

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

7-1.5 Interpret the effect of an author’s craft (including tone… and irony) on the meaning of literary texts.

7-1.7 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). 7-1.8 Compare/contrast literary texts from various genres (for

example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories).

7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts. 7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions

and make inferences.

January 29, 2009 4

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the exclusion and inclusion of particular information).

7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering generalities and name calling) in informational texts.

7-4 All indicators as students respond in writing. 7-5 All indicators as students respond in writing.

Classroom Assessment 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 to demonstrate how the implied meaning 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. 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, 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, then assessment should also focus on these levels of thinking.

Students in grade 7 respond well to showing what they know. This might mean demonstrating the foundational knowledge of connotation by giving students a

bland, neutral term such as “nice” and placing it at the middle point of a timeline. Students should put words with negative connotations to the left of the neutral

term and positive connotations to the right of the term. Then ask students to use a word from the left, center, and right in sentences, determining how each word affects the reader’s perception.

Teachers might give student pairs texts with different intents such as descriptions

of a place from a resort brochure to compare to ones of similar length from a mystery story, a science fiction story, and/or a short story with a happy ending. Students would analyze each text to identify the words that have discernible

connotations and to determine how those suggested meanings affect the reader’s perception of place. Having interpreted connotations and the implied meanings they

give to texts, students might create their own advertisements or write campaign speeches with a focus on positive or negative connotations.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation of any assessment strategy is that students must demonstrate they can interpret word connotations to

gain meaning from a text.

January 29, 2009 5

Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts 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.

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

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

Saddle River, NH: Prentice Hall, 2003.

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.

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

Heinemann, 1992.

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

---, 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.

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

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

January 29, 2009 6

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 http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=75

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

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

http://www.webenglishteacher.com

http://www.englishcompanion.com http://www.ciconline.org/english

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

February 5, 2009 1

Standard 7-5 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 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. 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

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 writing letters to the editor and essays, students in Grade 7 must pay

careful attention to audience, organization, a clearly stated position, and appropriate support for that position. Before creating their own persuasive

pieces, students should study numerous examples of essays and letters to the editor. They should analyze how various authors handle the important elements of persuasive writing and compare effective and ineffective

examples.

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.

February 5, 2009 2

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.

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).

February 5, 2009 3

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 Grade 7 demonstrate their knowledge of persuasive

writing skills through the application of the following indicators:

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information). 7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including

glittering generalities and name calling) in

informational texts. 7-3.4 Distinguish between the denotation and the

connotation of a given word. 7-4 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)

7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works

the information gathered from a variety of research sources.

7-6.8 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. Science

Students interpret data and statistics.

February 5, 2009 4

Classroom Assessment 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 letters and essays Determining qualities of excellence in letters and essays

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,

NH: Heinemann, 2003.

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to

Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann, 1999.

Culham, Ruth. 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide Grades 3 and Up.

NY, NY: Scholastic, 2003

February 5, 2009 5

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://scholastic.com/newszone/

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://www.carolhurst.com/titles/6th.html

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

January 30, 2009 1

Standard 7-6 The student will access and use information from a variety of sources.

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

difficult text.

Indicator 7-6.7 Use a variety of print and electronic reference materials.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Use Apply a procedure to an unfamiliar task.

Explanation of Indicator

Students will access, evaluate, and extract information from both print and electronic (nonprint) reference materials to use in research projects.

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

areas of focus for using a variety of print and electronic reference materials differ at each grade level.

What do students need to know before they can understand how to use a variety of print and electronic reference

materials? Students need to be familiar with how to find information in the

most commonly used types of print and nonprint reference

materials such as books, magazines, charts, maps, diagrams, dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, thesauri, newspapers, and

almanacs, streaming videos, the World Wide Web, audio and video productions, CD-Rom and DVD sources.

Students need to know the best reference source for the type of

information needed. Students need to know how best to evaluate the validity and

authority of reference sources and the information they contain. Students need to know how to take notes, and paraphrase, and

summarize to extract usable information.

