Standard Area: CC.1.2: Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence. Standard: CC.1.2.9-­‐10.J: Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-­‐specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. CC.1.2.9-­‐10.K: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-­‐meaning words and phrases based on grade-­‐level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools. Eligible Content: L.N.1.2.1: Identify and/or apply a synonym or antonym of a word used in a text. Sample Assessment Items Checks for Understanding (Questions and Answers) Question: 1. Find at least five key vocabulary words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) in a text. 2. For each vocabulary word, use context clues to construct the word’s definition. 3. Compare each vocabulary word’s definition to the dictionary definition. 4. Construct a chart for each word in which you list both another synonym for the original word and an antonym. 5. Re-­‐write the original sentence in which the word appeared using a synonym instead. 6. Write original sentences using each antonym. Be sure to use the antonym in context to show that you understand the definition. Answer: 1. Students select at least 5 grade level vocabulary words from a text. These 5 should cover a range of parts of speech and should come from sentences that help to illustrate their definition. 2. Students are able to construct a working definition of each word using only the text itself. 3. Students should be able to evaluate their working definitions arrived at through context clues to that of the word’s dictionary definition. 4. Students accurately make a chart to fill in the original word’s synonym and an antonym. Students may find these words on their own or by using a dictionary and/or thesaurus. Make sure students understand the definitions of their new synonyms and antonyms. 5. Students demonstrate understanding of the synonym by re-­‐writing the original sentence with the synonym. Students should not just drop in the synonym in the original word’s place, but re-­‐organize and rephrase the original sentence. 6. Students demonstrate understanding of the antonym by writing their own original sentences with context clues. Suggested Rubric: This rubric may be used to assess a student’s overall mastery of the standard or eligible content.