Grade 8 ELA Connecticut Standards

Conduct research and evaluate and communicate findings to answer questions or solve problems.

Create clear and coherent grade-appropriate speech and text.

Analyze and critique the arguments of others orally and in writing.

Construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases in oral presentations and literary and informational text.

Participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions.

Adapt language choices to purpose, task, and audience when speaking and writing.

Speak and write about grade-appropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics.

Make accurate use of standard English to communicate in grade appropriate speech and writing.

Construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and evidence.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences.

Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.

Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.

Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.

Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.

Spell correctly.

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).

Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.

Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.

Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.

Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Identify key steps in a text's description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

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

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

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

Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept.

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

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

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

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.

Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.

Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.

Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6—8 texts and topics.

Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic.

Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text.

Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.

Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.

Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.

Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.

Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Establish and maintain a formal style.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Establish and maintain a formal style.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.

Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new").

Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced").

Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.

Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Establish and maintain a formal style.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented.

Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Text Types and Purposes

Language Standards

Range of Writing

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6—12

Craft and Structure

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Key Ideas and Details

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Text Types and Purposes

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Reading Standards for Literature

Conventions of Standard English

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Comprehension and Collaboration

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

Key Ideas and Details

Range of Writing

Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6—12

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Craft and Structure

Comprehension and Collaboration

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Writing Standards

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6—12

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Production and Distribution of Writing

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Craft and Structure

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening

Key Ideas and Details

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing

Text Types and Purposes

Conventions of Standard English

Production and Distribution of Writing

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Speaking and Listening Standards

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Knowledge of Language

Production and Distribution of Writing

Knowledge of Language

(Not applicable to literature)

Range of Writing

An EL can construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing.

An EL can make accurate use of standard English to communicate in gradeappropriate speech and writing.

An EL can participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions.

An EL can speak and write about grade-appropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics.

An EL can construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and evidence.

An EL can conduct research and evaluate and communicate findings to answer questions or solve problems.

An EL can analyze and critique the arguments of others orally and in writing.

An EL can adapt language choices to purpose, task, and audience when speaking and writing.

An EL can determine the meaning of words and phrases in oral presentations and literary and informational text.

An EL can create clear and coherent grade-appropriate speech and text.

with prompting and supports, recognize and use a small number of frequently occurring nouns, noun phrases, and verbs and understand and respond to simple questions

with prompting and supports, communicate basic information about an event or topic and use a narrow range of vocabulary and syntactically simple sentences acquired from conversations, reading, and being read to

relying on context, visual aids, and knowledge of morphology in the native language, recognize the meaning of a few frequently occurring words and phrases, and formulaic expressions in texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events

with prompting and supports, use frequently occurring words and phrases and recognize the meaning of some words learned through conversations, reading, and being read to

with prompting and supports, identify a point an author or a speaker makes

with prompting and supports, conduct short individual or shared research projects to answer a question and gather information from a few provided sources and label collected information

with prompting and supports, verbally or nonverbally express an opinion about a familiar topic using a limited number words and phrases acquired in conversations, reading, and being read to

with prompting and supports, communicate basic information using words and phrases acquired in conversations, reading, and being read to about familiar texts, topics, and experiences

with prompting and supports actively listen to others and participate in short conversational and written exchanges on familiar topics using academic and domain specific vocabulary and present basic information and respond verbally and nonverbally to simple questions and some whquestions

with prompting and supports, use a very limited set of strategies to identify a few key words and phrases in oral communications and simple written texts

with prompting and supports, use frequently occurring nouns, pronouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositional phrases and produce simple and compound sentences

with prompting and supports, introduce an informational topic and explain a brief sequence of events, process, description, or compare and contrast and present one or two facts about the topic and use some commonly occurring linking words (e.g., next, because, and, also) and provide a concluding statement

using context, visual aids, reference materials, and knowledge of morphology in the native language, determine the meaning of frequently occurring words, phrases, and expressions in texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events

with prompting and supports, adapt language choices according to task and audience and begin to use frequently occurring general academic and content specific words and phrases in conversations and discussions

with prompting and supports, identify the main argument an author or a speaker makes identify one reason an author or a speaker gives to support the argument

with prompting and supports, conduct short individual or shared research projects to answer a question and gather information from provided sources and record some data and information

with prompting and supports, construct a claim about a familiar topic or event and give a reason to support the claim and use academic and domain specific vocabulary

with prompting and supports, deliver short oral presentations and compose written narratives or informational texts and use academic and domain specific vocabulary and include key details about familiar texts, topics, experiences, or events

with prompting and supports, actively listen to others and participate in short conversational and written exchanges on familiar topics and texts using academic and domain specific vocabulary and present information and ideas and respond to simple questions and whquestions

with prompting and supports, use an emerging set of strategies to identify the main topic in oral communication and simple written texts and retell a few key details

with guidance and supports, use relative pronouns (e.g., who, whom, which, that), relative adverbs (e.g., where, when, why), subordinating conjunctions, and prepositional phrases and recognize phrases and clauses within a sentence and produce and expand simple, compound, and a few complex sentences

with guidance and supports, introduce and develop an informational topic with a few facts and details and explain a short sequence of events, process, description, comparison and contrast, or analysis and use common transitional words and phrases to connect events, ideas, and opinions (e.g., after a while, for example, in order to, as a result) and provide a concluding statement or section

using context, visual aids, reference materials, and a developing knowledge of English morphology (e.g. affixes and roots words), determine the meaning of general academic and content-specific words and phrases and frequently occurring expressions in texts about familiar topics, experiences, or events

