A knowledge and skills statement is a broad statement of what students must know and be able to do. It generally begins with a learning strand and ends with the phrase “The student is expected to:” Knowledge and skills statements always include related student expectations.
Glossary Support for ELA.5.9
to detect how the component parts of a passage or text relate to one another and aid understanding
This may include identifying the parts, studying the relationship among parts, and recognizing the organizational principles involved. Learning outcomes present a higher intellectual level than comprehension and application because they require an understanding of both the content and structural form of the material.
Although common elements can be found across genres, it is important for students to be taught the characteristics, structures, and purposes specific to a particular genre so they are better able to engage with the text and draw meaning from it. For example, students should know that when they read a literary text, the language can be highly figurative, so they need to make inferences to determine the implied meanings of what these words represent. If students do not understand this is a characteristic of literature, they likely would not be able to determine the author’s purpose or message because they would be reading the words only for their literal meaning.
text that is widely acknowledged for its outstanding and enduring qualities
a text that is set near the present time, typically post-World War II
texts that represent regional, economic, social, and ethnic differences through subject matter and/or characters
the form, format, elements, and techniques typically used within a particular genre
As students become more proficient readers, the texts they engage with and draw meaning from should become more complex in structure, language, and/or content. Within and across grade levels, students are expected to be exposed to challenging texts that allow them the opportunity to practice and master new skills.
how text is constructed or put together
the organizational pattern or structure authors use to construct and organize ideas for their audience (e.g., cause and effect, problem and solution, description, order of importance)
stories derived from the oldest records of oral and written narratives throughout history (e.g., tales, legends, fairytales, fables, myths, and religious texts)
