Standard 5: Language

Students will apply knowledge of grammar and rhetorical style to reading and writing.

Reading

Students will apply knowledge of grammar and rhetorical style to analyze and evaluate a variety of texts.

Writing

Students will demonstrate command of Standard English grammar, mechanics, and usage through writing and other modes of communication.

For additional guidance, there is a Grammar Companion Guide on page 8 of the Support Documents.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

9.5.R.1 Students will examine the function of parallel structures, various types of phrases, and clauses to convey specific meanings.

• Students will be able to explain that parallel structure is when writers use the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance (e.g., Mary likes hiking, swimming, and bicycling).
• Students will explain how sentence structures (syntax) and variety affect meaning.

• Teachers explain that parallel structure is when writers use the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance (e.g., Mary likes hiking, swimming, and bicycling).
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to identify parallel structure.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to analyze how parallel structure impacts meaning.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on their analysis of parallel structure.

• Teachers review how to use phrases and clauses.

• Teachers introduce parallel structure and how and why it is used.

• Teachers provide examples of appropriate syntax, fluency, and structure.

• Teachers demonstrate how to analyze syntax to find its impact on the reader.

• Teachers provide students opportunities to analyze syntax to find its impact on the reader.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback regarding their analysis of syntax.

9.5.R.2 Students will recognize the use of active and passive voice.

• Students will identify the use of active voice.
• The subject of the sentence performs the action expressed in the verb.  Example: I throw the ball.
• Students will identify the use of passive voice.
• Someone or something that is being acted upon.   Example: The ball is thrown by me.

9.5.R.3  Students will recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

• Students will determine whether verb shifts are appropriate for the context.
• Students will correct errors in verb tense.

• Teachers remind students about verb shifts and how to use them effectively.
• Teachers offer opportunities for students to analyze tense/s within a text's context.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to correct errors in verb tense.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback regarding their ability to correct verb tense errors. 

• Students will determine whether the subject and verb agree.

• Students will correct subject-verb agreements.

• Teachers remind students about subject-verb agreement rules.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to correct subject-verb agreements.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback regarding their ability to correct subject-verb errors. 

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

9.5.W.1 Students will write using correct mechanics with a focus on punctuation marks as needed. 

• Students will create compositions with few or no mechanical errors that impact readability focusing mainly on punctuation.

• Teachers include explicit and implicit instruction on correct mechanics as needed.
• Teachers provide students with opportunities to complete formal and informal writing tasks.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback that focuses specifically on mechanics.

9.5.W.2 Students will compose simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences and questions to signal differing relationships among ideas.

• Students will write using different sentence structures to indicate how ideas are related.

• Teachers explain and model how to develop effective sentence structures using simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to write questions to signal differing relationships among ideas.
• Teachers will provide opportunities for students to create well-crafted sentence variety that will make their writing more meaningful and show different connections among ideas.
• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on how to recognize simple, compound, and complex sentences and questions to signal differing relationships among ideas.

9.5.W.3  Students will use parallel structure.

• Students will use parallelism effectively, ensuring all items listed represent the same parts of speech.

• Teachers introduce parallel structure and how and why it is used.
• Teachers provide examples and non-examples of effective parallelism.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to use parallel structure.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on the correct use of parallel structure.

9.5.W.4  Students will use various types of phrases (e.g., appositive, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional) and clauses (e.g., independent, dependent, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. 

• Students will use various types of phrases and clauses to enhance sentence structure.

• Students will use purposeful and innovative sentence structure to enhance the intended effect in writing or presentations.

• Teachers introduce new types of phrases and clauses to show specific purpose.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to use the phrases and clauses to create specific meaning.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to incorporate phrases and clauses effectively.
• Teachers provide opportunities for students to receive feedback on their ability to incorporate phrases and clauses effectively.