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English and Communication Benchmarks, Grades 4 – 12 – Reading

Acquire Information (A)

(View grades 4 – 12 by strand)

Reading (A.1) (view pdf of this strand)

As students progress across the grade levels, they should comprehend increasingly complex texts. To do so, they need to acquire increasingly sophisticated reading skills. (For more discussion of selecting texts for instruction, please click here, as well as the Text Complexity section.)

In some cases, reading skills change as students progress across grade levels. For instance, students identify facts and opinions at early grades and then distinguish between stated evidence and implied inferences at later grades. In other cases, the general skill remains the same (such as identifying a main idea and supporting details) but the complexity of the text increases, increasing the difficulty of the task for students.

The benchmarks below address reading skills that students will practice across the disciplines, but it is important to note that, as research has verified, the specific set of sub-skills that students use may vary according to the discipline; students read literary texts differently from biology texts, for example, in terms of their attention to detail and to larger relationships among ideas. (NOTE: This document does not detail the requirements of successful discipline-specific reading skills and strategies. One potential resource for information regarding subject-specific reading skills is the International Reading Association document on Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (pdf). This document discusses the skill sets coaches need to help teachers develop, and in doing so may help to highlight possible differences between disciplines.)

The reading skills that students use may vary depending on the type of text they read. Some skills, such as understanding unfamiliar vocabulary words, cut across all text types. Other skills are specific to the types of texts, such as evaluating the relevance of evidence in an argument. Because of the various contextual demands, reading skills are grouped around four organizers (NOTE: The ACT College Readiness Standards for Reading, the College Board Standards for College Success, the draft 2009 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Framework (pdf), the Core Knowledge Sequence, the District of Columbia Reading/English Language Arts Pre-K through Grade 12 Standards and the Indiana (pdf) and Massachusetts (pdf) reading lists were used as sources in the development of these benchmarks.):

A.1.1 Using Vocabulary Skills

    A.1.1.1 defining words
    A.1.1.2 using context

A.1.2 Analyzing Informational Texts

    A.1.2.1 comprehending information
    A.1.2.2 synthesizing information
    A.1.2.3 analyzing information
    A.1.2.4 following directions

A.1.3 Analyzing Arguments Using Logic / Critical Thinking

    A.1.3.1 identifying and analyzing types and structures of arguments
    A.1.3.2 analyzing evidence
    A.1.3.3 connecting and contrasting Ideas

A.1.4 Analyzing Literary Texts

    A.1.4.1 reading significant texts
    A.1.4.2 analyzing narrative elements
    A.1.4.3 analyzing genre characteristics
    A.1.4.4 analyzing texts

These benchmarks are described in greater detail below.


A.1.1 Using Vocabulary Skills

GRADES 4 – 5

    A.1.1.1.4-5.a Use dictionaries (printed and electronic) to determine the meaning, spelling, pronunciation, syllabication and part of speech of unfamiliar words. (ADP A2)
    A.1.1.1.4-5.b Identify the meaning of common prefixes (e.g., un- or re-) and common suffixes (e.g., ­-ful). (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.1.4-5.c Determine the meaning of words and their connections to word families using knowledge of common roots, suffixes and prefixes. (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.2.4-5.a Use surrounding textual context (e.g., in-sentence definitions), cues (e.g., commas, quotes) and graphic cues (bold face) to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words or distinguish among multiple-meaning words in relatively uncomplicated texts about concrete topics. For example, "The 'dromedary,' commonly called a camel, stores fat in its hump." (ADP A4)
    A.1.1.2.4-5.b Use prior reading knowledge and explicit study to recognize common allusions. For example, recognize the allusion when referring to a lucky person as having the "Midas" touch. (ADP A5)
    A.1.1.2.4-5.c Demonstrate understanding of common phrases and proverbs. For example, demonstrate understanding of "blow hot and cold" or "don’t count your chickens before they are hatched." (ADP A5)

    A.1.1.2.4-5.d Determine the appropriate meaning of figurative words and phrases (including metaphors and similes) in relatively uncomplicated passages. For example, determine the meaning of "He was as cold as ice" or "It is raining cats and dogs." (ADP A5)

GRADES 6 – 8

    A.1.1.1.6-8.a Use dictionaries, thesauruses and glossaries (printed and electronic) to determine the correct spelling and part of speech of a word, clarify meaning and improve understanding of words (including understanding of connotation and denotation), and distinguish among contextually appropriate synonyms and definitions. (ADP A2)
    A.1.1.1.6-8.b Identify and define Latin and Greek words that form common roots (e.g., audio, auto, malus) and recognize English words that are based on them (e.g., audible, autobiography, malice). (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.1.6-8.c Use roots and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, to clarify the meaning of familiar words and to make connections with word families (e.g., suffixes such as -phobia and -ology). (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.2.6-8.a Use textual structure (e.g., examples or cause-effect and compare-contrast relationships) to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words or distinguish multiple-meaning words in more challenging texts about concrete and abstract topics. For example, “After the harvest, we had an 'abundance' of apples, and so we made apple pie, apple sauce and apple juice." (ADP A4)
    A.1.1.2.6-8.b Use prior reading knowledge and explicit study to recognize common allusions. For example, recognize the allusion when referring to a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality. (ADP A5)
    A.1.1.2.6-8.c Demonstrate understanding of common phrases and proverbs (e.g., The road to hell is paved with good intentions or The best laid plans …), idioms (e.g., bite the dust or bee in your bonnet) and terms from other languages commonly used in English (e.g., RSVP, déjà vu or faux pas). (ADP A5)

    A.1.1.2.6-8.d Determine the appropriate meaning of figurative words and phrases (including metaphors and similes) in more challenging passages. For example, distinguish the metaphors in William Blake’s "London," or Emily Dickinson’s "Success is counted sweetest" (e.g., "Success is counted sweetest / By those who ne’er succeed"). (ADP A5)

