Virginia State Standards for Language Arts: Grade 5

5.1. The student will listen, draw conclusions, and share responses in subject-related group learning activities.

5.1.a) Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas.

5.1.b) Organize information to present reports of group activities.

5.1.c) Summarize information gathered in group activities.

5.2. The student will use effective nonverbal communication skills.

5.2.a) Maintain eye contact with listeners.

5.2.b) Use gestures to support, accentuate, and dramatize verbal message.

5.2.c) Use facial expressions to support and dramatize verbal message.

5.2.d) Use posture appropriate for communication setting.

5.3. The student will make planned oral presentations.

5.3.a) Determine appropriate content for audience.

5.3.b) Organize content sequentially or around major ideas.

5.3.c) Summarize main points before or after presentation.

5.3.d) Incorporate visual aids to support the presentation.

5.3.e) Use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary.

5.4. The student will read fiction and nonfiction with fluency and accuracy.

5.4.a) Use context to clarify meaning of unfamiliar words.

5.4.b) Use knowledge of root words, prefixes, and suffixes.

5.4.c) Use dictionary, glossary, thesaurus, and other word-reference materials.

5.5. The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fiction.

5.5.a) Describe the relationship between text and previously read materials.

5.5.b) Describe character development in fiction and poetry selections.

5.5.c) Describe the development of plot and explain how conflicts are resolved.

5.5.d) Describe the characteristics of free verse, rhymed, and patterned poetry.

5.5.e) Describe how an author's choice of vocabulary and style contributes to the quality and enjoyment of selections.

5.6. The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction.

5.6.a) Use text organizers, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information.

5.6.b) Identify structural patterns found in nonfiction.

5.6.c) Locate information to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions.

5.6.d) Identify cause-and-effect relationships.

5.6.e) Identify compare-and-contrast relationships.

5.6.f) Skim materials to develop a general overview of content and to locate specific information.

5.6.g) Identify new information gained from reading.

5.7. The student will demonstrate comprehension of information from a variety of print resources.

5.7.a) Develop notes that include important concepts, summaries, and identification of information sources.

5.7.b) Organize information on charts, maps, and graphs.

5.8. The student will write for a variety of purposes: to describe, to inform, to entertain, and to explain.

5.8.a) Choose planning strategies for various writing purposes.

5.8.b) Organize information.

5.8.c) Demonstrate awareness of intended audience.

5.8.d) Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice.

5.8.e) Vary sentence structure.

5.8.f) Revise writing for clarity.

5.8.g) Use available technology to access information.

5.9. The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

5.9.a) Use plural possessives.

5.9.b) Use adjective and adverb comparisons.

5.9.c) Identify and use interjections.

5.9.d) Use apostrophes in contractions and possessives.

5.9.e) Use quotation marks with dialogue.

5.9.f) Use commas to indicate interrupters and in the salutation and closing of a letter.

5.9.g) Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line.

5.9.h) Edit for clausal fragments, run-on sentences, and excessive coordination.