CoreConnects ELA Sample Teacher Manual Grades 6-8 by Catapult Learning

Teacher Resource Manual

Professional Development for College and Career Readiness Teaching a deep understanding of reading content and how to use reading in the real world

Grades

6-8

SAMPLE

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CoreConnects: English Language Arts

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Teaching Reading Skills

to Achieve Common Core Outcomes

Grades 6-8 Confidentiality Statement

This information is confidential and proprietary to Catapult Learning™. It is for internal use and distribution only. Distribution of this document beyond employees of Catapult Learning™ is strictly prohibited. External Distribution: In the event that any proprietary or confidential information is disclosed, intentionally or otherwise to a School District/Schools, its employees, agents or assigns, the School District/Schools agrees to hold same in strictest confidence and not to disclose same to any other person for any reasons nor utilize same within the School District or Schools without prior written approval by Catapult Learning. The School District/Schools further agree to use all efforts at its disposal to assure that its employees, agents or assigns are aware of the confidential and proprietary nature of the subject matter, and do not disclose same to any other person for any reasons nor utilize same without prior written approval by Catapult. The School District/Schools acknowledges that unauthorized disclosure of Catapult’s proprietary and confidential information may cause Catapult irreparable harm and may entitle Catapult to injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction.

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Table of Contents Tab 1: Introduction Common Core General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 How to Use This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Performance Character Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tab 2: Teaching Reading Skills (see TOC at the front of each grade band section for specific skills and page numbers) Grades 6–8 Comprehension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Tab 3: Teaching Writing Skills Writing Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Writing Informative/Explanatory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Writing Narrative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

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Tab 4: Teacher Resources

Comprehension Quick Reference Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Graphic Organizers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Tab 5: Performance Tasks

Performance Tasks - Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Performance Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Table of Contents

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Teaching Reading Skills

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

How to Use This Guide

sk and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly A to the text as the basis for the answers.

Grade 4:

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 5:

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 6:

ite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as C inferences drawn from the text.

Grade 7:

C ite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Grade 8:

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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Grade 3:

The facts/details/opinion skill falls into this standard as well as standard RI.1 (informational). Instruction of the skill itself won’t differ dramatically between the grades within a band, but how the information is used by the students when answering questions does change. This is especially true in the upper grades, where the focus moves to analyzing how the skill addressed is used within the text. As you teach a skill, it is vital that you take time to review how the expectations change between grades and what is expected beyond just teaching the skill. In other words, teachers need to be keenly aware of the precedents and the antecedents of what a student should know or be able to do at a given level. A set of boxes, specific to the standard in which the skill falls, is located at the top of the first page of each lesson. An example demonstrating the boxes for a Facts/Details/Opinion lesson for grade band 3-5 follows. Note the following in this example:

• T he prerequisite standard for the skill is included for what the student should know at the grade level prior to the lesson band.

• The standard for the current grade-level skill expectation for each grade within the band is included.

• T he growth level, which is the standard for the next grade above the band, is included.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Introduction

There are four Teaching Reading Skills guides. K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and High School. K skills are divided into readiness, listening comprehension, and vocabulary. Skills in grades 3-5 and 6-8 are divided into comprehension and vocabulary. High school lessons are based on the Common Core ELA standards for Reading for Literacy and Reading for Information skills. All levels include a teaching writing skills section that covers how to teach writing arguments and opinions, narratives and informative and explanatory texts. Basic instruction of the skills within each band is very similar; however the Common Core Standards make subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, differences between each grade. For example, note the subtle differences (bolded) within the RL.1 (literary) standard for two grade bands (3-5 and 6-8) below.

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. CCSS RL/RI.2.1

Current: Grade 3

Current: Grade 4

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS RL/RI.3.1

CCSS RL/RI.4.1

Current: Grade 5 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS RL/RI.5.1

Growth: Grade 6 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS RL/RI.6.1

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Some reading skills fall within more than one Common Core standard. When that is the case, a note will be included beneath the objective boxes to identify other standards that address the skill at the grade level(s). For example, key details are addressed within the RL/RI.1 standards, but details are also mentioned in RL/RI.2 in conjunction with main idea. This is noted in the facts/details/opinion lesson. The TRS Skills Sheet Organization

The skills sheet will each be set up with the following sections: Review and Pre-assessment, Instruction, Scaffolding, and Evidence of Learning.

