School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 8

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Reading/ELA:

Reading/ELA:

State Curriculum Toolkit

Tools aligned to State Curriculum indicators and/or objectives.

  • Clarification of Indicator and/or Objective
    Explanation and/or examples of indicator and/or objective
  • Lesson Seeds
    Ideas/seeds for an objective-aligned activity
  • Sample Assessments
    Items and annotated student responses as appropriate
  • Public Release Items
    Actual MSA items and annotated student responses as appropriate
  • PDF for printing objective based tools
Reading/ELA

Standard 1.0 General Reading Processes

Topic

C. Fluency *: Students will read orally with accuracy and expression at a rate that sounds like speech.

Indicator

  • 1. Read orally at an appropriate rate
Objectives
  1. Read familiar and independent level text at a rate that is conversational and consistent
  2. Read instructional level text that is challenging yet manageable

Indicator

  • 2. Read grade-level text with both high accuracy and appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression
Objectives
  1. Apply knowledge of word structures and patterns to read with automaticity
  2. Demonstrate appropriate use of phrasing
    • Attend to sentence patterns and structures that signal meaning in text
    • Use punctuation cues to guide meaning and expression
    • Use pacing and intonation to convey meaning and expression
    • Adjust intonation and pitch appropriately
  3. Increase sight words read fluently

Topic

D. Vocabulary: Students will use a variety of strategies and opportunities to understand word meaning and to increase vocabulary.

Indicator

  • 1. Develop and apply vocabulary through exposure to a variety of texts
Objectives
  1. Acquire new vocabulary through listening to, independently reading, and discussing a variety of literary and informational texts
  2. Discuss words and word meanings daily as they are encountered in text, instruction, and conversation

Indicator

  • 2. Apply and refine a conceptual understanding of new words
Objectives
  1. Classify and categorize increasingly complex words
  2. Explain relationships between and among words

Indicator

  • 3. Understand, acquire, and use new vocabulary
Objectives
  1. Use context to determine the meanings of words
    Assessment limits:
    • Above grade-level words used in context
    • Words with multiple meanings
  2. Use word structure to determine the meaning of words
  3. Use resources to confirm definitions and gather further information about words
  4. Use new vocabulary in speaking and writing to gain and extend content knowledge and clarify expression

Topic

E. General Reading Comprehension: Students will use a variety of strategies to understand what they read (construct meaning).

Indicator

  • 1. Apply and refine comprehension skills through exposure to a variety of print and non-print texts, including traditional print and electronic texts
Objectives
  1. Listen to critically, read, and discuss texts representing diversity in content, culture, authorship, and perspective, including areas such as race, gender, disability, religion, and socio-economic background
  2. ** Read a minimum of 25 self-selected and/or assigned books or book equivalents representing various genres
  3. Discuss reactions to and ideas/information gained from reading experiences with adults and peers in both formal and informal situations

Indicator

  • 2. Use strategies to prepare for reading (before reading)
Objective
  1. Select and apply appropriate strategies to prepare for reading the text

Indicator

  • 3. Use strategies to make meaning from text (during reading)
Objective
  1. Select and apply appropriate strategies to make meaning from text during reading

Indicator

  • 4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after reading)
Objectives
  1. Identify and explain the main idea or argument
    Assessment limit: Of the text or a portion of the text
  2. Identify and explain information directly stated in the text
    Assessment limit: In the text or a portion of the text
  3. Draw inferences and/or conclusions and make generalizations
    Assessment limit: From the text or a portion of the text
  4. Confirm, refute, or make predictions
    Assessment limit: The development, topics, or ideas that might logically be included if the text were extended
  5. Summarize or paraphrase
    Assessment limit: The text or a portion of the text
  6. Connect the text to prior knowledge or personal experience
    Assessment limit: Prior knowledge or experience that clarifies, extends, or challenges the ideas and/or information in the text or a portion of the text

*Independent level text (Put Reading First) is relatively easy text for the reader, with no more than approximately 1 in 20 words that are difficult for the reader (95% success). Instructional level text (Put Reading First) is challenging but manageable text for the reader, with no more than approximately 1 in 10 words difficult for the reader (90% success).

**New Standards identifies the need for students to process 1 million words per year to maintain academic progress.

Indicators/objectives that include assessment limits are assessed on MSA *New Standards identifies the need for students to process 1 million words per year to maintain academic progress.

11/15/07