Standard
Knowledge
Reasoning
1: Cite strong and thorough
textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text, including
determining where a text
leaves matters uncertain.
Recognize strong and
thorough textual evidence
within the text.
2: Determine two or more
central ideas of a text and
analyze their development
over the course of the text,
including how they interact
and build on one another to
provide a complex analysis;
provide an objective summary
of the text.
Identify central ideas of the
text.
Identify central ideas of the
text.
I can recognize the central
message(s) the author
conveys.
I can recognize the central
message the author conveys.
I can identify and cite different
types of textual evidence
(quotes, important passages,
headers, titles, charts/graphs,
pictures, etc.)
Identify specific details that
support the development of
central ideas.
I can identify specific details
(hook, thesis, supporting
points, headers, charts,
graphs, pictures, etc.) that
support the development of
central ideas and how they
build on one another.
Identify specific details that
support the development of
central ideas.
I can identify specific details
(hook, thesis, supporting
points, headers, charts,
graphs, pictures, etc.) that
support the development of
central ideas and how they
build on one another
Define “complex” analysis.
Define “complex” analysis.
I can recognize multiple
perspectives of an issue in a
text.
3: Analyze a complex set of
ideas or sequence of events
and explain how specific
individuals, ideas, or events
interact and develop over the
course of the text.
Identify individuals, ideas, and
events within a text.
I can identify individuals,
ideas, and events within a
text.
I can recognize multiple
perspectives of an issue in a
text.
Analyze how a complex set of
ideas (specific individuals,
ideas, or events) are
developed within a text.
I can determine a complex set
of ideas or a sequence of
Performance Skill
Product
events within a text.
Explain how specific
individuals, ideas, or events
interact and build on one
another over the course of
the text.
I can explain how individuals,
ideas, or events work together
and build on one another over
the course of the text.
4: Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they
are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze
how an author uses and
refines the meaning of a key
term or terms over the course
of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist
No. 10).
Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they
are used in a text.
I can define words and use
context clues to make
inferences about the
meanings of words and
phrases.
Determine the figurative,
connotative, and technical
meanings of words and
phrases.
I can determine the symbolic
meanings, emotional
connections, and dictionary
definitions of words and
phrases.
Analyze how an author uses
and refines the meaning of a
key term or terms over the
course of a text.
I can explain the author’s
choices and rhetorical
purposes for using specific
words/phrases to develop
meaning.
5: Analyze and evaluate the
effectiveness of the structure
an author uses in his/her
exposition or argument,
including whether the
structure makes points clear,
convincing, and engaging.
Identify the structure of the
exposition or argument
I can identify the
organizational strategy of an
essay or speech.
Identify the points an author
makes in an exposition or
argument
Based on the structure of the
exposition or argument:
- evaluate whether or not the
points are clear
- evaluate whether or not the
points are convincing
- evaluate whether or not the
points are engaging for the
reader
I can evaluate whether the
I can identify the central idea
and other main points of an
essay or speech.
organizational strategy makes
the points understandable,
believable, and interesting.
Analyze the overall
effectiveness of the structure
of the exposition or argument
I can evaluate the
effectiveness of the
organizational structure of the
essay or speech.
6: Determine an author’s point
of view or purpose in a text in
which the rhetoric is
particularly effective,
analyzing how style and
content contribute to the
power, persuasiveness or
beauty of the text.
Identify
1. Rhetorical techniques
2. Persuasive techniques
3. Stylistic techniques.
I can identify rhetorical,
persuasive, and stylistic
techniques.
Analyze how an author uses
details to develop ideas
(style).
I can break down how an
author uses style and how
s/he uses details to develop
ideas.
Determine how the author
uses rhetorical devices to
influence audience.
Explain the author’s point of
view or purpose.
I can explain the author’s
point of view and/or purpose.
I can determine how the
author uses rhetorical devices
to influence the audience.
Analyze how style and
content support the point of
view or purpose.
I can break down how style
and content support the point
of view or purpose.
Analyze the effects of style
and content as they contribute
to the effectiveness.
