Grades 9–10 ELA (Missouri Learning Standards)

Reading Literary Text (RL) – big idea 1

• 9-10.RL.1.A Draws conclusions and inferences from literature, citing strong and thorough evidence.
• 9-10.RL.1.B Works out word and phrase meanings, including figurative and connotative ones, using context, affixes, or references.
• 9-10.RL.1.C Interprets visual elements of a text and draws conclusions from them.
• 9-10.RL.1.D Finds two or more themes, traces them, links them to life, and writes a short objective summary.

Reading Literary Text (RL) – big idea 2

• 9-10.RL.2.A Analyzes how an author's choices about structure, order, and time affect the reader.
• 9-10.RL.2.B Analyzes how point of view shows in characters, setting, and plot.
• 9-10.RL.2.C Analyzes the combined effect of word choice and syntax on meaning and tone.
• 9-10.RL.2.D Analyzes how complex characters develop, move the plot, and build the theme.

Reading Literary Text (RL) – big idea 3

• 9-10.RL.3.A Analyzes several performances of a work and how each interprets the original.
• 9-10.RL.3.B Explains how and why an author draws on or reworks source material.
• 9-10.RL.3.C Analyzes how several texts reflect history or culture.
• 9-10.RL.3.D Reads and understands stories, plays, and poems on their own and well.

Reading Informational Text (RI) – big idea 1

• 9-10.RI.1.A Draws conclusions and inferences from informational text, citing strong and thorough evidence.
• 9-10.RI.1.B Works out word meanings, including figurative, connotative, and subject-specific ones, using context, affixes, or references.
• 9-10.RI.1.C Interprets visual elements, including from other media, and draws conclusions.
• 9-10.RI.1.D Explains two or more central ideas, traces them, says why they matter, and summarizes objectively.

Reading Informational Text (RI) – big idea 2

• 9-10.RI.2.A Analyzes how an author's structure and ordering of information affect the reader.
• 9-10.RI.2.B Analyzes how an author uses rhetoric to advance a point of view or purpose.
• 9-10.RI.2.C Analyzes the combined effect of word choice and syntax on meaning and tone.
• 9-10.RI.2.D Judges whether an argument is valid and its evidence enough, spotting false statements and fallacies.

Reading Informational Text (RI) – big idea 3

• 9-10.RI.3.A Analyzes how similar ideas are shown in different media.
• 9-10.RI.3.B Judges how well two or more texts develop similar ideas.
• 9-10.RI.3.C Analyzes how several texts reflect history or culture.
• 9-10.RI.3.D Reads and understands informational text on their own and well.

Writing (W) – big idea 1

• 9-10.W.1.A.a Researches a question or problem, adjusts the scope, uses several credible sources, and cites in a standard system.
• 9-10.W.1.A.b Uses advanced searches of authoritative sources, judges their usefulness, and blends in information without plagiarism.

Writing (W) – big idea 2

• 9-10.W.2.A Uses a writing process to write clearly for task and audience, choosing and blending narrative, explanatory, and argument techniques.

Writing (W) – big idea 3

• 9-10.W.3.A.a Revises organization and content: keeps focus, concludes, and makes choices for purpose and audience.
• 9-10.W.3.A.b Revises word choice and syntax to show how language shapes meaning.
• 9-10.W.3.A.c Edits for standard English grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.
• 9-10.W.3.A.d Uses a range of transitions to link ideas and claims and show shifts in time.
• 9-10.W.3.A.e Uses technology to publish and update own or shared writing and link to other information.

Speaking and Listening (SL) – big idea 1

• 9-10.SL.1.A Sets rules, goals, deadlines, and roles for discussion with peers.
• 9-10.SL.1.B Judges a speaker's argument and drives discussion with questions that link to bigger ideas, bringing others in.
• 9-10.SL.1.C Responds to different views, sums up agreement and disagreement, and decides what more research is needed.

Speaking and Listening (SL) – big idea 2

• 9-10.SL.2.A Speaks audibly and clearly at an easy pace without distracting filler words.
• 9-10.SL.2.B Keeps eye contact, uses effective gestures, and avoids distracting mannerisms.
• 9-10.SL.2.C Gives concise, logical presentations with strategic multimedia to make findings and reasoning clear.