GRADES 9 – 10

    A.1.1.1.9-12.a Use dictionaries, thesauruses and glossaries (printed and electronic) to determine the correct spelling and part of speech, clarify meaning and enhance understanding of a word, including distinguishing its connotation and denotation and tracing its etymology. (ADP A2)
    A.1.1.1.9-10.b Use roots and affixes to determine or clarify the meaning of words. (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.1.9-10.c Use knowledge of cognates in different languages and understanding of word origins to determine the meaning of words (e.g., by using cognates from Indo-European languages such as the words night (English), nuit (French), nacht (German, Dutch) and noch (Russian) to understand words such as nocturnal or equinox). (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.2.9-10.a In somewhat complex texts about abstract topics, analyze textual context (within sentence and in larger sections of text) to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or ambiguous words, and to draw conclusions about nuances or connotations of words. For example, in social studies texts, consider words such as: 'feudalism,' 'totalitarianism;' in literature: 'romanticism.' Or, as an example in literature, students might identify the contextual meaning of 'light' and 'shady' in Richard Steele’s "Christmas Greens": "The church, as it is now equipped, looks more like a greenhouse than a place of worship: the middle aisle is a very pretty shady walk, and the pews look like so many arbours on each side of it. The pulpit itself has such clusters of ivy, holly, and rosemary about it, that a light fellow in our pew took occasion to say that the congregation heard the word out of a bush, like Moses." (ADP A4)
    A.1.1.2.9-10.b Use prior reading knowledge and explicit study to identify the meaning of literary, classical and biblical allusions. For example, identify the meaning of "narcissistic" from the myth of Narcissus or "Tower of Babel" from the Bible. (ADP A5)
    A.1.1.2.9-10.c Demonstrate understanding of phrases, proverbs, idioms and phrases taken from other languages (e.g., coup d’etat or avant-garde). (ADP A5)

    A.1.1.2.9-10.d Determine the appropriate meaning of figurative words and phrases in complex passages. For example, determine the meaning of "This first beam of hope that had ever darted into his mind rekindled youth in his cheeks and doubled the lustre of his eyes" – Samuel Johnson, or "The sum effect of offshore winds is greater than any of its parts. On a good day, their sculptor’s blade, meticulous and invisible, seems to drench whole coastlines in grace" – William Finnegan. (ADP A5)

GRADES 11 – 12

    A.1.1.1.9-12.a Use dictionaries, thesauruses and glossaries (printed and electronic) to determine the correct spelling and part of speech, clarify meaning and enhance understanding of a word, including distinguishing its connotation and denotation and tracing its etymology. (ADP A2)
    A.1.1.1.11-12.b Use roots and affixes to determine or clarify the meaning of specialized vocabulary across the content areas (e.g., antecedent, antebellum, circumference, millennium, millimeter, amphibian, heterogeneous, perimeter). (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.1.11-12.c Use the origins, history and evolution of words and concepts to enhance understanding. (ADP A3)
    A.1.1.2.11-12.a In complex texts about abstract topics, analyze textual context (within sentence and in larger sections of the text) and the organizational conventions of genre to determine or clarify the meaning of unfamiliar or ambiguous words and to draw conclusions about nuances or connotations of words. For example in social studies texts, students may clarify understanding of the phrase: 'natural law.' In literature, students might identify the meaning of “Injun” in Mark Twain’s "Letter to 1365" by analyzing how Twain uses satire, dialect and colorful examples: “I know you only mean me a kindness, my dear 1365, but it is a most deadly Mistake. Please do not name your 'Injun' for me." (ADP A4)
    A.1.1.2.11-12.b Use prior reading knowledge and explicit study to identify the meaning of literary, classical and biblical allusions, including those which may be more obscure or extended. For example, identify references to Phaeton and Icarus in Dante’s Inferno). (ADP A5)
    A.1.1.2.11-12.c Identify the meaning of metaphors based on common literary allusions and conceits (e.g., the dogs of war, a face that could launch a thousand ships, flying too close to the sun or Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/that struts and frets his hour upon the stage/and then is heard no more: it is a tale/told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing); demonstrate understanding of idioms and phrases taken from other languages (e.g., ad hoc, enfant terrible or cause celebre). (ADP A5)

    A.1.1.2.11-12.d Determine the appropriate meaning of figurative words and phrases in complex passages. For example, determine the meaning of "The most learned philosopher knew little more. He had partially unveiled the face of Nature, but her immortal lineaments were still a wonder and a mystery. . . . I had gazed upon the fortifications and impediments that seemed to keep human beings from entering the citadel of nature, and rashly and ignorantly I had repined" – Mary Shelley. (ADP A5)

A.1.2 Analyzing Informational Texts
NOTE: Click to access the Indiana Reading List (pdf) and the Massachusetts Reading List (pdf) to see examples of informational texts and authors by grade bands. Click here to view a discussion of Text Complexity, including a scale for increasing complexity of informational texts. View Text Complexity strand for related content.

GRADES 4 – 5

    A.1.2.1.4-5.a Locate basic facts that are clearly stated in informational passages. For example, read an encyclopedia entry on Benjamin Franklin and identify factual information about his life from the article. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.4-5.b Identify the main idea of relatively uncomplicated informational text, in which the main idea may be explicitly stated. For example, read David Schwartz’s How Much Is a Million and explain the central concept the author is trying to convey. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.4-5.c Identify the details that support the main idea of straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational text. For example, read Russell Freedman’s The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane and explain how the Wright brothers created the first airplane. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.4-5.d Recognize explicit relationships among ideas (e.g., cause-effect, additive, comparative, sequential) in straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational texts. For example, read Patricia Lauber’s Volcano: the Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens and identify the process that caused the eruption and its aftermath. (ADP F6)

      NOTE: The essential element of this indicator is that students will be able to identify and understand these relationships, not use these specific terms to label these relationships.

