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Performance Descriptions Elementary School English Language Arts

The examples that follow the performance descriptions for each standard are examples of the work students might do to demonstrate their achievement. The examples also indicate the nature and complexity of activities that are appropriate to expect of students at the elementary level.

The cross-references after the examples that begin “M,” “S,” and “A” refer to the performance standards for Mathematics, Science, and Applied Learning respectively. See, for example, the cross-references after the examples of activities for b.

a assumes an adequate library of appropriate reading material. In some places, library resources are too meager to support the amount of reading required for every student to achieve this standard. Where a shortage of books exists, better use of out-of-school resources must be made; for example, students may have to be assured access to local or county libraries.

a is intended primarily to generate the reading of full-length books. Combina-tions of quality magazines, newspapers, on-line materials etc., may be treated as equivalent texts that contribute to meeting the requirement of twenty-five books. Similarly, collections of portions of full-length books may be considered as book equivalents.
Reading

Reading is a process which includes demonstrating comprehension and showing evidence of a warranted and responsible interpretation of the text. “Comprehension” means getting the gist of a text. It is most frequently illustrated by demonstrating an understanding of the text as a whole; identifying complexities presented in the structure of the text; and extracting salient information from the text. In providing evidence of a responsible interpretation, students may make connections between parts of a text, among several texts, and between texts and other experiences; make extensions and applications of a text; and examine texts critically and evaluatively.

a The student reads at least twenty-five books or book equivalents each year. The quality and complexity of the materials to be read are illustrated in the sample reading list. The materials should include traditional and contemporary literature (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as magazines, newspapers, textbooks, and on-line materials. Such reading should represent a diverse collection of material from at least three different literary forms and from at least five different writers.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of reading twenty-five books include:
Maintain an annotated list of works read. 1b
Generate a reading log or journal. 1b
Participate in formal and informal book talks. 1b, 3a, 3b

b The student reads and comprehends at least four books (or book equivalents) about one issue or subject, or four books by a single writer, or four books in one genre, and produces evidence of reading that:
• makes and supports warranted and responsible assertions about the texts;
• supports assertions with elaborated and convincing evidence;
• draws the texts together to compare and contrast themes, characters, and ideas;
• makes perceptive and well developed connections;
• evaluates writing strategies and elements of the author’s craft.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of reading comprehension include:
Make connections between literary works according to a common theme. 2b, 5a
Produce a literary response paper. 2b, 4a, 4b, 5a
Produce an informative report. 1c, 2a, 4a, 4b, M7b, M7e, S7a, S7b
Participate in formal or informal book talks. 1a, 1c, 3a, 3b, 5a
Create an annotated book list organized according to author, theme, or genre. 1a

c The student reads and comprehends informational materials to develop understanding and expertise and produces written or oral work that:
• restates or summarizes information;
• relates new information to prior knowledge and experience;
• extends ideas;
• makes connections to related topics or information.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of reading informational materials include:
Contribute to an attribute book. 2a, 4a, 4b
Present information to an audience of peers. 3c, 4a, 4b
Produce a chapter book on a factual topic. 2a, 4a, 4b
Rewrite video game instructions for a younger reader. 1b, 2d, 4a, 4b

d The student reads aloud, accurately (in the range of 85-90%), familiar material of the quality and complexity illustrated in the sample reading list, and in a way that makes meaning clear to listeners by:
• self correcting when subsequent reading indicates an earlier miscue;
• using a range of cueing systems, e.g., phonics and context clues, to determine pronunciation and meanings;
• reading with a rhythm, flow, and meter that sounds like everyday speech.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of reading aloud accurately include:
Read aloud to peers or younger children.
Participate in a Readers’ Theater production.
Record on an audiotape or videotape an example of reading aloud.


b is intended to encourage students to invest themselves thoroughly in an area that interests them. Such an investment will generate reading from an array of resources, giving students more experience of reading as well as increased understanding of a subject. b is not intended to be a cursory experience of doing research on a topic which often requires little more than scanning materials, copying directly from references, and inserting transitional phrases and paragraphs. The challenge with the depth requirement is to encourage a complex understanding developed and enhanced through reading.

The work students produce to meet the English Language Arts standards does not all have to come from an English class. Students should be encouraged to use work from subjects in addition to English to demonstrate their accomplishments. The work samples include some examples of work produced in other classes that meet requirements of these standards.

These standards allow for oral performances of student work wherever appropriate.