January 30, 2009 2

Within using a variety of print and electronic reference materials, 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. 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

7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts. 7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and

make inferences.

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, the omission of relevant facts and statements of unsupported opinions).

7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions).

7-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts and graphs) in informational texts.

7-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain information. 7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to incorporate

into written, oral, auditory, or visual works the information gathered

from a variety of research sources. 7-6.3 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.

7-6.6 Select appropriate graphics, in print or electronic form, to support

written works, oral presentations, and visual presentations. 7-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic,

constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and selecting and organizing information.

Science

7-5.4 Use the periodic table to identify the basic organization of elements and groups of elements (including metals, nonmetals, and families).

January 30, 2009 3

Social Studies 7-1.1 Use a map or series of maps to identify the colonial expansion of

European powers in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas through 1770.

7-4.2 Use a map to illustrate the geographic extent of European imperialism in various regions, including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Siberia, and Canada.

Classroom Assessment

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. For example, one criterion in a scoring rubric for a research assignment might

evaluate the variety of print and electronic reference materials cited in the list of sources and the appropriateness of the 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.

Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts Arnone, Marilyn P. MAC, the Information Detective in the Case of … [3-book series]

Educator’s Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2003.

Jansen, Barbara A. The Big 6 in Middle School: Teaching Information and

Communications Technology Skills. Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2007.

Harrington, LaDawna. Guided Research in Middle School: Mystery in the Media Center.

Columbus, OH: Linworth Books, 2007.

Keane, Nancy J. Middle School Pathfinders: Guiding Student Research. Columbus, OH:

Linworth Books, 2005.

January 30, 2009 4

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

how to use 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.

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.

Eisenberg, Mike, and Bob Berkowitz. "The Big6: Information Skills for Student

Achievement." Big6: an Information Problem-Solving Model. 27 Aug. 2007.

http://www.big6.com/.

"The Four Phases of Instruction in an I-Search Unit: 3: Gathering and Integrating

Information." Literacy Matters. 23 Aug. 2007. Education Development Center,

Inc.

http://www.literacymatters.org/content/isearch/phase3.htm.

A guide to evaluating web sources

http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm.

May 27, 2009 1

Standard 7-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven read informational (expository/persuasive/

argumentative) texts of the following types: essays, historical documents, informational trade books, textbooks, news and feature articles, magazine articles, advertisements, encyclopedia entries, reviews (for example, book,

movie, product), journals, and speeches. They also read directions, maps, time lines, graphs, tables, charts, schedules, recipes, and photos 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 7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across 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 the Indicator

The central idea 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 central idea in one

informational text or related texts, to break the central idea into parts, and to determine how the parts work together to create a structure or to fulfill a

purpose. Finding the Central Idea

Teaching the strategy of how to find the central idea is important. Once the subject/topic of the paragraph is discovered, the central idea (what the author

wants the reader to remember) will be determined by analyzing the supporting evidence.

Subject/Topic

+ What the author says about the subject (Supporting evidence) = Central Idea

May 27, 2009 2

Most authors of informational texts state the central idea while a few will imply it as reflected in these examples:

Stated: “Innovative rhythms not only move music forward in time, but

they also make rap – and many other types of music – cool.” (from an Odyssey magazine article, “The Rhythms of Rap” – central idea: Rap music is popular for many of the same reasons

that other musical forms are, including rhythm and rhyme.)

Implied: “Although the circumstances and reasons for animals being in zoos vary, its concept has faults many don’t notice.” (from “Zoos, Joys or Jails,” an article reprinted from Teen Inc – central idea:

Inclusion in zoos is not always in the best interest of animals).

Because the purpose of informational texts is either to inform or to persuade, the central idea can usually be found near the beginning of the text (following an introductory strategy such as an anecdote or scenario, a statistic, or a quotation).

The central idea 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.

Breaking the Central Idea into Constituent Parts

Constituent parts in an informational text are the details that serve as support for the central idea. In an expository text (such as an article in a journal, periodical, textbook, or encyclopedia), attention might be called to constituent parts through

the use of headings and sub-headings or words italicized or bolded (see Support Documents for Indicator 7-2.5). Written information might be accompanied by

supporting details in graphic representations (see the Support Document for Indicator 7-2.6).

In a persuasive text (such as a speech or an advertisement), constituent parts would appear as supporting points, possibly including a concession.

For example, in the article “Zoos: Joys or Jails,” the writer plays on emotions using an introductory scenario (“Imagine….), loaded language, and glittering

generalities (see Support Documents for Indicators 7-1.6 and 7-2.7) to persuade the reader that zoos are unfair to animals. To make her case, the writer uses

supporting details such as the average size of captivity areas as compared to natural roaming territories, the purposes for which animals are brought to the zoo, and the faulty lessons zoos teach observers. In addition, the writer

strengthens her argument by acknowledging and rejecting the opposing viewpoint (that “zoos protect and save endangered species”) in a concession paragraph.

Determining how the Parts Work Together The type and organization of support provided in an informational text create its

structure and reveal its purpose. For example, informational texts may present details in chronological order (such as in a social studies textbook) or may use an

organization that reflects another relationship among ideas such as comparison/ contrast, problem/solution, description, explanation of a process, or cause and

May 27, 2009 3

effect. Comparison/contrast texts, for example, will present support 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 point-by-point (in which the

writer tells in the introduction what points will be compared and contrasted and uses each body paragraph to provide details). Problem/solution texts present a problem in or near the introduction, provide details about the problem, then

provide a solution with details that state why it will work while cause and effect texts present two topics and then provide details that state how one caused the

other to occur. The reader might also find clues about the organization and type of support provided in a text by using functional text features such as chapter headings (see the Support Document for Indicator 7-2.5).

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 understand

central idea and supporting evidence in informational text? Students should understand that central idea is the “big idea” of a

single paragraph or an entire work. It is what the author wants the reader to remember most. Supporting evidence will provide the

specific information that the reader will analyze. 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.

May 27, 2009 4

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.

When teaching central idea and supporting evidence, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

7-1.6 Analyze a literary text to determine its theme. 7-2.2 Analyze informational texts to draw conclusions and made

inferences. 7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information).

7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and

auditory presentations, discussions, and media presentations). 7-2.5 Analyze the impact that that text elements (for example, print

styles and chapter headings) have on the meaning of a given

informational text. 7-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts

and graphs) in informational text. 7-2.7 Identify propaganda techniques (including glittering

generalities and name calling) in informational texts. 7-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain

information.

7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions

between paragraphs. 7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book, movie, or

product reviews and news reports) that use language

appropriate for the specific audience. 7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works

(for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive). 7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

incorporate into written, oral, auditory, or visual works the

information gathered from a variety of research sources. 7-6.5 Use appropriate organizational strategies to prepare written

works, oral and auditory presentations, and visual presentations.

7-6.8 Design and carry our research projects by selecting a topic,

constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and organizing information.

May 27, 2009 5

Classroom Assessment

Students should be taught and assessed using similar methods. In order to

demonstrate mastery of the indicator, students must be able to find the central idea in one informational text or related texts, to break the central idea into parts,

and to determine how the parts work together to create a structure or to fulfill a purpose. Students in grade 7 should be encouraged to analyze central ideas within and across informational texts and should be assessed in a similar manner.

Student readers might be encouraged to find and use signal words when

attempting to determine the structure and purpose of an informational text:

Structure/Purpose Signal Words

Comparison/Contrast similar, like, although, as opposed to, yet,

conversely, on the other hand, unlike

Problem/Solution therefore, thus, consequently

Cause and Effect as a result, because, so, so that, if… then

Chronological Order first of all, next, then, meanwhile, after, during

Description above, as in, between, like

Information for instance, for example, generally, typically

Persuasion granted, it could be argued that, proves/ reveals/ shows that

To assess the indictor, teachers might choose a previously unfamiliar article from

a periodical or website and ask students to find the central idea, to identify supporting details, to determine the pattern of support and, as a result of those

processes, to determine the overall structure of purpose of the text. The primary focus of this assessment would be to determine if students can determine how supporting details are organized to transmit what the author wants the reader to

remember most. Students’ independent application of those skills could be assessed using sample informational text or cold text, with multiple choice or

constructed response questions. Suggested Instructional Resources

Professional Texts 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

May 27, 2009 6

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

May 26, 2009 1

Standard 7-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the

category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays, classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, character 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 7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given narrative text.

