Content Standard: B. Literature and Culture
Students will use reading, listening, and viewing strategies to experience, understand, and appreciate literature and culture.
Common Assessment(s):

Performance Indicators Students will be able to:	Essential Elements			Suggested Performance Activities	Suggested Classroom Assessments	Vocabulary  * Indicates a word the teacher uses to help students start to understand
1. Demonstrate awareness of the culture and geography pertinent to the texts they read.	Students will describe the geographical setting and the culture as they relate to a text.			When reading a chapter book, students will discuss cultural aspects and locate setting on a map. (Examples: Sign of the Beaver, Julie of the Wolves)	Given a map, student will locate the geographical setting of the story and write a paragraph describing details of the culture.	culture geography setting
2. Use literary pieces to better understand and appreciate the actions of others.	Students will be able to analyze the actions of characters and compare to real-life situations.			When discussing a chapter book or portion thereof, students will analyze the actions of characters and compare to real-life situations. Day Book, Unit 8 on characterization.	After having read a variety of literature pieces, students will demonstrate (orally or in written form) an understanding of why characters act in a certain way.	characters
3. Respond to speakers in a variety of ways (e.g., listening attentively, responding politely).	Students will respond to a speaker by: listening asking questions responding to questions telling stories only when asked			Students will learn to distinguish between "what is a story" and "what is a question." Students will learn to demonstrate good listening skills.	Teacher observation and student self assessment of listening and responding skills.	listening respond
4. Share responses to quality literature with peers, citing reasons and making comparisons to other reading, or viewing, or to life experiences.	Students will support their responses by giving details from the literature, viewing, and life experiences.			Students will discuss literature in small groups. They will make comparisons to other readings and to their own life experiences in their logs. Day Book: "Alike and Different", p. 72; "Making Connections," p. 123.	Using a graphic organizer, students will compare two or more texts.	Venn diagram T-chart compare contrast
5. Identify important characters in quality works containing several characters.	Students will identify main characters supporting characters			When reading a piece of literature, students will identify major characters and explain (orally or in written form) the reasons for their choices.	Given a list of characters, students will identify important characters.	characters
6. Make and justify conclusions about the motives of characters and the consequences of their actions.	.			When discussing a piece of literature, students will chart the motives of characters and the consequences of their actions. Day Book: "Asking Why," p. 77 (cause and effect); "Reading into a Story," p. 20.	Using a cause & effect graphic organizer, students will show an understanding of characters motives and actions.	cause and effect motives  justify consequences conclusions
7. Identify and explain how characters and situations found in various materials are like people or events in their own lives or in other works.	.			When discussing literature, students will make comparisons to their own life experiences orally and in logs. Day Book: "Alike & Different," p. 72; "Making Connections," p. 123.	Students will list some ways the characters and situations in a piece of literature are like people or events in their own lives.	characters compare contrast
8. Understand how dialogue relates and contributes to a story or text.	Students will begin to understand why authors include dialogue in their writing.			When the story contains a log of dialogue, students will read portions in parts and discuss how the dialogue enhances the story. Day Book: "Dialogue is More than Talk," p. 153.	Given a passage containing dialogue, students will explain why the author chose to include it in the piece.	dialogue quote quotation marks
9. Recognize basic elements of plot and recount events, ideas, and important details from material read, heard, or viewed.	Students will identify the basic elements of the plot events problems resolutions and support with ideas and details.			Students will chart the plot, rising action, climax, and resolution in a story. Day Book: "Getting the Big Picture," p. 16; "What Happened," p. 39.	IRI. ORA. Students/teacher conferences.	plot events details
10. Apply effective strategies to the reading and interpretation of fiction (e.g., fantasies, fables, myths, mysteries, realistic and historical fiction, adventures, and 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.	Students will extend their understanding of character, plot, and theme and will demonstrate an understanding of dialogue, point of view and literary devices (simile, personification) in various genre.			Students will answer questions where they are required to interpret what they have read. Day Book: "Who's Telling the Story," p. 30; "Creating Pictures with Words," p. 46; "Comparing One Thing to Another," p. 50. Check the Deck.	Students will demonstrate an understanding of purposes and strategies for reading different texts (i.e., oral, written, graphic organizer).	character plot theme dialogue fiction point of view strategies *literary devices metaphor simile personification
11. Apply effective strategies to the reading and use of nonfiction (e.g., reference sources, articles, histories, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, and letters) using texts with an appropriate complexity of content and sophistication of style.	Students will understand vocabulary, chronological order, and time period.			Students will practice effective strategies when using a variety of nonfiction (ex., science text, resources for reports, Internet).	Students will demonstrate an understanding of purposes and strategies for reading different texts (i.e., oral, written, graphic organizer).	nonfiction
12. Demonstrate understanding of enduring themes of literature (e.g., themes of coming of age, love and duty, heroism, and appearance versus reality).	Good and evil, courage, friendship, fantasy vs. reality, etc.			Students will read books in a certain theme and make connections. Day Book: "Getting to the Heart of it," p. 166	Given a list of familiar texts and themes, students will match each with the corresponding theme.	themes genres literature