    A.1.2.1.4-5.e Make simple inferences and draw basic conclusions. For example, read Etta Kaner’s Animal Defenses: How Animals Protect Themselves and draw conclusions about the defense mechanisms of various animals and the author’s intent in writing the text. (ADP F8)
    A.1.2.2.4-5.a Summarize generally the main idea and most important details (presented as text and/or visuals) in straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational texts. For example, read Paul Erickson’s Daily Life in a Covered Wagon and describe with specific facts and details the experience of ordinary individuals participating in the westward expansion of the United States during the 19th century. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.4-5.b Recognize that a summary captures the main ideas and elements of a text, and does not include opinions of the text summarized. For example, read about an unfamiliar president from Kathleen Krull’s Lives of the Presidents and summarize the information without passing judgment on the importance of the president in question. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.4-5.c Synthesize information across two or three straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational texts and technical sources. For example, read about and compare the heroic traits of Helen Keller and Charles Lindbergh as described in Helen Keller: Courage in the Dark by Johanna Hurwitz and Charles Lindbergh: A Human Hero by James Giblin. (ADP F7)
    A.1.2.3.4-5.a Identify the organizational structure of straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational texts. For example, identify the use of subheadings, captions and sidebars as organizational structures in periodicals like Ranger Rick. (ADP F9)
    A.1.2.3.4-5.b Recognize the use of basic verbal techniques, including understatement and overstatement. For example, recognize when an author uses exaggeration for a humorous effect, such as by writing, "As a child I hoped to be an writer, perhaps as well known as a minor author like William Shakespeare." (ADP F10)
    A.1.2.3.4-5.c Comprehend and interpret straightforward factual, quantitative, technical or mathematical information presented in maps, charts, graphs, time lines, tables and diagrams. For example, read texts like the National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers and locate places on different types of maps. (ADP F15 and ADP A7)
    A.1.2.3.4-5.d Evaluate the prose, organization, text features (headings), formatting (use of space) and graphics of straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational texts. For example, read DK Guide to Space: A Photographic Journey Through the Universe and describe how the text effectively uses graphics and text features to convey its meaning. (ADP F3 and ADP F11)
    A.1.2.4.4-5 Follow relatively short, simple directions in straightforward, relatively uncomplicated informational or technical texts. For example, follow directions for a board game or for accessing services on the Internet (e.g., searching for books on a library site.) (ADP F1)

GRADES 6 – 8

    A.1.2.1.6-8.a Locate and interpret important details in more challenging passages and interpret subtle details in less complicated informational texts. For example, read James Haskins’ Bound for America: Forced Migration of Africans and describe the steps slaves were forced to take on their journey to America. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.6-8.b Identify/infer the main idea of more challenging informational text, in which the main idea may be explicitly stated or implied. For example, read an article from Consumer Reports and deduce what qualities of a particular product the writer recommends. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.6-8.c Identify/infer the details that support the main idea of more challenging informational text. For example, read David Macaulay’s Cathedral: The Story of its Construction and explain the steps involved in building gothic architecture. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.6-8.d Recognize clear, but subtly stated relationships among ideas (e.g., cause-effect, additive, sequential, adversative) in more challenging informational texts. For example, read Chapter 1 in Stephen Jay Gould’s A Panda’s Thumb and summarize the connection of ideas. (ADP F6)

      NOTE: The essential element of this indicator is that students will be able to identify and understand these relationships, not use these specific terms to label these relationships.

    A.1.2.1.6-8.e Make inferences and draw conclusions. For example, read first-hand accounts and newspaper reports of an historical event, such as the sinking of the Titanic, and draw conclusions about the impact that the event had on the survivors and on society as a whole. (ADP F8)
    A.1.2.2.6-8.a Summarize succinctly the main idea and supporting details (presented as text and/or visuals) in challenging informational texts. For example, summarize the main characteristics of Athenian democracy after reading the chapter about it from Jennifer Roberts and Tracy Barrett’s The Ancient Greek World. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.6-8.b Distinguish between a summary and a critique (for example, by demonstrating understanding that a summary captures the main ideas and elements of a text, while a critique takes a position or expresses an opinion about ideas or text. For example, read Stephen Chin’s When Justice Failed: The Fred Korematsu Story and compose both a summary of the facts of the case and a critique of the Supreme Court decision. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.6-8.c Synthesize information across multiple informational texts and technical sources; work with relatively more challenging texts. For example, compare the attitudes towards animals expressed by the authors in My Life with the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall and All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. (ADP F7)
    A.1.2.3.6-8.a Identify the overall and localized organizational structures of more challenging informational texts. For example, read Francesca Romei’s Leonardo da Vinci: Artist, Inventor and Scientist of the Renaissance and locate the different text and graphic features the author uses to organize the text. (ADP F9)
    A.1.2.3.6-8.b Recognize and analyze the use and function of verbal techniques, including understatement, overstatement and irony. For example, read David Remnick’s King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero and recognize how Ali uses figures of speech and overstatement to make his point. (ADP F10)
    A.1.2.3.6-8.c Comprehend and interpret challenging factual, quantitative, technical or mathematical information presented in maps, charts, graphs, time lines, tables and diagrams. For example, consult online Worldfact Book and interpret the quantitative information presented there in the form of tables pertaining to different countries. (ADP F15 and ADP A7)
    A.1.2.3.6-8.d Evaluate the prose, organization, text features (headings), formatting (use of space) and graphics of more challenging texts. For example, read the entry on locks in David Macaulay’s The Way Things Work and critique the author’s presentation of the information contained in the text. (ADP F3 and ADP F11)
    A.1.2.4.6-8 Follow more complicated, extended but single-tasked instructions in more challenging informational or technical texts. For example, follow directions on an application form. (ADP F1)

GRADES 9 – 10

    A.1.2.1.9-12.a Identify and interpret essential details in complex passages and interpret minor or subtle details in complex informational text. For example, read Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and ascertain the distinctive qualities of the emerging democracy in the United States. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.9-12.b Identify/infer the main ideas in complex informational text. For example, read John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address and determine the central assertions he makes. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.9-12.c Identify/infer and distinguish the essential and non-essential details that support the main idea of complex informational text. For example, look at a product catalog and locate what elements of the text are crucial to its meaning and what text is redundant or unnecessary. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.9-10.d Recognize clear, subtle or implied relationships among ideas (e.g., cause-effect, additive, comparative, sequential, adversative) in somewhat complex informational texts. For example, read Lewis Thomas’s Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher and describe the array of biological relationships the author describes. (ADP F6)

      NOTE: The essential element of this indicator is that students will be able to identify and understand these relationships, not use these specific terms to label these relationships.