Definition of Revised Bloom’s Verb Explain To construct meaning from instructional messages,

including oral, written, and graphic communication; to interpret the cause or reason of

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.

The point of view from which a narrative text is written may affect the tone, style, and theme the author wants communicate, as well as the reader’s response to the

given text. For students to be able to explain the effect of first-person, limited omniscient (third person), and omniscient (third person) points of view on a given narrative text, students should first be able to identify these three points of view

May 26, 2009 2

and then differentiate among the three points of view when presented with a variety of texts.

Having determined that students have a clear understanding of previous point of

view indicators, invite them to explain the effect of point of view on narrative texts by considering how the point of view affects their responses to the characters. Ask how their responses are influenced by how much the narrator knows and how

objective he or she is. Students may also explain what effect the point of view has on the unfolding of events in the narrative. In order to do this, students may create

a chart where they first identify the point of view. Next, students describe what they learned about the narrator, other characters, and the events of the narrative (Students may not learn anything about an omniscient narrator). Finally, students

should explain how the point of view and what they learned about the narrator, characters, and events affects their understanding of the narrative 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.

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.

May 26, 2009 3

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.

8-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given literary text. E1-1.2 Analyze the impact of point of view on literary texts.

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? 7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences. 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. 7-1.5 Interpret the effect of author’s craft (including tone and

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

7-1.6 Analyze a given literary text to determine its theme.

7-1.7 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).

7-1.8 Compare/contrast literary texts from a various genres (for

example, poetry, drama, novels, and short stories). 7-5.2 Create narratives (for example personal narratives or narrative

poems) that communicate the significance of an issue of importance and use language appropriate for the purpose and the audience.

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 explain the effect of point of view on a narrative 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 explain the effect of point of view on a narrative text. Students should be assessed using a piece of text that is on their

grade level. In this indicator, the verb is explain. Students should be challenged to construct

meaning from a literary text based on their understanding of how the point of view affects a narrative text. Students may be given passages from literary texts and be

asked to explain the effect point of view has on the tone, style, and theme the author wants to communicate as well as the effect on the reader’s response to the literary 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 explanation of the effect of point of view

on a narrative text. Written assignments may be used to assess students’ ability to explain the effect of point of view on a narrative text.

In order to be consistent with the indicator, the expectation on any assessment strategy is that students must demonstrate they can explain the effect of point of

view on a narrative text.

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

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.

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,

May 26, 2009 5

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: Critical Literacy: Point of View

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=23

ReadWriteThink: Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and the Unreliable Narrator http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=441

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

May 26, 2009 1

Standard 7-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays,

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, character 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 7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences.

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 the Indicator

Inference 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 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:

• 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

May 26, 2009 2

• Inferring the meaning of text features and visuals • Inferring the answer to a question

• Drawing conclusions based on text evidence

Students in grade 7 are ready to distinguish between external text (information provided by the author) and internal text (the reader’s use of that information in a variety of ways). When authors aren’t providing literal information (facts), then

they are implying something. Then it becomes the reader’s job to draw conclusions and make inferences. One way to illustrate the difference between external and

internal text is to use bumper stickers or signs and to have students write and discuss the internal text that comes from the external text. For example, here are four bumper stickers that open up the possibility for analysis:

• Anything worth doing is worth doing right.

• Only the one who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat. • You can’t strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. • More costly than a good education is the lack of one.

The external text is what the bumper sticker says; the internal text is the reader’s

interpretation of the message, the “reading between the lines” to make an inference based on the words the writer used.

