M/J Writing 3   (#1009050)

Version for Academic Year:

Course Standards

General Course Information and Notes

Version Description

The purpose of this course is to develop and use writing and language skills in a variety of writing formats for expository, argumentative, informative, and literary analysis purposes to ensure writing preparation for college and career readiness.

General Notes

The content should include, but not be limited to, the following:

  • active reading of exemplar writing models to examine
    • text craft and structure
    • effects of figurative, denotative, and connotative language choice
    • use of appropriate voice and/or tone
    • influence on idea development of sentence structures, sentence rhythm, and grammatical choices
    • reciprocal nature of content and form
  • writing for varied purposes, including
    • developing and supporting argumentative claims
    • crafting coherent, supported informative/expository texts
    • responding to literature for personal and analytical purposes
    • writing narratives to develop real or imagined events
    • digital writing platforms
    • writing to sources using text- based evidence and reasoning
  • effective listening, speaking, and viewing strategies with emphasis on the use of evidence to support or refute a claim in multimedia presentations, class discussions, and extended text discussions
  • collaboration amongst peers

Special Notes:

Instructional Practices: Teaching from well-written, grade-level instructional materials enhances students' content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any purpose. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning.

  1. Reading assignments from longer text passages, as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.
  2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
  3. Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.
  4. Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.
  5. Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

English Language Development ELD Standards Special Notes Section:
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate information, ideas and concepts for academic success in the content area of Language Arts. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success. The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/la.pdf.

General Information

Course Number: 1009050
Course Path:
Abbreviated Title: M/J WRITING 3
Course Length: Year (Y)
Course Type: Elective Course
Course Level: 2
Course Status: Course Approved
Grade Level(s): 6,7,8

Educator Certifications

One of these educator certification options is required to teach this course.


Student Resources

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

Original Student Tutorials

Words Take Root: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about Greek and Latin roots (anti, capit, bene, bon, and mal) and 12 modern words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice using these words and hopefully add them to your vocabulary!

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Rooting Out Words: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about ancient Latin roots — Ante, Post, Scrib, and Script — and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Getting at the Roots of Language: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about three roots from ancient Latin and Greek — Per, Seque, and Mis — and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Word Scholar: Using Context Clues:

Identify and apply context clues, including synonyms, antonyms, and inferences, to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in passages about the life of Frederick Douglass with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Root of the Matter: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about five roots from ancient Latin and Greek—frag, fract, cret, syn, and sym—and practice using twelve modern words connected with these roots to build your vocabulary in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Know Your Roots: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about 3 Latin roots (Am, Ab, and Ad) and 12 new words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll make some interesting language connections and hopefully add some new words to your vocabulary!  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Ring the Bell: Paraphrase Like a Champion:

Learn to paraphrase grade-level content in this boxing-themed tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

It's No Myth -- Part Two: Changing Sentences from Passive to Active Voice:

Practice changing sentences from passive to active voice in this interactive tutorial about mythical creatures.

This is Part Two in a two-part series. Make sure to complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch "It's No Myth -- Part One: Distinguishing Between Passive and Active Voice."  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

It's No Myth -- Part One: Distinguishing Between Passive and Active Voice:

Learn to distinguish between passive and active voice with this interactive tutorial about mythical creatures.

This is Part One of a two-part series. Click HERE to launch "It's No Myth -- Part Two: Changing Sentences from Passive to Active Voice."

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Gerunds -- Part One: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subjects:

Learn about gerunds and gerund phrases in this two-part tutorial.

By the end of Part One, you should be able to identify a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject of a sentence. At the end of Part One, you'll also practice creating a sentence using a gerund as the subject and a sentence using a gerund phrase as the subject. 

Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to launch "Gerunds -- Part Two: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subject Complements."

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Gerunds -- Part Two: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subject Complements:

Learn about gerunds and gerund phrases in Part Two of this two-part series. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to identify a gerund or gerund phrase as a subject complement. At the end of this tutorial, you'll practice creating sentences of your own with a gerund phrase as the subject and a gerund phrase as a subject complement.

Make sure to complete Part One before beginning Part Two. Click HERE to launch "Gerunds -- Part One: Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases as Subjects."

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Developing a Central Idea: Spies and the Revolutionary War — Part Four:

Explore excerpts from the nonfiction book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial is the final part of a four-part series. In this tutorial, you’ll read two more passages from the book about Washington’s spies. You’ll also determine the central ideas of the passages, identify key details, and practice writing a summary of a text. 

You should complete the previous tutorials in this series before beginning Part Four. 

Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Developing a Central Idea: Spies and the Revolutionary War — Part Three:

Explore excerpts from the nonfiction book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial is Part Three of a four-part series. In this tutorial, you'll read another passage from the book, identify the topic, and determine the central idea. Then, you'll review the central ideas from all the passages you've read throughout this series and examine how each central idea helps develop an overarching central idea of all the passages. 

Be sure to complete the first two parts before beginning Part Three.

Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

Make sure to do Part Four to complete the series! Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Developing a Central Idea: Spies and the Revolutionary War — Part Two:

Explore excerpts from the nonfiction book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America with this interactive tutorial. In this four-part series, you'll analyze several passages from the book and learn how to extract key information along the way. In Part Two, you'll read another passage from the book, identify the topic, determine the central idea, and examine how key details help develop the central idea.

Be sure to complete Part One before beginning Part Two. 

Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Make sure to complete the rest of the series: 

Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Developing a Central Idea: Spies and the Revolutionary War – Part One:

Explore excerpts from the nonfiction book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America with this interactive tutorial. In this four-part series, you'll analyze several passages from the book and learn how to extract key information along the way. By the end of Part One, you should be able to distinguish topics from central ideas and identify central ideas and key details in the text. 

Make sure to complete all four parts!

Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part Two:

Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence. In Part Two, you'll learn about essential and nonessential phrases and clauses and how to use commas with nonessential phrases and clauses in a sentence.

This is Part Two of a two-part tutorial series. Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Investigating Essential and Nonessential Elements: Part One:

Investigate essential and nonessential elements in a sentence in this two-part tutorial series. In Part One, you'll learn about appositives and how to use commas with appositives when they provide nonessential information in a sentence.

When you're done, make sure to complete Part Two. Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part Two:

Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark--the dash--in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly.

We recommend that you complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation: The Dash – Part One :

Investigate a mysterious punctuation mark—the dash—in this interactive two-part tutorial. In this series, you'll learn about two types of dashes and their different uses. In Part One, you'll learn about the en dash and practice using it correctly. In Part Two, you'll learn about the em dash and practice using it correctly. We hope by the end of this series that the dash will no longer be quite so mysterious!

Make sure to complete Part Two! Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation Marks: The Ellipsis:

Check out a mysterious punctuation mark, the ellipsis, in this interactive English Language Arts tutorial. You'll learn a number of different uses for the ellipsis and apply what you learn to practice using the ellipsis correctly.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How Events Shape Ideas in a Text -- Part Three:

Explore excerpts from astronaut Scott Kelly’s autobiography, Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, in this interactive tutorial. Using these excerpts, you’ll identify several important experiences in Scott Kelly’s young life that had a crucial impact on his later success. You’ll also determine how these events shaped important ideas or life lessons that Scott learned along the way. Finally, you’ll examine the connection between these important life events and the ideas or lessons Scott learned to determine how he discovered what it takes to achieve the nearly impossible.

This tutorial is Part Three of a three-part series. Make sure to complete Part One and Part Two before beginning Part Three. 

Click HERE to launch Part One. 

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How Events Shape Ideas in a Text -- Part Two:

Explore excerpts from astronaut Scott Kelly’s autobiography, Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, in this interactive tutorial. Using these excerpts, you’ll identify several important experiences in Scott Kelly’s young life that had a crucial impact on his later success. You’ll also determine how these events shaped important ideas that Scott learned along the way. 

This tutorial is Part Two of a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

Click HERE to launch Part One.

Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Commas:

Don't be mystified by commas! This interactive tutorial will help you better understand how to correctly use this often mysterious punctuation mark. You'll learn several ways commas are commonly misused to help make sure you don't make these same mistakes in your own writing. Then, you'll learn several ways to correctly use a comma. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How Events Shape Ideas in a Text – Part One:

Explore excerpts from astronaut Scott Kelly’s autobiography, Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery, in this interactive tutorial. Using these excerpts, you’ll identify several important experiences in Scott Kelly’s young life that had a crucial impact on his later success. You’ll also determine how these events shaped important ideas or life lessons that Scott learned along the way. Finally, you’ll examine the connection between these important life events and the ideas or lessons Scott learned to determine how he discovered what it takes to achieve the nearly impossible.

This tutorial is Part One of a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How a Dream Compares to Reality -- Part Four:

Study excerpts from the essay “America and I” by Anzia Yezierska and learn about how she immigrated to America from Russia in the early 1900s. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze the comparisons she makes between her dream of life in America with the reality of her experience as an immigrant in America. 

This tutorial is Part Four of a four-part series. Make sure to complete the previous tutorials before beginning Part Four.

Click HERE to launch Part One.

