Nebraska K–6 english language arts standards

Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding (spelling) words.

Participate with peers and adults in structured discussions and routines about 1st grade topics and texts.

Identify all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet in isolation and in connected text.

Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters, and that print carries meaning.

Demonstrate understanding that words are separated by spaces in print; demonstrate understanding of one-to-one correspondence between voice and print.

Demonstrate knowledge that print reads from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.

Segment and count spoken sentences into words.

Recognize and begin to produce oral rhymes.

Count, produce, and segment spoken words into syllables and identify syllable parts.

Blend onsets and rimes to form simple words (e.g., v-an, gr-ab).

Delete part of a syllable within a spoken word including compound words (e.g., "Say 'parsnip.' Say it again but don't say 'par;' e.g., "Say 'cowboy.' Say it again but don't say 'cow'").

Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in two- and three-phoneme (VC or CVC) words, excluding CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.

Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one sound to letter correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.

Demonstrate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

Decode consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.

Encode consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.

Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Recognize upper and lowercase letters automatically and accurately.

Read decodable consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words with automaticity and accuracy.

Read grade level high-frequency words with automaticity and accuracy (e.g. Fry or Dolch words or those included in instructional materials).

Identify and match upper and lowercase manuscript letters.

Print many upper and lowercase manuscript letters using reference materials and classroom resources.

Write left to right and use appropriate spacing between letters and words.

Segment phonemes orally in single-syllable words.

Demonstrate understanding that syllables are organized around vowel sounds.

With prompting and support, identify the main topic and key details in an informational text.

With prompting and support, identify key individuals, events, or pieces of information in an informational text.

With prompting and support, define the role of author and illustrator in presenting the ideas or information in a text.

With prompting and support, use text features (titles, headings, visuals) to predict or confirm the topic of a text.

With prompting and support, identify basic similarities and differences between two informational texts on the same topic.

With prompting and support, explain the difference between facts and opinions about a topic.

With prompting and support, make connections between own experiences and other cultures in informational texts.

Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

With prompting and support, orally retell familiar stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

With prompting and support, identify main character(s), setting, and important events in a literary text.

With prompting and support, define the role of author and illustrator in a literary text.

With prompting and support, identify the basic characteristics of literary text.

With prompting and support, compare and contrast the experiences of characters in familiar stories.

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a literary text.

With prompting and support, make connections between own experiences and other cultures in literary texts.

Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

Ask pertinent questions to acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a conversation.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Develop attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, recalling).

Complete a task following one/two-step directions.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations.

Convey a personal perspective with clear reasons.

Explain the purpose of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., helpful/hurtful words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to support verbal communication.

With prompting and support, identify new meanings of familiar words (e.g., park, ring, fly).

With prompting and support, use commonly occurring inflections and affixes to determine the meaning of unknown words.

With prompting and support, determine the meanings of key words and phrases using provided reference materials and classroom resources.

With prompting and support, sort common words and phrases into conceptual categories to develop an understanding of word relationships.

With prompting and support, deepen understanding of words by identifying and relating them to their opposites.

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key words and phrases to determine their meaning.

With prompting and support, identify and explain descriptive words and phrases that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.

Recognize and name end punctuation.

Identify nouns (e.g., singular and plural) and simple verbs (e.g., action).

Form regular plural nouns by adding /s/ or /es/.

Use interrogatives to ask questions.

Use subject-verb agreement in simple sentences.

Use prewriting activities and resources to generate ideas.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Use feedback from others to improve writing and/or add details.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or with peers.

With prompting and support, narrate personal or fictional events in a sequential order using a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

With prompting and support, express an opinion about a topic or text with one supporting reason using a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

With prompting and support, write informative/explanatory pieces about a topic or text with one supporting fact using a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

With prompting and support, identify information from provided sources to answer a question using a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence.

Identify, segment and blend phonemes in single syllable spoken three and four phoneme words including words with blends.

Delete initial and final phonemes in words.

Substitute phonemes in spoken words to build new words in single-syllable words with no blends.

Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes in simple, one-syllable words to make new words), (e.g., "Say 'map.' Say it again and instead of /p/ say /t/. What is the new word? 'Mat'").

Read decodable text accurately with appropriate rate, intonation, and expression/prosody to reflect meaning.

Read grade level high-frequency words with automaticity and accuracy (e.g., Fry or Dolch words or those included in instructional materials).

Print all upper and lowercase manuscript letters using correct formation.

Write the common grapheme (letter or letter group) for each phoneme.

Use appropriate spacing between letters and words.

Segment phonemes in two- and three-phoneme syllables.

Write letters used to represent vowel phonemes and those used to represent consonants; demonstrate understanding that every syllable has a vowel.

Identify the main topic and key details in an informational text.

Identify key individuals, events, or pieces of information in an informational text.