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 “What do you think could have

happened next?” “What must have happened when . . .?””If . . . had happened, what might the ending have been?” will prompt

students to search for data from the text to support their inferences.

Students also need to think about what the author is implying and

what the reader can infer by the author’s choice of words. For example, what is the difference among “walk, “trudge”, and “skip”;

“slender,” “skinny” and “thin”; “surprised,” “amazed,” and “astonished”? Concentrating on these shades of meaning (connotations) will help students make correct inferences which will

lead to better comprehension. 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

May 26, 2009 3

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, one might naturally jump to the conclusion that someone running

down a sidewalk is running away from something until paying closer attention to details reveals that this person is running toward a bus he is about to miss or running toward a child who is about to

go into the busy street. 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.

Students should have experiences with a variety of print and

nonprint literary text that allow them to analyze the text in order to make inferences and draw 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. The task of analysis would be more challenging if several texts were involved.

Students in grade 7 already know how to make inferences in their daily lives; they apply this skill all the time by analyzing their peers’ physical

appearance, action, or speech or their teachers’ body language or facial expressions. The next step is to help them transfer this skill to their interactions with text.

Kylene Beers in her book, When Kids Can’t Read, references thirteen types of

inferences and prompts that skilled readers make regardless of what they are reading (p. 65). 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.)

May 26, 2009 4

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.)

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.

6-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

8-1.1 Compare/contrast ideas within and across literary

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

make inferences.

May 26, 2009 5

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? 7-1.7 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).

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the

exclusion and inclusion of particular information). 7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety

of methods (for example, drawings, written works, oral and auditory presentations, discussions, and media

productions). 7-3.3 Interpret the meaning of idioms and euphemisms

encountered in texts.

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

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. 7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written

works (for example, narrative, expository, or persuasive). 7-5.4 Create persuasive pieces (for example, letters to the

editors or essays) that include a stated position with

supporting evidence for a specific audience.

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 “analyze.” Students should be challenged

to construct meaning from the inferences and conclusions and to recognize how these skills contribute to the overall meaning of the text. Students should be able

May 26, 2009 6

to cite instances in the text that caused them to use their skills to make infer and draw conclusions. They should also be able to explain what background information

they brought to the text that helped them infer. 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 a whole piece of text.

Students in grade 7 respond well to structure. Using text students have not seen before, the teacher could give them a chart divided into two columns, “facts” and “inferences.” Students would be expected to write an inference for every fact. In

Strategies That Work, 2nd Edition by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis (2007) on page 153, the authors provide actual student work using this chart. Based on the

book Exploring the Titanic by Robert Ballard, the student wrote in the “facts” column, “The Fateful Night,” the title of a chapter. In the “inferences” column, the student wrote “The night it sank,” inferring the meaning of the title. The next fact

the student wrote was “another iceberg warning” paralleling the inference “This is not the first warning, there were more.” The student picked up on the word

“another” as an indication of previous warnings.

This approach to reading results in a more careful reader who pays close attention to words such as “fateful” and “another” as keys to more complete understanding of the text.

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 analyze 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 analyze 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.

May 26, 2009 7

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.

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.learnnc.org http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4442 (even though this is a social studies

lesson plan, it would make a worthwhile collaborative lesson between the language arts and social studies teachers in grade 7)

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

http://www.rhlschool.com/read6n3/htm http://www.readingquest.org

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

http://scholastic.com http://scholastic.com/newszone/

http://timeforkids.com http://timeforkids.com/TFK/

http://www.carolhurst.com

May 26, 2009 8

http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/7th.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

October 13, 2011 1

Standard 7-5 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 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

audience. 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, the student will write compositions that explain an event

or series of events. Significance is the importance to the student and to the audience. Purpose is the intent of the writing and audience is the specific person or

group for whom a piece of writing is intended. Audience is the specific person or group for whom a piece of writing is intended.