Introduction

Pre-Requisite: Grade 2

Review and Pre-assessment: This section provides a set of review and pre-assessment questions. As noted above, they will align to the pre-requisites required for the current skill. Students should have sufficient knowledge of these review items in order to continue with instruction at this level. If they do not, the teacher should refer to the prerequisite standard, and start instruction by reviewing the skill more thoroughly at the lower grade level. Instruction: This section will present several instructional activities that pertain to the current grade-band skill. They are bulleted activities and suggestions for teaching the skill. Teachers should be looking for student engagement in these areas. Scaffolding: It is rare that all students will be working at the exact same pace and at the exact same level. A few options are provided to give either additional support or an additional challenge to those students who may need it. Evidence of Learning: Once an adequate amount of time has been spent on the skill and standards for the grade level, the teacher will need to look for evidence of learning. At the end of each skills sheet, there is a bulleted list of what is expected of students. As a reminder, since the lessons are banded by grades, students at the beginning level of the band may not meet all the expectations listed in this section. The skills sheets have been provided as a guide for instruction. Teachers are encouraged to supplement with additional activities that align to the standards indicated.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Choosing a Text For the most part, there is no mention of specific book titles within these skills lessons. It is up to the teacher to make the best choice among the books you have available to you. The Common Core has a list of suggested titles. As noted in the Common Core General Information section, several standards refer to primary and secondary source documents, especially at the higher grades. If you have access to primary source documents that can be referenced during a lesson, consider adding them when appropriate. Keep the CCSS text complexity model in mind when choosing texts: qualitative characteristics, quantitative measures, and reader & task considerations.

While teaching basic reading skills, it is also important for you to provide opportunities for students to think analytically and critically. When possible, have students assess both primary and secondary sources to determine the authenticity and validity of a text. Encourage them to ask the following questions to determine if they can trust the information they are reading: • Is this a first-hand eyewitness account? Was the author present at the event being described? If not, where did the information come from? Do other accounts corroborate the information?

• Is the document/information true? This may sound basic, but do experts recognize the authenticity of the document? Just because it sounds true, doesn’t always mean it is. Students must learn to analyze and evaluate the information, looking for evidence regarding its validity, especially when using internet sources.

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CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Introduction

The TRS Skills Sheets are not intended to be used only once. They can be used to reteach the skill as many times as necessary, taking the skill to the next level, using more complex texts.

• Are sources cited in a secondary document, giving credit to other authors or articles? Is there enough evidence to corroborate what is being said?

Analyzing Text and Text-based Questions One of the biggest challenges for teachers is to ask questions that encourage students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate text, not just fact-based questions or those not directly based on text details. Take time to pre-read the text and think of questions that require finding evidence in the text as well as questions that focus on how the author uses specific vocabulary and language to support his purposes for writing. One of the first steps you can take to help your student analyze text is to teach them to identify text structure and look for text features which will assist in determining text meaning. (Specific instruction for teaching text structure and text features is included in this guide.) • Text structure - how the text is structured (e.g., chronological, cause/effect), any text features that were included (e.g., headings, bolded text), type of text/how the text is presented (e.g., prose, poetry, narrative, play), as well as patterns, similarities, repetitions, figures of speech, etc.

• Text meaning - what exactly the text says and what inferences can be made, if any; are facts included or just opinion? Is there anything that seems out of place or doesn’t make sense (not just in comprehending the text, but based on the student’s knowledge of the author or time period)?

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Teachers can also help students analyze text, specifically primary source or more difficult texts, by examining:

• Author - his voice, claims, arguments, and possible bias; information about the author and his background, society and historical context during his life, etc. Ask, “Why did the author write this? What influenced him or her?”

• Language - specific word choice/vocabulary and phrases, and the historical significance of the word if it is an older document; determine how “the little pieces” or details, which include word choice, connect to the whole.

