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 culture and geography pertinent to the texts they read.	Students will be exposed to and able to locate an area given in text with a focus on culture and geography			Students will identify details in literature that are in various cultures and regions. Examples of literature: 1. Sarah Morton's Day 2. The Memory Book 3. Diego 4. The Courage of Sarah Noble 5. The Legend of the Poinsettia	Students will demonstrate an awareness of culture and geography 1). using a graphic organizer, 2). through discussions and 3). written work.	culture geography
2. Use literary pieces to better understand and appreciate the actions of others.	Students will explain the actions of the main character(s) in a text.			Students will give oral or written responses to books that are read in reading groups or a class read aloud.	After being exposed to a variety of literature pieces students will demonstrate an understanding of why characters act in certain ways, (e.g., oral, written or graphic organizer).	.
3. Respond to speakers in a variety of ways (e.g., listening attentively, responding politely).	Students will demonstrate their understanding of what is being said by knowing how to ask appropriate questions vs. telling the speaker a personal story.			Students will participate in a variety of settings such as,  1). class meetings 2). reading groups 3). assemblies 4). guest speakers 5). field trips.	Teacher observation	appropriate audience eye contact focus listening manners performer respond speaker
4. Share responses to quality literature with peers, citing reasons and making comparisons to other reading, or viewing, or to life experience.	Students will begin to support their responses by giving details from literature, viewing or life experiences.			Teacher will model, discuss and students will practice Venn diagrams, t-charts and other graphic organizers to show comparing/contrasting.	Using a graphic organizer, written or oral response, students will cite reasons and make comparisons.	compare/contrast similarities/ differences Venn diagram
5. Identify important characters in quality works containing several characters.	main character supporting characters			Students will read, discuss, draw and dramatize characters from different literature pieces.	Students will identify main character from different genres and differentiate main from supporting characters.	main character supporting character
6. Make and justify conclusions about the motives of characters and the consequences of their actions.	.			Students will: 1). dramatize fables 2). be asked inferential questions 3). discuss cause and effects 4). use graphic organizers.	Students will shown an understanding of character's motives and consequences using oral and/or written responses, or graphic organizers.	consequence motive outcome problem purpose solution
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.	.			See B-4	Students will list several ways the characters in literature are similar to events in their own life or other texts.	connection experience prior knowledge similar
9. Recognize basic elements of plot and recount events, ideas, and important details from material read, heard, or viewed.	Students will identify problem, event, and solution.			Teacher will introduce and use a variety of literature genre and include graphic organizers, reading groups and book talks/sharing.	Students will be assessed using an informal reading inventory and student-teacher conferences.	character details events (main) plot problems solution setting *story elements
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 demonstrate an understanding of character, plot, and theme in different genres.			Students will read a wide variety of literature at appropriate reading level.	Students will use effective strategies for reading and interpreting different texts, (e.g., oral/written/graph organizers).	character plot strategies theme
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 read a variety of nonfiction at appropriate reading levels.	See B-10	.
12. Demonstrate understanding of enduring themes of literature (e.g., themes of coming of age, love and duty, heroism and appearance versus reality)	community friendship good vs. evil family survival fantasy vs. reality, etc.			Using a different genre, theme will be defined, identified and discussed as part of class/small group tasks.	Students will be able to identify a variety of themes in classroom readings.	theme