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

Interval Benchmark 1: Uses a variety of strategies to define and extend understanding of text

a:

Applies knowledge of figurative language to aid comprehension

b:

Uses text to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information to aid understanding

c:

Determines main ideas

d:

Draws and supports conclusions about text using implicit and explicit information

e:

Makes and supports inferences based upon implicit and explicit text information

f:

Applies knowledge of organizational features (such as sequencing, cause and effect, compare and contrast, story grammar, fact and opinion) to aid comprehension of a variety of text formats

Interval Benchmark 2: Uses a variety of strategies to define and extend understanding of words

a:

Uses contextual clues to determine meaning of words or phrases

Interval Benchmark 3: Understands devices used to support author's purpose

a:

Recognizes that authors write for a variety of purposes, such as to explain, inform, persuade, etc.

b:

Recognizes specific devices that an author uses to accomplish his/her purpose

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

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

a:

Reads a variety of literary texts and genres to apply reading strategies and skills

b:

Connects text to his/her own life using prior knowledge, personal experience, and text clues to evaluate and respond to literature (written, visual, oral and kinesthetic)

c:

Recalls stated information

d:

Uses restated or paraphrased text to identify a concept

e:

Understands words in context

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

a:

Draws a conclusion based upon text information

b:

Infers traits, motives, actions, or feelings of a character

c:

Determines main idea

Interval Benchmark 3: Recognizes writing techniques and devices to understand the author's purpose and viewpoint

a:

Recognizes history and culture influence an author's perspective

b:

Recognizes point of view as a writing device

c:

Determines the speaker in a passage

d:

Analyzes the author's style of writing to derive meaning

e:

Analyzes the author's choice of words used to achieve an effect on the reader

f:

Interprets non-literal (figurative) language to derive meaning

g:

Analyzes text structure to derive meaning

Interval Benchmark 4: Recognizes the defining characteristics and elements of literary forms and genre

a:

Recognizes the different literary forms and their characteristics

b:

Recognizes a story is defined by a particular structure and the relationships among story elements (i.e., character, setting, plot, events, theme, conflict, etc.)

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

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

a:

Uses a variety of reference materials appropriately

b:

Understands the meaning of a word in context

c:

Uses visual features of texts to aid in comprehension

d:

Utilizes stated, restated, or paraphrased information to aid comprehension

Interval Benchmark 2: Applies critical thinking skills to derive meaning from informational text

a:

Determines main ideas and supporting details in texts

b:

Uses implicit and explicit information to draw a conclusion or make an inference

c:

Interprets information in new contexts

d:

Determines main idea

Interval Benchmark 3: Interprets a text's style, structure, mood, or tone to determine author's purpose or viewpoint

a:

Recognizes techniques used to convey viewpoint

b:

Identifies author's purpose by interpreting the mood or tone of the text

c:

Uses text organization to analyze the author's style of writing

d:

Recognizes how the author's choice of words influences the reader

Interval Benchmark 4: Understands different devices used to support claims in informational texts

a:

Knows the difference between fact and opinion in informational text

Interval Benchmark 5: Understands the defining characteristics and organizational patterns/structures of informational texts

a:

Uses comparison and contrast, sequencing, and cause and effect to determine meaning

Interval Benchmark 6: Evaluates informational texts

a:

Uses strategies to evaluate the accuracy, validity, and reliability of information