This is a sample reading list from which students and teachers could select. This list is not exclusive. Acceptable titles also appear on lists produced by organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of English and the American Library Association. Substitutions might also be made from lists approved locally.

Fiction
Blume, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing;
Brink, Caddie Woodlawn;
Byars, The Pinballs;
Cleary, Dear Mr. Henshaw; Ramona and Her Father;
Coerr, The Josefina Story Quilt;
Dalgliesh, The Courage of Sarah Noble;
Estes, The Hundred Dresses;
Fleischman, The Whipping Boy;
Fritz, The Cabin Faced West;
Gardiner, Stone Fox;
Griffin, Phoebe the Spy;
Hamilton, Zeely;
Hansen, The Gift-Giver;
Himler, Nettie’s Trip South;
Lord, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson;
MacLachlan, Journey; Sarah, Plain and Tall;
McSwigan, Snow Treasure;
Mendez and Byard, The Black Snowman;
Naidoo, Journey to Jo’Burg;
O’Dell, Zia;
Ringgold, Tar Beach;
Wilder, Little House on the Prairie;
Yep, The Star Fisher.

Non-Fiction
Aliki, Corn Is Maize: The Gift of the Indians;
Baylor, The Way to Start a Day;
Cherry, The Great Kapok Tree;
Cole, The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor;
Epstein, History of Women in Science for Young People;
Fritz, And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?;
Godkin, Wolf Island;
Greenfield, Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir;
Krensky, George Washington: The Man Who Would Not Be King;
McGovern, The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson;
McKissack, Frederick Douglass: The Black Lion;
Polacco, Pink and Say;
Sattler, Dinosaurs of North America;
Sterling, Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman.

Poetry
Ahlberg, Heard It in the Playground;
Blishen and Wildsmith, Oxford Book of Poetry for Children;
De Regniers, Moore, White, and Carr, eds., Sing a Song of Popcorn;
Giovanni, Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People;
Greenfield, Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems;
Janeczko, Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems;
Koch and Farrell, eds., Talking to the Sun;
Lobel, ed., The Random House Book of Mother Goose;
Manguel, ed., Seasons;
Mathis, Red Dog, Blue Fly: Football Poems;
Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Folklore
de Paola, The Legend of the Bluebonnet;
French, Snow White in New York;
Goble, Buffalo Woman;
Griego y Maestas, Cuentos: Tales From the Hispanic Southwest;
Huck and Lobel, Princess Furball;
Kipling, The Elephant’s Child;
Lee, Legend of the Milky Way;
Louie and Young, Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story From China;
Luenn, The Dragon Kite;
Steptoe, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters; The Story of Jumping Mouse.

Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction
Andersen, The Ugly Duckling;
Bond, A Bear Called Paddington;
Dahl, James and the Giant Peach;
Grahame, The Wind in the Willows;
Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe;
Norton, The Borrowers;
Van Allsburg, Jumanji;
White, Charlotte’s Web.

Children’s magazines
Action (Scholastic);
Creative Classroom;
News (Scholastic);
Social Studies for the Young Learner;
Weekly Reader;
World (National Geographic).

Other
Newspapers, manuals appropriate for elementary school children, e.g., video game instructions, computer manuals.


The examples that follow the performance descriptions for each standard are examples of the work students might do to demonstrate their achievement. The examples also indicate the nature and complexity of activities that are appropriate to expect of students at the elementary level.

The cross-references that follow the examples highlight examples for which the same activity, and possibly even the same piece of work, may enable students to demonstrate their achievement in relation to more than one standard. In some cases, the cross-references highlight examples of activities through which students might demonstrate their achievement in relation to standards for more than one subject matter.

b is meant to expand the repertoire of responses children traditionally write when they respond to literature. This type of response requires an understanding of writing strategies.
Writing

Writing is a process through which a writer shapes language to communicate effectively. Writing often develops through a series of initial plans and multiple drafts and through access to informed feedback and response. Purpose, audience, and context contribute to the form and substance of writing as well as to its style, tone, and stance.

a The student produces a report that:
• engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
• develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject;
• creates an organizing structure appropriate to a specific purpose, audience, and context;
• includes appropriate facts and details;
• excludes extraneous and inappropriate information;
• uses a range of appropriate strategies, such as providing facts and details, describing or analyzing the subject, and narrating a relevant anecdote;
• provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of reports include:
An informative report. 1b, 1c, 4a, 4b, M7b, M7e, S7a, S7b
An attribute book (a book on a single subject, not necessarily developed by chapters, sometimes called an “all-about,” e.g., “all about whales,” “all about earthquakes”). 1b, 1c, 4a, 4b
A chapter book. 4a, 4b

b The student produces a response to literature that:
• engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
• advances a judgment that is interpretive, analytic, evaluative, or reflective;
• supports judgment through references to the text, references to other works, authors, or non-print media, or references to personal knowledge;
• demonstrates an understanding of the literary work;
• provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of responses to literature include:
A literary response paper. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
A book review. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
A parody. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
A literary analysis paper. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
A comparison of a children’s literary classic with a televised version of the same work. 3d, 4a, 4b, 5a

c The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical) that:
• engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a point of view, and otherwise developing reader interest;
• establishes a situation, plot, point of view, setting, and conflict (and for autobiography, the significance of events);
• creates an organizing structure;
• includes sensory details and concrete language to develop plot and character;
• excludes extraneous details and inconsistencies;
• develops complex characters;
• uses a range of appropriate strategies, such as dialogue and tension or suspense;
• provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of narrative accounts include:
An autobiographical account. 4a, 4b
An imaginative story. 4a, 4b, 5b
A narrative picture book. 4a, 4b, 5b
A retelling of a traditional tale from an alternative point of view. 4a, 4b, 5b

d The student produces a narrative procedure that:
• engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
• provides a guide to action that anticipates a reader’s needs; creates expectations through predictable structures, e.g., headings; and provides transitions between steps;
• makes use of appropriate writing strategies such as creating a visual hierarchy and using white space and graphics as appropriate;
• includes relevant information;
• excludes extraneous information;
• anticipates problems, mistakes, and misunderstandings that might arise for the reader;
• provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of narrative procedures include:
A set of rules for organizing a class meeting. 4a, 4b
A chapter book developed around procedures, e.g., how to have a safe vacation, with chapters on safe swimming, safe games, and other issues of safety. 4a, 4b, S4c
A how-to report to accompany a board game. 4a, 4b
A set of procedures for accessing information in the library. 4a, 4b, A1a
A rewrite of video game instructions for a younger reader. 1b, 1c, 4a, 4b

Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

Speaking, listening, and viewing are fundamental processes which people use to express, explore, and learn about ideas. The functions of speaking, listening, and viewing include gathering and sharing information; persuading others; expressing and understanding ideas; coordinating activities with others; and selecting and critically analyzing messages. The contexts of these communication functions include one-to-one conferences, small group interactions, large audiences and meetings, and interactions with broadcast media.

a The student participates in one-to-one conferences with a teacher, paraprofessional, or adult volunteer, in which the student:
• initiates new topics in addition to responding to adult-initiated topics;
• asks relevant questions;
• responds to questions with appropriate elaboration;
• uses language cues to indicate different levels of certainty or hypothesizing, e.g., “what if…,” “very likely…,” “I’m unsure whether…”;
• confirms understanding by paraphrasing the adult’s directions or suggestions.

Examples of one-to-one interactions include:
Book talks with a teacher or parent. 1a, 1b, 1c, 5a
Analytical discussions of a movie or television program with a teacher or parent. 3d
Conferences regarding a draft of an essay, the student’s progress on a mathematics assignment, or the status of a science project. 4b
Discussion with an adult of a collection of the student’s work. 4b

b The student participates in group meetings, in which the student:
• displays appropriate turn-taking behaviors;
• actively solicits another person’s comment or opinion;
• offers own opinion forcefully without dominating;
• responds appropriately to comments and questions;
• volunteers contributions and responds when directly solicited by teacher or discussion leader;
• gives reasons in support of opinions expressed;
• clarifies, illustrates, or expands on a response when asked to do so; asks classmates for similar expansions.

Examples of activities involving group meetings include:
Create a plan for a group project (e.g., sketching out a multiple-authored picture book; organizing a presentation to be made to the class).
Develop and discuss class rubrics.
Engage in classroom town meetings.
Participate in book talks with other students. 1a, 1b, 1c, 5a
Work as part of a group to solve a complex mathematical task.
Role-play to better understand a certain historical event. 1c
Participate in peer writing response groups. 4b

c The student prepares and delivers an individual presentation, in which the student:
• shapes information to achieve a particular purpose and to appeal to the interests and background knowledge of audience members;
• shapes content and organization according to criteria for importance and impact rather than according to availability of information in resource materials;
• uses notes or other memory aids to structure the presentation;
• engages the audience with appropriate verbal cues and eye contact;
• projects a sense of individuality and personality in selecting and organizing content, and in delivery.

