READING

Pre-Conventional - Ages 3-5:
a. Holds book and turns pages correctly
b. Shows beginning/and of book or story
c. Knows some letter names.

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Pretends to read
b. Uses illustrations to tell stories
c. Reads top to bottom, left to right, front to back with guidance
d. Knows most letter names and sound letter sounds
e. Recognizes some names and words in context
f . Makes meaningful predictions with guidance

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Relies on illustrations and print
b. Uses finger-print-voice matching
c. Knows most letter sound and letter clusters
d. Recognizes simple words
e. Uses growing awareness of sound segments (phonemes, syllabules, rhymes) to read words
f . Begins to make meaningful predictions

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Uses meaning cues (context)
b. Uses letter/sound cues and patterns (phonics)
c. Recognizes word endings, common contractions, many high freq. words
d. Begins to self-correct
e. Uses basic punctuation when reading orally

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Uses reading strategies appropriately, depending on the text and purpose
b. Uses word structure cues (root words, prefixes, sufixes, word chunks) when encountering unknown words
c. Increases vocabulary by using meaning cues (context)
d. Self-corrects for meaning
e. Begins to read aloud with fluency

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Reads aloud with expression
b. Increases vocabulary by using context cues and other reading strategies with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Reads aloud with fluency
b. Begins to use resources (dictionary, thesaurus) to increase vocabulary in different subject areas

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Uses resources (dictionary, thesaurus) to incrase vocabulary independently

Pre-Conventional - Ages 3-5:
a. Listens and responds to literature
b. Comments on illustrations in books
c. Participates in group reading (books, rhymes, poems, and songs)

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Rhymes and plays with words
b. Participates in reading of familiar books and poems
c. Connects books read aloud to own experiences with guidance

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Retells main events or ideas in literature
b. Participate in guided literature discussions
c. Explains why literature is like/dislikes during class discussions with guidance

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Retells beginning, middle and end with guidance
b. Discusses characters story events with guidance
c. Reads and follows simple written directions with guidance
d. Learn and shares info from reading

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Summarizes and retells story events in sequential order
b. Responds to and makes personal connections with facts, characters, and situations in literature
c. Compares and contrasts characters and story events
d. Reads between the lines with guidance
e. Follows written directions

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Follows multi-step written directions independently
b. Discusses setting, plot, characters, and point of view (literary elements) with guidance
c. Responds to issue and ideas in literature as well as facts or story events
d. Makes connections to other authors, books and perspectives
e. Participates in small group literature discussions with guidance
f. Uses reasons an examples to support ideas and opinions with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Begins to discuss literature with reference to setting, plot, characters, and theme (literature elements) and authors craft
b. Generates though oral, written, responses in small group in literature discussions with guidance
c. Begins to use new vocabulary in different subjects and in oral in written response to literature
d. Begins to gain deeper meaning by 'reading between the lines'.

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Identifies literary devices (similes, meaphors, personifications, forshadowing)
b. Discusses literature with reference to theme, author's purpose ans style (literary elements) and author's craft
c. Begins to generate indepth response in small group literature discussions
d. Begins to generate in-depth written responses to literature
e. Uses increasingly complex vocabulary in different subjects and in oral/written response to lit.
f. Uses resasons and examples to support ideas and conclusions
g. Probes for deeper meaning by 'reading between the lines' in response to literature.

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Generates in-depth responses and sustains small group lit. discussions
b. Generates in-depth written responses to lit.
c. Begins to evaluate, interpret and analyze reading content critically
d. Begins to develop criteria for evaluating
e. Seeks recommendations and opinions about literature from others

Independent:
a. Chooses and comprehends a wide variety of sophisticated materials with ease (newspapers, magazines, manuals, novels, and poetry)
b. Analyzes literary devices (metaphors, imagery, irony, and satire)
c. Contributes unique insights and supports opinions in complex literature discussions
d. Adds depth to responses to literature by making insightful connections to other reading and experiences
e. Evaluates, interprets, and analyzes reading contect critically
f. Develops and articulates criteria for evaluating literature

Pre-Conventional - Ages 3-5:
a. Begins to choose reading materials (books, magazines, and charts) and has favorites
b. Shows interest in reading signs, labels, and logos (environmental print)
c. Recognizes own name in print

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Memorizes pattern books, poems, and familiar books
b. Begins to read signs, labels and logos (environmental print)

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Reads books with simple patterns
b. Begins to read own writing

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Reads simple early-reader books
b. Reads harder early-reader books
c. Identifies basic genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Reads easy chapter books
b. Chooses reads and finishes a variety of materials at appropriate level with guidance

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Increase vocabulary by using resources (dictionary, thesaurus) with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Reads challenging children's literature
b. Selects, reads, and finishes a wide variety of genres with guidance
c. Begins to develop strategies and criteria for selecting reading materials.

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Reads complex children's literature.
b. Reads and understands informational text (want ads, brochures, schedules, catalogues, manuals) with guidance
c. Develops strategies and criteria for selecting reading materials independently
d. Integrates info from multiple non-fiction sources to deepend understanding of topic with guidance.

