Common Core Framework

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy
Introduction: Purpose of the Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy
As part of its proposal to the U.S. Department of Education, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) committed to developing model content frameworks for English language arts/literacy (ELA/literacy) and mathematics to both serve as a bridge between the standards and the PARCC assessments and provide greater insight into the Common Core State Standards. Therefore, the following pages contain detailed information for grades 38 and high school. The Model Content Frameworks for ELA/literacy are designed with the following purposes in mind: identifying the big ideas in the Common Core State Standards for each grade level, helping determine the focus for the various PARCC assessment components, and supporting the development of the assessment blueprints. To ensure strong alignment to the standards, the PARCC Model Content Frameworks were developed through a state-led process between PARCC state content experts and members of the Common Core State Standards writing teams. The Model Content Frameworks are not a curriculum, but instead a voluntary resource to help teachers understand how to implement the standards. However, given their focus on the big ideas in each grade, the Model Content Frameworks will naturally have relevance for curriculum planning, as well. In addition, teachers may use the frameworks to better understand the standards and how key elements of the assessment design interact with the standards within a grade and across grades. The Model Content Frameworks for ELA/Literacy in grades 3-11 can be broken down into four sections as described below.
Structure of the Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy
This initial section highlights the key insights from the standards in a particular grade level, examining the specific reading demands placed on students by the standards (like determining the central idea and supporting evidence) as well as focusing on the use of language and structural organization of the text. This section also goes into depth regarding the specific writing emphases and articulates the important role speaking and listening skills play. While offering a succinct overview of the standards for a particular grade level, this section of the Model Content Frameworks also sets the stage for the module chart that follows by prioritizing key standards. The module chart (an example of which appears below) offers a visual model of how the standards for a particular grade level could be organized into an easy-to-understand structure to aid states and districts in developing instructional tools. The chart for each grade is subdivided into four quarterly modules and each module is structured so students read, analyze, research, write, and speak about a variety of complex texts throughout the four-module sequence.
Summary of ELA/literacy Standards
The Module Chart
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Sample Module Chart for the Model Content Frameworks 1
The chart above captures the integrated nature of the standards within each module. Each of the four modules has a reading focus (literature or informational text) paired with a writing focus (arguments or informative/explanatory text), and also includes research and narrative writing. The chart illustrates how these reading and writing activities in each module rest on the fundamental skill set of citing evidence, analyzing content, using correct grammar, acquiring and applying vocabulary, conducting discussions, and reporting findings orally. The array of standards embedded within each module represents the critical knowledge and skills that students will need to develop to demonstrate proficiency on the proposed PARCC assessments. The knowledge and skills embedded in the modules cover all the standards for a given grade level; however, the Model Content Frameworks allow educators the flexibility to order the modules in a way that best suits their desired purposes. 2 What changes from module to module are the focus and emphasis on the type of text and the particular reading and writing skills associated with texts of that type. What remains constant is the cultivation of students literacy skills throughout the year. In parallel fashion, PARCCs assessment design will reflect the iterative nature of ELA/literacy instruction.
The Glossary
This section details the various elements that appear within each module as spelled out by the Model Content Framework Chart. These elements not only play a key role within the standards, but reflect
Standards are referred to throughout the Model Content Frameworks using a standard nomenclature articulated within the standards (e.g. RI.8.1 refers to Reading Informational Text, Grade 8, Standard 1). 2 Additionally, it should be noted that while the modules above articulate a baseline of essential knowledge and skills derived from the standards, they do not intend to limit the types of texts educators may use.
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critical priorities that will be addressed within the PARCC Assessment System. Explanations of those elements appear below: Close readings of texts: These would include a selection (by educators) of a number of gradelevel-appropriate short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading as well as one extended full-length text (e.g., a novel; a book about a topic deliberately correlated with the science, social studies, or art curriculum; a magazine with a series of related articles or stories; a website with multiple components). These complex texts would allow students to draw ample evidence from them and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence by choosing short texts to complement the extended text. Writing about texts: Each module includes routine writing in response to prompts designed to answer questions and even to brainstorm ideasthe type of writing critical for reading comprehension and retention as well as building writing skills. This writing can take the form of notes, summaries, learning logs, writing to learn, or even a response to a short text selection or an open-ended question. 3 In addition, more formal, structured analytic writing that either advances an argument or explains an idea is addressed. The Model Content Frameworks are structured with the expectation that students will respond to what they have read by framing a debate or informing the reader about what they have learned through writing. The multiple analytic writing opportunities in each module usually reflecting the total of texts that are read closely in a given module echo the iterative nature of learning how to craft prose and present an analysis or explanation. Research: Each module also addresses the research standards that would connect (where possible) to the texts selected for close readings and would require students to closely read and respond to additional texts. Narrative writing: Each module includes opportunities for students to address the narrative writing standards. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. Reading and writing: Lastly, the glossary explains the inclusion of knowledge and skills that span the standards, from citing evidence and analyzing content to applying grammar correctly. This section of the chart contains emphases on vocabulary, listening and speaking, and reporting findings in multiple formats. As the standards explain, each of these is an essential element when reading and writing about texts. (In addition, for grades 3 5, students acquire and develop foundational reading skills throughout the academic year.)
The fourth and final element in each Model Content Framework is a Writing Standards Progression chart for that grade level. The chart traces (in side-by-side fashion) the changes to the Writing Standards between the previous and current grade level. Each row of the chart is devoted to highlighting the shifts in a single writing standard. Below is a sample of an overview chart for Writing Standard 1 in grade 5:
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The Writing Standards Progression Chart
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In keeping with the standards, such responses should leverage technology, expanding on more traditional modes of written expression.

Grade 4, Standard 1 (W.4.1) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writers purpose. b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Grade 5, Standard 1 (W.5.1) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose. b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
The PARCC Assessment System will be designed to measure knowledge, skills, and understanding essential to achieving college and career readiness. In ELA/Literacy, these include the following as defined by the standards: Comprehending complex texts: This master competency requires students to read and comprehend a range of grade-level complex texts, including texts they encounter in the domains of ELA, science, history/social studies, technical subjects, and the arts. 4 Because vocabulary is a critical component of reading comprehension, it will be assessed in the context of reading passages. Analyzing sources in writing: This master competency requires students to demonstrate the core interrelated literacy activities of reading, gathering evidence about what is read, and analyzing and presenting that evidence in writing. Conducting and reporting on research: This competency expands on analyzing sources in writing to include assessing students abilities to gather resources, evaluate their relevance, and report on information and ideas they have investigated (i.e., to conduct original research to answer questions or to solve problems). Speaking and listening: This competency requires students to demonstrate a range of interactive oral communication and interpersonal skills, including but not limited to skills necessary for making formal presentations, working collaboratively, sharing findings, and listening carefully to the ideas of others.
Connections to Assessment
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Complex text is typified by a combination of longer sentences, a higher proportion of less-frequent words, and a greater number and variety of words with multiple meanings. In higher grade levels, complex text involves higher levels of abstraction, more subtle and multidimensional purposes, and a wider variety of writing styles all of which place greater demands on working memory. Appendix A of the standards (especially the chart on pp. 13 and 14) explains the notion of how text complexity is measured across the grade bands.

These are reflected in the emphasis the Model Content Frameworks place on students needing regular opportunities to grapple with the close reading of grade-level complex texts and construct increasingly sophisticated responses. They are therefore a window into the goals of the PARCC Assessment System. At a finer grain size, the Model Content Frameworks will directly inform various aspects of the proposed PARCC Assessment System. For example, the distinctions between grade level expectations shown in the Writing Standards Progression Chart will inform the design of rubrics when evaluating student performances on PARCC assessments.
Priorities in the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy

The Model Content Frameworks capture at a deep level a number of priorities that underlie the standardspriorities that will be reflected in the PARCC Assessment System.
As noted above, the close reading model is a central guiding principle of the standards and as a result will be a central focus of the PARCC Assessment System. The Model Content Frameworks provide guidance for focusing on the close, sustained reading of complex text. Close reading stresses engaging with a text of sufficient complexity directly and examining its meaning thoroughly and methodically. It emphasizes using texts of grade-level-appropriate complexity and focusing student reading on the particular words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs of the author, encouraging students to read and re-read deliberately. By directing student attention on the text itself, close reading empowers students to reflect on the meanings of individual words, the order in which sentences unfold, and the development of ideas over the course of the text to ultimately arrive at an understanding of the text as a whole. A significant body of research links the close reading of complex textregardless if the student is a struggling reader or advancedto significant gains in reading proficiency, and finds close reading to be a key component of college and career readiness. 5 Just as important, the Model Content Frameworks as do the standardsask that students carefully and intensively read and interact with texts of an adequate range and appropriate complexity. 6 In lower grades texts should reflect a range of content readings, while in upper grades disciplinary teachers should consider how best to implement reading across the disciplines. Given the emphasis on close
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Close Reading of Texts
Ericcson, K. A., and W. Kintsch. 1993. The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance. Psychological Review 100(3):363406; Plant, E. A., et al. 2005. Why study time does not predict grade point average across college students: Implications of deliberate practice for academic performance. Contemporary Educational Psychology 30; Ericcson, K. A., and W. Kintsch. 1999. The Role of Long Term Working Memory in Text Comprehension. Psychologia; Kintsch, W. 2009. Learning and constructivism. Constructivist Instruction: Success or failure? eds. Tobias and Duffy. New York: Routledge; Hampton, S., and E. Kintsch. 2009. Supporting Cumulative Knowledge Building Through Reading. In Adolescent Literacy, Field Tested: Effective Solutions for Every Classroom, eds. Parris, Fisher, and Headley. International Reading Association; Heller, R., and C. Greenleaf. 2007. Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education; The Education Trust. 2006. Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground: How Some High Schools Accelerate Learning for Struggling Students; ACT. 2006. Reading Between the Lines. 6 Research is under way to develop clear, common definitions for measuring text complexity that can be consistent across different curricula and publishers. These criteria, due out in summer 2011, will blend quantitative and qualitative factors and will be widely shared and made available to educators across the country. As we await these tools, the immediate recommendation is for teachers to select texts that are within the appropriate band of complexity (like those listed in Appendix B of the standards), using currently available quantitative measures and then making keener distinctions using a blend of qualitative measures (such as a texts levels of meaning or purpose, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands) to determine what year and when in the year to teach a given text. (See Appendix A in the standards for a preliminary list of qualitative measures.)
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reading, texts selected should be works of exceptional content and craft both for the insights they offer and as models for students own thinking and writing (an extensive list of grade-level-appropriate complex texts appears in Appendix B of the standards). Passages selected for PARCC assessments will deliberately reflect these considerations. In sum, the Model Content Frameworks reflect the following critical insights from the Reading Standards that will be reflected by the proposed PARCC Assessment System: Use of grade band-level complex text: Leveled texts that are below grade band level in complexity are not a substitute; the standards indicate students should be reading grade bandlevel complex text. Flexibility is built in for educators to build progressions of more complex text within grade band levels (e.g., grades 45, 68, 912) that overlap to a limited degree with earlier bands, but reading text from the appropriate band level lies at the core of the Model Content Frameworks. Use of informational text in elementary school and literary nonfiction in secondary ELA classes: 7 Most of the required reading in college and workforce training programs is informational in structure and challenging in content; postsecondary education programs typically provide students with both a higher volume of such reading than is generally required in K12 schools and comparatively little scaffolding. Therefore, the standards and the Model Content Frameworks call for a significant amount of reading of informational texts in and outside the ELA classroom. Building expertise and experience regarding a topic or concept: Where possible, texts grouped in a single module should be intentionally selected by educators to connect with one another through a common subject matter, purpose, theme, or topic that grows out of one or more of the texts themselves. Reading a coherent collection of texts within a module or even across the school year allows students to develop and deepen their knowledge and creates meaningful opportunities for additional research into a topic. 8
To succeed on the PARCC assessments, students need access to a wide range of materials on a variety of topics and genres, both in their classrooms and in their school libraries, to ensure that they have opportunities to independently read widely among texts of their own choosing during and outside of the school day in order to develop their knowledge and joy of reading. Such independent reading needs to include texts at the reading level of students as well as texts with complexity levels that will challenge and motivate them. Some students will need additional scaffolding and coordinated interventions designed to accelerate their development toward the independent reading of grade-level complex texts. Depending on the students need, such interventions could include (but are not limited to) the following:
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Extended time to work with grade-level texts;
Informational text and literary nonfiction include the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays; speeches; opinion pieces; essays about art or literature; biographies and autobiographies; memoirs; journalism; technical texts (including directions, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts, or maps); and historical, scientific, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience. 8 As an example, see the integrated body of reading regarding the human body on p. 33 of the standards.
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Fluency instruction and practice; Phonics instruction practice; Vocabulary building; and Practice with texts from the prior grade band of complexity to build content knowledge and strategic reading skills.
The Model Content Frameworks reflect the emphasis in the Writing Standards and the upcoming PARCC assessments that students develop the ability to write effectively and proficiently. Studies show that learning to present important information in an organized piece of writing helps students generate deep understanding of a text. Indeed, whether taking notes or answering questions about a text, or crafting a summary or an extended response regarding what they have read, students improve both their reading comprehension and their writing skills when writing in response to texts. 9 In addition, the texts students read at a particular grade level should be studied not only for their meaning but also for their craft. Examining the complexity employed in the textshow authors develop ideas, craft sentence structures, and use academic vocabularywill model for students how to become better writers. Studying the choices authors make helps students learn how to use those techniques in their own writing and to choose words, structures, and formats more deliberately. Accordingly, the PARCC Assessment rubrics under development will consider these factors when evaluating writing. In sum, the Model Content Frameworks reflect the following critical insights from the Writing Standards that will be reflected within the PARCC Assessment System: Writing routinely in response to complex text: The Model Content Frameworks strongly emphasize informal and formal writing activities that focus on responding to text-dependent questions. Text-dependent prompts should promote deep reflection and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the ability to convey knowledge gleaned from the text in a coherent fashion. An emphasis on analytic writing that increases through the grades: While narrative writing is given prominence in early grades, as the grade level increases, the standards (and therefore the Model Content Frameworks) increasingly ask students to write arguments or informational reports from sources (including writing about research they have performed). 10 Writing under a range of conditions and within set parameters: The Model Content Frameworks include writing under time constraints as well as engaging in short, focused research projects that last several days and may require students to revisit and make improvements to strengthen a piece of writing over multiple drafts. Extended writing often requires revision (rethinking how to present concepts and reordering ideas to create effective sequences) and careful editing (changes at the sentence and word level to improve clarity and grammatical structure).
Analytical Writing about Texts
Graham, S., and M. A. Hebert. 2010. Writing to read: Evidence for how writing can improve reading. A Carnegie Corporation Time to Act Report. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education; see examples of text-dependent questions in the attached Appendix. 10 Writing models will often blend these different types of writing (e.g., analytic writing often includes informational and argumentative elements).
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Use of technology to produce, edit, and distribute writing: The standards ask students to employ technology as needed throughout their writing, including drafting, revising, and editing their work. In addition, the standards ask students to learn how to use digital sources appropriately when conducting research, including evaluating websites for authenticity and credibility. Writing expectations: The standards highlight three areas to measure: presenting credible evidence from texts, crafting coherent and well-developed prose, and writing clearly with sufficient command of standard English.
The Model Content Frameworks give special prominence to research tasks (across the disciplines in grades 612), reflecting the deep connection research has to the knowledge and skills developed by the close reading of sources and writing to those sources. Students are called upon to present their findings in a variety of informal and formal contexts appropriate to the length of the research project and the grade level, from oral presentations to argumentative or explanatory written reports. As one of the four fundamental capacities at the heart of the PARCC Assessment System, research skills will be prioritized in the design and implementation of the PARCC assessments.
Research
In addition to the analytic and explanatory writing that students are asked to perform, the Model Content Frameworks ask students to write narratives. The close attention to detail required to craft an effective and coherent narrative calls upon a skill set similar to that being developed by other writing tasks. From the importance of organization to the nuance of word choice, shaping narratives that reflect real or imagined experiences or events reinforces what students are learning elsewhere. As students mature as writers, their skill with narrative techniques also advances their analytic and explanatory prose. Lastly, the Model Content Frameworks reflect the following fundamental elements of the standards. These skills are critical for students to develop and habitually use, and they will be both explicitly and implicitly incorporated into the upcoming PARCC Assessment System. Cite Evidence and Analyze Content: The Reading and Writing Standards highlighted within the Model Content Frameworks stress that students learn to draw sufficient evidence from a range of different types of complex text from across the disciplines. Students read a variety of different texts and conduct careful inquiries and analysis. Depending on the type of text, students will be asked to determine the main idea, the point of view, and even the meaning of words and phrases as part of gathering and analyzing evidence. The Model Content Frameworks incorporate the skills embedded in Reading Standards 2 through 9 by emphasizing the following skills that will be measured on PARCC assessments: 1. Regularly citing the text to support claims. Central to the practice of students learning how to read closely is being able to point to passages in the text that support their assertions. By using an ever-widening circle of textual evidence and making fuller use of the texts, students will grow in their ability to discern evidence and employ it in analysis. August 3, 2011 8
Narrative Writing
Reading and Writing