Introduction

Encourage discussion among students, note taking, text annotation, and the use of graphic organizers (found in the Teacher Resources tab), in order to aid in the text analysis. Finally, it is helpful to know that The Alliance for Excellent Education’s 2006 report, “Reading Next”, helped to spark the CCSS’ approach to developing the reading standards. They say in part, “Explicit comprehension instruction, intensive writing and use of texts in a wide array of difficulty levels, subjects, and disciplines all help to improve struggling adolescent readers.” Fluency and comprehension skills evolve together throughout every grade. Certainly this overview of what constitutes good reading instruction can be generalized to all students.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Reading Skills

Figurative Language

Objectives Pre-Requisite: Grade 5 Determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. CCSS RL.5.4 Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g. pretty as a picture) in context. CCSS L.5.5.a Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages and proverbs. CCSS L.5.5.b

Current: Grade 7

Current: Grade 8

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. CCSS RL.6.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes or other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. CCSS RL.7.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS RL.8.4

Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context. CCSS L.7.5a

Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context. CCSS L.6.5a

Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context. CCSS L.8.5.a

Growth: Grade 9

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place, how it sets a formal or informal tone). CCSS RL.9.4 Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in text. CCSS L.9.a

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

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Current: Grade 6

Figurative Language

Reading Skills

Review & Pre-Assessment Use the following questions to help students activate prior knowledge. • What is meant by the term “figurative language”? • Can you think of any examples of words or phrases that exemplify figurative language? • How do we know when a word or phrase should be interpreted literally or figuratively? • Can you define and give examples of the following: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idiom, adage and proverb, verbal irony, puns, alliteration, allusions, and analogies?

Instruction

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> Tell students that just as musicians capture and manipulate sounds to create the beauty of listening to great music, writers and poets capture and manipulate words to create a vision of pictures in words. For readers, figurative language makes a poem or story come alive. When an author writes, he sometimes uses words and expressions that have meanings that are different from their normal everyday (literal) meaning. Authors often use these words and phrases to make the story more exciting. The author may describe something through the use of unusual comparisons for effect, interest, and to make something clearer. The result of using figurative language is the creation of interesting images. Sometimes the author uses these words and phrases to help the reader feel like he is part of the story. No matter why authors use figurative language, it is important for readers to be able to recognize it and to understand what the author is trying to tell them, or the images he is trying to create in the reader’s mind. Aside from helping readers comprehend the text better, understanding figurative language can often make the reading more enjoyable!

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

• Students should have a basic understanding of the various types of figurative language presented in this skill sheet from previous instruction. However, if any students are still struggling with understanding the meanings of categories, start with defining and providing simple examples. (As needed for G6-8)

• There are many different categories of figurative language. It is suggested that the teacher introduce each type individually as needed and provide ample practice recognizing and interpreting each. Simile (G6-8, as needed) > Explain that a simile is a comparison of two things that often uses the words “as” or “like” (and often compares an adjective and a noun). An example of a simile is Thomas runs like the wind. Some other examples of similes are: As sick as a dog; as cold as ice; as proud as a peacock; as warm as toast; as happy as a lark; as white as snow; as hard as nails; as gentle as a lamb; and as good as gold.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Reading Skills

Figurative Language

> To practice identifying and generating similes, try the following:

◊ Create simile starters and simile endings with the class. For example: He ran like…, or The ocean was like…

◊ Brainstorm and list different nouns to match each simile adjective starter. For example: as hard as…nails, rocks, ice, concrete, steel, etc.

◊ Make a list of adjectives and nouns from the similes – e.g., cold/ice, busy/bee, warm/toast, white/snow, loud/thunder, etc.

> When reading new stories, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify similes within the reading. Metaphor (G6-8, as needed)

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> Explain that a metaphor is a comparison made between things which are essentially not alike. It is similar to a simile, but does not use “like” or “as.” Metaphors use “is,” “am,” or “are” to compare a noun with another noun. Examples of a metaphor are: we were tiny fish swimming in a sea of people; she was a swan gliding across the stage; the cat was a bolt of lightning; the room was an oven; time is money; she froze with fear; the internet is the information superhighway. > To practice identifying and generating metaphors, try the following:

◊ Provide practice identifying metaphors in grade-level stories students are reading.

◊ Read aloud the words to the poem “City,” by Langston Hughes, and identify each of the metaphors. Explain how the metaphors are creating a clear idea of the vibrancy of a city. Have the students practice identifying other metaphors in poems such as “Night,” by Carl Sandburg.

◊ As a group, generate a list of metaphors based on a topic or category such as: Thoughts and Ideas

I don’t want to put any ideas into your head. I had already planted the idea in her mind. Let me know if you dig up anything about him. A light bulb went off in her head. > When reading new stories, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify metaphors within the reading.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

Figurative Language

Reading Skills

Idioms (G6-8, as needed) > Explain that idioms are a combination of words that don’t always follow grammatical rules, and often have a meaning that is not logical. Defining idioms is challenging because idiomatic expressions are often other figurative language techniques (like simile, metaphor, or hyperbole). For example, the idiom “He’s running out of steam” is also a metaphor comparing him to a steam engine of some sort. So sometimes, the only thing separating an idiom from an original figurative language technique such as a metaphor is the fact that idioms are by definition “common.” Some examples of idioms are: back seat driver, knock on wood, hit the hay, in a pickle. > To practice identifying and generating idioms, try the following: ◊ Read aloud from the book In a Pickle and Other Funny Idioms to introduce idioms and provide the students with an idea of where these sayings came from.

◊ Next, provide students with one or two common idioms that are currently used, such as it’s raining cats and dogs, and ask students to think about what that phrase might mean.

◊ Brainstorm other common idioms students might know (from TV, movies, books, etc.) and start an “idiom” wall to collect them.

◊ Ask students to tell how they heard the idiom used and how were they able to figure out the meaning. For example, a common idiom, hit the hay, is often used by parents to tell children it’s time to go to bed.

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Adages and proverbs (G6-8, as needed)

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

> When reading new stories, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify idioms within the reading.

> Explain that adages and proverbs are very similar. An adage is a saying that is quoted by people because they believe it. It is a short saying about a long-standing experience which people believe because it is usually true. Some examples of adages are: where there’s smoke there’s fire; no pain no gain; good things come in small packages. A proverb is also a short saying about long-standing experiences that people believe, but the major difference is that a proverb also contains a lesson. Some examples of proverbs are: A poor workman blames his tools; never cry over spilt milk; don’t put your eggs in one basket; the early bird gets the worm. > To practice identifying and understanding adages and proverbs, try the following:

◊ Define and provide examples of both adages and proverbs. Tell students that most people consider adages and proverbs almost interchangeable because of their close similarities.

◊ Have students work in pairs to generate a list of proverbs and adages and explain where they encountered them.

◊ Compile these proverbs and adages into a list and have students work on interpreting their literal meanings.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Reading Skills

Figurative Language

> When reading new stories, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify adages and proverbs within the reading. Personification (G6 and 7-8, as needed) > Explain that personification gives human characteristics to animals, objects, and ideas and is usually contained in sentences or phrases. Examples of personification are very often found in poetry. Some examples of personification are: the stars winked at me; the wind howled; the waffle jumped out of the toaster; opportunity was knocking at her door. > To practice identifying and understanding personification, try the following:

◊ Read aloud the poem, The Violet, by Jane Taylor.

Down in a green and shady bed A modest violet grew. Its stalk was bent, it hung its head. As if to hide from view.

◊ Write sentences containing personification on the board and have students circle the word that makes the sentence personification. Draw a box around the nonhuman object that is being personified (my computer hates me).

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◊ Tell students that the violet is the object and the poet gives it human behaviors and characteristics. Point out each of them and ask students: Can a violet be “modest,” or shy? Does the violet have a “head?” Can a violet “hide from view?” The answer to all of these is no, but a person can be modest, hang his or her head, and hide from view. Tell the students that the poet gives the violet human qualities to make the reader appreciate the flower in a different way.

◊ Ask students to interpret examples of personification. For example, “What is the author saying when he writes, the chocolate cake called my name?”

