Big Idea: Forming a Foundation (Reading)Forming a foundation requires readers to develop and apply basic reading skills and strategies across

genres to read and understand texts at the appropriate grade level. This involves reading a variety of

texts at the word, sentence, and connected text level across all content areas.

Academic Expectations 1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer

reference programs and research tools.

1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.

1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.

1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.

High School Enduring Knowledge – Understandings Students will understand that

• fluency involves reading orally and silently with speed, accuracy, proper phrasing and expression

while attending to text features.

• developing breadth of vocabulary dramatically improves reading comprehension and involves

applying knowledge of word meanings and word relationships. The larger the reader’s

vocabulary, the easier it is to make sense of text.

• many words have multiple meanings. Knowledge of syntax/language structure,

semantics/meaning, context cues, and the use of resources can help in identifying the intended

meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text.

Grades 9 & 10 Skills and Concepts

Students will

• apply context and self-correction strategies while reading

• make predictions while reading

• read grade-appropriate material orally—and silently—with automaticity (accuracy and fluency)

• use a variety of reading strategies to understand vocabulary and texts:

o formulate questions to guide reading (before, during and after reading)

o apply word recognition strategies to determine pronunciations

o apply knowledge of synonyms, antonyms, word parts (e.g., roots, affixes, cognates), and

nuances of meaning to assist comprehension

o interpret the meaning of jargon, dialect or specialized vocabulary in context

o interpret and explain literal and non-literal meanings of words or phrases, analogies, idioms

and literary allusions based on context

o explain and organize words and ideas in terms of categories (e.g., water is a liquid), functions

(e.g., water is for drinking), or features (e.g., water flows)

o scan to find specific key information; skim to get the general meaning of a passage

• use print and electronic resources (general and specialized dictionaries, thesauruses and

glossaries) to determine the definition, pronunciation, etymology, spelling, usage of words,

multiple meanings of words, or content-specific meanings of words