2. Analyzing texts through close reading. Through encountering a variety of textual structures and types, students become adept at extracting meaning from texts. As a result, students learn to make an increasing number of connections among ideas within a text and between texts and to become more aware of inconsistencies, ambiguities, and poor reasoning in texts, as well as the qualities of strong arguments. Understand and Apply Grammar: The Model Content Frameworks expect that students will gain a strong command of the grammar and usage of spoken and written standard English, which is needed to succeed academically and professionally. When formal writing or speaking contains errors in grammar and usage, its meaning is obscured, its message easily dismissed, and its author often judged negatively. Research demonstrates that students need extensive practice with grammatical skills in their own writing to learn how to express themselves clearly. 11 Accordingly, the Model Content Frameworks offer guidance in achieving the following goals goals which are shared by the forthcoming PARCC assessments: 1. Building, expanding, and reinforcing knowledge of grammar. Students need to master the skills and understandings of a standard at a basic level no later than the end of the grade in which they are introduced, but as students writing and speaking become more sophisticated, they need to learn to apply these skills and understandings in more advanced contexts. 2. Applying understanding when reading complex academic texts. Students employ their knowledge of grammar and usage to unpack meaning when faced with complex text. At the elementary level, for example, students can use knowledge of phrases and clauses to help them understand a long sentence in a history or science text. At the secondary level, students may encounter the deliberate use of nonstandard dialects to reveal aspects of characters in works by accomplished writers such as Emily Bront, Langston Hughes, and Mark Twain. Understand and Apply Vocabulary: Embedded in the Model Content Frameworks is a systematic approach to academic vocabulary that gives students a sense of the connections and patterns in language and provides them with the ability to acquire word meanings through reading and listening as well as through writing and speaking. 12 By focusing on academic vocabulary via reading, writing, listening, and speaking, students will build fluency, improve reading comprehension, and be more prepared to access a wide range of complex textall essential elements for success on the proposed PARCC assessments. 13
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Weaver, C., et al. May 2006. Grammar intertwined throughout the writing process: An inch wide and a mile deep. English Teaching: Practice and Critique 5(1):77101. 12 Reflecting the latest research in vocabulary instruction, the standards divide words into three tiers: everyday words like boat and red (Tier 1), academic words like principle and courage (Tier 2), and domain-specific terminology like photosynthesis (Tier 3). While Tier 1 words are implicitly learned by students and Tier 3 words are terms specific to a discipline and typically defined within texts, Tier 2 words provide the critical word knowledge needed for understanding all types of texts. 13 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 2000. Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. NIH Publication No. 00-4769. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
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The Model Content Frameworks incorporate the following vision of vocabulary instruction embedded the standards: 1. Building a rich vocabulary. Through regular encounters via reading with academic vocabulary that requires thinking and analysis, students will have numerous opportunities to respond to new words and concepts and to build a dynamic and flexible base of word knowledge. By embracing this approach, the Model Content Frameworks empower students to master the vocabulary necessary for reading complex text across multiple disciplines. 2. Focusing on context. The Model Content Frameworks ask students to understand and explain the impact of specific word choices when reading and to choose words for a specific purpose and impact in their own writing. Speak and Listen Effectively: Besides having intrinsic value as modes of communication, listening and speaking are necessary prerequisites of reading and writing well. Research shows that oral language competence is strongly predictive of the ease with which students learn to read and write.14 The Model Content Frameworks accordingly reinforce habits of mind that aid in the mastery of the printed word and directly target speaking and listening skills in a purposeful and systematic way for their own sakes. As one of the four fundamental capacities at the heart of the PARCC Assessment System, speaking and listening skills will be prioritized in the design and implementation of the PARCC assessments. The Model Content Frameworks therefore observe the following points: 1. Speaking and listening with established norms. Like the standards, the Model Content Frameworks require all students to know how to participate effectively in real, substantive discussions around text-related topics and issues to provide them with opportunities to build confidence and extend knowledge regarding a text by connecting their ideas with those of others. When effectively engaging in productive classroom discussions as well as one-on-one and small-group discussions, students learn to value each contribution and contributor while disagreeing respectfully. 2. Use of evidence to support claims. The standards and Model Content Frameworks ask students to frame their understanding thoughtfully and substantiate claims with evidence. This includes ensuring that students perform research and make use of writing to prepare for discussions and presentations as well as track findings and information. 3. Use of standard English conventions when the context requires it. Reflecting the standards, the Model Content Frameworks call for students to be able to discern the difference between a formal and an informal speaking occasion and use appropriate diction and tone. To be college- and career-ready, students must be able to sustain a formal style when appropriate.
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Pence, K. L., and L. M. Justice. 2007. Language development from theory to practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall; Sticht, T. G., and J. H. James. 1984. Listening and reading. In Handbook of reading research, eds. Pearson et al., 1:293317. White Plains, NY: Longman.
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Since all fields of study demand analysis of complex texts and strong oral and written communication skills using discipline-specific discourseand since disciplines acquire, develop, and share knowledge in unique waysbuilding robust instruction around discipline-specific literacy skills better prepares students for college and careers. For example, professional chemists and literary critics unlock meaning by examining vastly different text structures, and students therefore must adopt appropriate approaches when reading within disciplines. In a similar vein, students must recognize and master the different ways an artist and a historian communicate via written (and multimedia) products. The standards are designed to move students beyond general reading and writing strategies so they are prepared to read and write proficiently in particular disciplines. The Model Content Frameworks provide all educators with foundational ideas for inscribing disciplinary literacy skills and practice in their instructional programming. Yet it is important to note that the Model Content Frameworksfollowing the standardsinsist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language is a shared responsibility within schools. The standards for grades 35 include expectations regarding reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language that apply to a range of subjects, including but not limited to ELA. The standards for grades 6 12 include standards for ELA and separate standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects (these two sets of closely related standards reflect the primary role ELA teachers have in developing students literacy skills while at the same time acknowledging that teachers in other areas must play an important role in this development as well). The shared responsibility for literacy manifests itself within the Model Content Frameworks in multiple ways. In grades 35, some of the assigned reading is intended to involve reading from across the disciplines; in grades 612, the Model Content Frameworks serve as guides to disciplinary teachers when considering reading and writing across the disciplines. In all grades the responsibility of all teachers to empower students emerging from high school with college- and career-ready reading, writing, speaking and listening skills is recognized. It is critical that all students are able to access the standards and demonstrate mastery of the skills and knowledge embedded within them. To help state and local curriculum developers and ultimately, teachers meet this goal, the Model Content Frameworks provide foundational information necessary for curricular and instructional materials to be developed or revised. The Model Content Frameworks are written to support the use of the principles of universal design for learning (UDL). UDL recommends ways to provide cognitive as well as physical access to the curriculum. 15 UDL offers curriculum developers and teachers a research-based blueprint for designing instructional materials that accommodate individual learning differences. Materials designed based on the Model Content Frameworks and that use UDL offer flexible learning environments appropriate for all students to accommodate individual learning differences. 16 To ensure that a students entire learning experience is
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Literacy in Content Areas and the Model Content Frameworks
Using the Model Content Frameworks to Support All Students
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Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). www.cast.org/index.html Please see the CAST website for suggestions for how to differentiate learning for students with disabilities. The CAST website can be accessed at www.cast.org/index.html.
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aligned to those high expectations, the PARCC Assessment System will be designed and developed using principles of universal design. Just as the standards and curriculum should be accessible to all students, so should the assessments that align to the standards. Guided by the above considerations, the Model Content Frameworks offered in this document present the standards in a user-friendly way for curriculum developers and teachers alike, while offering key insights and guidance for the development of the proposed PARCC Assessment System. The Model Content Frameworks presented below systematically weave together the standards in modules that progressively develop student understanding from grades 3 through 11. They are designed to guide and determine assessment priorities on the PARCC assessments. The Model Content Frameworks therefore offer one way of envisioning how to emphasize the critical advances in the standards through focusing on essential knowledge and skills that students must develop for college and career readiness.
Conclusion
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Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Summary of ELA/Literacy Standards for Grade 3
Developing strategies to help students understand what they read is a crucial element of grade 3. In grades K2, children begin to master the decoding skills described in the Foundational Reading Standards. Third graders use these emerging skills to negotiate multisyllabic words, which in turn increases their fluency and confidence when reading new and unfamiliar material. The Common Core State Standards call for students in grade 3 to proficiently read grade-appropriate complex literature and informational text (RL/RI.3.10) such that they can ask and answer questions by referring explicitly to a text (RL/RI.3.1) as summarized below: Determining the central message or main idea of a text (RL/RI.3.2). Describing the actions of characters or how ideas relate to one another (RL/RI.3.3). Distinguishing between literal and nonliteral language (RL/RI.3.4). Identifying the structural elements of texts (like chapters, scenes, and stanzas) and using text features to locate information (RL/RI.3.5). Distinguishing between their own points of view and that of the author, narrator, or main character (RL/RI.3.6). Explaining how illustrations contribute to what is conveyed in words (RL/RI.3.7). Describing the logical connection between sentences and paragraphs in a text (RL/RI.3.8). Comparing and contrasting two or more works with the same topic, author, or character (RL/RI.3.9).
The development of these skills allows students to delve deeply into texts to uncover both the central message and supporting details. In support of these reading standards, students are taught to ask questions of a speaker or classmate to deepen their understanding of the material. They read aloud fluently and offer appropriate elaboration on the ideas of classmates, building on what has been said before. Students emerge therefore from grade 3 with an ever-expanding academic vocabulary that they use in their writing and speaking. Two new Writing Standards (W.3.4 and W.3.10) are introduced in grade 3 and significantly increase writing expectations for students at this grade level. They expect students to develop and organize their writing in a manner appropriate to the task and purpose and to write routinely for a range of timeframes and contexts. For example, students should learn how to transfer their understanding of characters in books they read to the characters they create in their own narrative writing. Gaining expertise at writing narratives teaches students to accurately describe what happened and helps them recognize and select the most relevant information when reading. In a similar fashion, their reading of history and science texts provides models of connecting and sequencing ideas when they write to explain or argue. In all their writing (including short research projects), the use of specific facts and descriptive details is emphasized, as is correct spelling and punctuation. There are two additional instructional priorities regarding reading foundations to address over the course of grade 3: 1. Grade 3 is a pivotal year for students to learn and practice phonics and word analysis skills, so they are reliably able to make sense of multisyllabic words in books (RF.3.3). 2. Students reading fluency should be assessed at the start of the year to determine their fluency level; students who have not yet achieved grade-level fluency and students learning English will need direct fluency instruction, which may include repeated practice at reading sufficiently complex texts aloud, as well as listening to such texts read aloud with expression and appropriate phrasing August 3, 2011 1
while students follow along in the text. Like their more proficient peers, they will need opportunities to build fluency through independent reading and opportunities to analyze closely how the syntax and meaning of the text influences the expression and phrasing (RF.3.4).
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ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework Chart for Grade 3
Below is a chart that organizes the standards noted above into four quarter-length modules that cover the knowledge and skills students will learn and perform over the course of the year. 1 As noted in the introduction, these modules are offered simply as one model to consider when constructing a year-long course of instruction.
Elementary grades are self-contained and thus include reading across the curriculum hence the higher number of short texts in grades 35 than in grades 612.
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Glossary for Grade 3 ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework Chart
Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational text and literature students are expected to read. Five to nine short texts from across the curriculum: These would include the selection of short texts from across the curriculum of sufficient complexity for close reading (with emphasis in one module on reading myths/fables) that would allow students to draw evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, and drama, with a special emphasis on myth, as well as nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse (Common Core State Standards, p. 31). Informational texts include biographies and autobiographies; books about history, social studies, science, and the arts; technical texts, including directions, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts, or maps; and digital sources on a range of topics written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 31).
One extended text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing should be 65 percent analytical (30 percent opinions and 35 percent to explain/inform) and 35 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 2 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis.
To help curriculum developers and teachers plan, a Writing Standards Progression chart is found at the end of this grade-level Model Content Framework. The chart traces (in side-by-side fashion) the changes to the Writing Standards between the previous and current grade.
August 3, 2011
Two analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.3.1) and to write clearly and coherently (W.3.4, W.3.5, and L.3.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Over the course of the year, analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails building knowledge about a topic drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal contexts. Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one or two narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading for every text that students encounter is to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 3, students should refer explicitly to the text as the basis for answers (RL/RI.3.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.3.29 and SL.3.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.3.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.3.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led), enabling them to effectively build on one anothers ideas about what they are reading and researching while explaining their own understandings (SL.3.1). Report findings: Students should deliver orally information they have gathered or created about what they have read or researched with appropriate facts and descriptive details, speaking clearly at an appropriate pace (SL.3.46). For Reading Foundation Skills in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to recognize words and read with fluency through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. August 3, 2011 5
Decode words: Students should apply their knowledge of phonics and word analysis to be able to recognize the words they encounter when reading texts (RF.3.3). Read fluently: Students should be able to read with accuracy and fluency to be able to comprehend texts sufficiently (RF.3.4).
August 3, 2011
Writing Standards Progression from Grade 2 to Grade 3
In grade 3, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, with guidance and support from adults, they use technology to produce and publish writing. They are also expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.3.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 2 to grade 3 are highlighted in the chart below: Grade 2, Standard 1 (W.2.1) Grade 3, Standard 1 (W.3.1) Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, reasons. use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section. opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. b. Provide reasons that support the opinion. c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. Grade 2, Standard 2 (W.2.2) Grade 3, Standard 2 (W.3.2) Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding ideas and information clearly. statement or section. a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. Grade 2, Standard 3 (W.2.3) Grade 3, Standard 3 (W.3.3) Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. August 3, 2011 7

