Grades 9 - 12 Reading

To become ready for college and a career, high school students will be reading more informational text. Your child will learn to evaluate complex written materials. She will expand her literacy knowledge of text using works such as United States documents and American classics. She will be involved in engaging conversations using rich vocabulary. She will also state and defend claims in her writing on a topic. Children in high school should be able to demonstrate the following skills.

Reading

Children this age will...

• use specific evidence from the text when drawing conclusions or inferences.
• determine the development of a main idea in the text.
• analyze how a series of ideas or events develop.
• determine the meaning of figurative, connotative and technical word meanings.
• investigate how an author develops their ideas or claims.
• determine an author’s point of view or purpose.
• evaluate readings by using other sources to support or challenge conclusions.
• read and understand complex literacy and informational texts.

Writing

Children this age will...

• write arguments that are well-reasoned and supported by evidence.
• write well-researched and organized informative texts to express complex ideas.
• write stories using structured events and details.
• write clearly using proper editing and revising skills.
• use technology to produce or publish writing.
• gather information from credible sources to write a research project.
• use correct grammar, language, capitalization, punctuation and spelling.
• use strategies to figure out unknown words that have multiple meanings.
• interpret figures of speech (hyperbole, paradox).

Speaking and Listening

Children this age will...

• participate in and share concise research and ideas during discussions.
• evaluate the accuracy of information sources.
• understand a speaker’s point of view.
• accurately plan and present information.
• use a variety of media to present information.