Define the role of the author and illustrator in presenting the ideas or information in a text.

Use text features (titles, headings, visuals) to predict or confirm the topic of a text.

Identify basic similarities and differences between two informational texts on the same topic.

Identify an author's opinion(s) about a text.

Make connections between own experiences and other cultures in informational texts.

With prompting and support, read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 1.

Retell familiar stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson from a literary text.

Identify the main character(s), setting, and important events, drawing on key details in a literary text.

Explain the difference between the roles of author and narrator or speaker in a literary text.

Identify the basic characteristics of literary text, drawing on a wide range of text types.

Compare and contrast the experiences of characters in familiar stories.

Ask and answer questions about key details in a literary text.

Make connections between own experiences and other cultures in literary texts.

With prompting and support, read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 1. independently and proficiently.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 1st grade texts.

Convey a personal perspective with clear reasons.

With prompting and support, explain the purpose of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., helpful/hurtful words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to support verbal communication.

Use sentence-level context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use commonly occurring affixes to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Identify commonly occurring root words and their inflectional forms.

Determine the meanings of key words and phrases using provided reference materials and classroom resources.

Sort common words and phrases into conceptual categories to develop an understanding of word relationships.

Define words by their category and simple attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims).

Ask and answer questions about key words and phrases to determine their meaning.

Distinguish nuances of meaning between common verbs (e.g., glance, stare) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic).

Capitalize proper nouns (e.g., days of the week, names of people).

Use end punctuation, commas in dates, and commas to separate single words in a series.

Identify and use nouns (e.g., common, proper), pronouns (e.g., personal and possessive), verbs (e.g., past, present), and descriptive adjectives.

Form and use regular and frequently occurring irregular plural nouns.

Use subject-verb agreement in simple and compound sentences.

Use prewriting activities and resources to generate and organize ideas.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Use feedback from others to improve writing and/or add details.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Include some relevant details.

Use time order words to signal sequence of events.

Provide a sense of closure.

Introduce a topic or text.

State an opinion and provide a reason to support the opinion.

Provide a sense of closure.

Introduce a topic.

Develop a topic using supporting facts and details.

Use words and phrases related to the topic.

Provide a sense of closure.

Retell or recall information from provided sources.

Use provided print and/or digital tools to gather information and ideas to answer questions.

Sort evidence and information into categories.

Demonstrate academic integrity by referencing sources in writing and speaking.

Practice safe behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g., safe information to share, utilize appropriate sites and materials).

Demonstrate phonetic and word analysis knowledge and apply decoding skills to isolated words and in connected text.

Communicate effectively and appropriately in collaborative activities for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences to express ideas, share knowledge, and generate new understandings.

Recognize the distinguishing features of a paragraph including that multiple sentences may be used to form a paragraph and the author may indent or skip a line to signal a new paragraph.

Identify, segment, and blend phonemes in single syllable spoken five and six phoneme words including words with blends, digraphs, and trigraphs.

Substitute sounds in words with five or more phonemes.

Delete initial and final phonemes in words including words with blends.

Decode words with variable vowel teams and vowel diphthongs.

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.

Decode words with open and closed syllables and consonant -le.

Decode words with common Anglo roots and suffixes.

Decode words with silent letter combinations.

Read a variety of texts accurately using appropriate rate, expression, and intonation to reflect meaning.

Read grade level high-frequency words with automaticity and accuracy (e.g., Fry or Dolch words or those included in instructional materials).

Write legibly using correct formation of letters with automaticity and proper spacing between words.

Write common graphemes (letters or letter groups) for each phoneme.

Identify the main topic and key details in a multi-paragraph text.

Describe the connections between individuals, historical events, scientific ideas, or steps in a process.

Determine and explain the author's purpose in an informational text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

Explain how text features (titles, headings, table of contents, glossaries, captions, graphs, maps, and/or other visuals) contribute to the meaning of texts.

Compare and contrast the two most important ideas presented by two informational texts on the same topic.

Explain an author's opinion(s) and supporting evidence from the text.

Compare and contrast topics in a variety of informational texts to build knowledge of cultures (e.g., history, values, beliefs, and behaviors).

With scaffolding as needed, read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 2.

Recount narratives and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

Describe characters and how they interact with one another.

Determine and explain who is telling a story within and across literary texts.

Describe the basic structure of a literary text, including how literary elements are introduced and developed and conflicts are resolved.

Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same literary text by different authors or from different cultures.

Ask and answer literal (e.g., recall/details) and simple inferential (e.g., why or how) questions about key details in a literary text.

Compare and contrast topics in a variety of literary texts to build knowledge of cultures (e.g., history, values, beliefs, and behaviors).

With scaffolding as needed, read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 2.

Ask pertinent questions to acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a conversation.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Develop active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, recalling).

