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.

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 c.

a is intended primarily to generate the reading of full-length books. Combinations 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.

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.

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:
	A saturation report (a report that recounts substantial information on a topic gathered by a student over a period of time). 1c, 2a, 4a, 4b
	Construct a review of several works by a single author. 2b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	Produce a literary response paper. 2b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	Produce a research report. 1c, 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 5a, M8f
	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:
	Use information to support or enhance a project. 2a, 4a, 4b, M8, S8, A3a
	Write a report of information that draws from at least four sources. 2a, 4a, 4b
	Incorporate expert opinions into a speech or position paper. 2e, 3c, 4a, 4b
	Develop a proposal based on data obtained from reading informational texts. 4a, 4b
	Use informational materials to reach a conclusion regarding a controversial topic. 2e, 4a, 4b
	Develop a portfolio of materials regarding a particular career choice.
	Write exhibit notes for historical or artistic exhibits.

This is a sample reading list from which the 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
Achebe, Things Fall Apart;
Brown, Manchild in the Promised Land;
Carroll, Alice in Wonderland;
Clark, The Ox-Bow Incident;
Delaney, Having Our Say;
Ellison, Invisible Man;
Golding, Lord of the Flies;
Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter;
Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls;
Hentoff, The Day They Came to Arrest the Book;
Hilton, Goodbye, Mr. Chips;
Kingsolver, Pigs in Heaven;
Kinsella, Shoeless Joe;
Knowles, A Separate Peace;
Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird;
McCullers, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter;
Mohr, In Nueva York; El Bronx Remembered; Nilda;
Morrison, The Bluest Eyes;
Orwell, 1984;
Portis, True Grit;
Potok, Davita’s Harp;
Stoker, Dracula;
Tan, Joy Luck Club; The Kitchen God’s Wife;
Wartski, A Boat to Nowhere;
Welty, The Golden Apples.

Non-Fiction
Angell, Late Innings;
Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings;
Ashe, Days of Grace;
Baldwin, The Fire Next Time;
Beal, “I Will Fight No More Forever”: Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce War;
Bishop, The Day Lincoln Was Shot;
Black Elk, Black Elk Speaks;
Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind;
Campbell, The Power of Myth;
Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People;
Galarza, Barrio Boy;
Hawking, A Brief History of Time;
Houston, Farewell to Manzanar;
Kennedy, Profiles in Courage;
Kingsley and Levitz, Count Us In: Growing Up With Down Syndrome;
Kingston, Woman Warrior;
Malcolm X, Autobiography of Malcolm X;
Mazer, ed., Going Where I’m Coming From;
Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain;
Rodriguez, Hunger of Memory;
Sternberg, User’s Guide to the Internet;
Thomas, Down These Mean Streets;
Wright, Black Boy.

Poetry
Angelou, I Shall Not be Moved;
Bly, ed., News of the Universe;
Cummings, Collected Poems;
Dickinson, Complete Poems;
Randall, ed., The Black Poets;
Carruth, ed., The Voice That Is Great Within Us;
Hughes, Selected Poems;
Knudson and Swenson, eds., American Sports Poems;
Longfellow, Evangeline;
Wilbur, Things of This World.

Drama
Christie, And Then There Were None;
McCullers, The Member of the Wedding;
Pomerance, The Elephant Man;
Rose, Twelve Angry Men;
Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac;
Shakespeare, Midsummer’s Night Dream; Othello; Romeo and Juliet; Julius Caesar;
Sophocles, Oedipus Plays;
Van Druten, I Remember Mama;
Wilder, The Skin of Our Teeth;
Wilson, Fences; The Piano Lesson.

Folklore/Mythology
Burland, North American Indian Mythology;
Evslin, Adventures of Ulysses;
Hamilton, Myths;
Pinsent, Greek Mythology;
Stewart, The Crystal Cave;
White, The Once and Future King.

Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction
Adams, Watership Down;
Asimov, Caves of Steel; Foundation;
Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles;
Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey; Childhood’s End;
Frank, Alas, Babylon;
Herbert, Dune;
Hilton, Lost Horizon;
Huxley, Brave New World;
Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet;
McCaffrey, Dragonflight;
Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court;
Verne, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Magazines and Newspapers
El Diario;
Amsterdam News;
Consumer Reports;
Ebony;
Jet;
Latina;
Literary Cavalcade (Scholastic);
National Geographic;
New York Times;
Newsweek;
Omni;
Sports Illustrated;
Smithsonian;
Time.

Other
Computer manuals; instructions; contracts; technical materials.

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 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 high school 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 students traditionally write when they respond to literature. This type of response requires an understanding of writing strategies.