Grade 2, Standard 4 (Begins in grade 3)
Grade 2, Standard 5 (W.2.5) With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing. Grade 2, Standard 6 (W.2.6) With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. Grade 2, Standard 7 (W.2.7) Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations). Grade 2, Standard 8 (W.2.8) Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. Grade 2, Standard 9 (Begins in grade 4) Grade 2, Standard 10 (Begins in grade 3)
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. d. Provide a sense of closure. Grade 3, Standard 4 (W.3.4) With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 3, Standard 5 (W.3.5) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 3 on pages 28 and 29.) Grade 3, Standard 6 (W.3.6) With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Grade 3, Standard 7 (W.3.7) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. Grade 3, Standard 8 (W.3.8) Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. Grade 3, Standard 9 (Begins in grade 4) Grade 3, Standard 10 (W.3.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
August 3, 2011

The Common Core State Standards call for students in grade 4 to continue to build their stamina and skill to proficiently read challenging grade-appropriate complex literature and informational text (RL/RI.4.10) such that they can draw on or infer specific details and examples from the text (RL/RI.4.1) in the areas summarized below: Determining the theme or main idea (RL/RI.4.2). Describing characters and setting as well as explaining events and ideas based on specific details (RL/RI.4.3). Determining the meaning of words and phrases used in a text (RL/RI.4.4). Describing the structure of a text (including major differences between genres) (RL/RI.4.5). Comparing and contrasting points of view from which stories or other accounts are narrated (RL/RI.4.6). Interpreting information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (RL/RI.4.7). Explaining how reasons and evidence support particular points being made in a text (RL/RI.4.8). Integrating information from two texts on the same topic or theme (including traditional literature from different cultures) (RL/RI.4.9).
Developing these skills will empower students to perform specific tasks and skills targeted in the standards, from describing how focusing on different details affects a text to summarizing both the main and supporting ideas, explaining what happened and why, and recognizing allusions to significant characters found in mythology. Reading complex texts that range across literature, history, the arts, and science will also build the vocabulary skills of students as well as improve their fluency and confidence, leading to success in later grades. One new Writing Standard that begins in grade 4 supports the close connection between reading and writing (W.4.9). It requires students to draw evidence from literary and informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. In addition, students should engage in independent short research projects that present a convincing set of well-organized facts and details to support conclusions. Students should be able to produce a variety of written texts, including opinion pieces, explanations, and narratives each of which presents evidence in an organized fashion to clarify the topic under discussion for the intended audience. When participating in class, students should both paraphrase accurately and respond effectively with information during discussions. There are additional instructional priorities in reading foundations to address over the course of grade 4. In addition to continuing to build their word analysis skills (RF.4.3), students reading fluency should be assessed at the start of the year to determine their fluency level. Students not yet fluent and students learning English will need direct fluency instruction, which may include repeated practice at reading sufficiently complex texts aloud, as well as listening to such texts read aloud with expression and appropriate phrasing while students follow along in the text. Like their more proficient peers, they will need opportunities to build fluency through independent reading and opportunities to analyze closely how the syntax and meaning of the text influences the expression and phrasing (RF.4.4).
August 3, 2011

August 3, 2011

Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational text and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of five to nine short texts from across the curriculum: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading (with emphasis in one module on reading Greek myths) that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, and drama, with a special emphasis on myth, as well as nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse (Common Core State Standards, p. 31). Informational texts include biographies and autobiographies; books about history, social studies, science, and the arts; technical texts, including directions, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts, or maps; and digital sources on a range of topics written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 31).
An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing should be 65 percent analytical (30 percent opinions and 35 percent to explain/inform) and 35 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 2 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Three to four analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students
2
To help curriculum developers and teachers plan, a Writing Standards Progression chart is found at the end of this grade-level Model Content Framework. The chart traces (in side-by side fashion) the changes to the Writing Standards between the previous and current grade.
August 3, 2011

will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.4.1 and W.4.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.4.4, W.4.5, and L.4.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write two to three narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 4, students should refer to details and examples from the text when both explicitly explaining it and making inferences (RL/RI.4.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.4.29 and SL.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.4.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.4.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) enabling them to effectively build on one anothers ideas while explaining their own clearly (SL.4.1). Report findings: Students should orally deliver information they have gathered or created with an eye toward the needs of their audience by speaking clearly at an appropriate pace (SL.4.46). For Reading Foundation Skills in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to recognize words and read with fluency through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards.
August 3, 2011

Decode words: Students should apply their knowledge of phonics and word analysis to be able to recognize the words they encounter when reading texts (RF.4.3). Read fluently: Students should be able to read with accuracy and fluency to be able to comprehend texts sufficiently (RF.4.4).
August 3, 2011

In grade 4, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to demonstrate sufficient keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. They are also expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.4.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 3 to grade 4 are highlighted in the chart below:
Grade 3, Standard 1 (W.3.1)

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. b. Provide reasons that support the opinion. c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. Grade 3, Standard 2 (W.3.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose. b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Grade 4, Standard 2 (W.4.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
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c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. d. Provide a concluding statement or section. e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. Grade 3, Standard 3 (W.3.3) Grade 4, Standard 3 (W.4.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to or show the responses of characters to situations. develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. d. Provide a sense of closure. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 3, Standard 4 (W.3.4) Grade 4, Standard 4 (W.4.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 13 above.) above.) Grade 3, Standard 5 (W.3.5) Grade 4, Standard 5 (W.4.5) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 3 on pages 28 and 29.) 13 up to and including grade 4 on pages 28 and 29.) Grade 3, Standard 6 (W.3.6) Grade 4, Standard 6 (W.4.6) August 3, 2011 7 c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.