Instructional Progression The type of narratives created by the student 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 narratives that communicate the significance of an issue of importance and use language appropriate for the purpose and audience, the student must understand and 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 identify the significance or of an issue

of importance. The student must be able to write for a specific purpose and audience. For example, teachers might help students

learn to read like writers and study other writers’ use of communicating the significance of an issue of importance and using language appropriate for the purpose and audience.

October 13, 2011 2

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. 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 narrative poems) that use descriptive language to create tone and mood.

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?

Grade 7 students will create narratives in response to informational texts and will create multiple-paragraph compositions. The students might also create

narratives as responses to works they read or as responses 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 PASS writing rubric.

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

October 13, 2011 3

Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession. 2nd ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

-----.2003. Writing Reminders: Tools, Tips, and Techniques. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

Discovering Language Arts: Style, Structure, and Tone (Grades 6-8). 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 7-4 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.

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 and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator 7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central idea with supporting details and use appropriate

transitions between paragraphs. 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 Grade 7 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 audience 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 movie review, students should read and analyze a number of movie reviews, concentrating on exactly how the various authors organized their

reviews. Narrative poems will be organized very differently from movie reviews, and students should study the organization of many examples of

narrative poems 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 Grade 7 demonstrate their knowledge of the organization of writing through the application of the following indicators:

7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make

inferences.

7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given narrative ext. 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.

7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions

and make inferences. 7-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting echniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines. 7-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas. (See Instructional Appendix: Composite

Writing Matrix.) 7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book, movie, or

product reviews and news reports) that use language appropriate for a specific audience.

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. 7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for

example, narrative, expository, or persuasive). 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. 7-6.2 Use direct quotations, paraphrasing, or summaries to

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

7-6.5 Use appropriate organizational strategies to prepare written

works, oral and auditory presentations, and visual presentations.

7-6.8 Design and carry out research projects by selecting a topic, constructing inquiry questions, accessing resources, and selecting and organizing information.

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

Suggested Instructional Resources Professional Texts

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://www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/litlearn/

http://www.readingquest.org

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

http://scholastic.com

http://scholastic.com/newszone/

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://www.carolhurst.com/titles/6th.html

http://literacynet.org

http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html

http://www.iclasses.org

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

http://www.unitedstreaming.com

May 28, 2009 1

Standard 7-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven read informational

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

essays, historical documents, informational trade books, textbooks, news and feature articles, magazine articles, advertisements, encyclopedia entries, reviews (for example, book, movie, product), journals, and

speeches. They also read directions, maps, time lines, graphs, tables, charts, schedules, recipes, and photos 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 7-2.6 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 2

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. E1-2.6 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 3

When teaching graphic features, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators and/or content areas?

Students in Grade 7 demonstrate their knowledge of graphic features through the application of the following indicators:

7-2.1 Analyze central ideas within and across informational texts. 7-2.2 Analyze information within and across texts to draw conclusions

and make inferences. 7-2.3 Identify author bias (for example, word choice and the exclusion

and inclusion of particular information). 7-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of

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

auditory presentations, discussions, and media productions). 7-2.5 Analyze the impact that text elements (for example, print styles

and chapter headings) have on the meaning of a given informational text.

7-2.6 Analyze information from graphic features (for example, charts

and graphs) in informational texts. 7-2.7 Identify the use of propaganda techniques (including glittering

generalities and name calling) in informational texts. 7-2.8 Read independently for extended periods of time to gain

information. 7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, brochures, pamphlets,

and reports) that use language appropriate for the specific

audience. 7-5.4 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.

7-6.6 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 4

Suggested Instructional Resources 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://www.readingquest.org/strat/

http://scholastic.com http://scholastic.com/newszone/

http://timeforkids.com

http://timeforkids.com/TFK/

http://www.ciconline.org

http://www.ciconline.org/english

May 28, 2009 5

http://www.carolhurst.com http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/6th.html

http://literacynet.org

http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html http://www.unitedstreaming.com

http://www.frankwbaker.com/default1.htm

May 27, 2008 1

Standard 7-4 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.

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

and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator 7-4.2 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, 2008 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

simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).