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 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, narrating a relevant anecdote, comparing and contrasting, naming, explaining benefits or limitations, demonstrating claims or assertions, and providing a scenario to illustrate;
•	provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of reports include:
	An I-search essay (an essay that details a student’s search for information as well as the information itself; I-search papers are developed through a variety of means, e.g., interviews, observation, as well as traditional library research). 1c, 4a, 4b
	A saturation report (a report that recounts substantial information on a topic gathered by a student over a period of time). 1c, 4a, 4b
	A report produced as part of studies in subjects such as science, social studies, and mathematics. 1c, 4a, 4b, M7b, M7e, M7g, S7a, S7b, S7c
	A formal or informal research paper. 1c, 4a, 4b, 5a
	An investigative report for a newspaper. 1c, 4a, 4b

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

Examples of responses to literature include:
	An evaluation of a piece of literature or several pieces of literature. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	A comparison of a piece of literature with its media presentation. 1b, 3d, 4a, 4b, 5a
	A response that focuses on personalizing the theme of a literary work. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	An analysis of the significance of a section of a novel in terms of its significance to the novel as a whole. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	An evaluation of the role played by setting in a novel. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	An analysis of the effect of a minor character on the plot of a novel. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	An interpretation of a recurring motif in a novel or a play. 1b, 4a, 4b, 5a
	A comparison of two critical interpretations of a poem or a work of fiction. 1b, 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 and of conclusions that can be drawn from those 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, tension or suspense, naming, pacing, and specific narrative action, e.g., movement, gestures, expressions;
•	provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of narrative accounts include:
	A biographical account. 4a, 4b, 5b
	A fiction or non-fiction story. 4a, 4b, 5b
	A personal narrative. 4a, 4b, 5b
	A narrative poem or song based on a modern hero. 4a, 4b, 5b
	A historical account. 1c, 4a, 4b
	A parody of a particular narrative style, e.g., fable, soap opera. 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, 7b
	A set of instructions for playing computer games. 4a, 4b, 7b
	A set of instructions for using media technology. 4a, 4b, 7b
	A lab report. 4a, 4b, S8
	A report of a mathematical investigation. 4a, 4b, M8
	A set of instructions for conducting searches on the Web. 4a, 4b, 7b

e The student produces a persuasive essay that:
•	engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
•	develops a controlling idea that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment;
•	creates an organizing structure that is appropriate to the needs, values, and interests of a specified audience, and arranges details, reasons, examples, and anecdotes effectively and persuasively;
•	includes appropriate information and arguments;
•	excludes information and arguments that are irrelevant;
•	anticipates and addresses reader concerns and counter-arguments;
•	supports arguments with detailed evidence, citing sources of information as appropriate;
•	uses a range of strategies to elaborate and persuade, such as definitions, descriptions, illustrations, examples from evidence, and anecdotes;
•	provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of persuasive essays include:
	A position paper. 4a, 4b
	A problem-solution paper. 4a, 4b
	An opening statement for a debate. 4a, 4b, 3c
	An evaluation of a product or policy. 4a, 4b, A1a
	A critique of a public policy. 4a, 4b, 6b
	An editorial on a current issue that uses reasoned arguments to support an opinion. 4a, 4b, 6b

f The student produces a reflective essay that:
•	engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
•	analyzes a condition or situation of significance;
•	develops a commonplace, concrete occasion as the basis for the reflection, e.g., personal observation or experience;
•	creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose and audience;
•	uses a variety of writing strategies, such as concrete details, comparing and contrasting, naming, describing, creating a scenario;
•	provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Examples of reflective essays include:
	An analysis of the significance of a proverb or quotation. 4a, 4b
	A report about a concrete occasion and its implications over time. 2a, 4a, 4b
	An essay comparing a school issue to broader societal concerns. 4a, 4b, 6b
	A paper explaining how some experiences, conditions, or concerns have universal significance. 4a, 4b
	A self-reflective essay evaluating a portfolio to be submitted. 4a, 4b
	A comparison of a scene from a work of fiction with a lesson learned from a personal experience. 2b, 4a, 4b
	A paper about a common childhood experience from a more adult perspective. 4a, 4b, 5b

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 independently and habitually demonstrates an 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, 2e, 2f, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b
	Independently and accurately proofread the student’s own writing or the writing of others, using dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resources as appropriate. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b
	Observe conventions of language during formal oral presentations. 3c
	Demonstrate a variety of sentence patterns for stylistic effect. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b

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.
•	rethinking and/or rewriting the piece in light of different audiences and purposes

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, 2e, 2f, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b
	Produce a series of distinctly different drafts that result in a polished piece of writing or a presentation. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b
	Critique the writing or presentation of a peer.
	Describe the reasons for stylistic choices made as a writer or presenter. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b
	Produce a series of papers on the same topic, each serving a different purpose. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3d, 5a, 5b, 6b, 7b