I can analyze the effects of
style and content as they
contribute to the effectiveness
of the text.
7: Integrate and evaluate
multiple sources of
information presented in
different media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively)
as well as in words in order to
address a question or solve a
problem.
Identify various sources of
information presented in
diverse media and formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively)
I can identify information
presented in different types of
media (like pictures, graphs,
cartoons, movies, etc.)
Explain how to integrate from
various sources of information
presented in diverse media
and formats, as well as in
words
I can explain how information
from different types of media
(pictures, graphs, cartoons,
movies, etc.) relate to each
other.
Integrate multiple sources of
information presented in
diverse media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively)
as well as in words to:
- address a question
- solve a problem
I can combine more than one
source of information from
different media to answer
questions and solve
problems.
Evaluate multiple sources of
information presented in
diverse media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively)
as well as in words to:
- address a question
- solve a problem
I can evaluate more than one
source of information from
different media to answer
questions and solve
problems.
8: Delineate and evaluate the
reasoning in seminal U.S.
texts, including the application
of constitutional principles and
use of legal reasoning (e.g., in
U.S. Supreme Court majority
opinions and dissents) and
the premises, purposes, and
arguments in works of public
advocacy (e.g., The
Federalist, presidential
addresses).
Explain constitutional principle
I can explain how ideas from
the US Constitution relate to a
text.
Recognize elements of legal
reasoning
I can recognize the elements
of legal argument as they
relate to a text (deductive and
inductive reasoning, etc.)
Define public advocacy
Delineate the reasoning in
U.S. seminal text(s) including:
- application of constitutional
principles
- use of legal reasoning
I can pick out and make
sense of Constitutional
principles and legal reasoning
in texts.
Delineate works of public
advocacy, including:
-premises
-purposes
I can explain how public
advocacy is fighting/arguing
for the rights of people.
Identify the:
-premises
-purposes
-arguments
in works of public advocacy
I can identify the claims,
reasons, and arguments in
texts that fight/argue for the
rights of people.
-arguments
I can break apart and make
sense of the claims, reasons,
and arguments in texts that
fight/argue for the rights of
people.
Evaluate the reasoning in
important U.S. texts,
including:
- application of constitutional
principles
- use of legal reasoning
I can evaluate/judge the use
of Constitutional principles
and legal reasoning in texts.
Evaluate works of public
advocacy, including:
- premises
- purposes
- arguments
I can evaluate/judge the
claims, reasons, and
arguments in texts that
fight/argue for the rights of
people.
9: Analyze seventeenth-,
eighteenth-, and nineteenthcentury foundational U.S.
documents of historical and
literary significance (including
The Declaration of
Independence, the Preamble
to the Constitution, the Bill of
Rights, and Lincoln’s Second
Inaugural Address) for their
themes, purposes, and
rhetorical features.
Identify the:
- theme
- purpose
- rhetorical features
of U.S. documents of
historical and literary
significance
I can identify the main/central
idea, purpose, and persuasive
strategies of U.S. historical
documents
Analyze the:
- theme
- purpose
- rhetorical
of U.S. documents of
historical and literary
significance of _________
(18th, 19th, or 20th century)
I can break down and explore
the main/central idea,
purpose, and persuasive
strategies of U.S. historical
documents
10: By the end of grade 11,
read and comprehend literary
nonfiction in the grade 11CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding
as needed at the high end of
the range.
Identify/ understand
- Key ideas and details
- Craft and Structure
- Integration of Knowledge
and Ideas
at appropriate complexity
(Qualitative, Quantitative and
Reader and Task) as seen in
Standards 1 - 9.
Comprehend independently
- Key Ideas and Details
- Craft and Structure
- Integration of Knowledge
and Ideas
at appropriate complexity
(Qualitative, Quantitative and
Reader and Task) as seen in
Standards 1 – 9.
I can identify the main/central
ideas, persuasive strategies
(like organizational patterns),
and use of information at an
appropriate level of
complexity.
I can, on my own, understand
the main/central ideas,
persuasive strategies (like
organizational patterns), and
use of information at an
appropriate level of
complexity.