May 27, 2008 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?

7-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of written Standard American

English including reinforcement of conventions already taught. 7-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas (see Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix).

Classroom Assessment

Students should 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. 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.

May 27, 2008 4

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 material the student is not likely

to have had contact with or be presented from a different perspective. 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.

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

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

May 27, 2008 5

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.harcourtschool.com/activity/sensort/index.html

http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/pirov/compound.htm http://www.esc.edu/esconline/across_esc/writerscomplex.nsf/0/9ba7aca253306cee

852569c3007117cf?OpenDocument

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

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/573/02/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/604/01/

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/598/02/

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

June 29, 2009 1

Standard 7-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats.

Students in grade seven 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, tall tales, and myths. In the category of literary nonfiction, they read personal essays,

classical essays, memoirs, autobiographical and biographical sketches, character 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 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.

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 the Indicator Analyzing the author’s development of literary elements requires the reader to undertake two, separate thought processes: to determine the tools the author

uses to achieve development and to determine what the development of each element contributes to the text.

To analyze development of conflict, students will need to consider whether the conflict is external (observable) or internal (taking place within a character

and only evident through the narrator’s description or the observations of other characters). Conflicts are usually divided into four, broad categories: Man

versus Himself (internal conflict such as the urge to avoid losing one’s temper or the desire to move past romantic feelings), Man versus Man (external conflict such as two characters competing in a race), Man versus Society

(external conflict such as a man trying to convince his peers to change the way they think about a new recycling plan), and Man versus Nature (external

conflict such as a woman trying to survive being stranded on a deserted island). Most characters experience more than one type of conflict in a given text. It is necessary for every story to have conflicts or there can be no plot.

Character development is making note of the traits and behaviors that give a

character that exists on the page the complexity of a human being. To analyze characterization, readers will consider four methods of development – one of which (author’s description) is stated or direct and the others of which

June 29, 2009 2

(dialogue, actions, and reactions), indirect, must be inferred. Note: most authors will employ a combination of the four methods.

Author’s description – the specific words a writer uses to paint a picture in the

reader’s mind that may include sensory details or details of behavior. It is the most direct method of developing character and may appear in the voice of a narrator or of a character in the story. For example:

“A woman with shorn white hair is standing at the kitchen window.

She is wearing tennis shoes and a shapeless gray sweater over a summery calico dress.” - from A Christmas Memory

Dialogue – what characters say to each other and (particularly in drama) occasionally to the audience. If the narrator is a central character, his/her

thoughts may be considered dialogue. For example:

“I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as

you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life. Surely your experiences in the war –”

“Did not make me condone coldblooded murder,” finished Rainsford stiffly.

- from “The Most Dangerous Game”

Characters’ actions – what the character does that gives the reader an impression of his/her personality. For example:

It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The

strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him

to lose his balance so…the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jeaned sitter.

- from “Thank You, Ma’am”

Characters’ reactions – how the character reacts to events and how other

characters react to him/her provides clues to the character’s personality. For example:

“You didn’t take her (to the pound)?” she asked. “Oh, I took her all right,” her father answered. “Worst looking place I’ve ever seen….”

Doris stared at her father. “I wouldn’t leave an ant in that place,” he said. “So I brought the dog

back.” Mrs. Lacey was smiling at him and shaking her head as if she would

never, ever, understand him. - from “Stray”

June 29, 2009 3

Most authors will employ a combination of the four development methods but may

choose to provide more or less information depending upon the amount of presence the character will have in the text and whether or not the character will undergo

change as a result of plot events. Round characters are fully-developed and may exhibit both desirable and undesirable traits in the course of the story while flat characters are less developed and may show the reader only a narrow set of

personality traits. Dynamic characters change in the course of a text while static characters remain essentially the same. Characters may be a combination of two

of the above (round and static or round and dynamic, flat and static or flat and dynamic). Students will be able to determine which descriptions fit as they examine the amount of information they have about a character and the presence or

absence of change. Plots (for example, A Christmas Carol) may exist for the sole purpose of reflecting a character’s evolution. Teachers will want to explore with

students why the length of a text (for example a short story versus a novel) may determine the number of round and/or dynamic characters an author may depict.