With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Grade 3, Standard 7 (W.3.7) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic. Grade 3, Standard 8 (W.3.8) Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. Grade 3, Standard 9 (Begins in grade 4) With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. Grade 4, Standard 7 (W.4.7) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Grade 4, Standard 8 (W.4.8) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. Grade 4, Standard 9 (W.4.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions]."). b. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). Grade 4, Standard 10 (W.4.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Grade 3, Standard 10 (W.3.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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In grade 5, students guided by the Common Core State Standards will read widely and deeply from a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging fiction, poetry, drama, traditional literature, and nonfiction from diverse cultures and different time periods (RL/RI.5.10). By reading complex texts closely, students will be able to quote accurately and explicitly to support their inferences (RL/RI.5.1) in the areas summarized below: Determining how themes and main ideas emerge through details (RL/RI.5.2). Explaining how elements of a story or text interact (RL/RI.5.3). Determining the meaning of figurative language and other words as they are used in texts (RL/RI.5.4). Comparing how elements of texts contribute to the structure of the whole (RL/RI.5.5). Describing how different points of view influence the description of events (RL/RI.5.6). Analyzing how visual elements contribute to the meaning of a text (RL/RI.5.7). Explaining what evidence supports specific points being made in a text (RL/RI.5.8). Tracing the development of a topic in texts of the same genre and integrating information drawn from those texts (RL/RI.5.9).
Acquiring these abilities enables students to delve deeply into texts and build their knowledge base about different subjects. Students will leave grade 5 able to accurately paraphrase stories, dramas, poems, and nonfiction materials by citing key details and identifying and assessing evidence. In discussions, not only are students able to contribute accurate and relevant information and comment on the remarks of others, but they also are also able to synthesize what they read from multiple sources. Throughout grade 5, students conduct research and write multi-paragraph stories and essays, working on employing detailed descriptions and ample evidence and grouping related information. When writing opinions, they offer reasons for their assertions and link together facts and examples logically to support their point of view. Similarly, when writing stories, students become more adept at using effective dialogue and description to reveal a characters thoughts and feelings. Students will respond critically to both literary and informational sources over the course of the year, writing both short and long-form pieces while honing their appreciation for the nuances of grammar, usage, and punctuation. Revision and editing will play a bigger role in their writing as well, and gaining practice at acquiring and employing precise words is a critical element of their development this year. There are two additional instructional priorities for reading foundations to address over the course of grade 5. In addition to building word analysis skills (RF.5.3), students reading fluency should be assessed at the start of the year to determine their fluency level; students not yet fluent and students learning English will need direct fluency instruction, which may include repeated practice at reading sufficiently complex texts aloud, as well as listening to such texts read aloud with expression and appropriate phrasing while students follow along in the text. Like their more proficient peers, they will need opportunities to build fluency through independent reading and opportunities to analyze closely how the syntax and meaning of the text influences the expression and phrasing (RF.5.4).
August 3, 2011

August 3, 2011

Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational text and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of five to nine short texts from across the curriculum: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, folktales, legends, fables, fantasy, realistic fiction, myth, and drama, as well as nursery rhymes, narrative poems, limericks, and free verse (Common Core State Standards, p. 31). Informational texts include biographies and autobiographies; books about history, social studies, science, and the arts; technical texts, including directions, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts, or maps; and digital sources on a range of topics written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 31).
An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing should be 65 percent analytical (30 percent opinion and 35 percent to explain/inform) and 35 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 2 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Three to five analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will
2
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be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.5.1 and W.5.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.5.4, W.5.5, and L.5.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely.
Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to have performed research that includes listing sources and summarizing findings. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write two to three narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 5, students should quote accurately from a text when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.5.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.5.29 and SL.5.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.5.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.5.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) enabling them to elaborate on the points of others while clearly explaining their own to draw conclusions (SL.5.1). Report findings: Students should orally deliver information they have gathered or created, sequencing ideas logically with appropriate facts and details and an eye toward the needs of their audience by speaking clearly at an appropriate pace (SL.5.46). August 3, 2011 4

For Reading Foundation Skills in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to recognize words and read with fluency through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Decode words: Students should apply their knowledge of phonics and word analysis to be able to recognize the words they encounter when reading texts (RF.5.3). Read fluently: Students should be able to read with accuracy and fluency to be able to comprehend texts sufficiently (RF.5.4).
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In grade 5, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to demonstrate sufficient keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting. They are also expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.5.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 4 to grade 5 are highlighted in the chart below: Grade 4, Standard 1 (W.4.1) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose. b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Grade 4, Standard 2 (W.4.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). August 3, 2011 Grade 5, Standard 1 (W.5.1) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose. b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Grade 5, Standard 2 (W.5.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. 6

d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. Grade 4, Standard 3 (W.4.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 4, Standard 4 (W.4.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 4, Standard 5 (W.4.5) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 4 on pages 28 and 29.) August 3, 2011 Grade 5, Standard 3 (W.5.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. c. Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events. d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 5, Standard 4 (W.5.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 5, Standard 5 (W.5.5) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 5 on pages 28 and 29.) 7

Grade 4, Standard 6 (W.4.6) With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. Grade 4, Standard 7 (W.4.7) Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Grade 4, Standard 8 (W.4.8) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. Grade 4, Standard 9 (W.4.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions]."). b. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). Grade 4, Standard 10 (W.4.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Grade 5, Standard 6 (W.5.6) With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting. Grade 5, Standard 7 (W.5.7) Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Grade 5, Standard 8 (W.5.8) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. Grade 5, Standard 9 (W.5.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]"). b. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]"). Grade 5, Standard 10 (W.5.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

In grade 6, the Common Core State Standards expect students to apply skills they learned in earlier grades to make sense of more challenging books and articles (RL/RI.6.10). By performing close readings of a variety of grade-level complex texts, students will develop the ability to cite textual evidence to support their analyses (RL/RI.6.1) in the areas summarized below: Accurately identifying the central idea or theme and how it is conveyed by particular details (RL/RI.6.2). Analyzing how a plot unfolds or how events or ideas are developed or elaborated (RL/RI.6.3). Determining the figurative, connotative, and technical meanings of words and phrases as they are used in text (RL/RI.6.4). Determining how sentences, paragraphs, etc. within texts influence and contribute to the development the whole (RL/RI.6.5). Explaining how authors employ point of view (RL/RI.6.6). Comparing and contrasting a live performance to the silent reading of a text (RL/RI.6.7). Separating unsupported assertions from those backed by evidence (RL/RI.6.8). Analyzing how topics and themes are developed in texts of different genres (RL/RI.6.9).
In grade 6, students learn how writers try to influence readers while discovering how they can do the same in their own prose. They focus on examining how authors use reasons to make their points and support their arguments with evidence, analyzing both the structure and content of complex, gradeappropriate texts. They also share their findings in class discussions, practicing how to logically sequence ideas and highlight the themes and key details they find most persuasive. Students in grade 6 are increasingly challenged to sharpen their ability to write and speak with more clarity and coherence. Their vocabularies are expanding, and they are more attuned to using context, knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes, and word analysis to determine the meaning of academic words. This in turn improves their recognition of Standard English and their use of it in their own writing in both brief analytic essays and short research papers. In grade 6, students understand how to answer questions through writing and can use rewriting opportunities to refine their understanding of a text or topic. They also take a critical stance toward sources and apply criteria for identifying reliable information as opposed to mere conjecture. In their own writing, they provide clear reasons and relevant evidence.
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ELA Model Content Framework Chart for Grade 6
Below is a chart that organizes the standards noted above into four quarter-length modules that cover the knowledge and skills students will learn and perform over the course of the year. As noted in the introduction, these modules are offered simply as one model to consider when constructing a year-long course of instruction.
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Glossary for Grade 6 ELA Model Content Framework Chart
Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational texts (literary nonfiction in ELA classes) and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of three to five short texts: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies, satire, drama, graphic novels, one-act and multi-act plays, narrative poems, lyrical poems, free-verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics (Common Core State Standards, p. 57). Informational texts/literary nonfiction include the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays; speeches; opinion pieces; essays about art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 57).
An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing at this level is 70 percent analytical (35 percent argument and 35 percent to explain/inform) and 30 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 1 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated
1
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understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.6.1 and W.6.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.6.4, W.6.5, and L.6.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to assess the credibility of each source, effectively and accurately quote or paraphrase sources, and include basic bibliographic information in their research. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one or two narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 6, students should explicitly refer to a text when both explaining it and making inferences (RL/RI.6.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.6.29 and SL.6.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.6.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.6.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and expressing their own
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clearly. They should ask and respond to specific questions as well as acknowledge new information and modify their understanding as warranted (SL.6.1). Report findings: Using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation, students should orally present claims, sequencing their ideas in a logical, coherent manner, and accentuate main ideas or themes (SL.6.46).
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In grade 6, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to demonstrate sufficient keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. They are also expected to meet the gradespecific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.6.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 5 to grade 6 are highlighted in the chart below: Grade 5, Standard 1 (W.5.1) Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose. b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Grade 5, Standard 2 (W.5.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Grade 6, Standard 1 (W.6.1) Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. Grade 6, Standard 2 (W.6.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
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b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially). d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented. Grade 5, Standard 3 (W.5.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. c. Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events. d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 5, Standard 4 (W.4.5) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented. Grade 6, Standard 3 (W.6.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 6, Standard 4 (W.6.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.)
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Grade 5, Standard 5 (W.5.5) With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 5 on pages 28 and 29.) Grade 5, Standard 6 (W.5.6) With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting. Grade 5, Standard 7 (W.5.7) Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. Grade 5, Standard 8 (W.5.8) Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. Grade 5, Standard 9 (W.5.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]"). b. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]"). Grade 5, Standard 10 (W.5.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for Grade 6, Standard 5 (W.6.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 6 on page 52.) Grade 6, Standard 6 (W.6.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. Grade 6, Standard 7 (W.6.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Grade 6, Standard 8 (W.6.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources. Grade 6, Standard 9 (W.6.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics"). b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not"). Grade 6, Standard 10 (W.6.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for
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a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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The increasing demands of the Common Core State Standards for students in grade 7 reflect students growing maturity as readers and writers. Central to their emerging sophistication as readers is their ability to read challenging complex texts closely (RL/RI.7.10) and cite multiple instances of specific evidence (RL/RI.7.1) when offering an analysis in the areas summarized below: Analyzing the development of central ideas or themes in a text (RL/RI.7.2). Determining the impact of particular elements or ideas in a story or essay that shape its development (RL/RI.7.3). Examining the impact of rhymes and other words and phrases on tone and meaning (RL/RI.7.4). Explaining how a texts form contributes to its overall meaning (RL/RI.7.5). Analyzing how an author develops point of view for different characters or distinguishes his or her own opinion from other authors on a given topic (RL/RI.7.6). Analyzing the impact of techniques unique to a medium on the telling of a story or the sharing of information (RL/RI.7.7). Tracing the argument of a text and assessing the validity of the evidence provided (RL/RI.7.8). Describing the similarities and differences in articles on the same topic, particularly how a historical account of a time, place, or figure compares to a literary rendering of the same (RL/RI.7.9).
By the end of grade 7, students should be able to recognize the interplay between setting, plot, and characters and provide an objective summary of a text apart from their own reaction to it. Their vocabulary has developed to the point where they can distinguish between denotative and connotative meaning and can analyze the impact of specific word choice on tone. They are equally adept at stepping back to compare and contrast different interpretations of a text, identifying how authors shape their presentation of key information and choose to highlight certain facts over others. The growing maturity of 7th graders as writers is also evident. Students are able to cite several sources of specific, relevant evidence when supporting their own point of view about texts and topics. In discussions and in writing, they make their reasoning clear to their listeners and readers, constructively evaluating others use of evidence while offering several sources to back up their own claims. Their writing is more structured at this stage, with clear introductions and conclusions as well as useful transitions to create cohesion and clarify relationships among ideas. In their writing they acknowledge the other side of a debate or an alternative perspective. Their research projects are well-documented to avoid any trace of plagiarism, and they strive to eliminate wordiness and redundancy in their writing.
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understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.7.1 and W.7.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.7.4, W.7.5, and L.7.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to have performed research using a standard citation format. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one or two narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 7, students should cite multiple pieces of evidence when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.7.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.7.29 and SL.7.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.7.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.7.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and clearly expressing their own based on evidence. They should ask and respond to specific questions as well as acknowledge new information and modify their understanding as warranted (SL.7.1).
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Report findings: Using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation, students should orally present claims, sequencing ideas in a logical, coherent manner to accentuate main ideas or themes (SL.7.46).
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In grade 7, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.7.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 6 to grade 7 are highlighted in the chart below:

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. Grade 6, Standard 2 (W.6.2)

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Grade 7, Standard 2 (W.7.2)
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, comprehension. tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete quotations, or other information and examples. details, quotations, or other information and examples.
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c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented. Grade 6, Standard 3 (W.6.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Grade 6, Standard 4 (W.6.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 6, Standard 5 (W.6.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Grade 7, Standard 3 (W.7.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Grade 7, Standard 4 (W.7.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 7, Standard 5 (W.7.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience
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command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 6 on page 52.) Grade 6, Standard 6 (W.6.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. Grade 6, Standard 7 (W.6.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Grade 6, Standard 8 (W.6.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources. Grade 6, Standard 9 (W.6.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics"). b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not"). Grade 6, Standard 10 (W.6.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 7 on page 52.) Grade 7, Standard 6 (W.7.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources. Grade 7, Standard 7 (W.7.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. Grade 7, Standard 8 (W.7.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Grade 7, Standard 9 (W.7.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history"). b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims"). Grade 7, Standard 10 (W.7.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
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audiences. audiences.
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In grade 8, the Common Core State Standards expect that students are exposed to high-quality nonfiction complex texts and that they are challenged to grapple with great works of literature (RL/RI.8.10). Starting in grade 8, the focus of informational texts begins to shift from narrative to exposition. Students leave 8th grade knowing how to cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis or critique of a text (RL/RI.8.1) and perform a variety of tasks associated with close reading summarized below: Analyzing the development of central assertions in texts, including their relationship to supporting ideas (RL/RI.8.2). Investigating how particular passages within a text connect to one another and advance the plot, reveal a character, or highlight an idea (RL/RI.8.3). Unpacking the analogies and allusions employed within a text and explaining how they affect its tone or meaning (RL/RI.8.4). Analyzing in detail how the structural form of a text shapes its meaning, including how a part (e.g., paragraph, sentence) refines a key concept (RL/RI.8.5). Analyzing how point of view can be manipulated to create specific effects like dramatic irony or how the author responds to conflicting evidence and alternative viewpoints (RL/RI.8.6). Determining the fidelity of a filmed or live production to the source text and the strengths and weaknesses of particular mediums for conveying particular topics (RL/RI.8.7). Evaluating the relationship between the overall argument in a text and the particular claims advanced including evaluating the claims and reasoning for their validity, relevance, and sufficiency (RL/RI.8.8). Analyzing how texts incorporate themes, events, and ideas from myths, traditions, and religious works or provide conflicting information on the same topic (RL/RI.8.9).
Eighth graders write with increasing sophistication, focusing on organizing ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; choosing relevant facts well; and using varied transitions to clarify or show the relationships among elements. They can, for instance, analyze in writing two or more texts that provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify whether the disagreement is over facts or interpretation. They are primed to question an authors assumptions and assess the accuracy of his or her claims, and their research projects are well documented to avoid any trace of plagiarism. By the end of grade 8, students should be able to distinguish their claims from alternate or opposing claims and use words and phrases to clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. They have developed a rich vocabulary of academic words and use them to speak and write with more precision. Most of all, by the end of middle school students are adept at reading closely and uncovering evidence to use in their own writing.
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An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing at this level is 70 percent analytical (35 percent argument and 35 percent to explain/inform) and 30 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 1 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated
1
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understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.8.1 and W.8.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.8.4, W.8.5, and L.8.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to have performed research that acknowledges the conclusions of others without plagiarizing. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one or two narratives per module that reflect real or imagined experiences or events, sometimes drawn from texts read during the module. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 8, students should cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports their analysis when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.8.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.8.29 and SL.8.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.8.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.8.46). Conduct discussions: Students should engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and clearly expressing their own
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based on evidence. They ask and respond to specific questions as well as acknowledge new information and modify their understanding as warranted (SL.8.1). Report findings: Using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation, students should orally present claims, sequencing ideas in a logical, coherent manner with valid reasoning and well-chosen details to accentuate main ideas or themes (SL.8.46).
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In grade 8, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. They are also expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.8.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 7 to grade 8 are highlighted in the chart below:

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Grade 7, Standard 2 (W.7.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Grade 8, Standard 2 (W.8.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
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b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Grade 7, Standard 3 (W.7.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Grade 7, Standard 4 (W.7.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 7, Standard 5 (W.7.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Grade 8, Standard 3 (W.8.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Grade 8, Standard 4 (W.8.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 8, Standard 5 (W.8.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
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strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 7 on page 52.) Grade 7, Standard 6 (W.7.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources. Grade 7, Standard 7 (W.7.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. Grade 7, Standard 8 (W.7.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Grade 7, Standard 9 (W.7.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history"). b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims"). Grade 7, Standard 10 (W.7.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 8 on page 52.) Grade 8, Standard 6 (W.8.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Grade 8, Standard 7 (W.8.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. Grade 8, Standard 8 (W.8.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Grade 8, Standard 9 (W.8.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new"). b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced"). Grade 8, Standard 10 (W.8.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a
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range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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The Common Core State Standards for students in grade 9 challenge them to investigate a wide range of literary genres as well as delve deeply into substantive, complex expository works of nonfiction (RL/RI.9.10). 1 Students mark the beginning of their high school careers by discovering how to read like a detective and uncover critical clues for building analyses of texts (RL/RI.9.1). Their growing mastery of close reading also reflects their growth as independent readers, allowing them to investigate texts as summarized below: Analyzing how the central theme or idea evolves and is shaped and refined by specific details (RL/RI.9.2). Examining how the complexity of characters, events, and ideas emerges over the course of the text and shapes the plot, theme, and/or connections made (RL/RI.9.3). Investigating the cumulative impact of figurative language and specific word choices on both meaning and tone (RL/RI.9.4). Explaining how the structural and organizational choices an author makes at the sentence and paragraph level affect the perceptions of readers (e.g., creates dramatic tension) or develop ideas (RL/RI.9.5). Reflecting on perspectives or points of view embedded in works of world literature (RL/RI.9.6). Comparing and contrasting how ideas, themes, or subjects are presented in two different artistic mediums, including which details are emphasized in each (RL/RI.9.7). Evaluating arguments to assess whether or not the reasoning and claims are valid and the evidence provided is sufficient (RL/RI.9.8). Analyzing how seminal foundational documents of the United States address related themes and concepts (RL/RI.9.9).
Entering high school, students become increasingly aware of the choices authors make and how writers emphasize particular examples or details and stitch them together into a coherent whole. At this stage of their careers, students can provide objective summaries that incorporate both inferences drawn from the text and citations extracted directly from what they have read. With regard to research, students in the beginning years of high school should conduct several research projects, using more complex materials and specialized sources than they did in elementary and middle school. They can at this point express themselves in multiple writing formats, from investigative reports and literary analyses to summations and research papers. Their research projects are well documented to avoid any trace of plagiarism. Across all writing formats, students are able to develop a central idea; maintain a coherent focus in their writing; and elaborate the points they make with relevant examples, facts, and details. Through writing and conversation, students should internalize the expectations of standard written and spoken English and resolve issues regarding usage by consulting style guides.
It should be noted that the standards use individual grade levels in kindergarten through grade 8 to provide useful specificity; the standards use two-year bands in grades 912 to allow schools, districts, and states flexibility in high school course design.
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Until PARCC decides to assign the study of U.S. historical documents and world literature to grade 9 or grade 10, states, districts, and schools could design modules to teach both demands in both grades or teach one demand in grade 9 and the other in grade 10.
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Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational texts (literary nonfiction in ELA classes) and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of three to five short texts: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading (with emphasis in two modules on reading U.S. historical documents) that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies, satire, drama, graphic novels, one-act and multi-act plays, narrative poems, lyrical poems, free-verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics (Common Core State Standards, p. 57). Informational texts/literary nonfiction include the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays; speeches; opinion pieces; essays about art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 57).
An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module. Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing at this level is 80 percent analytical (40 percent argument and 40 percent to explain/inform) and 20 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 3 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual evidence and help lead to informed discussions). Routine written
3
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responses to such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.9.1 and W.9.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.9.4, W.9.5, and L.9.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focus on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to refocus their research during the process. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one narrative per module that reflects real or imagined experiences or events Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 9, students should cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports their analysis when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.9.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.9.29 and SL.9.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.9.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.9.46).
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Conduct discussions: Students should initiate and engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and clearly expressing their own based on evidence. They should relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas, respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives to ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on an issue, and resolve contradictions when possible (SL.9.1). Report findings: Students should orally present claims and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically while ensuring that alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed and the development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task (SL.9.46).
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Writing Standards Progression from Grade 8 to Grades 910
In grades 9 and 10, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.910.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 8 to grades 910 are highlighted in the chart below: Grade 8, Standard 1 (W.8.1) Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. Grades 910, Standard 1 (W.910.1) Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) evidence. and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. supports the argument presented. Grade 8, Standard 2 (W.8.2) Grades 910, Standard 2 (W.910.2)
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Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). Grades 910, Standard 3 (W.910.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events,
Grade 8, Standard 3 (W.8.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
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and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Grade 8, Standard 4 (W.8.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 8, Standard 5 (W.8.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 8 on page 52.) Grade 8, Standard 6 (W.8.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Grade 8, Standard 7 (W.8.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Grades 910, Standard 4 (W.910.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grades 910, Standard 5 (W.910.5) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grades 910 on page 54.) Grades 910, Standard 6 (W.910.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. Grades 910, Standard 7 (W.910.7) Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
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Grade 8, Standard 8 (W.8.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Grade 8, Standard 9 (W.8.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new"). b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced"). Grade 8, Standard 10 (W.8.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Grades 910, Standard 8 (W.910.8) Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. Grades 910, Standard 9 (W.910.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]"). b. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning"). Grades 910, Standard 10 (W.910.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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The Common Core State Standards for students in grade 10 expect that students examine both a diverse set of literary genres as well as pursue their investigation of substantive complex expository works of nonfiction (RL/RI.10.10). 1 At this stage of their high school careers, students are on the way to becoming adept investigators of texts and can analyze the meaning of both literary and nonfiction works through the close examination of sentences, paragraphs, and larger structures (RL/RI.10.1). Their commitment to the practice of close reading parallels their emergence as independent readers and sets the stage for their analysis of texts as summarized below: Analyzing how the central theme or idea evolves and is shaped and refined by specific details (RL/RI.10.2). Examining how the complexity of characters, events, and ideas emerges over the course of the text and shapes the plot, theme, and/or connections made (RL/RI.10.3). Investigating the cumulative impact of figurative language and specific word choices on both meaning and tone (RL/RI.10.4). Explaining how the structural and organizational choices an author makes at the sentence and paragraph level affect the perceptions of readers (i.e., creates dramatic tension) or develop ideas (RL/RI.10.5). Reflecting on perspectives or points of view embedded in works of world literature from outside the United States (RL/RI.10.6). Comparing and contrasting how ideas, themes, or subjects are presented in two different artistic mediums, including which details are emphasized in each (RL/RI.10.7). Evaluating arguments to assess whether or not the reasoning and claims are valid and the evidence provided is sufficient (RL/RI.10.8). Analyzing related themes and concepts of seminal foundational documents of the United States (RL/RI.10.9).
By 10th grade, students firmly grasp how authors craft their prose and how writers make their argument cohere. At this stage of their careers, students can elaborate their thinking with summaries that capture the precise meaning of what was said and that integrate both direct quotations and inferred paraphrases. With regard to research, students in the beginning years of high school should conduct several research projects, using more complex materials and specialized sources than they did in elementary and middle school. At this point, they can express themselves in multiple writing formats, from investigative reports to literary analyses. Their research projects are well documented to avoid any trace of plagiarism. Across all writing formats, students are able to develop a central idea; maintain a coherent focus in their writing; and elaborate the points they make with relevant examples, facts, and details. Through writing and conversation, students should internalize the expectations of standard written and spoken English and resolve issues regarding usage by consulting style guides.
It should be noted that the standards use individual grade levels in kindergarten through grade 8 to provide useful specificity; the standards use two-year bands in grades 912 to allow schools, districts, and states flexibility in high school course design.
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Until PARCC decides to assign the study of U.S. historical documents and world literature to grade 9 or grade 10, states, districts, and schools could design modules to teach both demands in both grades or teach one demand in grade 9 and the other in grade 10.
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Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational texts (literary nonfiction in ELA classes) and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of three to five short texts: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading (with emphasis in two modules on reading U.S. historical documents) that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies, satire, drama, graphic novels, one-act and multi-act plays, narrative poems, lyrical poems, free-verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics (Common Core State Standards, p. 57). Informational texts/literary nonfiction include the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays; speeches; opinion pieces; essays about art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 57).
3
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understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.10.1 and W.10.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.10.4, W.10.5, and L.10.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to refocus their research during the process. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one narrative per module that reflects real or imagined experiences or events. Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g. short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 10, students should cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports their analysis when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.10.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.10.29 and SL.10.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.10.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.10.46). Conduct discussions: Students should initiate and engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and clearly expressing their own based on evidence. They should relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas,
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respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives to ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on an issue, and resolve contradictions when possible (SL.10.1). Report findings: Students should orally present claims and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically while ensuring that alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed and the development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task (SL.10.46).
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Writing Standards Progression from Grade 8 to Grades 910
In grades 9 and 10, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.910.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grade 8 to grades 910 are highlighted in the chart below:

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Grade 8, Standard 2 (W.8.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Grades 910, Standard 1 (W.910.1)