Complete a task following multi-step directions.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 2nd grade texts.

Convey a personal perspective with clear reasons.

Explain the purpose and credibility of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., helpful/hurtful words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to support verbal communication.

Use sentence-level context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use commonly occurring prefixes and suffixes to determine the meaning of unknown words (e.g., happy/unhappy).

Use known root words to determine the meaning of unknown words (e.g., addition, additional).

Determine the meaning of compound words by using knowledge of individual words (e.g., birdhouse).

Determine the meanings of key words and phrases using provided reference materials and classroom resources.

Ask and answer questions about key words and phrases to determine their meaning.

Distinguish nuances of meaning between closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender).

Capitalize proper nouns (e.g., holidays, countries, product names).

Use commas in greetings and closings of letters; use apostrophes to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.

Identify and explain the use of nouns (e.g., collective and irregular plural), pronouns (e.g., demonstrative), verbs (e.g., past tense irregular), simple prepositions, and frequently occurring conjunctions.

Maintain consistent verb tense across sentences or paragraphs.

Use prewriting activities and resources to plan, organize, and draft writing.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Improve and clarify the content, structure, and organization of writing by revising, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improve and clarify writing by editing and proofreading, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Include relevant details about characters and settings.

Use time order words to signal a sequence of events.

Provide a sense of closure.

Introduce a topic or text.

State an opinion and provide reasons to support the opinion.

Provide a concluding statement or section.

Introduce a topic or text.

Develop a topic with facts, details, and definitions.

Use words and phrases related to the topic.

Provide a concluding statement or section.

Retell information from provided sources to support ideas while avoiding plagiarism.

Identify print and digital tools to gather information and ideas and answer questions.

Sort evidence and information into categories.

Demonstrate academic integrity by referencing sources in writing and speaking.

Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g., safe information to share, utilize appropriate sites and materials, appropriate language use, respect diverse perspectives).

Decode words with common Latin suffixes.

Decode words with common derivational suffixes and describe how they turn words into different parts of speech.

Decode multisyllabic words.

Read a variety of text accurately using appropriate rate, expression/prosody and intonation to reflect the meaning of text.

Adjust pace and prosody based on the purpose, complexity, form, and/or style of a text.

Read grade level high-frequency words with automaticity and accuracy (e.g., Fry or Dolch words or those included in instructional materials).

Identify the central idea and explain how key details support that idea.

Explain the relationship between individuals, historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in a process.

Determine and explain the author's purpose in an informational text.

Explain how text features (titles, headings, table of contents, glossaries, captions, graphs, maps, and/or other visuals) contribute to meaning.

Compare and contrast the two most important ideas and key details presented by multiple informational texts on the same topic.

Identify an author's claim(s) and explain how the author supports the claim(s) in the text.

Compare and contrast topics and/or patterns of events in a range of informational texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 3 independently and proficiently.

Identify the central message or lesson in a literary text and explain how key details support that idea.

Explain how characters respond to major events and challenges in a literary text.

Determine and explain the point of view in a literary text.

Explain how sections of a literary text (e.g., chapters, scenes, stanzas) build on one another and contribute to meaning.

Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of literary texts written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., books from a series).

Explain what the text says explicitly and draw inferences when asking and answering questions.

Compare and contrast themes, topics, and/or patterns of events in a range of literary texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 3 independently and proficiently.

Ask relevant questions to build on ideas and acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a discussion or collaboration.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Demonstrate active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, recalling, questioning).

Complete a task following multi-step directions.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 3rd grade texts.

Convey a perspective with clear reasoning and support.

Identify the purpose and credibility of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., stereotypes, multiple meanings of words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to enhance verbal communication and add interest.

Use sentence-level context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use affixes to determine the meaning of unknown words (e.g., comfortable, uncomfortable).

Use known root words to determine the meaning of unknown words (e.g., company, companion).

Determine the meanings of key words and phrases using reference materials and classroom resources.

Distinguish between literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).

Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).

Distinguish nuances of meaning between related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., believed, suspected).

Capitalize proper nouns (e.g., historic periods, nationalities, languages), proper adjectives (e.g., South American), and appropriate words in titles.

Use commas in addresses and commas and quotation marks in dialogue; use an apostrophe to form and use possessives.

Use frequently occurring nouns (e.g., concrete and abstract), verbs (regular and irregular), and simple verb tenses.

Distinguish between and use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and independent and dependent clauses.

Explain the function of adjectives and adverbs in simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Use correct subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement in speaking and writing.

Use frequently occurring prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Use prewriting activities and resources to plan, organize, and draft writing.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Improve and clarify the content, structure, and organization of writing by revising, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improve and clarify writing by editing and proofreading, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, cursive, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Engage and orient the ready by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or character(s).

Include descriptive details about characters, events, or settings.

Use words and phrases to signal a sequence of events.

Provide a closure related to the creative or expressive event or experience.

Introduce a topic or text, state an opinion, and develop a structure that includes reasons and/or evidence.

Use linking words and phrases to connect opinions and reasons.

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion.

Introduce a topic and group related information together, including illustrations when useful to provide clarity.

Develop the topic with information (e.g., facts, definitions, details) clearly related to the topic.

Use linking words and phrases and key vocabulary to connect ideas and categories of information.

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the topic.

Paraphrase information from sources to support ideas while avoiding plagiarism.

Identify print and digital tools to gather information and ideas to answer questions.

Sort evidence into categories using an appropriate note-taking format to collect and organize information.

Demonstrate academic integrity by avoiding overreliance on any one source and referencing sources in writing and speaking; provide a list of sources.

Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others digitally (e.g., safe information to share, utilize appropriate sites and materials, appropriate language use, respect diverse perspectives).

Decode words with common Latin derived words.

Use combined knowledge of letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in and out of context.

Read a variety of text accurately using appropriate rate, expression/prosody and intonation to reflect the meaning of text.

Adjust pace and prosody based on the purpose, complexity, form, and/or style of a text.

Determine the central idea of an informational text and how it is conveyed through key details.

Analyze an individual, event, scientific idea or concept, or steps in a process.

Compare and contrast authors' perspectives in multiple informational texts of the same topic.

Describe the overall structure of an informational text and how it contributes to meaning.

Integrate information from multiple informational texts on the same topic in order to demonstrate knowledge of the topic.

Identify an author's claim(s) and explain how the author supports the claim in the text.

Explain an author or speaker's treatment of similar topics and/or patterns of events in a wide range of informational texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of informational texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 4 independently and proficiently.

Determine a theme in a literary text and how it is conveyed through key details.

Analyze a character, setting, or event in a literary text, drawing on specific details such as a character's thoughts, words, or actions.

Distinguish reader perspective from the perspective and point of view of the narrator or the characters in a literary text.

Compare and contrast the structural elements of literary texts (e.g., dramas, narratives, and poems).

Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in literary texts by different authors or from different cultures.

Explain what the text says explicitly and draw inferences when asking or answering questions, quoting or paraphrasing specific evidence from the text as appropriate.

Explain an author or narrator/speaker's treatment of similar themes and/or patterns of events in a wide range of literary texts.

Read and comprehend a wide range of literary texts of appropriate complexity for Grade 4 independently and proficiently.

Ask relevant questions to build on ideas or acquire or confirm information.

Demonstrate interpretation of verbal and non-verbal messages in a conversation.

Converse with peers and adults in an all-inclusive manner to foster positive relationships while respecting diverse perspectives.

Demonstrate active and attentive listening skills (e.g., eye contact, nonverbal cues, recalling, questioning).

Complete a task following multi-step directions.

Demonstrate appropriate speaking techniques (e.g., appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) for a variety of purposes and situations, including interpreting 4th grade texts.

Convey a perspective with clear reasoning and support.

Identify the purpose and credibility of information being presented.

Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the appropriate use of words (e.g., stereotypes, multiple meanings of words).

Use appropriate visual and/or digital tools to enhance verbal communication and add interest.

Use context clues (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements) to determine the meanings of words and phrases.

Use commonly occurring Latin affixes and roots to determine the meanings of words and phrases (e.g., photograph, autograph).

Determine or clarify the meanings or pronunciations of words using reference materials and classroom resources.

Explain the meaning of commonly occurring similes and metaphors (e.g., light as a feather) in grade-level text.

Recognize and explain the meaning of commonly occurring idioms and adages.

Use knowledge of words by relating them to their antonyms and synonyms.

Capitalize proper nouns (e.g., organizations, geographic regions, monuments and landmarks).

Use commas and quotation marks to indicate direct speech and quotations from a text; use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence and with dependent clauses.

Identify and use simple appositive phrases.

Identify and use frequently occurring pronouns (e.g., subject, object), adverbs (e.g., relative), and verbs (e.g., helping and linking).

Distinguish between frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their, they're).

Identify and revise fragment and run-on sentences in speaking and writing.

Use prewriting activities and resources to plan, organize, and draft writing.

Adapt writing processes to sustain engagement in short and long-term writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Improve and clarify the content, structure, and organization of writing by revising, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improve and clarify writing by editing and proofreading, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Use or decipher multiple formats of print and digital text (e.g., manuscript, cursive, font, graphics, symbols).

Use appropriate print and digital/multimedia tools to produce, enhance, and/or publish writing individually or in collaboration with peers.

Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or character(s).

Use precise words and phrases, descriptive/sensory details, and dialogue to develop characters, events, and settings.