LA 2.1.6.b
Description:
Identify elements of literary text (e.g., characters, setting, plot).
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
1A, 1A, 2B, 3B, 3C, 5B, 6C, 9B
Exemplars
1A: Recalling Explicit Details
1A: Recalling Explicit Details
Description:
Identifying explicit details including character, time, setting and speaker
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-12
B-12
Grade level: 2
Word count: 1055 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: A dragon has been taking treasures from people. A king needs help from Prince Sunshine to solve the problem.
Excerpt:
"How do you make a dragon go to sleep?" asked the prince.
The owl said, "If you want to see a sleeping dragon, there is only one thing you can do. You must have a beautiful princess sing to it. That will make it fall asleep."
The owl said, "If you want to see a sleeping dragon, there is only one thing you can do. You must have a beautiful princess sing to it. That will make it fall asleep."
Question:
Which character in the selection said, "If you want to see a sleeping dragon, there is only one thing you can do"?
- the owl
- Prince Sunshine
- the king
- the princess
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Who is the main character in the selection and why is this character so important?
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
Description:
Determining Relative Importance
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-56
B-56
Grade level: 2
Word count: 965 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: A clever rat finds a way to hide from an angry cat. He cuts the fur from every rats' tail!
Excerpt:
"The cat knows my tail is bare," the rat thought. "All the other rats in this village have fur on their tails. The cat can easily spot me." The rat wondered what he should do. But he was a wise rat. He soon had a plan.
Question:
In this selection, which character is the wisest?
- the rat
- the cat
- the cook
- the cook's wife
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
List two characters from a selection and explain why one of those characters is more important to the plot than the other character.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
3B: Analyzing Plot/Character
3B: Analyzing Plot/Character
Description:
Analyzing setting, plot, and character
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-30
B-30
Grade level: 2
Word count: 1093 words
Author: Adapted from a story by Michael H. Levitt.
Synopsis: The best leader isn't always the biggest or the strongest.
Excerpt:
"So you think Dakota's mask is funny," said someone behind them. Everyone turned. It was Maka, the tall village chief.
"No, Maka," the kids said.
Maka added, "All kinds of animals come together. For this one night, they are all friends."
The kids were silent, listening to Maka. "Tonight is the night that animals will come together. We must be ready to help them pick their king. Our village will come together just as the animals do. We will all work and play together."
"No, Maka," the kids said.
Maka added, "All kinds of animals come together. For this one night, they are all friends."
The kids were silent, listening to Maka. "Tonight is the night that animals will come together. We must be ready to help them pick their king. Our village will come together just as the animals do. We will all work and play together."
Question:
Which two of the following statements about Maka are correct?
- He was not happy when the other children made fun of Dakota.
- He was a tall man who was the village chief.
- He agreed that Dakota was too small to make a wolf mask.
- He told Dakota to catch the wolf and bring it to the village.
- He forced the wolf to become the leader of the animals.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe a character from a selection, including how he or she looks, something the character might say, and the kinds of books this character might like to read.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
3C: Analyzing Cause/Effect
3C: Analyzing Cause/Effect
Description:
Analyzing Cause and Effect
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-51
B-51
Grade level: 2
Word count: 573 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: There is an important lesson to be learned in a farmer's fields.
Excerpt:
The third kind of plant was flax. The farmer's family did not eat it. So why did he plant it? Flax plants grew tall. In the fall, the farmer would cut them. Then the farmer would use dried flax to make nets.
Why did the farmer need nets? He used them to trap birds. During the winter, the farmer's family did not have much food. The farmer used nets to trap birds so his family could eat.
Why did the farmer need nets? He used them to trap birds. During the winter, the farmer's family did not have much food. The farmer used nets to trap birds so his family could eat.
Question:
Why did the farmer plant flax seeds?
- So he would be able to feed his family in the winter.
- So the birds would have plenty to eat.
- Because his farm animals needed food to eat.
- Because they grew faster than other kinds of seeds.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Choose a selection you read in which one character's mood changed the moods of other characters. Use details from the selection to describe the mood changes..
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
5B: Examining Sequence
5B: Examining Sequence
Description:
Examining Sequence of Ideas and Events
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-13
B-13
Grade level: 2
Word count: 966 words
Author: Josepha Sherman
Synopsis: When a man-eating ogre leaps from a lake, young Safar's life changes forever.
Excerpt:
"I'm fishing for the bottom of the lake," he said to the ogre. "When I hook it, I'm going to lift up this lake and hang it from the moon."
The ogre tore the bush up by the roots. A frightened rabbit darted out and raced away. "Hey, Baby Brother!" yelled the ogre. "Wait for me!"
The ogre hit the tree so hard it split in two. An angry bear rushed out. He grabbed the ogre and squeezed and squeezed until the ogre's green eyes nearly popped.
Safar climbed onto the horse's back. He gave the horse two good kicks with his feet, and off they went, galloping all around the lake until they were back where they'd started.
