RL.MC.8.1.a
Description:
Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a particular context.
Read or listen closely to:
describe characters’ actions, and feelings;
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
1B, 2B, 3B, 3B, 6B, 6C, 8B, 9B
Exemplars
6B: Recognizing Persuasion
6B: Recognizing Persuasion
Description:
Recognizing Persuasive Devices
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-8
A-8
Grade level: 1
Word count: 780 words
Author: Anonymous
Synopsis: A sad princess and a goose change the life of a young man.
Excerpt:
One day, Hans was getting water. He saw a big fish in the river. He caught the fish. He took it with him. As he walked back to the castle, he met a young woman. She had a goose.
"Good day!" said Hans. That's a fine goose you have. Its feathers are so shiny."
"And you have a wonderful fish," she said. "If you will give me your fish, I will give you this shiny goose. This is a very special goose. Magic happens if anyone touches it and you say, "Hang on!' When you say these words, the person will stick to the goose."
"I will give you the fish," Hans said. He took the goose and started walking.
Soon he met an old woman. She saw the shiny goose. She asked Hans if she might touch it.
"Good day!" said Hans. That's a fine goose you have. Its feathers are so shiny."
"And you have a wonderful fish," she said. "If you will give me your fish, I will give you this shiny goose. This is a very special goose. Magic happens if anyone touches it and you say, "Hang on!' When you say these words, the person will stick to the goose."
"I will give you the fish," Hans said. He took the goose and started walking.
Soon he met an old woman. She saw the shiny goose. She asked Hans if she might touch it.
Question:
Read this part from the story. Which character says, "And you have a wonderful fish?"
- the young woman
- Hans
- an old woman
- a fish
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Think about a character in one of the selections you read. Write a short speech that tells about only the good things about the character. Then write a second short speech that tells only the bad things about the character.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
Description:
Recognizing Mood and Tone
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
HiA-15
HiA-15
Grade level: 1
Word count: 789 words
Author: Joanne G. Boatwright
Synopsis: A city boy living in the country? You bet!
Excerpt:
The country was not like the city. Ethan did not go to the movies like he did in the city. There were no stores near his home. There were no museums. There were no trains or buses to ride. But he did get to see and do many new things. He liked the space. He liked the quiet. His new home was different. And he was fine with that.
Question:
At the end of the selection, how does Ethan feel?
- He is happy with his new life in the country.
- He misses his old school and his old job in the city.
- He is sure Jada will not like the country.
- He wishes his city friends would move to the country.
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
8B: Reasoning
8B: Reasoning
Description:
Reasoning
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-50
A-50
Grade level: 1
Word count: 883 words
Author: Misha Berman
Synopsis: Odon is large and in charge. Can the small and meek teach him a lesson?
Excerpt:
Late one night, after the giant went to sleep, the parrot called a meeting. "I can't bear it anymore. We can't keep living this way!" she said. "The giant is NOT the boss of us."
"Who's going to tell him that?" buzzed the mosquito. "Not me," she added.
"Who's going to tell him that?" buzzed the mosquito. "Not me," she added.
Question:
Reread this part of the selection. What would probably happen if the creatures simply told Odon, "You are not the boss of us"?
- He would laugh and ignore them.
- He would say he is sorry for his bad behavior.
- He would run out of his house.
- He would ask them to explain what they mean.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
What makes people or characters do the things they do? Use details from a selection you have read, as well as your reasoning skills, to support your answer.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
9B: Classifying
9B: Classifying
Description:
Classify
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-34
A-34
Grade level: 1
Word count: 735 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: The trees of the forest learn an important lesson about showing kindness and helping others.
Excerpt:
"My branches are not very thick," called out a nearby pine tree. "But I am big and strong. I can block the North Wind from you and the spruce tree."
Question:
The pine tree said it would help the bird by
- blocking the wind.
- blocking the sun.
- scaring away other animals.
- growing big and strong.
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
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
Description:
Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences from information in text
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-77
A-77
Grade level: 1
Word count: 691 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: A fox says he has many tricks to keep him safe. Will the tricks work, or will he be caught by the farmers' dogs?
Excerpt:
"I would gladly teach you some of my tricks," said Mr. Fox. "But in times like these, it is not a good idea to trust anyone. Each animal must look out just for himself."
Question:
The fox did not want to tell the cat about his tricks. Why?
- The fox believes every animal should take care of its own needs.
- The fox is afraid the cat will tell the farmers how to find him.
- The fox wants to teach the cat an important lesson.
- The fox does not really have any tricks.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
What clues in the selection let you know that a character was good or evil?
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
3B: Analyzing Plot/Character
3B: Analyzing Plot/Character
Description:
Analyzing setting, plot, and character
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-29
A-29
Grade level: 1
Word count: 870 words
Author: Erica Cirino
Synopsis: A teacher helps her students discover how much fun it can be to have a pen pal.
Excerpt:
My teacher wants everyone in our class to be friends. Since the first day of school, she has made sure we are all friends with one another.
One day my teacher told our class we would make faraway friends. She said these friends lived in other countries. My teacher said we would get to know them without leaving our classroom!
"Hi Devi," I wrote. "Thank you for your letter. I am from the United States. I live in a big city.
One day my teacher told our class we would make faraway friends. She said these friends lived in other countries. My teacher said we would get to know them without leaving our classroom!
"Hi Devi," I wrote. "Thank you for your letter. I am from the United States. I live in a big city.
Question:
Based on what you read, which two of the following statements best describe Anna?
- She has many friends.
- She lives in a big city.
- She has a cat named Harto.
- She is a shy person.
- She collects stamps.
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
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
Description:
Determining Relative Importance
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
A-8
A-8
Grade level: 1
Word count: 780 words
Author: Anonymous
Synopsis: A sad princess and a goose change the life of a young man.
Excerpt:
"If you will give me your fish, I will give you this shiny goose. This is a very special goose. Magic happens if anyone touches it and you say, "Hang on!' When you say these words, the person will stick to the goose."
Question:
In this selection, what was most important about the goose?
- It had magic powers.
- It had feathers.
- It was very heavy.
- It was cooked for dinner.
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:
A-41
A-41
Grade level: 1
Word count: 675 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: When the king of the gods gives his word, a bee's wish comes true.
Excerpt:
The bee was very proud of the work it did. It went from flower to flower to get what it needed to make honey. The little bee knew its honey was the best in the land.
Question:
In the beginning of the selection, the bee
- thinks its honey is very good.
- thinks the king is taking honey.
- wants to share its honey with the boys.
- wants to stop making honey.
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