> When reading new poems or stories, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify personification within the reading. Hyperbole (G6-8, as needed) > Explain that hyperbole is simply an exaggerated statement to give emphasis to a person’s thoughts or ideas. Tall tales are great stories that use hyperbole to create an outrageous story. Some examples of hyperbole are: my backpack weighs a ton. I am so hungry I could eat a horse. He laughed his head off. > To practice identifying and understanding hyperbole, try the following:

◊ Read aloud a tall tale such as Paul Bunyan. The story relies heavily on hyperbole to establish Bunyan’s giant stature and abilities. While you are reading, give students time to write down some of the details that seem to be exaggerated. When you are done, compile a list of details that were examples of hyperbole in the story.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

Figurative Language

Reading Skills

◊ Tell students that the field of advertising uses hyperbole almost exclusively. Have students look through magazines and newspapers to locate examples of hyperbole.

◊ Have students create their own advertisements using hyperbole.

> When reading new stories and newspapers, take the opportunity to point out or have students identify hyperbole within the reading. Onomatopoeia (G6-8, as needed) > Explain that onomatopoeia refers to words that make the sound of the action. Comics are great a great way to teach the concept of onomatopoeia. Some examples of onomatopoeia are: “bam,” “pow,” “whiz,” “boom,” “vroom,” “slam,” “bang,” “pop,” etc.

◊ Read aloud a comic such as Batman. Tell students to listen for words that mimic a sound. Ask students to raise hands when they hear a word that makes the sound of an action. As they signal the words, write them on a board or word wall.

◊ Discuss why writers use onomatopoeia when they write.

◊ Have students read aloud some comic books or comic strips and exaggerate the onomatopoeia word when they reach it in the text.

◊ Have students create their own comic strip including onomatopoeia.

◊ Tell students that onomatopoeia can be found throughout all literature. Read with students the classic poem The Bells, by Edgar Allan Poe, and identify the onomatopoeia found within it.

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Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

> To practice identifying onomatopoeia, try the following:

> When reading new poems, stories, cartoons, and comics take the opportunity to point out or have students identify onomatopoeia within the reading. Alliteration (G7 and 8, as needed)

> Explain that alliteration is the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. Writers use it to help connect ideas and make the writing more memorable. It also can make the sentences more musical. Examples of alliteration are very often found in poetry and hip hop (“The crime pays little but the consequence is costly” – Jay Electronica). Some other examples of alliteration are: the swimmer’s skin sizzled in the summer sun; the rain drops plopped in puddles near the pond; she sells sea shells down by the seashore; Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, etc. > To practice identifying and understanding alliteration, try the following:

◊ Read aloud examples of alliteration in songs and poetry using books such as They’re Poets and They Know It! A Collection of 30 Timeless Poems.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Reading Skills

Figurative Language

◊ Create an alliteration chart. Choose a letter and write it in the middle circle. Draw six circles connected to the original, and label each with a different word: people, places, foods, items, and actions. Have students list five items in each bubble that start with the letter you chose. Have them create the chart in their notes. Using some or all of the words, have students create their own alliterations.

◊ Ask students to write a poem using alliteration in class.

◊ Create an alliteration bulletin board. Have students share their illustrated alliteration poems and reward students for the most interesting or funny ones.

> When reading new poems or stories, take the opportunity to identify or have students identify alliteration within the reading. Allusion (G7)

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> Explain that allusions are brief, often indirect, references to another person, place, event, or words spoken by a person or fictional character. Allusions are often used in relation to literature, media, or pop culture. Some examples of allusions are: I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore (Wizard of Oz); it’s time to reveal the man behind the curtain (Wizard of Oz); it was a real David and Goliath battle (biblical reference – fight between “a little guy and a giant”); it was a Herculean effort (mythology reference – meaning it took a lot of strength); their love affair was doomed from the start, much like Romeo and Julie (Shakespeare reference); etc. > To practice understanding allusion, try the following:

He was such a liar I’m surprised his nose wasn’t three feet long (Pinocchio, Disney movie). Her boss was so cheap that the employees called him “Scrooge” behind his back (“A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens). If it rains any longer, I’ll be looking for an Ark to float by (biblical reference to Noah’s Ark).

◊ Expose students to a variety of literature. Unfortunately, since allusions are referencing something other than what is being discussed or written about, it is not something that can be taught successfully. Students need to be exposed to a variety of literature in order to understand the allusion when they encounter it in text. When an allusion is made that they do not understand, encourage them to ask questions about the reference, or seek out the source.

◊ Draw attention to allusions in text, and explain the meaning if students are not familiar to the reference.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

◊ Provide some examples and have the students identify the reference and what it means in the context given.

Figurative Language

Reading Skills

Analogies (G8) > Explain that analogies are logical comparisons between concepts and ideas; it is the relationship between two sets of ideas that might otherwise be unrelated. Explain to students that there are a number of relationships that can be shown through analogies. Being able to identify the relationship related to the analogy can help students learn new vocabulary. An example of an analogy is: as honest as the day is long. > To practice understanding analogies, try the following:

◊ Write out an analogy in sentence form such as: an hour is comprised of minutes, just like a pound is comprised of ounces. Then, diagram the analogy as:

hour : minutes :: pound : ounces.

◊ Work through a few more examples by modeling the process for your students. Brainstorm with students the possible kinds of relationships they might find in analogies. For example, synonyms – happy : joyful :: acme : top; categories – fir : coniferous :: maple : herbiferous; object to function – knife : eating :: sword : fighting, etc.

◊ Start with very easy, basic analogies, always emphasizing relationships and parts of speech.

◊ Have students use words they have learned in content areas to create their own analogies.

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> When reading new texts, take the opportunity to identify or generate analogies with the students. Verbal Irony (G8)

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

Explain to the students that the colon stands for “is to” and the double colon for “as.” In other words, the double colon indicates that the relationship between the two pairs of words is the same. In this case, the relationship is “whole to parts.”

> Verbal irony occurs in speech and literature when a speaker or author says one thing but means something else. It is meant to contradict. Many traditional phrases are an example of verbal irony including, as clear as mud, as much fun as a root canal, break a leg, etc. It’s important for the listener to have a knowledge base in the culture of the saying. If the listener doesn’t know what a root canal is, he will not be able to comprehend the statement.

◊ S arcasm is the most common or clearest example. Sarcasm is when the statement and the meaning are in opposition. An example of sarcasm is: Before dinner, Mother enters the den and sees her son watching television. She says, “Do you think you could stop all that hard work you’re doing and start your math homework?”

◊O verstatement is another form of verbal irony. In an overstatement, the meaning that ordinarily attaches to what is being said is an exaggeration. An example of overstatement is: When I tripped over his foot, I was so embarrassed I could have died.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Reading Skills

Figurative Language

> To practice identifying and understanding verbal irony, try the following:

◊ Have students do a Think, Pair, Share to develop examples of sarcasm and overstatement.

◊ Work with students to analyze political cartoon, for verbal irony.

◊ Have students write original examples of their own in a dialogue.

> When reading newspapers or stories, take the opportunity to identify or have students identify verbal irony within the reading. Puns (G8) > Puns are simply a play on words, using a word or words that have more than one meaning. Some examples of puns are: Sir Lancelot had a dream about his horse, it was a knight mare; I’m glad I know sign language, it’s very handy; I used to have a fear of hurdles, but I got over it; to write with a broken pencil is pointless, etc. > To practice identifying and generating puns, try the following: ◊ Puns are jokes that rely on homophones (words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings, origins, and often different spelling – e.g., “night” and “knight”) for their humor. In a writing worksheet, have students write homophones for words the teacher provides and then use those words to write puns.

◊ Shakespeare used puns frequently. Analyze Shakespearean puns by organizing the class into small groups. Give each group a slip of paper containing a Shakespearean pun. Have a student in the group read the pun out loud and then have the group discuss how the pun “works.” Which word /words is part of the wordplay? Ask the group to pay attention to how context clues (see context clues skill sheet) may have helped them analyze the pun.

> When reading new texts, take the opportunity to identify puns with the students. • P rovide opportunities for class discussions about various types of figurative language. (G6-8) • P rovide opportunities for students to practice using selected figurative language in sentences to demonstrate their understanding of the meaning. (G6-8) •A ssign writing activities in which students will demonstrate their figurative language knowledge. (G6-8) •H ave students maintain an ongoing journal of various types of figurative language and their meanings. (G6-8) When reading texts, have the students identify different types of figurative language and analyze how each example impacts the meaning of the passage in which it’s used (e.g., Did it add humor? Did it make a comparison that made the text easier to understand? Did it create imagery that created a visual?) (G6-8)

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

Figurative Language

Reading Skills

Scaffolding Additional support

Additional challenge or rigor

• Review more thoroughly the definitions of the figurative language categories.

• Have students analyze the effects of different figurative language on the meaning and tone of a selection, as well as how the language evokes a sense of time and place.

• Use stories at lower grade levels that contain examples of the various types of figurative language and have the students identify examples of figurative language.

• Have students identify examples of euphemisms and oxymorons in texts, or write their own examples. • Have students write a poem using various types of figurative language.

Evidence of Learning • Students are able to define and explain the various types of figurative language. • Students are able to participate in class discussions about various types of figurative language.

Levels 6-8 – Vocabulary

• Students are able to draw literal representations of figurative language phrases such as she’s in a pickle. • Students are able to use selected figurative language in their writing to demonstrate their understanding of the meaning. • Students maintain an ongoing journal of various types of figurative language and their meanings. • Students are able to analyze how the figurative language and word choice impacts the text, providing evidence from the text to support their analyses.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Level 7, Performance Task 1 Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. The National Parks of the United States Have you ever gone on a vacation to Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, or the Florida Everglades? These places, as well as over 50 others in the United States, are national parks. A national park is an area of natural land that the United States owns and cares for. National parks are pristine and very beautiful. The United States began exploring its vast western half in the early 19th century. The first travelers to explore the land west of the Mississippi River were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Between 1804 and 1806, they traveled from the city of St. Louis to the coast of what is now the state of Washington. However, their discoveries were soon forgotten, and very little was known about this land for the next 50 years. In 1856, a trapper named Jim Bridges explored the West by himself. While in the Montana and Wyoming territories, he reported seeing many miraculous sites, including boiling springs and a mountain made of yellow rock and glass. People accused him of “spinning yarns,” but a few years later, he was a part of a larger group of people who explored this region. These included a scientist named F. V. Hayden. They soon realized that, although Bridger’s descriptions of the region now known as Yellowstone National Park were hard to believe, he was in fact telling the truth.

On this trip, Hayden brought geologists, who recorded all of Yellowstone’s mountains, rivers, and grasslands. He brought a photographer, William Henry Jackson, and a painter, Thomas Moran. Jackson and Moran created images of Yellowstone that showed its beauty. A year later, Hayden gave a report to the U.S. Congress about Yellowstone. He pleaded for the preservation of this priceless treasure as a monument that all Americans could visit and enjoy. Most members of Congress had never traveled west of the Mississippi River, but they were very impressed by the beauty that Jackson’s photographs and Moran’s paintings showed. However, there were people who opposed the preservation of Yellowstone. They believed it would hurt the economy if mining, hunting, and logging were not allowed on the land. But most people thought it was a good idea. The Northern Pacific Railroad, which was just beginning to build routes through the western territories, was one of its biggest supporters. The Northern Pacific felt that if Yellowstone became popular, tourists would take the train to see it. This would greatly increase its business. Shortly afterward, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Act of Dedication law, which made Yellowstone a national park. In the following years, Americans continued to explore the West. They found other lands that were as marvelous as Yellowstone. They decided to create more national parks from them. These included Yosemite and Sequoia national parks in California, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Performance Tasks - Level 7

Hayden believed that this area should be protected. The land belonged to the U.S. government. It was considering selling it to whomever would pay the most money, which meant that anything could happen to this beautiful land and to the marvels that it held. In 1871, Hayden convinced the U.S. government to sponsor another trip to Yellowstone. This time, a larger group of people came along.