with guidance and supports, adapt language choices and style according to purpose, task, and audience and use an increasing number of general academic and content-specific words and phrases in speech and short written texts and show developing control of style and tone in oral or written text

with guidance and supports, explain the argument an author or a speaker makes distinguish between claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from those that are not

with guidance and supports, conduct short research projects to answer a question and gather information from a variety of provided print and digital sources and summarize or paraphrase observations, ideas, and information, with labeled illustrations, diagrams, or other graphics, as appropriate and present findings to a small or large group in an oral or written text and cite sources

with guidance and supports, construct a claim about familiar topics, texts, or events and introduce the topic and provide several supporting reasons or facts in a logical order and provide a concluding statement and use academic and domain specific vocabulary

with guidance and supports, deliver short oral presentations and compose written narratives or informational texts and integrate graphics or multimedia, when useful and use academic and domain specific vocabulary and include relevant general and some specific details about familiar texts, topics, or events

with guidance and supports, participate in conversations, discussions, and written exchanges on familiar topics and texts using academic and domain specific vocabulary and build on the ideas of others and express his or her own ideas and ask and answer relevant questions and add relevant information

with guidance and supports, use a developing set of strategies to determine the central idea or theme in simple oral presentations or written text and explain how the central idea or theme is supported by specific details and summarize part of the text

use an increasing number of intensive/reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves) and verbs in the active and passive voices and recognize and explain the function on phrases and clauses within a sentence and recognize and correct most misplaced and dangling modifiers and produce and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences

introduce and develop an informational topic with facts and details and explain a detailed sequence of events, process, description, comparison and contrast, or analysis and use a variety of transitional words and phrases to connect events, ideas, and opinions (e.g., however, on the other hand, from that moment on) and provide a concluding section

using context, reference materials, and an increasing knowledge of English morphology, determine the meaning of general academic and contentspecific words and phrases, and a growing number of idiomatic expressions in texts about a variety of topics, experiences, or events

adapt language choices and style according to purpose, task, and audience and use a wide range of general academic and content-specific academic words and phrases and maintain consistency in style and tone throughout most of oral or written text

analyze the argument and specific claims made in texts or speech and determine whether the evidence is sufficient to support the claims and cite textual evidence to support the analysis

conduct short research projects to answer a question and gather information from multiple print and digital sources and use search terms effectively and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others, using charts, diagrams, or other graphics, as appropriate and present findings in an organized oral or written text and cite sources and use a standard format for citations

construct a claim about a variety of topics, texts, or events and introduce the topic and provide sufficient evidence, reasons, or facts to support the claim and acknowledge opposing ideas and provide a concluding statement or section and use academic and domain specific vocabulary

including relevant general and specific details, deliver oral presentations and compose written narratives or informational texts and integrate graphics or multimedia, when useful and use academic and domain specific vocabulary about a variety of texts, topics, and events

participate in conversations, discussions, and written exchanges on a variety of topics, texts, and issues using academic and domain specific vocabulary and build on the ideas of others and express his or her own ideas and ask and answer relevant questions and add relevant information and evidence and paraphrase the key ideas expressed

use an increasing range of strategies to determine two or more central ideas or themes in oral presentations or written text and explain how the central ideas/themes are supported by specific textual details and summarize a text

use intensive/reflexive pronouns and use verbs in the active and passive voices and place phrases and clauses within a sentence and recognize and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers and (at Grade 8) use verbals (e.g. gerunds, participles, and infinitives) and produce and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences

introduce and effectively develop an informational topic with facts and details explain a coherent and detailed sequence of events, process, description, comparison and contrast, or analysis and use a wide variety of transitional words and phrases to show logical relationships between events and ideas and provide a concluding section

using context, reference materials, and knowledge of English morphology, determine the meanings of general academic and contentspecific words and phrases, idiomatic expressions, and figurative and connotative language (e.g., metaphor, personification) in texts about a variety of topics, experiences, or events

adapt language choices and style according to purpose, task, and audience, and use a wide variety of complex general academic and contentspecific academic words to precisely express ideas and maintain an appropriate and consistent style and tone throughout an oral or written text

analyze and evaluate the argument and specific claims made in texts or speech/ presentations and determine whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims and cite textual evidence to support the analysis

conduct short research projects to answer a question and gather information from multiple print and digital sources and use search terms effectively and (at Grade 8) evaluate the credibility of each source and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others using charts, diagrams, or other graphics, as appropriate and integrate information into an organized oral or written report and cite sources and use a standard format for citations

construct a claim about a variety of topics, texts, or events and introduce the topic and provide compelling and logically ordered evidence, reasons, or facts that effectively support the claim and establish a formal style and address the counterargument and provide a concluding section and use academic and domain specific vocabulary

including relevant details and examples to fully develop a topic, deliver oral presentations and compose written narratives or informational texts and integrate graphics or multimedia, when useful and use academic and domain specific vocabulary about a variety of texts, topics, and events

participate in extended conversations, discussions, and written exchanges about a variety of topics, texts, and issues using academic and domain specific vocabulary and build on the ideas of others and express his or her own ideas clearly • pose and respond to relevant questions and add relevant and specific evidence and summarize the key ideas and reflect on the key ideas expressed

use a wide range of strategies to determine central ideas or themes in oral presentations or written text and explain how the central ideas/themes are developed by supporting ideas or evidence and summarize a text