Teachers must also help students distinguish between the protagonist (central character in the action) and antagonists (characters that act against the central

character), being sure that students avoid the “good guy” and “bad guy” labels for the two. The protagonist of a text might be, for example, a criminal while the

antagonist is an officer of the law. The extent to which characters are developed, including the narrator (see 6-1.2 for point of view), affects the information the reader has about a fictional situation and, hence, affects his emotional and

intellectual experience with a text.

Teachers may provide support for students in analyzing an author’s development of conflict and characters (static, dynamic, round, or flat) by modeling thinking during reading or discussions, as well as by targeting these elements through literary

circles.

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

how to analyze an author’s development of the conflict and the individual characters as either static, dynamic, round, or flat in a given literary text?

Students need to understand how to identify the characters, settings, conflicts and plots 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.

June 29, 2009 4

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.

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.

June 29, 2009 5

When teaching Literary Elements, what connections, links, or ties can be made to other indicators?

7-1.1 Analyze literary texts to draw conclusions and make inferences. 7-1.2 Explain the effect of point of view on a given literary text.

7-1.7 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, writing, creative dramatics, and the visual and performing arts).

7-4.5 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

development of characters (including the designation of round or flat, dynamic or static) and conflicts. Ideally, teachers will observe students talking about characters and conflicts in authentic contexts, such as writing and reading

conferences or in literature circles.

Noting specific textual information about characters and conflicts and recording it in a double-entry journal, on a Venn diagram, on sticky notes in texts, or discussing

and sharing it in group or partner discussions can support the student who is learning to analyze an author’s development of characters and conflict in a given literary text. Students might be encouraged to graph the extent of character

development in a short story (considering round or flat and dynamic or static characters) and then choose a flat or static character and write about how he or she

might be more fully developed in a novel form of the same story.l To address the definition of the verb, “analyze”, teachers must model and then

allow students to demonstrate on unfamiliar texts strategies authors employ in developing characters and conflict. 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 or characters, settings, and conflicts.

Suggested Instructional Resources 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.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007.

Pinnell, Gay Su and Patricia Scharer. Teaching for Comprehension in Reading. New York, NY: Scholastic Professional Books, 2003.

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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.

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

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://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=101

http://okscribbler.blogspot.com/2009/02/teaching-summarizing-story.html

http://www.cherylsclassroomtips.com/2008/11/whats-your-favorite-read-aloud.html

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Standard 7-5 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.

Instructional appendixes are provided as the baseline expectations for instruction

and are not intended to be all-inclusive documents.

Indicator 7-5.3 Create descriptions for use in other modes of written works (for example, narrative, expository, or 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

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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.

What do students need to know before they can understand

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.

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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? 7-1.3 Interpret devices of figurative language (including extended

metaphor and oxymoron). 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. 7-4.1 Organize written works using prewriting techniques, discussions,

graphic organizers, models, and outlines. 7-4.3 Create multiple-paragraph compositions that include a central

idea with supporting details and use appropriate transitions

between paragraphs. 7-4.5 Revise writing to improve clarity, tone, voice, content, and the

development of ideas (see Instructional Appendix: Composite Writing Matrix).

7-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, book, movie, or

product reviews and news reports) that use language appropriate for a specific audience.

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. 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.

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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 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.

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. Fletcher, Ralph. What a Writer Needs. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann,

1993.

Fletcher, Ralph, and Portalupi, Joann. Craft Lessons. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse,

1998.

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

Maine:Stenhouse, 2001.

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5

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,

New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1993.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York, New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

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

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://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/karla_home.htm

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http://volweb.utk.edu/school/bedford/harrisms/lesson13.htm

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-descriptions.html

http://www.msgarrettonline.com/descripwords.html

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm

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=32D4B787-9DBB-4891-989F-AAFDF024690F&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US