Until the 20th century, there was no government group that was in charge of the national parks. By this time, there were 35 national parks. This created a need for a bureau that would be responsible for taking care of these parks. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act that created the U.S. National Park Service. Today, the National Park Service cares for more than 400 places in the United States. These places receive 275 million visitors a year, almost as many people as the population of the United States! The idea of the national park was not confined to the United States. Following the success of Yellowstone as a national park, other countries decided to create national parks as well. The world’s second national park, the Royal National Park, was established south of Sydney, Australia less than a decade later. A few years after that, Canada established its first national park, Rocky Mountains Park. Today’s national parks throughout the world include Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. In Venezuela, national parks make up more than one-fifth of the nation’s total land. 1) How is this passage structured? Reread the final paragraph of the passage. What purpose does including this information at the end of the passage serve? What effect would moving these details to the beginning or middle of the passage have on the structure of the passage? Use details from the passage to support your response.

2) Read this excerpt from the passage: A year later, Hayden gave a report to the U.S. Congress about Yellowstone. He pleaded for the preservation of this priceless treasure as a monument that all Americans could visit and enjoy. What is the meaning of the phrase priceless treasure in this excerpt? What is the effect of this phrase on the meaning and impact of the excerpt? Use details from the passage to support your response.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Answer Key Passage: The National Parks of the United States Item # 1

Common Core Standard Assessed Skill RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

Rubric Score Points 3

The response: • gives sufficient evidence of the student’s ability to analyze the structure an author uses to organize text, including how major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of ideas • thoroughly explains the effect that would be had by structuring the text differently

• adequately supports the analysis with clearly relevant details from the text • gives limited evidence of the student’s ability to analyze the structure an author uses to organize text, including how major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of ideas • partially explains the effect that would be had by structuring the text differently

• includes little relevant information from the text Sample Top Score Response: This passage has a chronological structure. It talks about how the national parks were discovered and created over time, starting with Lewis and Clark in 1804. Then it talks about how Jim Bridges found the area that is Yellowstone in 1856. It was further explored by F.V. Hayden in 1871. Ulysses S. Grant made it into a national park, and by the 20th century, there were 35 national parks. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson created the U.S. National Park Service, which cares for 400 places. In this passage, the author talks about national park system in the United States. The last paragraph of the passage talks about its influence in other parts of the world. “Following the success of Yellowstone as a national park, other countries decided to create national parks as well,” the author writes. This tells readers that Yellowstone was a start for the rest of the world. The national park was an American invention. It spread quickly to other countries. If the information at the end were found at the beginning or middle of the passage, the meaning would be different. The author would not have yet explained that the national park was American in its beginnings. The passage would take a different direction. The topic might have shifted towards national parks throughout the world instead of just those in the United States. The structure would not be chronological anymore. CoreConnects: English Language Arts

Performance Tasks - Level 7

• supports the analysis with limited details from the text • provides little evidence of the student’s ability to analyze the structure an author uses to organize text, including how major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of ideas

Passage: The National Parks of the United States Item # 2

Common Core Standard RI.7.4

Assessed Skill Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

Rubric Score Points 3

The response: • gives sufficient evidence of the student’s ability to determine the meaning of words and phrases used in a text • thoroughly explains the effect of word choice on meaning

• is adequately supported with clearly relevant details from the text • gives limited evidence of the student’s ability to determine the meaning of words and phrases used in a text • partially explains the effect of word choice on meaning

• is supported with limited details from the text • provides little evidence of the student’s ability to determine the meaning of words and phrases used in a text • includes little relevant information from the text

Performance Tasks - Level 7

Sample Top Score Response: In this excerpt, the phrase “priceless treasure” means that Yellowstone is so beautiful and special that its value is impossible to name. For this reason, F.V. Hayden pleaded for its preservation. While some were trying to buy the land, he argued that it should not be sold at any price. Instead, he believed that it was so valuable and incredible that all Americans should be allowed to visit it. The effect of this phrase is to emphasize how amazing the land that makes up Yellowstone is. Earlier in the passage, it says Jim Bridges saw miraculous sites, such as “boiling springs” and “a mountain made of yellow rock and glass.” On his journey to the area, Hayden brought photographers and painters to capture the beauty of the land and geologists to record its mountains, rivers, and grasslands. The phrase “priceless treasure” sums up all of Yellowstone’s remarkable characteristics and helps show why people like Hayden wanted it to be preserved for all to see.

CoreConnects: English Language Arts