    A.1.2.1.9-12.e Make subtle inferences and draw complex conclusions. For example, read excerpts from Stephen Hawking’s Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays evaluating how Hawking presents explicit information and draws conclusions about how the author subtly conveys his unstated philosophical assumptions about the subject. (ADP F8)
    A.1.2.2.9-10.a Summarize in a concise and well-organized way the main ideas and supporting details (presented as text and/or visuals) in challenging informational and technical texts. For example, summarize the central tenets of Darwin’s Origin of the Species and offer details from the text that exemplify natural selection. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.9-12.b Distinguish between a summary and a critique and identify non-essential information in a summary and unsubstantiated opinions in a critique. For example, discuss orally or in writing why the theory of global warming is still controversial today, presenting and evaluating various critiques of the theory. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.9-10.c Synthesize information across multiple informational and technical texts and technical sources. For example, read selected works by John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt and trace the development of the conservation movement in the United States. (ADP F7)
    A.1.2.3.9-10.a Identify and analyze the more involved or unconventional organizational structures found in somewhat complex informational texts. For example, read a chapter from The Day the Universe Changed by James Burke and analyze the organizational structures used in the text. (ADP F9)
    A.1.2.3.9-12.b Recognize, analyze and evaluate the sophisticated and subtle uses, abuses and complex functions of verbal techniques, including ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, incongruities, overstatement and understatement. For example, analyze and evaluate the purposes for incongruities in excerpts of Samuel Pepys’ Diary that chronicle his personal and professional life and experiences in the 1660s in London. (ADP F10)
    A.1.2.3.9-10.c Comprehend, interpret and evaluate somewhat complex factual, quantitative, technical or mathematical information presented in maps, charts, graphs, time lines, tables and diagrams. For example, interpret a diagram showing the relationships among different classes or groups of people in feudal society in Europe and in Samurai society in Japan. (ADP F15 and ADP A7)
    A.1.2.3.9-10.d Evaluate somewhat complex informational and technical texts for their clarity, simplicity and coherence and for the appropriateness of their graphics and visual appeal. For example, read Newsweek or the New York Times for polling data represented graphically and determine whether it provides comprehensive and accessible information about the poll. (ADP F3 and ADP F11)
    A.1.2.4.9-10 Follow extended multi-tasked or multi-dimensional instructions in somewhat complex informational or technical texts. For example, follow directions for a biology laboratory procedure. (ADP F1)

GRADES 11 – 12

    A.1.2.1.9-12.a Identify and interpret essential details in complex passages and interpret minor or subtle details in complex informational text. For example, read Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and ascertain the distinctive qualities of the emerging democracy in the United States. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.9-12.b Identify/infer the main ideas in complex informational text. For example, read John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address and determine the central assertions he makes. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.9-12.c Identify/infer and distinguish the essential and non-essential details that support the main idea of complex informational text. For example, look at a product catalog and locate what elements of the text are crucial to its meaning and what text is redundant or unnecessary. (ADP F2)
    A.1.2.1.11-12.d Recognize clear, subtle or implied relationships among ideas (e.g., cause-effect, additive, comparative, sequential, adversative) in complex informational texts. For example, compare interpretations of the cause and effect relationship of a significant event in Lincoln’s life as described in David Donald’s (1995) Lincoln and Stephen Oates’ (1977) With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln. (ADP F6)

      NOTE: The essential element of this indicator is that students will be able to identify and understand these relationships, not use these specific terms to label these relationships.

    A.1.2.1.9-12.e Make subtle inferences and draw complex conclusions. For example, read excerpts from Stephen Hawking’s Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays evaluating how Hawking presents explicit information and draws conclusions about how the author subtly conveys his unstated philosophical assumptions about the subject. (ADP F8)
    A.1.2.2.11-12.a Summarize in a concise and well-organized way the main ideas, supporting details and relationships among ideas (presented as text and/or visuals) in complex informational and technical texts. For example, describe the essential assertions presented in Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" speech and summarize the implied assertions within it. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.9-12.b Distinguish between a summary and a critique and identify non-essential information in a summary and unsubstantiated opinions in a critique. For example, discuss orally or in writing why the theory of global warming is still controversial today, presenting and evaluating various critiques of the theory. (ADP F3 and ADP F4)
    A.1.2.2.11-12.c Synthesize information across multiple complex informational and technical texts and technical sources. For example, read selections from John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws and Madison’s Notes on the Constitutional Convention, as well as secondary sources like textbooks, and trace the history of the ideas presented in the Constitution of the United States. (ADP F7)
    A.1.2.3.11-12.a Analyze and evaluate the ways in which a complex text’s elaborate or unconventional organizational structure supports or confounds its meaning or purpose. For example, critique how newspapers organize and represent financial activity in the stock market in chronological, compare-contrast, problem-solution and cause-effect fashion. (ADP F9)
    A.1.2.3.9-12.b Recognize, analyze and evaluate the sophisticated and subtle uses, abuses and complex functions of verbal techniques, including ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, incongruities, overstatement and understatement. For example, analyze and evaluate the purposes for incongruities in excerpts of Samuel Pepys’ Diary that chronicle his personal and professional life and experiences in the 1660s in London. (ADP F10)
    A.1.2.3.11-12.c Comprehend, interpret, evaluate and translate (from text to graphic or graphic to text) complex factual, quantitative, technical or mathematical information presented in maps, charts, graphs, time lines, tables and diagrams. For example, use The Atlas of World History and translate graphical information from entries about the spread of agriculture in early civilizations into a text discussion of emerging trade patterns. (ADP F15 and ADP A7)
    A.1.2.3.11-12.d Evaluate complex informational and technical texts for their clarity, simplicity and coherence and for the appropriateness of their graphics and visual appeal. For example, analyze and critique a college course catalog or an annual report, to determine whether the information is presented clearly and effectively; provide specific suggestions for how information might better be presented. (ADP F3 and ADP F11)
    A.1.2.4.11-12 Follow extended multi-tasked or multi-dimensional instructions in complex informational or technical texts. For example, follow directions to upload text in HTML on a computer. (ADP F1)