Examples of presentations include:
A report of research on a topic of general interest to the class. 1c, 4a, 4b
A presentation of project plans or a report for an Applied Learning project. 4a, 4b, A2a
A recounting of various anecdotes in an attempt to persuade the class to change a class policy. 4a
A presentation to parents about a project created for a science fair. 4a, 4b, S7c, S8a, S8b, S8c, S8d

d The student makes informed judgments about television, radio, and film productions; that is, the student:
• demonstrates an awareness of the presence of the media in the daily lives of most people;
• evaluates the role of the media in focusing attention and in forming an opinion;
• judges the extent to which media provide a source of entertainment as well as a source of information;
• defines the role of advertising as part of media presentation.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of making informed judgments about television, radio, and film productions include:
Present a paper or report on reasons for selecting one media choice over another. 1c, 2a, 3c, 4a, 4b
Prepare a report on the benefits obtained (including information learned) from media exposure. 1c, 2a, 4a, 4b
Maintain a week’s log to document personal viewing habits and analyze the information collected in the log.
Summarize patterns of media exposure in writing or in an oral report. 1c, 2a, 3c, 4a, 4b
Analyze the appeal of particularly memorable commercials. 2a, 3c, 4a, 4b


The examples that follow the performance descriptions for each standard are examples of the work students might do to demonstrate their achievement. The examples also indicate the nature and complexity of activities that are appropriate to expect of students at the elementary level.

The cross-references that follow the examples highlight examples for which the same activity, and possibly even the same piece of work, may enable students to demonstrate their achievement in relation to more than one standard. In some cases, the cross-references highlight examples of activities through which students might demonstrate their achievement in relation to standards for more than one subject matter.

Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language

Having control of the conventions and grammar of the English language means having the ability to represent oneself appropriately with regard to current standards of correctness (e.g., spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, capitalization, subject-verb agreement). Usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.

a The student demonstrates a basic understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work, and selects the structures and features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context of the work. The student demonstrates control of:
• grammar;
• paragraph structure;
• punctuation;
• sentence construction;
• spelling;
• usage.

Examples of activities through which students might demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language include:
Demonstrate in a piece of writing the ability to manage the conventions, grammar, and usage of English so that they aid rather than interfere with reading. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b
Proofread acceptably the student’s own writing or the writing of others, using dictionaries and other resources, including the teacher or peers as appropriate. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b
Observe conventions of language during formal oral presentations. 3c

b The student analyzes and subsequently revises work to clarify it or make it more effective in communicating the intended message or thought. The student’s revisions should be made in light of the purposes, audiences, and contexts that apply to the work. Strategies for revising include:
• adding or deleting details;
• adding or deleting explanations;
• clarifying difficult passages;
• rearranging words, sentences, and paragraphs to improve or clarify meaning;
• sharpening the focus;
• reconsidering the organizational structure.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of analyzing and revising work include:
Incorporate into revised drafts, as appropriate, suggestions taken from critiques made by peers and teachers. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b
Produce a series of distinctly different drafts that result in a polished piece of writing or a presentation. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b
Consider and respond to the critiques of peers and teachers. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b
Critique the writing or presentation of a peer.

Literature

Literature consists of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and essays as distinguished from instructional, expository, or journalistic writing.

a The student responds to non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes; that is, the student:
• identifies recurring themes across works;
• analyzes the impact of authors’ decisions regarding word choice and content;
• considers the differences among genres;
• evaluates literary merit;
• considers the function of point of view or persona;
• examines the reasons for a character’s actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character;
• identifies stereotypical characters as opposed to fully developed characters;
• critiques the degree to which a plot is contrived or realistic;
• makes inferences and draws conclusions about contexts, events, characters, and settings.

Examples of activities through which students might produce evidence of responding to literature include:
Determine why certain characters (either fictional or non-fictional) behave the way they do. 1b, 2b
Make connections between literary works according to a common theme. 1b, 2b
Produce a creative retelling of a familiar fairy tale for a group of adults. 1b
Create a verse by verse paraphrase of a poem. 1b
Compare a children’s literary classic with a televised version of the same work. 2b, 3d
Participate in formal or informal book talks. 1a, 1b, 1c, 3a, 3b

b The student produces work in at least one literary genre that follows the conventions of the genre.
Examples of literary genres include:
A poem. 4a, 4b
A short play. 4a, 4b
A picture book. 4a, 4b
A story. 2c, 4a, 4b