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Grades 910, Standard 2 (W.910.2) Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
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a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Grade 8, Standard 3 (W.8.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). Grades 910, Standard 3 (W.910.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
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d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Grade 8, Standard 4 (W.8.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grade 8, Standard 5 (W.8.5) With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grade 8 on page 52.) Grade 8, Standard 6 (W.8.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Grade 8, Standard 7 (W.8.7) Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. Grade 8, Standard 8 (W.8.8) Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Grades 910, Standard 4 (W.910.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grades 910, Standard 5 (W.910.5) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grades 910 on page 54.) Grades 910, Standard 6 (W.910.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. Grades 910, Standard 7 (W.910.7) Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Grades 910, Standard 8 (W.910.8) Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
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Grade 8, Standard 9 (W.8.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new"). b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced"). Grade 8, Standard 10 (W.8.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Grades 910, Standard 9 (W.910.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]"). b. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning"). Grades 910, Standard 10 (W.910.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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The Common Core State Standards in grade 11 reflect gains made by students who have followed a systematic course of study that prepares them for postsecondary college and career paths. Students will be able to understand and analyze substantive complex expository works of literary nonfiction as well as a diverse spectrum of stories, poems, plays, and novels (RL/RI.11.10). By bringing to bear the close critical reading skills developed throughout their education, students can produce ample amounts of evidence in defense of inferences they make (RL/RI.11.1) when performing the following tasks: Determining how multiple themes or ideas combine and intertwine to produce a complex narrative or explanation (RL/RI.11.2). Identifying and explaining the choices authors make with regard to how to introduce and develop elements of the plot, develop ideas or characters, or explain events (RL/RI.11.3). Examining how key diction and language selected and repeatedly used by the author shape the tone of the text and add to its meaning (RL/RI.11.4). Analyzing how the different structural elements of the story or explanation contribute to textual coherence and plausibility as well as its aesthetic impact (RL/RI.11.5). Grasping point of view to differentiate between the literal meaning of words and what the author implies by using those words (e.g., ironic sarcasm or persuading by understatement) (RL/RI.11.6). Integrating and evaluating multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (RL/RI.11.7). Evaluating the premises, purposes, and arguments as well as rhetoric present in seminal texts from American history (RL/RI.11.8). Recognizing recurrent themes in American literature and foundational works of American political philosophy (RL/RI.11.9).
Approaching mastery of these skills allows 11th graders to perform a variety of complex reading tasks, from grasping the subtleties of an authors point of view to perceiving when a text leaves matters ambiguous. From recognizing how ideas build upon one another to what precisely an author intends when using a word with multiple meanings, students become adept at finding commonalities in texts from the same or different eras. They begin to understand how quantitative information can be made clear to a reader through skilled graphic design and how images can be used to persuade. Students will distinguish themselves as they approach readiness for college and career by objectively assessing the evidence made on all sides of an issue and by being able to respond thoughtfully when encountering diverse perspectives. They will demonstrate their listening skills by synthesizing the comments and claims of others and exercising outstanding teamwork when functioning in groups. At this point, students should begin to excel at making arguments that are logical, well reasoned, and supported by evidence and display equal skill at conducting and presenting research orally and in writing. Their research projects are well documented to avoid any trace of plagiarism. By the time they are in grade 11, students should possess the fluency, flexibility, and focus to produce high-quality drafts under tight deadlines and be equally proficient at editing and revising their written work (over multiple drafts if needed).
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Close Reading of Texts: Exposing students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity lies at the heart of each module. The modules reflect the balance of informational texts (literary nonfiction in ELA classes) and literature students are expected to read. Close readings of three to five short texts: These would include the selection of short texts of sufficient complexity for close reading (with emphasis on reading American literature and U.S. historical documents) that would allow students to draw ample evidence from the texts and present their analyses in writing as well as through speaking. Educators can create coherence within the curriculum as a whole by choosing short texts to complement the extended text described below, by focusing instruction on similar standards and skills across multiple genres, and by choosing informational texts that build the background knowledge needed to read and interpret the literary texts students will study. (Shorter texts could account for about three to four weeks of instruction.) Literature includes adventure stories, historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies, satire, drama, graphic novels, one-act and multi-act plays, narrative poems, lyrical poems, free-verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics (Common Core State Standards, p. 57). Informational texts/literary nonfiction include the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form of personal essays; speeches; opinion pieces; essays about art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience (Common Core State Standards, p. 57).
An in-depth study of one extended text such as a novel, a play, longer literary nonfiction, or informational text: This should be an extended, full-length work of literature or informational text, depending on the focus of the module (e.g., an American novel, play, or U.S. foundational text). Like the others, this text would be aligned with the complexity and range specifications of the standards. As with shorter texts, students would perform a close reading of the extended text as well as discuss it and produce written work about it aligned with the standards. (Such a study could take around two to three weeks of concentrated focus on a single text.) Writing about Texts: The balance of student writing at this level is 80 percent analytical (40 percent argument and 40 percent to explain/inform) and 20 percent narrative with a mix of on-demand and review-and-revision writing assignments (building student competence and confidence with technology should be part of instruction). 1 Routine writing: Routine writing is for building content knowledge about a topic or reflection on a specific aspect of a text or texts (including short constructed-response answers to focused questions that require textual help lead to informed discussions). Routine written responses to
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such text-dependent questions allow students to build sophisticated understandings of vocabulary, text structure, and content and to develop needed proficiencies in analysis. Four to six analyses: All analytic writing should put a premium on using evidence, as well as on crafting works that display a high degree of logical integration and coherence. As students will be assessed on their ability to draw sufficient evidence from the text (RL/RI.11.1 and W.11.9) and to write clearly and coherently (W.11.4, W.11.5, and L.11.13), these elements should be part of instruction. Analytic writing should include at least one comparative analysis and one paper incorporating research that focuses on texts that students have read closely. Research Project: Each module includes the opportunity for students to produce one research project. This entails gathering and synthesizing relevant information from several additional literary or informational texts in various media or formats on a particular topic or question drawn from one or more texts from the module. Students are expected at this stage to avoid over-reliance on any one source. Students can present their findings in a variety of informal and more formal argumentative or explanatory contexts, either in writing or orally. (Research aligned with the standards could take one to two weeks of instruction.) Narrative Writing: Students are expected to write one narrative per module that reflects real or imagined experiences or events Narrative writing offers students opportunities to express personal ideas and experiences, author literature, and deepen understanding of literary concepts, structures, and genres (e.g., short stories, anecdotes, poetry, drama, etc.) through purposeful imitation. For Reading and Writing in Each Module: In each module, students are expected to take a close look at the texts they encounter through the lenses of these skills rooted in the standards. Cite evidence: The goal of close reading is for students to be able to discern and cite evidence from the text to support their assertions when analyzing a text. In grade 11, students should cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports their analysis when both explicitly explaining the text and making inferences based upon it (RL/RI.11.1). Analyze content: The content of each text should determine which standards (RL/RI.11.29 and SL.11.23) to target, allowing teachers to focus instruction and ensure that all the standards have been taught by the end of the year. Study and apply grammar: While grammar is meant to be a normal, everyday part of what students do, students should be taught particular lessons in grammar as they write and speak, guided by L.11.13. Study and apply vocabulary: To focus vocabulary instruction on words that students would be encouraged to use in writing and speaking, students should be given 510 Tier 2 academic words per week for each text (1015 words for the extended text) (L.11.46). Conduct discussions: Students should initiate and engage in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, small group, teacher led) building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly with evidence, guided by democratic rules. They should relate the current discussion to broader
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themes or larger ideas, respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives to ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on an issue, and synthesize claims and resolve contradictions when possible (SL.11.1). Report findings: Students should orally present claims and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically while ensuring that alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed and the development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task (SL.11.46).
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Writing Standards Progression from Grades 910 to Grades 1112
In grades 1112, students write with increasing sophistication to present the relationships between ideas and information efficiently. Additionally, they are expected to meet the grade-specific grammar and conventions standards and retain or further develop the skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades (refer to L.1112.13). Specific changes in the Writing Standards from grades 910 to grades 1112 are highlighted in the chart below:

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
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a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). Grades 910, Standard 3 (W.910.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). Grades 1112, Standard 3 (W.1112.3) Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
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c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Grades 910, Standard 4 (W.910.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grades 910, Standard 5 (W.910.5) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grades 910 on page 54.) Grades 910, Standard 6 (W.910.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. Grades 910, Standard 7 (W.910.7) Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Grades 910, Standard 8 (W.910.8) Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each
c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution). d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. Grades 1112, Standard 4 (W.1112.4) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.) Grades 1112, Standard 5 (W.1112.5) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13 up to and including grades 1112 on page 54.) Grades 1112, Standard 6 (W.1112.6) Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. Grades 1112, Standard 7 (W.1112.7) Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Grades 1112, Standard 8 (W.1112.8) Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and
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source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Grades 910, Standard 9 (W.910.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]"). b. Apply grades 910 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning"). Grades 910, Standard 10 (W.910.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. Grades 1112, Standard 9 (W.1112.9) Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grades 1112 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics"). b. Apply grades 1112 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy [e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]"). Grades 1112, Standard 10 (W.1112.10) Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Structure of the Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Summary of ELA/literacy Standards

The Module Chart

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

The Writing Standards Progression Chart

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Priorities in the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy

Close Reading of Texts

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Extended time to work with grade-level texts;

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Analytical Writing about Texts

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Reading and Writing

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Literacy in Content Areas and the Model Content Frameworks

Using the Model Content Frameworks to Support All Students

Draft Model Content Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework Chart for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Glossary for Grade 3 ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework Chart

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Writing Standards Progression from Grade 2 to Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 3

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Grade 3, Standard 1 (W.3.1)

Grade 4, Standard 1 (W.4.1)

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 4

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA/Literacy Model Content Framework for Grade 5

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6

Draft ELA Model Content Framework for Grade 6