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
MLR Gr. 3-4: 1. Demonstrate awareness of the culture and geography pertinent to the texts they read.	Students will describe the geographical setting and the culture as it relates to a text.			Students will identify location and describe the culture of the current literature selection.	Given a map, students will locate geographical region being studied and generate a detailed paragraph describing its culture.	geography culture
2. Use literary pieces to better understand and appreciate the actions of others.	Students will analyze the actions of characters and compare to real-life situations.			Students will share during reading the development of the characters and how they act.	Students will discuss the actions of others based on a wide variety of reading experiences.  Teacher observation/written tasks.	react interact compare
3. Respond to speakers in a variety of ways (e.g., listening attentively, responding politely).	Students will respond appropriately to speakers.			Students will listen during assemblies, reading conversation, music and respond by answering questions, writing in journals, oral summarizing, and body language.	Teacher observation Student self assessment of listening and responding skills.	appropriate response
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 read and listen to a variety of pieces of literature and respond by comparing and contrasting the elements of literature.	Using a graphic organizer, students will compare different literature pieces and life experiences.	.
5. Identify important characters in quality works containing several characters.	.			Students will read a variety of books and discuss characters and list or discuss their characteristics.	Students will name main characters.	.
6. Make and justify conclusions about the motives of characters and the consequences of their actions.	.			Students will read a variety of texts and use graphic organizers to compare traits and actions.	Using a cause and effect graphic organizer, students will make conclusions about characters motives and consequences.	cause effect motive consequence 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.	.			Students will compare their lives with those in a variety of texts.	Students will list ways characters and situations in literature are similar to people or events in their own lives.	.
8.  Understand how dialogue relates and contributes to a story or text.	.			Students will identify dialogue and discuss its relevance to the story/text.	Given a passage containing dialogue, students will explain why the author chose to include it in the piece.	dialogue
9. Recognize basic elements of plot and recount events, ideas, and important details from material read, heard, or viewed.	Students will identify elements of plot: major events problems resolution			Students will discuss the elements of plot by recounting events, ideas, and details	Informal reading inventories Reading conferences with teacher	resolution
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 genres.			Students will practice effective strategies in reading a variety of texts (ex., read alouds, fiction)	Students will demonstrate an understanding of strategies to use when reading different genres using graphic organizers, oral discussion, and written prompts.	character plot theme dialogue point of view
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 in reading a variety of nonfiction texts.	Students will demonstrate an understanding of strategies to use when reading different genres using graphic organizers, oral discussion, and written prompts.	.
12. Demonstrate understanding of enduring themes of literature (e.g., themes of coming of age, love and duty, heroism, and appearance versus reality).	courage coming of age fantasy vs. reality			Students will discuss and write about themes found in picture books and novels.	Given a list of texts familiar to students, students will match each with a list of corresponding themes.	.