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How a Dream Compares to Reality -- Part Two:

Study excerpts from the essay “America and I” by Anzia Yezierska and learn about how she immigrated to America from Russia in the early 1900s. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze the comparison she makes between being in America but not being seen as American. Analyzing this comparison will help you better understand how her vision of life in America was different from the reality she experienced after arriving. 

This is the second tutorial of a 4-part series, so make sure to complete Part One before beginning Part Two. Then, make sure to complete the rest of the tutorial series.

Click HERE to launch Part One.

Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation Marks: Apostrophes:

Check out a mysterious punctuation mark—the apostrophe—in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn several important rules and guidelines to help you demystify this punctuation mark so you can use it correctly in your own writing. 

 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How a Dream Compares to Reality -- Part One:

Study excerpts from the essay “America and I” by Anzia Yezierska and learn about how she immigrated to America from Russia in the early 1900s. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze the comparison she makes between the reality of living in Russia and her vision of what life will be like in America. You'll also identify her use of vivid contrasts to better understand what motivated her to go to America. 

This tutorial is Part One. Make sure to complete the other tutorials in this series! 

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Click HERE to launch Part Three.

Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Vocabulary Unleashed:

Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial! You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Mysterious Punctuation: Investigating Commas :

Learn a number of important rules that will help you master the mysterious comma. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn how commas are used to separate three or more items in a series and to “set off” certain aspects of a sentence.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Fixing Run-on Sentences:

Learn to recognize and fix one of the most common grammar errors—the run-on sentence—as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Don't Plagiarize: Cite Your Sources!:

Learn more about that dreaded word--plagiarism--in this interactive tutorial that's all about citing your sources, creating a Works Cited page, and avoiding academic dishonesty!

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Capitalization: A Crash Course:

Learn the rules of capitalization in this interactive tutorial! By the end, you'll have undergone a "crash course" in correct capitalization. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Truth About Sugar?:

Analyze the central idea in multiple texts in this interactive tutorial. You'll read several short texts in which authors disagree about the effects of sugar consumption. You'll practice identifying their different central ideas and the various types of evidence used to support them.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Its all about Mood: Bradbury's "Zero Hour":

Learn how authors create mood in a story through this interactive tutorial. You'll read a science fiction short story by author Ray Bradbury and analyze how he uses images, sound, dialogue, setting, and characters' actions to create different moods. This tutorial is Part One in a two-part series. In Part Two, you'll use Bradbury's story to help you create a Found Poem that conveys multiple moods.

When you've completed Part One, click HERE to launch Part Two.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Vocabulary Mastery:

Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words, identify their parts of speech, synonyms, and antonyms, and use them in context with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

It's all about Mood: Creating a Found Poem:

Learn how to create a Found Poem with changing moods in this interactive tutorial. This tutorial is Part Two of a two-part series. In Part One, students read “Zero Hour,” a science fiction short story by author Ray Bradbury and examined how he used various literary devices to create changing moods. In Part Two, students will use words and phrases from “Zero Hour” to create a Found Poem with two of the same moods from Bradbury's story.

Click HERE to launch Part One.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Happy Halloween! Textual Evidence and Inferences:

Cite text evidence and make inferences about the "real" history of Halloween in this spooky interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Vocabulary in Action:

Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial!  You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Vocabulary Power:

Learn 12 new academic vocabulary words in this interactive tutorial!  You'll practice the words' synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, and context clues in order to add them to your vocabulary.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Cyberwar! Citing Evidence and Making Inferences:

Learn how to cite evidence and draw inferences in this interactive tutorial. Using an informational text about cyber attacks, you'll practice identifying text evidence and making inferences based on the text.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Commas, Commas, Everywhere!:

Review common uses of the comma and learn how it can be properly used to set off nonrestrictive elements--like phrases and words--in a sentence. This interactive tutorial will also give you the chance to complete practice activities to check your understanding.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learning the Ropes: Applying Comma Rules:

Learn how to use commas to connect two sentences, how to use commas with coordinate adjectives, and how to use the Oxford comma. In this interactive tutorial, you will complete practice exercises and read several short passages about primates, including gorillas and baboons.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Alien Invasion! Or Not?:

Learn about puns--a type of figurative language--in Philip K. Dick's science fiction short story "The Eyes Have It." In this interactive tutorial, you'll identify puns, interpret their various meanings, and explain how the author’s use of puns adds humor to the story.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Make a Wish: Theme in "The Monkey's Paw":

Learn to identify and analyze the development of theme in this interactive tutorial. We'll read excerpts from "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs and examine how several different themes are developed throughout the text. We'll explore how each theme is conveyed in the story as the plot unfolds.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

VSI: Vocabulary Scene Investigation:

Learn how to determine the meaning of "mystery words" using several different strategies in this interactive crime-themed tutorial. You'll learn how to recognize a word's job or function in a sentence to help determine its meaning. You'll also practice identifying key words and word parts to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Changing the Driving Age?:

Learn to analyze and evaluate arguments for their soundness and relevancy. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read several short passages about raising the legal driving age. You'll practice examining the evidence presented to determine whether it's sound and relevant to the argument at hand.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Punctuation Vacation: Everybody Needs a Break!:

In this interactive tutorial, you'll take a "punctuation vacation" to learn how commas, dashes, and ellipses can be used to indicate breaks or pauses in your writing.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Connections and Concussions: Teens and Sports:

Practice making connections between key individuals discussed in an informational text. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read a short text about the connection between high school football and concussions. You'll practice identifying specific details and making connections between individuals based on the text.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

All Aboard! The Central Idea Express:

Learn how to find the central idea of an informational text in this interactive tutorial! In this train-themed tutorial, you'll learn how to identify the central idea and identify its supporting details. You'll also practice summarizing the text to highlight its most important points.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Surviving Extreme Conditions:

In this tutorial, you will practice identifying relevant evidence within a text as you read excerpts from Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire." Then, you'll practice your writing skills as you draft a short response using examples of relevant evidence from the story.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exploring Texts:

Learn how to make inferences using the novel Hoot in this interactive tutorial. You'll learn how to identify both explicit and implicit information in the story to make inferences about characters and events.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Language Wizard: Active & Passive Voice:

Learn to define and explain active and passive voice in this wizard-themed interactive tutorial. You'll also learn how to transform passive voice to active voice to make your writing stronger.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How a Dream Compares to Reality -- Part Three:

Study excerpts from the essay “America and I” by Anzia Yezierska and analyze the comparison she makes between her actual work experience in America and her dream of finding work that would bring out the best in her. Analyzing this comparison in this interactive tutorial will help you understand how Anzia's vision of life in America was different from the reality she experienced after immigrating to America. 

This is the third tutorial in a 4-part series. Make sure to complete Parts One and Two first. Then, complete the rest of this tutorial series.

Click HERE to launch Part One.

Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Click HERE to launch Part Four.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Putting Down Roots: Learning New Vocabulary:

Learn about 3 Greek and Latin roots (spect, path, and omni) and 12 modern words that feature those roots. In this interactive tutorial, you'll practice using these words and hopefully add them to your vocabulary!  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Bridging Figurative Language:

Learn how figurative language contributes to the meaning of an informational text. In this interactive tutorial, you'll examine excerpts from President Obama's 50th Anniversary Speech of the March on Selma. You'll specifically analyze his use of imagery and metaphors and how they add to the meaning of his speech.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Tutorials

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 5: Correcting Comma Splices and Fused Sentences:

This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice correcting two common types of run-on sentences: comma splices and fused sentences. For each practice item, you must identify the best way to correct either a comma splice or a fused sentence. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 1: Recognizing Comma Splices and Fused Sentences:

This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice identifying two common types of run-on sentences: comma splices and fused sentences. For each practice item, you must identify whether a run-on sentence is a comma splice or a fused sentence. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There’s also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 4: Recognizing Sentence Fragment Types:

This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in recognizing sentence fragments types. For each practice item, you must identify the type of fragment being presented. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 7: Correcting Sentence Fragments :

This interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study; simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 6: Correcting Sentence Fragments :

This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Grammar Bytes! Exercise 5: Correcting Sentence Fragments :

This fun and interactive exercise will give you practice in correcting sentence fragments. For each practice item, you must select the best choice to correct a fragment in a short passage. After every response, you will get immediate feedback. Explanations of each correct answer are also provided. There's also an explanation of the rules of proper sentence structure for you to study, simply click the hyperlinked word "rules."

Type: Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this course.
Reading Literature
Standard Notes: These reading literature standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate exposure to a range of texts and tasks. Rigor is also infused through the requirement that students read increasingly complex texts through the grades. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.

Reading Informational Text
Standard Notes: These reading informational text standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate exposure to a range of texts and tasks. Rigor is also infused through the requirement that students read increasingly complex texts through the grades.

Writing
Standards Notes: Each year in their writing, students should demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of language use, from vocabulary and syntax to the development and organization of ideas, and they should address increasingly demanding content and sources. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each succeeding year’s grade-specific writing standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.

Speaking and Listening
Standards Notes: The following speaking and listening standards offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of communication skills and applications.

Language
Standards Notes: The following language standards offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of language skills and applications. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each succeeding year's grade-specific benchmarks and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades. The following standard may be addressed again in higher grades at a more rigorous level of study: LAFS.8.L.1.1d.