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Reads complex children's literature and yound adult literature.
b. Selects, reads and finishes a wide variety of genres independently

Independent:
a. Reads young adult and adult literature
b. Reads and understands informational text (manuals, consumer reports, applications, and forms)
c. Reads challenging materials for information and to solve problems independently
d. Perserveres through complex reading tasks

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Demonstrates eagerness to read

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Begins to read independently for short periods (5-10 mins)
b. Discusses favorite materials with others
c. Identifies titles and authors in literature (text feature)
d. Sees self as reader

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Reads independently (10-15 mins)
b. Chooses reading materials independently
c. Identifies own reading behaviors with guidance

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Reads silently for increasingly longer periods (15-30 mins)
b. Identifies own reading strategies and sets goals with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Reads silently for extended periods (30-40 mins)
b. Begins to set goals and identifies strategies to improve reading

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Begins to choose challenging reading materials and projects
b. Sets reading challenges and goals independently

Independent:
a. Reads challenging material for pleasure independently
b. Pursues a widening community of readers independently

WRITING

Pre-Conventional - Ages 3-5:
a. Writes first name
b. Makes marks other than drawing in paper (scribbles)
c. Writes random recognizable letters to represent words

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Demonstrates understanding of letter/sound relationship
b. Prints with upper case letters
c. Matches letters to sounds
d. Uses beginning consonants to make words
e. Using beginning and ending conosnants to make words

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Writes from top to bottom, left to right, front to back.
b. Intermixes upper and lower case letters
c. Experiments with capitals
d. Experiments with punctuation
e. Begins to ue spacing between words
f. Uses growing awareness of sound segments (e.g., phonemes, syllables, rhymes) to write words
g. Spells words on the basis of sounds without regard for conventional spelling patterns
h. Uses beginning, middle, ending sounds to make words

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Reads own writing and notices own mistakes with guidance
b. Uses spaces between words consistently
c. Forms most letter legibly
d.Writes pieces that others and self can read
e. Uses phonetic spelling to write independently
f.  Spells simple words and some high frequency words correctly
g. Begins to use capital letters and periods correctly

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Writes using complete sentences
b. Edits for capitals and punctuation with guidance
c. Publishes own writing with guidance
d.Writes legibly
e. Spells most high frequency words correctly and moves toward conventional spelling

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Edits for spelling, punctuation and grammer
b. Publishes writing in polished format
c. Increases uses of visual strategies, spelling rules, and knowledge of word parts to spell correctly
d.Uses commas and apostroph correctly with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Uses dialgoue with guidance
b. Edits for punctuation, spelling and grammar with greater precision

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Selects and publishes writing in polished format independently
b. Begins to use complex punctuation (e.g., commas, colons, semi-colons, quotes) appropriately

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Begins to use dialogue to enhance character development
b. Uses complex punctuation with increasing accuracy

Independent:
a. Weaves dialogue effectively into stories
b. Uses correct grammer (e.g., subject/verb agreement, and verb tense) consistently

Pre-Conventional - Ages 3-5:
a. Relies on pictures to convey maning
b. Begins to label and add 'words' to pictures

Emerging - Ages 4-6:
a. Uses picturs and print to convey meaning
b. Writes words to describe or support pictures
c. Copies, signs, labels, names and words (environmental print)

Developing - Ages 5-7:
a. Writes 1 to 2 sentences about a topic
b. Writes names and familiar words
c. Generates own ideas for writing

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Writes several sentences about a topic
b. Writes short non-fiction pieces (simple facts about a topic) with guidance
c. Chooses own writing topics
d. Revises by adding details with guidance

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Writes short fiction and poetry with guidance
b. Writes a variety of short non-fiction pieces (eg. facts about a topic, letters, lists) with guidance
c. Writes with a central idea
d. Organizes ideas in a logical sequence in fiction and non-fiction writing with guidance
e. Adds description and detail with guidance

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Writes fiction with clear beginning, middle and end
b. Writes organized non-fiction pieces (e.g., reports, letters, lists) with guidance
c. Uses strong verbs, interesting language and dialogue with guidance
d. Revises for clarity with guidance
e. Revises to enhance ideas by adding description and detail

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Begins to write organized fiction and non-fiction (e.g., reports, letter, bigoraphies, and autobiographies)
b. Develops stories with plots that include problems and solutions with guidance
c. Creates characters in stories with guidance
d. Begins to experiment with sentence length and complex sentence structure
e. Varies leads and endings with guidance
f. Adapts writing for purpose and audience with guidance
g. Revises for specific writing traits (voice, ideas, org, word choice) with guidance

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Creates plots with problems and solutions
b. Begins to develop the main characters and describes detailed settings
c. Begins to write organized and fluent non-fcition (including bibliographies)
d. Writes cohesive paragraphs including reasons and examples with guidance
e. Uses transitional sentences to connect paragraphs
f. Varies sentence structure, leads and endings
g. Begins to revise for specific writing traits

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Writes in a variety genres and forms for different purposes and audiences independently
b. Creates plots with a climax
c. Creates detailed believable settings and characters in stories
d. Writes organized fluent and detailed non-fiction independently, including bibliographies with correct format
e. Writes cohesive paragraphs including supportive reasons and examples
f.  Revises for specific traits independently
g. Includes deletion in revision strategies

Independent:
a. Writes cohesive, fluent and effective poetry and fiction
b. Writes organized, fluent, accurate and in-depth non-fiction (with correct bibliographic format)
c. Uses a clear sequence of paragraphs with effective transitions
d. Develops plots, character, setting and mood effectively
e. Revises through multiple drafts independently

Beginning - Ages 6-8:
a. Writes about observations and experiences

Expanding - Ages 7-9:
a. Begins to recognize and use interesting language

Bridging - Ages 8-10:
a. Writes poetry using carefully chosen language with guidance

Fluent - Ages 9-11:
a. Uses description, details, and similes with guidance
b. Writes poetry using carefully chosen language

Proficient - Ages 10-13:
a. Writes persuasively about opinions, feelings and ideas
b. Begins to use descriptive language, details and similes
c. Uses voice to evoke emotional response from readers

Connecting- Ages 11-14:
a. Uses descriptive language, details similes and imagery to enhance ideas independently
b. Incorportates personal voice in writing with increasing frequency

Independent:
a. Begins to incorporate literary devices (e.g., imagery, metaphors, personification and foreshadowing)
b. Begins to develop personal voice and style of writing