Using nouns and noun phrases to expand ideas and provide more detail.

Expand noun phrases in simple ways (e.g., adding a familiar adjective to describe a noun) in order to enrich the meaning of sentences and to add details about ideas, people, things, and the like, in shared language activities guided by the teacher and sometimes independently.

Expand noun phrases in a growing number of ways (e.g., adding a newly learned adjective to a noun) in order to enrich the meaning of sentences and to add details about ideas, people, things, and the like, with increasing independence.

Expand noun phrases in a variety of ways (e.g., adding comparative/superlative adjectives to nouns) in order to enrich the meaning of phrases/sentences and to add details about ideas, people, things, and the like, independently.

Using verbs and verb phrases to create precision and clarity in different text types.

a) Use frequently used verbs (e.g., walk, run) and verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, and thinking/feeling) in shared language activities guided by the teacher and sometimes independently.

b) Use simple verb tenses appropriate to the text type and discipline to convey time (e.g., simple past tense for recounting an experience) in shared language activities guided by the teacher and sometimes independently.

a) Use a growing number of verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, and thinking/feeling) with increasing independence.

b) Use a growing number of verb tenses appropriate to the text type and disciplines to convey time (e.g., simple past tense for retelling, simple present for a science description) with increasing independence.

a) Use a variety of verb types (e.g., doing, saying, being/having, thinking/feeling) independently.

b) Use a wide variety of verb tenses appropriate to the text type and discipline to convey time (e.g., simple present tense for a science description, simple future to predict) independently.

Understanding cohesion and how language resources across a text contribute to the way a text unfolds and flows.

Apply basic understanding of how ideas, events, or reasons are linked throughout a text using more everyday connecting words or phrases (e.g., today, then) to comprehending and composing texts in shared language activities guided by the teacher, with peers, and sometimes independently.

Understanding cohesion Apply understanding of how ideas, events, or reasons are linked throughout a text using a growing number of connecting words or phrases (e.g., after a long time, first/ next) to comprehending texts and writing texts with increasing independence.

Apply understanding of how ideas, events, or reasons are linked throughout a text using a variety of connecting words or phrases (e.g., for example, after that, suddenly) to comprehending and writing texts independently.

Understanding text structure and organization based on purpose, text type, and discipline.

Apply understanding of how different text types are organized to express ideas (e.g., how a story is organized sequentially) to comprehending and composing texts in shared language activities guided by the teacher, with peers, and sometimes independently.

Apply understanding of how different text types are organized to express ideas (e.g., how a story is organized sequentially with predictable stages versus how an information report is organized by topic and details) to comprehending texts and composing texts with increasing independence.

Apply understanding of how different text types are organized predictably to express ideas (e.g., a narrative versus an informative/explanatory text versus an opinion text) to comprehending and writing texts independently.

Selecting and applying varied and precise vocabulary and language structures to effectively convey ideas.

a) Retell texts and recount experiences by using key words.

b) Use a select number of general academic and domain-specific words to add detail (e.g., adding the word generous to describe a character, using the word lava to explain volcanic eruptions) while speaking and writing.

a) Retell texts and recount experiences using complete sentences and key words.

b) Use a growing number of general academic and domain-specific words in order to add detail, create an effect (e.g., using the word suddenly to signal a change), or create shades of meaning (e.g., scurry versus dash) while speaking and writing.

a) Retell texts and recount experiences using increasingly detailed complete sentences and key words.

b) Use a wide variety of general academic and domain-specific words, synonyms, antonyms, and non-literal language (e.g., He was as quick as a cricket) to create an effect, precision, and shades of meaning while speaking and writing.

Supporting own opinions and evaluating others’ opinions in speaking and writing.

Support opinions by providing good reasons and some textual evidence or relevant background knowledge (e.g., referring to textual evidence or knowledge of content).

Support opinions by providing good reasons and increasingly detailed textual evidence (e.g., providing examples from the text) or relevant background knowledge about the content.

Support opinions or persuade others by providing good reasons and detailed textual evidence (e.g., specific events or graphics from text) or relevant background knowledge about the content.

Writing literary and informational texts to present, describe, and explain ideas and information, using appropriate technology.

Write very short literary texts (e.g., story) and informational texts (e.g., a description of a volcano) using familiar vocabulary collaboratively with an adult (e.g., joint construction of texts), with peers, sometimes independently.

Write short literary texts (e.g., a story) and informational texts (e.g., an explanatory text explaining how a volcano erupts) collaboratively with an adult (e.g., joint construction of texts), with peers, and with increasing independence.

Write longer literary texts (e.g., a story) and informational texts (e.g., an explanatory text explaining how a volcano erupts) collaboratively with an adult (e.g., joint construction), with peers and independently.

Expressing information and ideas in formal oral presentations on academic topics.

Plan and deliver very brief oral presentations (e.g., recounting an experience, retelling a story, describing a picture).

Plan and deliver brief oral presentations on a variety of topics (e.g., retelling a story, describing an animal.

Plan and deliver longer oral presentations on a variety of topics and content areas (e.g., retelling story, recounting a science experiment, describing how to solve a mathematics problem).

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 two different frequently used words (e.g., describing a character as happy versus angry) produce a different effect on the audience.

Distinguish how two different words with similar meaning (e.g., describing a character as happy versus ecstatic) produce shades of meaning and different effects on the audience.

Distinguish how multiple different words with similar meaning (e.g., pleased versus happy versus ecstatic, heard or knew versus believed) 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 language writers or speakers use to present an idea (e.g., the words and phrases used to describe a character), with prompting and substantial support.

Describe the language writers or speakers use to present or support an idea (e.g., the author's choice of vocabulary or phrasing to portray characters, places, or real people), with prompting and moderate support.

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