LAFS.6.RL.2.4Archived Standard

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.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade: 6
Strand: Reading Standards for Literature
Idea: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning
Date Adopted or Revised: 12/10
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications
  • Item Type(s): This benchmark may be assessed using: EBSR , MS , ST , MC item(s)
  • Assessed with: LAFS.6.L.3.4,LAFS.6.L.3.5
  • Assessment Limits :
    Items may ask the student to use the text to determine the meanings of words and phrases. Items should focus on how the words or phrases function within a passage and may require the student to analyze the impact of word choice on the text. Items should focus on words and phrases that are central to themeaning of text. Items should focus on grade-appropriate words. Items should not focus on dictionary-based word meanings butshould focus on how a word or phrase functions within the context ofthe passage. Items should focus on words and phrases that have figurative or allusive meanings central to the meaning of the text rather than isolated, incidental vocabulary. Items may ask about words with discrete context clues in close proximity or words whose meaning is conveyed more implicitly throughout the passage. Items may ask the student to employ various strategiesto explore word meaning, including the use of Greek or Latin affixes and roots. Items may require the student to use word relationships to determine the meanings of individual words. Items may ask the student to analyze figurative or connotative meanings of words.
  • Text Types :
    Items assessing these standards may be used with one or more grade-appropriate literary texts. Texts may vary incomplexity.
  • Response Mechanisms :
    The Enhanced Item Descriptions section on page 3 provides a list of Response Mechanisms that may be used to assess thisstandard (excluding the Editing Task Choice item type). The Sample Response Mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, the examples below.
  • Task Demand and Sample Response Mechanisms :

    Task Demand

    Determine the meaning of words or phrases by using context clues that are either explicitly or implicitly stated in the text.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that show the meaning of words used in the text.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that show the meanings of words as determined using context clues. 

    EBSR

    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word or phrase and then to select words or phrases from the text that show the meaning. 
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of words used in the text. 
    Multiselect
    • Requires the student to select multiple words or phrases from the text that act as context clues when determining another word’s meaning.
    Task Demand

    Analyze the impact of the author’s word choice on meaning or tone.

    Sample Response Mechaisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that show the impact of word choice on a text’s meaning or tone.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that show the impact of the author’sword choice on meaning or tone. 
    EBSR
    • Requires the student to select an inference about the impact of the author’s word choice on meaning or tone and then to select words or phrases from the passage that support that inference. 
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the impact of word choice on a text’s meaning or tone. 
    Multiselect
    • Requires the student to select multiple ways a particular word adds to an analysis of the text and its tone.
    Task Demand

    Determine the meaning of an unknown or multiple-meaning word or phrase by using context, such as a word’s position or the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that provide context clues to the meaning of a word or phrase.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that provide context clues to the meaning of a word or phrase. 
    EBSR
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word and then to select words or phrases from the text that act as context clues to support that meaning. 
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of anunknown or multiple-meaning word.
    Task Demand

    Determine the meaning of a word using common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes or roots.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that contain Greek or Latin affixes or roots that provide clues to the meaning of a word or phrase.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that contain Greek or Latin affixes or roots that provide clues to the meaning of a word or phrase. 

    EBSR

    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word and then to select words or phrases with Greek or Latin affixes or roots from the text to support that meaning. 
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word that contains a Greek or Latin affix or root.
    Task Demand

    Interpret figures of speech in the context of the text.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that provide context clues to the meaning of a figure of speech.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that provide context clues to the meaning of a figure of speech. 
    EBSR
    • Requires the student to interpret the meaning of a figure of speech and then to select words or phrases from the text that support that meaning.
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a figure of speech in the context of the text.
    Task Demand

    Use relationships, such as cause and effect or part and whole, between specific words to help interpret their meaning.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that provide support for the interpretation of a word’s meaning.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that show the meanings of words as determined using word relationships. 
    EBSR
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word and then to select words or phrases from the text that support that meaning. 
    Multiple Choice
    • Requires the student to select the meaning of a word in the context of the text or word relationship.
    Task Demand

    Distinguish among the connotations of words with similar definitions.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text

    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that provide support for the connotation of a word.
    • Requires the student to select words or phrases from two sections of text that help to determine which connotation of a word is being used.
    EBSR
    • Requires the student to select the correct connotation of a word and then to select words or phrases from the text that support that meaning. 

    Multiple Choice

    • Requires the student to select the correct connotation or synonym of a word found in the text.

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
1000000: M/J Intensive Language Arts (MC) (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 and beyond (current))
1000010: M/J Intensive Reading 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1000020: M/J Intensive Reading and Career Planning (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1001010: M/J Language Arts 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001020: M/J Language Arts 1 Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002000: M/J Language Arts 1 Through ESOL (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002180: M/J English Language Development (MC) (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1006000: M/J Journalism 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1007000: M/J Speech and Debate 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1008010: M/J Reading 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1008020: M/J Reading 1, Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1009000: M/J Creative Writing 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7810011: Access M/J Language Arts 1  (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002181: M/J Developmental Language Arts Through ESOL (Reading) (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1007025: M/J Speech and Debate (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1009025: M/J Creative Writing (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))

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Original Student Tutorials for Language Arts - Grades 6-12

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Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Denotation and Connotation in "Fire and Ice":

Explore the poem "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost and learn about denotation and connotation. In this interactive tutorial, you will examine the impact of word choice on the meaning of a poem. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Mighty Man Analyzing Metaphors, Similes, and Tone:

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Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

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