A.1.3 Analyzing Arguments Using Logic / Critical Thinking

GRADES 4 – 5

    A.1.3.1.4-5.a Identify the structure of a simple argument with a stated main claim or conclusion, supporting premises and evidence, and explicit indicators (e.g., therefore, because). For example, consider the following argument:

      All men are mortal
      Socrates is a man.
      Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

    In this example, the premises are "All men are mortal" and "Socrates is a man," and the conclusion is "Therefore, Socrates is mortal," which is the inference deduced from the premises. (ADP E3)
    A.1.3.1.4-5.b Demonstrate understanding of causality (that the truth or occurrence of one thing can necessarily imply something else, e.g., "Because diamonds are the hardest rocks on the Earth, a drill made with a diamond tip will be harder than one made with steel.") and probability (that the truth or occurrence of one thing can make other things likely or unlikely, e.g., "My steel drill has never failed to cut through the Earth; it’s probably harder than other types of drill bits.") For example, find examples of deductive and inductive reasoning in a mystery such as an Encyclopedia Brown novel or Lois Lowry’s The One Hundredth Thing about Caroline. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.2.4-5.a Identify different types of evidence used to support simple arguments. For example, identify evidence from direct experience, from authority of experts, from a text about the topic and repeating someone else’s experience. (ADP E4)
    A.1.3.2.4-5.b Identify the basic qualities of factual claims and opinions in simple statements. For example, read Cleopatra by Peter Vennema and identify the difference between factual claims about her and views that are biased. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.4-5.c Identify the characteristics of simple false statements such as their contradictory nature. For example, read Judy Leimbach’s Primarily Logic and learn about logical contradictions. (ADP E2)
    A.1.3.2.4-5.d Identify simple faulty reasoning and basic propaganda techniques, including bandwagon, name-calling and celebrity testimonials. For example, read Sports Illustrated for Kids and identify techniques used in advertisements, such as using a star athlete to recommend a certain product or encouraging viewers to buy a product because everyone else does or because they will fit in if they do. (ADP E5)
    A.1.3.2.4-5.e Identify specific words and phrases used in written and oral communication to persuade (e.g., sarcasm, loaded terms). For example, use In Other Words: A Beginning Thesaurus to discover rhetorical differences in the meaning of words. (ADP E6)
    A.1.3.3.4-5.a Identify basic relationships among ideas (e.g., similarity, difference, causality) in an argument. For example, consider “If it is raining outside, the ground will be wet. It is raining outside. Therefore, the ground is wet.” (ADP F6)
    A.1.3.3.4-5.b Compare and contrast the viewpoints of two different authors writing about the same topic. For example, read Sacajawea by Joseph Bruchac and The Story of Sacajawea by Della Rowland and identify the different approaches both texts take in writing about her role on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. (ADP E8)

GRADES 6 – 8

    A.1.3.1.6-8.a Identify and describe the structure of a multi-faceted argument with a stated main claim or conclusion, supporting premises and explicit indicators (e.g., therefore, thus, since, because). For example, consider the following argument:

      If Socrates is a man, he is mortal.
      Socrates is a man.
      Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
      Being mortal means that one will die.
      Socrates is Plato’s teacher.
      Therefore, the man who is Plato’s teacher will die.

    Given this structure, students should be able to identify the premises and conclusions, how they are connected and how conclusions are inferred from premises. (ADP E3)
    A.1.3.1.6-8.b Recognize and distinguish between inductive and deductive arguments. For example, read Science World and identify the different types of arguments used in discussing scientific experiments. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.1.6-8.c Explain how causality and probability function differently in the structures of inductive and deductive arguments, including how conclusions are not necessarily true in inductive arguments. For example, read Marilyn Burns' I Hate Mathematics! Book and relate the concept of probability to inductive arguments. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.2.6-8.a Determine the relevance and quality of evidence given to support or oppose an argument. For example, recognize that an argument that uses Lincoln’s "Gettysburg Address" to make an argument about Lincoln’s presidency offers insight into his presidency, but the evidence is limited because this speech is merely one piece of evidence. (ADP E4)
    A.1.3.2.6-8.b Determine simple criteria for recognizing a factual claim and an opinion, including identifying possible methods (e.g., scientific, historical) used to identify a statement as fact or opinion. For example, read John Wilkes Booth: A Sister’s Memoir by Asia Booth Clarke and evaluate it using criteria for its impartiality and historical accuracy. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.6-8.c Identify a variety of false statements including those involving categorical claims. For example, consider "All mammals are human beings." (ADP E2)
    A.1.3.2.6-8.d Identify common logical fallacies including appeals to the audience’s pity or to common opinion, personal attacks and arguments based on false dilemmas (assuming that only two options exist, when more are available) in a variety of argumentative texts. For example, read about the suffragist movement in World Book and Compton’s encyclopedias and identify the kinds of fallacious reasoning used to argue against giving women the right to vote. (ADP E5)
    A.1.3.2.6-8.e Identify the stylistic and rhetorical devices that are used to persuade in written and oral communication but are not necessarily logically connected to the argument itself (e.g., loaded terms, caricature, leading questions, false assumptions). For example, read the autobiography of Ryan White (Ryan White: My Own Story) and identify the false assumptions and loaded terms those suffering from AIDS face. (ADP E6)
    A.1.3.3.6-8.a Identify and describe a variety of relationships (e.g., similarity, difference, causality) among evidence, inferences and claims in argumentative text. For example, read articles in USA Today and analyze them for their content and arguments. (ADP F6)
    A.1.3.3.6-8.b Compare and contrast evidence and conclusions between two or more arguments on the same topic. For example, read Jim Murphy’s The Great Fire and analyze the different explanations given for the cause of the fire and its spread. (ADP E8)

