Standard 1:  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process

Interval Benchmark 1: Reads for a variety of purposes

a:

Establishes a purpose for reading

Interval Benchmark 2: Uses a variety of comprehension processes

a:

Makes and supports predictions

b:

Makes and supports inferences using implicit and explicit information

c:

Draws and supports conclusions using implicit and explicit information

d:

Locates relevant information

e:

Uses major points from fiction or nonfiction text to make and clarify generalizations

f:

Uses text organization such as compare and contrast, cause and effect, fact and opinion, and sequencing

g:

Uses text structure to locate information

h:

Uses knowledge of story elements

Interval Benchmark 3: Uses phonetic and structural analysis and syntax to decode words, pronounce words, and determine meaning of text

a:

Understands that figurative language enhances the meaning of text

b:

Uses structural analysis and syntax to determine word pronunciation and meaning

Interval Benchmark 4: Uses the skills and strategies of a cueing system to demonstrate accuracy and fluency when reading grade appropriate text

a:

Uses text format and conventions of print to read fluently and accurately

Interval Benchmark 5: Uses reference materials to understand the meaning of words and text

a:

Uses a glossary, dictionary, and/or a thesaurus to determine word meaning

Interval Benchmark 6: Understands author's purpose and the elements that help to achieve that purpose

a:

Understands two purposes for writing can be to explain or to inform

	Standard 2:  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for comprehending a variety of literary texts

Interval Benchmark 1: Uses a variety of reading strategies to determine meaning in a literary passage or text

a:

Responds to literature using oral, written, visual, and/or kinesthetic means

b:

Interprets information that has been paraphrased or reworded

c:

Determines word meaning using context of passage

Interval Benchmark 2: Uses critical thinking skills to derive meaning from literary text

a:

Interprets explicit and implicit information to draw a conclusion

b:

Translates stated information to another context to make an interpretation

c:

Uses explicit and implicit information to make inferences about a character's motives, traits, actions, or feelings

Interval Benchmark 3: Applies understanding of the characteristics of a variety of literary genre to a passage or text

a:

Understands basic story elements, such as character, setting, plot, and theme

b:

Understands that different literary forms and genres have different characteristics

c:

Recognizes characteristics of a poem

Interval Benchmark 4: Determines the main idea, topic, or theme of a passage or piece of text

a:

Identifies main ideas or themes of paragraphs or passages

b:

Understands that themes can recur across literary forms and genre

Interval Benchmark 5: Analyzes the different ways in which words and style are used and their effects on the reader

a:

Understands how an author's choice of language and style contribute to the overall quality and enjoyment of a literary work

b:

Understands the writer's use of figurative language to create images

c:

Examines the meaning of an author's words using text clues

	Standard 3:  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for comprehending a variety of informational texts

Interval Benchmark 1: Uses a variety of reading strategies to determine meaning of informational text

a:

Knows the defining characteristics and functions of a variety of informational texts

b:

Knows prior knowledge and experiences are important in understanding new information

c:

Interprets information that has been paraphrased or reworded

d:

Determines word meaning using context of passage

e:

Distinguishes relevant information from irrelevant information

Interval Benchmark 2: Identifies a text's style, structure, mood, or tone to determine its purpose or viewpoint

a:

Understands that one of the purposes for writing is to explain or to inform

b:

Uses an author's words to better understand cause and effect relationships in informational text

c:

Identifies statements of fact in informational text

d:

Recognizes an author's viewpoint

Interval Benchmark 3: Uses critical thinking skills to derive meaning from informational text

a:

Uses a variety of strategies to summarize or paraphrase information in texts

b:

Synthesizes text information, prior knowledge, or experience to draw a conclusion

c:

Translates stated information to another context to make an interpretation

d:

Uses stated and implicit information to make comparisons between concepts

e:

Identifies main ideas or topics of paragraphs or passages

Interval Benchmark 4: Knows that text features and format are to be used to make meaning of informational texts

a:

Uses text features, structures, and format found in informational text to locate information for specific purposes

b:

Understands the format for written directions