MSAD #55

English/Language Arts

Benchmarks/Performance Indicators

English/Language Art Skills

Grade 3

11-14-05

                              

A.        Students will use the skills and strategies of the reading process to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate what they have read.  Students will be able to:

 

1.         Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary, glossary, or other reference source.

 

q      a.   Students will be able to choose and use the appropriate resources:  dictionary, thesaurus.

(Ex. Use a thesaurus to look up a synonym, not the dictionary.)

 

2.         Adjust reading speed to suit the purpose and difficulty of the material.

 

 

3.         Recognize when a text is primarily intended to persuade.

 

q      a.   Identify a persuasive text.

 

4.         Select texts for enjoyment

 

q      a.   Selects material for DEAR, RAH, Read Aloud or Story time, reading groups.

 

5.         Fluently read a variety of narrative and information texts.

 

q      a.   Fluently reads a variety of narrative material.

q      b.   Fluently reads a variety of narrative material.

q      c.   Develop and apply reading strategies and skills

                                   

 

B.        Students will use reading, listening, and viewing strategies to experience, understand, and appreciate literature and culture.  Students will be able to:

 

1.         Demonstrate awareness of the culture and geography pertinent to the texts they read.

 

q      a.   Identify the setting of books.

q      b.   Demonstrate an awareness of culture in literature.

 

2.         Use literary pieces to better understand and appreciate the actions of others.

 

q      a.   Identify character actions.

q      b.   Compare characters, and their actions, in different books.

 

3.         Respond to speakers in a variety of ways (e.g., listening attentively, responding politely).

 

q      a.   Participate in peer editing and review.

 

4.         Share responses to quality literature with peers to create questions and make comparisons to the reading and to life experiences.

 

q      a.   Participate in book talks.

q      b.   Complete appropriate literature extension activities.

q      c.   Make connections between a bookÕs events and events in their own life.

           

5.         Identify several important characters in quality works.

 

q      a.   Discuss and compare important characters at book talks, reading groups, story time, or read aloud.                                                                             

 

6.         Make and justify conclusions about the motives of characters and the consequences of their actions.

 

q      a.   Identify a characterÕs motives.

q      b.   Discuss how a characterÕs motives and choices influence the story.

 

7.         Identify and explain how characters and situations found in various materials are like people and events in their own lives or in other works.

 

q      a.   Compare and contrast their own life to that of a major literary characters.

q      b.   Compare and contrast characters in various literary pieces.

 

8.         Understand how dialogue relates and contributes to a story or text.

 

q      a.   Begin to use dialogue in their writing.

q      b.   Discuss how dialogue relates and contributes to the story or text.

 

9.         Recognize basic elements of plot and recount events, ideas, and important details from materials read, heard, or viewed.

 

q      a.   Retell the story with beginning, middle, and end.

q      b.   Identify key events in the material.

 

10.           Apply effective strategies to the reading and interpretation of fiction (e.g., fantasies, fables, myths, mysteries, realistic and historical fiction, adventures, humorous tales) that is appropriately complex in terms of character, plot, theme, and dialogue, and appropriately sophisticated in style, point of view, and use of literary devices.

 

q      a. Apply strategies to the reading of a variety of fictional genres.

           

11.       Apply effective strategies to the reading and use of nonfiction (e.g., reference sources, articles, histories, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, letters) using texts with an appropriate complexity of content and sophistication of style.

 

q      a.   Apply strategies to the reading of a variety of nonfiction genres.

 

12.       Demonstrate understanding of enduring themes of literature (e.g., heroism, friendship, survival).

 

q      a.   Begin to discuss literature themes at book talks and teacher read alouds.

 

 

 

C.        Students will demonstrate an understanding of how words and images communicate.  Students will be able to:

 

1.         Identify and evaluate how language use varies according to personal situations and settings (e.g. school, home, community).

 

q      a.   Participates in discussions about how culture and environment shape language.

 

2.              Identify different social situations and appropriate language for these situations.

q      a.   Discus appropriate language for different social situations.

 

3.         Identify the use of nonverbal cues in conversations.

 

q      a.   Discus nonverbal cues.

 

4.         Make observations about the use of language and graphic symbols encountered in various real-life situations.

 

q      a.   Identify and discuss various graphic symbols found in texts and real-life situations.

 

5.         Investigate the language of other cultures and compare/contrast them to English.

 

q      a.   Compare some everyday terms/vocabulary from another culture with English.

 

6.         Make observations about specific uses and idioms of language.

 

q      a.   Recognize an idiom and know what it means.

 

 

 

D.        Students will apply reading, listening, and viewing strategies to informational texts across all areas of curriculum.  Students will be able to:

 

1.         Use information contained in chapter and section headings, topic sentences, and summary sentences to construct the main idea.

 

q      a.   Identify section headings, topic sentences, and summary sentences.

q      b.   Identify the main idea                                                             

 

2.         Use of various informational parts of a text (e.g., index, table of contents, glossary, appendices).

 

q      a.   Explore and identify the informational parts of a text.

q      b.   Practice using table of contents, glossary, and index.

 

3.         Read for a variety of purposes (e.g. to answer specific questions, to form an opinion, to skim for information).

 

q      a.   Identify and discuss various purposes for reading.

q      b.   Read to answer specific questions.

q      c.   Skim for information.

 

4.         Summarize informational texts (e.g. identify the main idea or concept and the supporting detail).

 

q      a.   Recognize the main idea and supporting details.

 

 

5.         Recognize when a text is primarily intended to instruct  or persuade.

 

q      a.   Identify a persuasive text.

q      b.  Identify an informational text.

                       

           

6.         Understand common technical terms used in instructional and informational texts.

 

q      a.   Identify common technical terms in a text (Scholastic News, Social Studies, and other informational texts.

 

7.         Recognize when and how new information in a text connects to prior knowledge.

 

q      a.   Recall and brainstorm prior knowledge to build bridges and connect old to new information.           

 

 

8.              Seek appropriate assistance when attempting to comprehend a challenging text.

 

 

q      a.   Recognize when to ask and refer to other peers, teacher, and various reference  materials when confronted with challenging text.

q      b.   Identify available resources.

q      c.   Identify when a text is challenging.

 

E.        Students will demonstrate the ability to use the skills and strategies of the writing process. Students will be able to:

 

1.         Identify strengths and weaknesses in their own writing and seek effective help.

 

q      a.   Participate in peer and teacher conferences.

q      b.   Set personal writing goals