The ogre tore the bush up by the roots. A frightened rabbit darted out and raced away. "Hey, Baby Brother!" yelled the ogre. "Wait for me!"
The ogre hit the tree so hard it split in two. An angry bear rushed out. He grabbed the ogre and squeezed and squeezed until the ogre's green eyes nearly popped.
Safar climbed onto the horse's back. He gave the horse two good kicks with his feet, and off they went, galloping all around the lake until they were back where they'd started.
Question:
Put these events from the selection in the order in which they occurred, from first to last.
- Safar said he would hang the lake from the moon.
- The ogre scared a rabbit.
- A bear squeezed the ogre.
- Safar and a horse galloped around the lake.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe a selection's beginning, middle, and end.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
Description:
Recognizing Mood and Tone
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
HiB-52
HiB-52
Grade level: 2
Word count: 1105 words
Author: Herodotus
Synopsis: Croesus was a powerful king. Solon was a wise man. One day, Croesus asked Solon, "Who is the happiest man?" Solon's answer is not what Croesus thought it would be.
Excerpt:
King Croesus had everything that could make him happy. He had lands and houses and servants. He had fine clothes to wear and beautiful things to look at. He could not think of anything that he needed. "I am the happiest man in the world," he decided.
Many years passed. King Croesus was much older and much richer. At that time, another king rose to power in Asia. His name was Cyrus. Cyrus was the head of a great army. He marched through one country after another. He took over many a rich and old kingdom. Croesus, with all his wealth, could not defeat the mighty Cyrus. King Croesus' city was taken. His great palace was burned. His gardens and stables were destroyed. His many fine things were carried away, and he himself was thrown into prison.
Many years passed. King Croesus was much older and much richer. At that time, another king rose to power in Asia. His name was Cyrus. Cyrus was the head of a great army. He marched through one country after another. He took over many a rich and old kingdom. Croesus, with all his wealth, could not defeat the mighty Cyrus. King Croesus' city was taken. His great palace was burned. His gardens and stables were destroyed. His many fine things were carried away, and he himself was thrown into prison.
Question:
Read this excerpt. The change in the Croesus' mood from the first paragraph to the second can best be described as moving from
- happy to sad.
- weak to strong.
- interested to bored.
- lonely to joyful.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe how you felt when you read a selection. Were you happy, sad, or did you feel something else? Explain why the selection made you feel this way.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
9B: Classifying
9B: Classifying
Description:
Classify
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
HiB-20
HiB-20
Grade level: 2
Word count: 1134 words
Author: Frank Scott York
Synopsis: Myles meets a mysterious swimmer while on a camping trip with his friends.
Excerpt:
"I thought you'd be out there looking for her," he said, smiling. "No luck today?"
Myles stared at him. "I just left her," he said. "She lives in that big house on the other side of the lake."
The old man's smile faded. "No one has lived in the house across the lake in 10 years, not since the day the girl vanished." He shook his head. "I've been standing here watching you swim alone in the lake," he said. "There was no one else in the water but you."
Myles turned and looked out over the water. The sun was high now, and the girl was gone, somewhere in the brightness of the glittering lake.
Myles stared at him. "I just left her," he said. "She lives in that big house on the other side of the lake."
The old man's smile faded. "No one has lived in the house across the lake in 10 years, not since the day the girl vanished." He shook his head. "I've been standing here watching you swim alone in the lake," he said. "There was no one else in the water but you."
Myles turned and looked out over the water. The sun was high now, and the girl was gone, somewhere in the brightness of the glittering lake.
Question:
There are many ghost stories in cultures all over the world. Many ghost stories have strange things that happen in them, and they often take place in a lonely or quiet area with old buildings nearby. This selection can be called a ghost story because it tells about a
- girl whom only certain people see, a quiet lake, and an old, empty house.
- deep forest, a popular general store, and a man who tells stories.
- young man, a busy vacation spot, and a bad accident.
- camping trip, a bad decision, and three friends who run out of food.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
What makes a character a hero or a villain? List the names of characters who are heroes or villains and explain why they belong to that group. The characters can be from fiction or non-fiction texts.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
1A: Recalling Explicit Details
1A: Recalling Explicit Details
Description:
Identifying explicit details including character, time, setting and speaker
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
B-2
B-2
Grade level: 2
Word count: 971 words
Author: J. Baldwin
Synopsis: John Randolph lived long ago. Although he was an important man who worked with the president, he was disliked by everyone. Why? He was one of the rudest people around.
Excerpt:
After just a minute, Mr. Randolph reached the end of the field near the inn. To his surprise, he found that the road split. He did not know whether he should go to the right or to the left to get to the town. He had an important meeting in the town that began at noon. He needed to get there quickly.
Question:
Where was Mr. Randolph going?
- to a meeting in a town
- to visit the president
- to a farm to buy a horse
- to a business in a city
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write an interview with a character from a selection. Include at least three questions that you would ask the character, and include the character's answers to those questions.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions