Analyzing how writers and speakers use vocabulary and other language resources for specific purposes (to explain, persuade, entertain, etc.) depending on modality, text type, purpose, audience, topic, and content area.

Distinguish how different words with similar meanings produce different effects on the audience (e.g., describing a character's actions as whined versus said).

Distinguish how different words with similar meanings (e.g., describing a character as smart versus an expert) and figurative language (e.g., as big as a whale) produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.

Analyzing language choices Distinguish how different words with related meanings (e.g., fun versus entertaining versus thrilling, possibly versus certainly) and figurative language produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.

Evaluating how well writers and speakers use language to support ideas and opinions with details or reasons depending on modality, text type, purpose, audience, topic, and content area.

Describe the specific language writers or speakers use to present or support an idea (e.g., the specific vocabulary or phrasing used to provide evidence), with prompting and substantial support.

Describe how well writers or speakers use specific language resources to support an opinion or present an idea (e.g., whether the vocabulary or phrasing used to provide evidence is strong enough), with prompting and moderate support.

Describe how well writers and speakers use specific language resources to support an opinion or present an idea (e.g., the clarity or appealing nature of language used to present evidence), with prompting and light support.

Reading closely literary and informational texts and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language.

a) Describe ideas, phenomena (e.g., volcanic eruptions), and text elements (main idea, characters, events, and the like) based on close reading of a select set of grade level texts, with substantial support.

b) Use knowledge of frequently used affixes (e.g., un-, mis-) and linguistic context, reference materials, and visual cues to determine the meaning of unknown words on familiar topics.

a) Describe ideas, phenomena (e.g., animal migration), and text elements (main idea, central message, and the like) in greater detail based on close reading of a variety of grade-level texts, with moderate support.

b) Use knowledge of morphology (e.g., affixes, roots, and base words), linguistic context, and reference materials to determine the meaning of unknown words on familiar topics.

a) Describe ideas, phenomena (e.g., pollination), and text elements (main idea, character traits, event sequence, and the like) in detail based on close reading of a variety of grade-level texts, with light support.

b) Use knowledge of morphology (e.g., affixes, roots, and base words), linguistic context to determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words on familiar and new topics.

Listening actively to spoken English in a range of social and academic contexts.

Demonstrate active listening of read-alouds and oral presentations by asking and answering basic questions, with prompting and substantial support.

Demonstrate active listening of read-alouds and oral presentations by asking and answering detailed questions, with occasional prompting and moderate support.

Demonstrate active listening of read-alouds and oral presentations by asking and answering detailed questions, with minimal prompting and light support.

Adapting language choices to various contexts (based on task, purpose, audience, and text type).

Adjust language choices according to social setting (e.g., playground, classroom) and audience (e.g., peers, teacher), with substantial support.

Adjust language choices according to purpose (e.g., persuading, entertaining), task (e.g., telling a story versus explaining a science experiment), and audience, with moderate support.

Adjust language choices according to purpose, task (e.g., facilitating a science experiment), and audience, with light support.

Offering and supporting opinions and negotiating with others in communicative exchanges.

Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations using basic learned phrases (e.g., I think ...), as well as open responses, in order to gain and/or hold the floor.

Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations using an expanded set of learned phrases  (e.g., I agree with X, but . . .), as well as open responses, in order to gain and/or hold the floor, provide counterarguments, and so on.

Negotiate with or persuade others in conversations using a variety of learned phrases (e.g., That's a good idea. However . . .), as well as open responses, in order to gain and/or hold the floor, provide counterarguments, elaborate on an idea, and so on.

Interacting with others in written English in various communicative forms (print, communicative technology, and multimedia).

Collaborate with peers on joint writing projects of short informational and literary texts, using technology where appropriate for publishing, graphics, and the like.

Collaborate with peers on joint writing projects of longer informational and literary texts, using technology where appropriate for publishing, graphics, and the like.

Collaborate with peers on joint writing projects of a variety of longer informational and literary texts, using technology where appropriate for publishing, graphics, and the like.

Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social and academic topics.

Contribute to conversations and express ideas by asking and answering yes-no and wh- questions and responding using short phrases.

Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions, including sustained dialogue, by following turn-taking rules, asking relevant questions, affirming others, and adding relevant information.

Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions, including sustained dialogue, by following turn-taking rules, asking relevant questions, affirming others, adding relevant information, building on responses, and providing useful feedback.

Condensing ideas within sentences using a variety of language resources.

Condense clauses in simple ways (e.g., changing: It's green. ? It's red. It's green and red) to create precise and detailed sentences.

Condense clauses in a growing number of ways (e.g., through embedded clauses as in, It's a plant. It's found in the rain forest. ? It's a green and red plant that's found in the tropical rain forest) to create precise and detailed sentences.

Condense clauses in a variety of ways (e.g., through embedded clauses and other condensing as in, It's a plant. It's green and red. It's found in the tropical rain forest. ? It's a green and red plant that's found in the tropical rain forest) to create precise and detailed sentences.

Connecting ideas within sentences by combining clauses.

Combine clauses in a few basic ways to make connections between and join ideas (e.g., creating compound sentences using and, but, so).

Combine clauses in an increasing variety of ways (e.g., creating compound and complex sentences) to make connections between and join ideas, for example, to express cause/effect (e.g., The deer ran because the mountain lion came) or to make a concession (e.g., She studied all night even though she wasn't feeling well).

Combine clauses in a wide variety of ways (e.g., creating compound and complex sentences) to make connections between and join ideas, for example, to express cause/effect (e.g., The deer ran because the mountain lion approached them), to make a concession (e.g., She studied all night even though she wasn't feeling well), or to link two ideas that happen at the same time (e.g., The cubs played while their mother hunted).