Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Grades 6–12
Reading: Literature
Grades 9-10
Key Ideas and Details
RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Craft and Structure
RL.9-10.5
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.9-10.10
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Grades 11-12
Key Ideas and Details
RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.11-12.3
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
Craft and Structure
RL.11-12.5
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Ohio English Language Arts Standards (2001)
Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard
Benchmarks (8–10)
A.
Analyze interactions between characters in literary text and how the interactions affect the plot.
B.
Explain and analyze how the context of setting and the author's choice of point of view impact a literary text.
E.
Analyze the use of a genre to express a theme or topic.
Benchmarks (11–12)
A.
Analyze and evaluate the five elements (e.g., plot, character, setting, point of view and theme) in literary text.
B.
Explain ways characters confront similar situations and conflict.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)
1.
Identify and explain an author's use of direct and indirect characterization, and ways in which characters reveal traits about themselves, including dialect, dramatic monologues and soliloquies.
4.
Evaluate the point of view used in a literary text.
6.
Analyze how an author's choice of genre affects the expression of a theme or topic.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)
1.
Compare and contrast an author's use of direct and indirect characterization, and ways in which characters reveal traits about themselves, including dialect, dramatic monologues and soliloquies.
5.
Analyze how an author's choice of genre affects the expression of a theme or topic.
8.
Analyze the author's use of point of view, mood and tone.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)
1.
Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters' thoughts, words and actions.
3.
Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility.
4.
Evaluate the author's use of point of view in a literary text.
5.
Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)
1.
Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters' thoughts, words and actions.
3.
Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility.
4.
Evaluate an author's use of point of view in a literary text.
5.
Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts.
7.
Compare and contrast varying characteristics of American, British, world and multi-cultural literature.
Writing Process Standard
Benchmarks (8–10)
A.
Formulate writing ideas and identify a topic appropriate to the purpose and audience.
B.
Determine the usefulness of organizers and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks.
C.
Use revision strategies to improve the style, variety of sentence structure, clarity of the controlling idea, logic, effectiveness of word choice and transitions between paragraphs, passages or ideas.
Benchmarks (11–12)
A.
Formulate writing ideas, and identify a topic appropriate to the purpose and audience.
C.
Use a variety of strategies to revise content, organization and style, and to improve word choice, sentence variety, clarity and consistency of writing.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)
2.
Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys).
4.
Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting focus, content structure and point of view) to address purpose and audience.
5.
Use organizational strategies (e.g., notes and outlines) to plan writing.
6.
Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion, and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)
2.
Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys).
4.
Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting focus, content structure, and point of view) to address purpose and audience.
5.
Use organizational strategies (e.g., notes, outlines) to plan writing.
6.
Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion, and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)
2.
Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys).
4.
Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as appropriate to audience needs) to address purpose and audience.
6.
Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion, and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)
2.
Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys).
4.
Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as appropriate to audience needs) to address purpose and audience.
6.
Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.
Writing Applications Standard
Benchmarks (8–10)
A.
Compose narratives that establish a specific setting, plot and a consistent point of view, and develop characters by using sensory details and concrete language.
B.
Write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary and support references to the text, other works, other authors or to personal knowledge.
Benchmarks (11–12)
A.
Compose reflective writings that balance reflections by using specific personal experiences to draw conclusions about life.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)
1.
Write narratives that:
a. sustain reader interest by pacing action and developing an engaging plot (e.g., tension and suspense);
b. use a range of strategies and literary devices including figurative language and specific narration; and,
c. include an organized, well developed structure.
2.
Write responses to literature that organize an insightful interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images and support judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)
1.
Write narratives that:
a. sustain reader interest by pacing action and developing an engaging plot (e.g., tension and suspense);
b. use a range of strategies and literary devices including figurative language and specific narration; and
c. include an organized, well-developed structure.
2.
Write responses to literature that organize an insightful interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images and support judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)
1.
Write reflective compositions that:
a. use personal experiences as a basis for reflection on some aspect of life;
b. draw abstract comparisons between specific incidents and abstract concepts;
c. maintain a balance between describing incidents and relating them to more general, abstract ideas that illustrate personal beliefs; and
d. move from specific examples to generalizations about life.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)
1.
Write reflective compositions that:
a. use personal experiences as a basis for reflection on some aspect of life;
b. draw abstract comparisons between specific incidents and abstract concepts;
c. maintain a balance between describing incidents and relating them to more general, abstract ideas that illustrate personal beliefs; and
d. move from specific examples to generalizations about life.