GRADES 9 – 10

    A.1.3.1.9-10.a Describe the structure of a multi-faceted argument with a stated main claim or conclusion and explicit or implicit premises that include explicit indicators (e.g., hence, consequently, given). For example, consider the following argument:

      All men are mortal
      Socrates is the teacher of Plato.
      Hence, Plato’s teacher will die.

    To consider this claim, students must recognize the implicit premises, that Plato’s teacher is a man and that to be mortal and to die are synonymous. Students should identify the explicit and implicit premises and conclusions, how they are connected and how conclusions are inferred from premises. (ADP E3)
    A.1.3.1.9-12.b Analyze the elements of deductive and inductive arguments. For example, read Ivars Peterson’s The Mathematical Tourist: Snapshots of Modern Mathematics and examine how mathematicians use both inductive and deductive reasoning. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.1.9-12.c Explain the different ways premises support conclusions in deductive and inductive arguments (where, if the premises of a deductive argument are all true and its form is valid, the conclusion is inescapably true—i.e., the conclusion is sound—and how the conclusion of an inductive argument provides the best or most probable explanation of the truth of the premises, but is not necessarily true—i.e., is weak or strong). For example, read Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems and evaluate the types of arguments he presents for and against the Copernican world view. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.2.9-10.a Evaluate the relevance and quality of evidence given to support or oppose an argument. For example, evaluate the arguments given by Thomas Jefferson in the "Declaration of Independence" for breaking free of British rule. (ADP E4)
    A.1.3.2.9-10.b Identify established methods (e.g., scientific, historical) used to distinguish between factual claims and opinions and apply them to distinguish the two types of claims. For example, read different sources about President Kennedy’s assassination and distinguish between fact and opinion. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.9-10.c Distinguish between evidence which is directly stated and evidence which is inferred or implied within an argument. For example, read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson and identify the types of evidence employed within the text. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.9-10.d Identify false statements and explain the role they play in certain kinds of persuasive arguments. For example, consider "All artists are lazy." (ADP E2)
    A.1.3.2.9-10.e Explain why common logical fallacies such as the appeal to pity (argumentum ad misericordiam), the personal attack (argumentum ad hominem), the appeal to common opinion (argumentum ad populum) and the false dilemma (assuming only two options when there are more options available) do not prove the point being argued. For example, read Martin Luther King’s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" and analyze how he exposes the logical fallacies used to justify segregation. (ADP E5)
    A.1.3.2.9-12.f Identify and analyze the stylistic and rhetorical devices that are used to persuade in written and oral communication. Recognize that these devices accompany arguments but are not necessarily logically connected to them (e.g., loaded terms, caricature, leading questions, false assumptions). For example, analyze the rhetorical devices used by Winston Churchill’s "We Will Never Surrender" speech and their relevance to the argument he made. (ADP E6)
    A.1.3.3.9-10.a Explain and evaluate a variety of relationships (e.g., causality, contradiction, implication) among evidence, inferences and claims in a variety of argumentative texts. For example, look at James Gillray’s political cartoons of the French Revolution and uncover the arguments he makes in them; compare them to excerpts from Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. (ADP F6)
    A.1.3.3.9-10.b Identify and analyze similarities and differences in evidence, premises and conclusions between two or more arguments on the same topic. For example, read Hiroshima by John Hersey and then investigate opposing viewpoints regarding the decision to use atomic weapons at the end of World War II. (ADP E8)

GRADES 11 – 12

    A.1.3.1.11-12.a Describe the structure of a multi-faceted argument with an unstated main claim or conclusion and explicit or implicit premises that may or may not use explicit indicators (e.g., hence, consequently, given). For example, consider the following argument:

      All men are mortal
      Socrates looks at the clock counting days.

    Students should be able to identify explicit and implicit premises and conclusions, how they are connected and how conclusions are inferred from premises, how some conclusions are supported by definitions, some are supported by evidence, some lead to necessary conclusions and some lead to probable conclusions. (ADP E3)
    A.1.3.1.9-12.b Analyze the elements of deductive and inductive arguments. For example, read Ivars Peterson’s The Mathematical Tourist: Snapshots of Modern Mathematics and examine how mathematicians use both inductive and deductive reasoning. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.1.9-12.c Explain the different ways premises support conclusions in deductive and inductive arguments (where, if the premises of a deductive argument are all true and its form is valid, the conclusion is inescapably true—i.e., the conclusion is sound—and how the conclusion of an inductive argument provides the best or most probable explanation of the truth of the premises, but is not necessarily true—i.e., is weak or strong). For example, read Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems and evaluate the types of arguments he presents for and against the Copernican world view. (ADP E7)
    A.1.3.2.11-12.a Evaluate the relevance, quality and sufficiency of evidence used to support or oppose an argument. For example, read A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper by John Allen Paulos and evaluate the misuse of statistics in newspaper reporting. (ADP E4)
    A.1.3.2.11-12.b Identify established methods (e.g., scientific, historical) used to distinguish between factual claims and opinions, and distinguish the role of factual claims and opinions within the body of argumentative texts. For example, read in Scientific American the reporting on a controversial issue and identify the factual claims from opinion in the debate about the issue. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.11-12.c Distinguish between evidence which is directly stated and evidence which is inferred or implied within an argument and evaluate the role of both within the argument. For example, read William Faulkner’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech and evaluate the implicit versus explicit claims he makes. (ADP E1)
    A.1.3.2.11-12.d Identify false premises and explain the role they play in argumentative and other texts. For example, read James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time and explain the flawed beliefs that he identifies as sustaining the tension between races. (ADP E2)
    A.1.3.2.11-12.e Analyze common logical fallacies, such as the appeal to pity (argumentum ad misericordiam), the personal attack (argumentum ad hominem), the appeal to common opinion (argumentum ad populum) and the false dilemma (assuming only two options when there are more options available) and evaluate their role in an argument. For example, read Pericles' "Funeral Oration" and examine its effectiveness and use of reasoning and rhetorical devices. (ADP E5)
    A.1.3.2.9-12.f Identify and analyze the stylistic and rhetorical devices that are used to persuade in written and oral communication. Recognize that these devices accompany arguments but are not necessarily logically connected to them (e.g., loaded terms, caricature, leading questions, false assumptions). For example, analyze the rhetorical devices used by Winston Churchill’s "We Will Never Surrender" speech and their relevance to the argument he made. (ADP E6)
    A.1.3.3.11-12.a Explain and evaluate complex relationships (e.g., implication, necessity, sufficiency) among evidence, inferences, assumptions and claims in a variety of argumentative texts. For example, explain and evaluate op-eds in the New York Times by Maureen Dowd and Paul Krugman. (ADP F6)
    A.1.3.3.11-12.b Analyze and explain how a variety of logical arguments reach different and possibly conflicting conclusions on the same topic. For example, read and analyze arguments by Cleanth Brooks and Daniel Watkins about the meaning of the last lines of "Ode on a Grecian Urn." (ADP E8)

A.1.4 Analyzing Literary Texts

GRADES 4 – 5

    A.1.4.1.4-5.a Demonstrate knowledge of straightforward 18th and 19th century foundational works of American literature. For example, read selections from Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, examples from Poor Richard’s Almanac, and tall tales about Paul Bunyan, Annie Oakley and John Henry. (ADP H1)
    A.1.4.1.4-5.b Analyze foundational documents that have historical and literary significance in American culture. For example, read letters between John and Abigail Adams, and the Preamble to the Constitution. (ADP H2)
    A.1.4.2.4-5.a Sequence and identify the plot’s main events, their causes and the influence of each event on future actions in relatively uncomplicated literary texts. For example, identify and sequence the main events in The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.4-5.b Identify and describe characters in uncomplicated literary texts. (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.4-5.c Identify characters’ motivations and conflicts in relatively uncomplicated literary texts. For example, identify the characters’ motivations in Jean Merrill’s The Pushcart War. (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.4-5.d Identify and describe the setting (location and time) in relatively uncomplicated literary texts.
    A.1.4.2.4-5.e Identify and describe the narration (first- or third-person narrative point of view) in relatively uncomplicated literary texts. (ADP H4)

      NOTE: See also the collection of short stories entitled Point of View, edited by James Moffett and Kenneth McElheny, for examples of texts to teach the element of point of view.

    A.1.4.3.4-5.a Distinguish among common forms of literature (poetry, prose, fiction, nonfiction, drama) using knowledge of their structural elements. (ADP H3)
    A.1.4.3.4-5.b Identify sound patterns (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme) and figurative language (metaphor, simile), and other conventions of verse (e.g., stanzas and line breaks) in relatively uncomplicated poetry and explain how these contribute to the poem’s effect. For example, poetry in grades 4 – 5 may include such poems as "Paul Revere’s Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Rhinoceros" by Ogden Nash, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost and "The Tiger" by William Blake. (ADP H5)

    A.1.4.3.4-5.c Identify the conventional elements of dramatic literature (e.g., scenes, acts, cast of characters, stage directions) in relatively uncomplicated plays that are read or viewed. (ADP H6)
    A.1.4.4.4-5.a Identify and explain the theme of a relatively uncomplicated literary text, distinguishing theme from topic. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.4-5.b Identify the development of similar themes across two or more relatively uncomplicated literary texts. For example, compare and contrast a poem and a short story that have similar themes. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.4-5.c Identify the historical period in which a literary text (from American or world literature) was written and identify explicit and implicit examples from the text that place the work within that historical period. For example, explain what the characters in Little Women suggest about the extraordinariness of Concord, Mass. (ADP H7)

GRADES 6 – 8

    A.1.4.1.6-8.a Demonstrate knowledge of 18th and 19th century foundational works of American literature. For example, read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving and The Call of the Wild by Jack London. (ADP H1)
    A.1.4.1.6-8.b Analyze foundational documents that have historical and literary significance in American culture. For example, read Abraham Lincoln’s "Gettysburg Address" and "Emancipation Proclamation." (ADP H2)
    A.1.4.2.6-8.a Sequence and identify the plot’s main events, their causes and the influence of each event on future actions in more challenging literary texts. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.6-8.b Identify plot development techniques (e.g., foreshadowing and flashbacks) and explain their function in the text. For example, analyze the use of foreshadowing in any Saki (H.H. Munroe) short story. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.6-8.c Identify and describe characters’ features and relationships in more challenging literary texts. (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.6-8.d Analyze the moral dilemmas in more challenging works of literature, as revealed by characters’ motivation and behavior. For example, analyze the mother’s moral dilemma in Shirley Jackson’s short story "Charles." (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.6-8.e Identify and analyze the setting (location and time) and its impact on plot, character and theme in more challenging literary texts. For example, could Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry have taken place in Europe? Why or why not?
    A.1.4.2.6-8.f Analyze the narration and point of view (including first-person, third-person omniscient and third-person limited) in more challenging literary texts. (ADP H4)

      NOTE: See also the collection of short stories entitled Point of View, edited by James Moffett and Kenneth McElheny, for examples of texts to teach the element of point of view.

    A.1.4.3.6-10.a Consider genre characteristics in interpreting challenging literary texts. (ADP H3)
    A.1.4.3.6-10.b Demonstrate understanding that form relates to meaning. For example, compare a poem, an essay and a novel on the same theme or topic. (ADP H3)
    A.1.4.3.6-8.c Identify sound patterns (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme scheme) and figurative language (extended and mixed metaphors, simile), and other conventions of verse (including poetic forms such as ballads, sonnets, lyric, narrative, limerick and haiku) in more challenging poetry and explain how these contribute to the poem’s meaning and to the poetry’s effect. For example, poetry in grades 6 – 8 may include such poems as "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, Sonnet 18, "Shall I compare thee …" by William Shakespeare, or "We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks. (ADP H5)

    A.1.4.3.6-8.d Explain the purpose and use of structural elements particular to dramatic literature (e.g., scenes, acts, cast of characters, stage directions) in more challenging plays that are read or viewed. (ADP H6)
    A.1.4.4.6-8.a Identify and explain the theme(s) of a challenging literary text, distinguishing theme from topic. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.6-8.b Identify and explain the development of similar themes across two or more somewhat challenging literary texts. For example, trace the similarities and differences between characters wrestling with similar themes, e.g., "coming of age," despite differences in setting – such as in Little Women and in Huck Finn. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.6-8.c Identify the historical period in which a literary text (from American or world literature) was written and explain the text in light of this understanding. For example, explain what the character’s actions in Tom Sawyer suggest about 19th century America. (ADP H7)
    A.1.4.4.6-8.d Demonstrate understanding that an author’s individual viewpoint may differ from the general values, attitudes and beliefs of the author’s society and culture. (ADP H7)

GRADES 9 – 10

    A.1.4.1.9-10.a Demonstrate knowledge of 18th and 19th century foundational works of American literature. For example, read short stories, novels and essays by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. (ADP H1)
    A.1.4.1.9-10.b Analyze foundational documents that have historical and literary significance in American culture. For example, read George Washington’s "Farewell Address," the "Mayflower Compact," and the "Declaration of Independence." (ADP H2)
    A.1.4.2.9-10.a Demonstrate understanding of non-linear plot progressions. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.9-10.b Analyze how plot structures (e.g., conflict, resolution, climax and subplots) function and advance the action. For example, analyze how conflict advances the action in the play Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.9-12.c Analyze the role and function of characters in a variety of literary texts, including complex texts. (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.9-12.d Analyze how authors develop complex, multilayered characters through use of literary devices (e.g., character actions, interaction among characters, dialogue, physical attributes and characters’ thoughts). (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.9-12.e Analyze the moral dilemmas in complex works of literature, as revealed by characters’ motivation and behavior. For example, what are Arthur’s moral dilemmas regarding returning the sword in Le Morte D’Arthur? Does Odysseus procrastinate on his way home from Troy? Why or why not? Does he experience any moral dilemmas regarding his return home? (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.9-12.f Identify ways that the plot shapes the character and presentation of moral dilemmas in complex text. (ADP H4 and ADP H8)
    A.1.4.2.9-10.g Identify and analyze the setting (location and time) and how the setting, and changes in setting, impact on plot, character, theme and tone in more challenging literary texts. For example, explain the importance of the historical context of Shelley’s Frankenstein and why, despite its universal themes, the work reflects the historical era in which it was written.
    A.1.4.2.9-10.h Analyze the narration and point of view in more challenging literary texts, in which the narrator and point of view may shift with multiple characters acting as narrators. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.9-10.i Explain the impact of the author’s choice of a particular point of view(s). For example, consider Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. (ADP H4)

      NOTE: See also the collection of short stories entitled Point of View, edited by James Moffett and Kenneth McElheny, for examples of texts to teach the element of point of view.

    A.1.4.3.6-10.a Consider genre characteristics in interpreting challenging literary texts. (ADP H3)
    A.1.4.3.6-10.b Demonstrate understanding that form relates to meaning. For example, compare a poem, an essay and a novel on the same theme or topic. (ADP H3)
    A.1.4.3.9-10.c Identify, analyze and evaluate the effect and use of metrics, rhyme scheme (e.g., end, internal, slant, eye), rhythm, alliteration and other conventions of verse in more challenging poetry (including poetic forms such as lyric, blank verse, epic, sonnet, dramatic poetry). For example, poetry in grades 9 – 10 may include works by e. e. cummings, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath and William Carlos Williams. (ADP H5)

    A.1.4.3.9-10.d Identify and analyze elements of dramatic literature (for example, dramatic irony, soliloquy, stage direction and dialogue) in more challenging plays. (ADP H6)
    A.1.4.4.9-10.a Identify, analyze and explain the development of the theme(s) of a challenging literary text. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.9-10.b Identify, analyze and evaluate the development of similar or contrasting themes across two or more literary texts of varying complexity. For example, consider Beowulf as well as The Aeneid. (ADP H4 and ADP H9)
    A.1.4.4.9-10.c Analyze works of literature for what they suggest about the historical period in which they were written. For example, analyze what themes and characters' actions in Richard Wright's Native Son suggest about the historical period. (ADP H7)
    A.1.4.4.9-10.d Analyze texts to identify the author’s attitudes, viewpoints and beliefs and to compare these to the larger historical context of the texts. (ADP H7)

GRADES 11 – 12

    A.1.4.1.11-12.a Demonstrate knowledge of 18th and 19th century foundational works of American literature. For example, read Moby Dick by Herman Melville, works by Henry James and the Education of Henry Adams. (ADP H1)
    A.1.4.1.11-12.b Analyze foundational documents that have historical and literary significance in American culture. For example, read the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and The Federalist Papers. (ADP H2)
    A.1.4.2.11-12.a Analyze how plot developments interact with characters’ conflicts and dilemmas. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.11-12.b Analyze the function and effect of plot structure in complex literary texts. For example, analyze how plot developments interact with the characters’ conflicts in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. (ADP H4)
    A.1.4.2.9-12.c Analyze the role and function of characters in a variety of literary texts, including complex texts. (