RI.LCS.8.1
Description:
Interpret and analyze the author’s use of words, phrases, text features, conventions, and structures, and how their relationships shape meaning and tone in print and multimedia texts.
Determine figurative, connotative, and technical meanings of words and phrases used in a text; analyze the impact of specific words or phrases on meaning and tone.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
4C, 6A, 6C
Exemplars
4C: Visualizing
4C: Visualizing
Description:
Visualizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
G-25
G-25
Grade level: 7
Word count: 1587 words
Author: Kathryn Oliva
Synopsis: When car shopping, it's good to research your options.
Excerpt:
How does a hybrid-electric car work? A hybrid-electric car is partly powered by a gasoline engine that is both lighter in weight and smaller in size than a standard gasoline engine. It also is partly powered by an electric motor and a battery. These power sources run at the same time, but not equally.
Question:
If you saw two engines, one from a hybrid car and one from a standard car, how could you tell which one belonged to the hybrid?
- The hybrid car engine would be smaller.
- The hybrid car engine would be heavier.
- The standard car engine would be lighter.
- The standard car engine would be smaller.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe an example of a particularly vivid scene from a selection. Explain what technique the author used to create such a clear picture of the setting or event you found memorable.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
6A: Recognizing Author's Intent
6A: Recognizing Author's Intent
Description:
Recognizing Author's Purpose
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
G-6
G-6
Grade level: 7
Word count: 1606 words
Author: Peter Kupfer
Synopsis: The African Americans who served as Tuskegee airmen deserve our respect and thanks.
Excerpt:
When Thomas Mayfield returned to his base in Kentucky, for example, he and the other African American pilots were barred from mixing with the white officers. The pilots were even denied access to the areas where the German prisoners were allowed to walk freely.
"It hurt. We had done our jobs," Mayfield recalled. "The thing is, we had faced discrimination for years during the war. Then we came back and the people we were fighting got more privileges than we had."
"It hurt. We had done our jobs," Mayfield recalled. "The thing is, we had faced discrimination for years during the war. Then we came back and the people we were fighting got more privileges than we had."
Question:
Why does the author include these quotes by Thomas Mayfield?
- to highlight the unfair treatment of a man who had served his country
- to show that German soldiers were treated fairly as prisoners of war
- to promote the need for the Civil Rights Movement in the South
- to defend the actions of soldiers who protested racial segregation
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
How effective were the words and writing style used by the author of a selection? Explain why.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
6C: Recognizing Mood/Tone
Description:
Recognizing Mood and Tone
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
G-15
G-15
Grade level: 7
Word count: 1597 words
Author: Nancy McCloskey
Synopsis: Young people take their good ideas and make them a reality.
Excerpt:
Chester's hometown has earned the title "Ear Muff Capital of the World." It celebrates the birthday of the inventor and his invention every December with a parade. Most of the parade watchers are probably wearing ear muffs.
Question:
The author probably added the last sentence to this paragraph to insert some
- humor.
- confusion.
- patriotism.
- mockery.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
What kinds of language or other text structure elements (tone) are used to create a dramatic or fearful mood? Use details from a selection you have read to illustrate and explain your answer.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions