Instructional Routines & Practices Instructional Routines & Practices

Literary Terms

This table lists terms used in KIPP Wheatley in alphabetical order by the grade when they first appear in the curriculum. Knowledge of these terms will prepare students to succeed with the module texts and become familiar with standards language they may encounter on KIPP Wheatley and other formal assessments.

Literary Terms

 
WORDDEFINITION
academic languageGrades 3-5: special words that authors use over and over; specific words used to discuss a text or subject
accountGrades 6-8: written or spoken report or description of facts or events
act Grades 6-8: a division of a drama, or play; acts are often further divided into scenes
adjective Grades K-2: a word that describes a noun or pronoun
adventures/experiencesGrades K-2: what happens to a character in a story
adverbGrades K-2: a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb
alliterationGrades K-2: the use of several words near one another that start with the same consonant sound
allusion/allude

Grades 3-5: allude: refer to


Grades 6-8: allusion: an indirect reference to another text that adds meaning to the current text; authors allude to other texts to hint at or indirectly state their meaning, and rely on readers to be familiar with those other texts

analogyGrades 6-8: a comparison between unlike ideas or objects, such as teaching students and growing a garden. In literature, similes and metaphors are ways to draw analogies
analyze/
analysis
Grades 3-5: to take something apart in order to understand it better by considering its component parts both separately and together
anecdoteGrades 6-8: small stories that give readers more information. An author may add an anecdote to introduce, illustrate or elaborate
animationGrades K-2: an animated illustration, such as a cartoon
annotate/annotation

Grades 3-5: annotate: to mark evidence in text, often through use of sticky flags or notes


annotation: marking of evidence in text


archetypeGrades 6-8: a pattern that can be found in literature from different cultures; it may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or a setting
argument

Grades 6-8: a structure of claims and reasons constructed to persuade others that a particular view is true or correct; argument refers to the overall structure


Also see claim, counter-claim, counter-argument, reason


articleGrades K-2: a nonfiction piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine
author Grades K-2: the person who writes a text
author’s purpose

Grades K-2: an author’s reason for writing


Also see inform/explain, persuade, narrate, describe

back cover

Grades K-2: the other side from the front cover; you can see it when the front cover faces down


Also see front cover

biased/unbiasedGrades 6-8: biased: having an unfair tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others
biographyGrades K-2: a true account (story) of a person’s life, written by another person
bold type/bold printGrades K-2: darker print in a book that tells readers to notice specific text
captionGrades K-2: words that give more information about a picture or other image and that are usually placed near it
cast of charactersGrades 3-5: the characters in a play
cause

Grades 3-5: what makes something happen


Also see effect

cause/effect text structureGrades 3-5: text organized by how events, ideas, concepts, or pieces of information make others happen
central ideaGrades 6-8: an important idea in an informational text
central message

Grades K-2: a lesson or moral that relates to what the author wants to teach


Grades 3-5: See theme


Grades 6-8: See theme

challenge

Grades K-2: See problem


Grades 6-8: See problem, conflict

chapterGrades 3-5: a division of a longer story, such as a novel
characterGrades K-2: a person, animal, or figure in a story or text; grade 2: a character may change over time in a story
character developmentGrades 3-5: an author’s use of details and examples to reveal a character. Details and examples may include a character’s words, actions, and thoughts
chart/table

Grades K-2: information shown in rows and columns


Grades 3-5: flow chart: a chart that shows sequence of events or steps

chronological text structure

Grades 3-5: text organized in order of time and the sequence of events, steps, or ideas


Also see process/sequence text structure

cite/citation

Grades 3-5: to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.)


Grades 6-8: to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.), especially as an authority in supporting a claim


Also see claim

claim

Grades 6-8: the specific statement of opinion made within an argument. An argument may have one or more claims.


Also see argument; counter-claim

clarifyGrades 3-5: make easier to understand
climaxGrades 6-8: the part of a story or drama in which tension is usually at its greatest, and the main character has the opportunity to face his/her main conflict/challenge and either win or lose
coherenceGrades 6-8: connectedness in writing; coherence is created by a logical flow of sentences within paragraphs and paragraphs within a longer work; transitions and linking words also help make writing coherent
compareGrades K-2: to find similarities (what is the same or close to the same) between two examples
comparison text structureGrades 3-5: text organized by what is the same or different between events, ideas, concepts, or information
complex sentence

Grades 3-5: a sentence made up of two clauses, combined by a conjunction such as when or because


Also see conjunction

compound sentence

Grades K-2: a sentence made up of two simple sentences that are connected by a comma and the word and, but, or or


Also see conjunction

conceptGrades K-2: See idea/concept
conclusionGrades 3-5: a statement or section that ends a piece of writing and usually restates the opinion or main idea and the main points
conflict

Grades K-2: See problem/challenge


Grades 3-5: See problem/challenge


Grades 6-8: challenge faced by main character; the conflict may be internal or external

conflictingGrades 6-8: completely different in facts or interpretation
conjunction

Grades K-2: a word such as and, but, or or that joins two simple sentences to form a compound sentence; the conjunctions and and or can also join words or phrases


Grades 3-5: coordinating conjunction: a word such as and, but, or or that joins two simple sentences to form a compound sentence; the conjunctions and and or can also join words or phrases


subordinating conjunction: a word, such as because or when that joins two clauses to form a complex sentence


Also see compound sentence, complex sentence

connections

Grades K-2: ways that people, events, ideas, and information can go together; for example, how people or events are alike or different, how one person can change another, how one event can cause another, how events relate to each other in time, how ideas or pieces of information are alike or different


Also see events, ideas, procedure, signal words


Grades 3-5: logical connection between sentences and paragraphs; for example: cause/effect, comparison, first/second/third in sequence.


Also see interactions, relationships

connotative language/connotation

Grades K-2: words that suggest feelings; words with a meaning that goes beyond the dictionary; for example, home might be the place a character lives; it is also the place a character feels safe and comfortable


Grades 6-8: connotative language: words that generate feelings for readers, such as the word home, which can suggest a place of comfort and safety; words can have positive and negative connotations

context clues

Grades K-2: words or pictures in a text that give clues to meaning


Grades 6-8: clues in surrounding text, such as definitions, synonyms, and related words

contrast

Grades K-2: to find differences (what is different) between two examples


Grades 6-8: Also see conflicting

counter-argument

Grades 6-8: an argument made to oppose a previous argument


Also see argument

counter-claim/opposing claim

Grades 6-8: a claim made to oppose a previous claim


Also see claim

coverGrades K-2: See back cover, front cover
culture

Grades K-2: the set of specific beliefs and traditions, of a group, that makes their art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs unique from others


Also see folktale

defineGrades K-2: give the meaning of a word or phrase
describe/description

Grades K-2: to tell what someone or something is like, often using words that show what it looks like, sounds like, feels like, tastes like, or smells like


Also see author’s purpose


Grades 3-5: Grade 3: description: the act or result of describing something


Grade 4: describe in depth: describe, using details and examples from the text.

description text structureGrades 3-5: text organized by introducing a topic, followed by subsections and/or elaboration on important characteristics or attributes
detail

Grades K-2: details: pieces of information from illustrations and words that tell about the text


key details: pieces of information from illustrations and words that are necessary to basic understanding of the text


Grades 3-5: key details: information that supports the main idea, for example by giving more information about it; they can be facts, reasons, and examples; readers need key details to understand the topic; other details are not important and could be left out


Grade 5: specific details/information: facts or examples from the text; specific details must be quoted accurately and exactly as written


Also see support/supporting details


Grades 6-8: particular details: those that are relevant to a central idea; they may or may not be key details necessary to basic understanding of the text


Also see relevant/irrelevant, support/supporting details

developmentGrades 6-8: the act or result of adding details or of describing change in literary elements such as character, setting, plot or argument
diagram

Grades K-2: an image, often a simple drawing, that is used to explain something


Venn diagram: a diagram made up of two overlapping circles, used to compare and contrast


dialogue

Grades K-2: the words a character says in a story. As we read, we should think about the tone of voice characters would use when speaking those words.


Also see tone of voice


Grades 3-5: the words a character says in a story or drama

differences

Grades K-2: what is different between two examples


Also see contrast


Grades 6-8: distinctions: differences


Also see conflicting

distinguishGrades K-2: to tell the difference between
domain/domain-specific language

Grades 3-5: domain: a big topic, such as science


domain-specific language: words that have a special definition that is different than it might be for a general conversation

dramaGrades 3-5: a piece of writing that tells a story and is performed on a stage; it is commonly known as a ‘play’
drawing/paintingGrades K-2: a picture made with paints, crayons, pencils, etc., showing something made up or that really happened
effect

Grades 3-5: what happens as a result of another action or event


Also see cause

elaborate/elaboration

Grades 3-5: elaborate: to provide more details or explanation


elaboration: the process or result of providing more details or explanation


Grades 6-8: elaborate: to provide more details or explanation


elaboration: the process or result of providing more details or explanation

electronic menuGrades K-2: a list of topics for a Web page. Some words will connect to new Web pages. These words are usually underlined and in a different color. You can click on them to get to new pages about each topic.
emotions Grades 3-5: See feelings
essayGrades 3-5: a composition, or short piece of writing, that usually presents the author’s thoughts or opinions about a subject
evaluate/evaluate evidence

Grades 3-5: to determine or figure out the value of something


Grades 4 and 5: evaluate evidence for quality


Grades 6-8: evaluate evidence for:


relevance: close connection to all aspects of topic or claim


frequency: how often it appears


precision: as reflected by quantitative or numerical information


specificity: as reflected by facts, examples, and quotes

event

Grades K-2: major events: the most important events in a story, typically related to how the main character resolves a problem or faces a challenge


Historical events: events that happened in the past and that usually appear in historical texts.


Also see series of events


Grades 3-5: Also see sequence of events, series of events


Grades 6-8: Grade 8: incidents: events

evidence

Grades K-2: the detail that supports a reason or other point in a text


Also see reason, points


Grades 3-5: the detail that supports a reason or other point in a text; evidence may include facts, examples, dates, quotes from experts, photographs or other visual data, personal experience, interviews, experiments, survey results


Also see reason, points


Grades 6-8: textual evidence: evidence from a text (fiction or nonfiction) that you can use to illustrate your ideas and support your arguments


Best/Strongest evidence: relevant, frequent, precise, specific


Also see evaluate evidence

example

Grades 3-5: evidence and facts the author adds to the story/text to show that a general statement is true, to develop the main idea/central message, or to support an inference drawn from the text.


Grades 6-8: evidence and facts the author adds to introduce, illustrate, or elaborate


Also see elaborate, anecdote

excerptGrades 6-8: short section from a text
experiencesGrades K-2: See adventures/experiences
explain/explanation

Grades K-2: See inform/explain/answer


Grades 3-5: See inform/explain/answer


Grades 6-8: See inform/explain/answer

explicit/explicitly

Grades 3-5: clearly stated


Also see refer explicitly

exposition

Grades 6-8: important background information that is usually provided at the beginning of a narrative; the exposition often introduces the setting and main characters


Also see plot

fableGrades K-2: a story with supernatural events that could not happen in real life, such as animals talking. Fables, like folktales, teach lessons or morals.
factGrades K-2: something that can be proved true or false
falling action

Grades 6-8: the part of a story or drama that follows the climax and leads to the resolution


Also see climax, resolution

feelingsGrades 3-5: emotions (happy, sad, excited, anxious, scared, pensive) that describe a character; feelings are usually temporary and directly connect to a sequence of events (I was happy playing with my best friend Saku until he threw dirt at me, now I’m angry.); feelings reveal a character’s emotional state or reaction to an event
fictionGrades K-2: writing that tells a story from an author’s imagination
figurative language

Grades K-2: See nonliteral language


Grades 3-5: nonliteral language, such as metaphor or simile. Nonliteral language requires students to make associations or comparisons to understand its meaning


Also see metaphor, simile


Grades 6-8: nonliteral language, such as allusion and personification. Nonliteral language requires students to make associations or comparisons to understand its meaning


Also see allusion, metaphor, personification, simile

first personGrades 3-5: See narrator
firsthand account

Grades 3-5: a story of a true event told by an observer who was present


Grades 6-8: See memoir

flow chartGrades 3-5: See chart
fluencyGrades K-2: See reading fluency
focus

Grades K-2: Grade 2: main topic of a paragraph


Also see main topic


Grades 3-5: See main idea

folktaleGrades K-2: a story that tells about everyday life and people, especially ordinary characters who solve problems that more powerful or wealthier characters cannot solve; a folktale, like a fable, has a strong message or moral. Folktales usually are connected to specific cultures
format

Grades 6-8: the way content is presented. Examples for print, audio, and video/live media include: books, articles, Web pages; audio recordings or recordings on the Internet; film, video, live stage presentation.


Also see medium/media

frame narrativeGrades 6-8: the narrative that frames a story, when there is a story within a story; may feature a shift in time, such as a flashback, or a change in narrator from one character to another
free verseGrades 6-8: poetry that does not contain a regular pattern of rhyme or rhythm
front coverGrades K-2: what you see before opening a book; it includes the title, usually the author’s and illustrator’s names, and sometimes a picture
genre

Genre refers to texts that share common features such as content, writing technique, and often format. The main genres are poetry, drama, or prose. Prose can be fiction (imagined) or nonfiction (real events, people, information). Each genre can be expressed in different formats, sometimes also called genres or subgenres, such as:


Poetry: haiku or free verse


Drama: comedy or tragedy


Prose fiction: story, tall tale, graphic novel, or mystery


Prose nonfiction: textbooks, biographies, or how-to books

gerund

Grades 6-8: a verb form ending with -ed or -ing that functions as a noun


Also see verbals

gistA brief retelling that demonstrates a basic understanding of information and ideas presented in the text. This retelling can include literal details as well as low-level inferences.
glossaryGrades K-2: a list of words from the book. It tells what each word means. Usually the glossary is at the end of the book, before the back cover. Sometimes words from it are on pages inside the book.
graph

Grades K-2: a special drawing that shows how two things relate, using lines, bars, dots, or parts of a circle


Grades 3-5: a special drawing that shows how two things relate, using lines, bars, dots, or parts of a circle

headingGrades K-2: a small title that tells the name of a part of the book or a part of a page and describes what that part of the book or page is about
historical fictionGrades 3-5: fiction that is based on an historical character and/or events
historical textsGrades 3-5: texts that usually explain historical events
hyperlinkGrades 3-5: words on a Web page that connect to other Web pages; you can click on hyperlinks to get to the new pages; usually hyperlinks are underlined and show in blue or another color
iconsGrades K-2: small pictures that stand for words or ideas on a Web page; you can click on them to get to new pages about the word or idea in the picture; for example, you can click on an icon of a phone to get to the phone number to call about the Web page
ideas/conceptsGrades K-2: Scientific ideas: ideas that are usually in scientific texts. Scientific ideas are connected in many ways. For example, they can be mostly the same. They can be different. They can make each other happen. They can change over time.
identifyGrades K-2: to point out or name
illustration

Grades K-2: an image in a text, such as a book, magazine, or website


Also see photograph, drawing/painting, chart/table, diagram


Grades 3-5: Also see graphs, animations, drawing/painting, timeline, chart/table, diagram

IllustratorGrades K-2: the person who creates the images for a text
imageSee illustration
implicit/implicitlyGrades 6-8: implicit: suggested or hinted at, but not stated directly
incidentGrades 6-8: See event
indexGrades K-2: a list of topics in a book; it is usually at the end of the book, before the back cover; the topics are listed in A, B, C order
inference/inferGrades 3-5: inference: a conclusion that readers draw based on the evidence, facts, or details in a text and on information from experience in life
infinitive

Grades 6-8: a verb form that begins with the word to and functions as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb


Also see verbals

inform/explain/answer

Grades K-2: to share information with readers about a topic or explain something about the topic


Also see author’s purpose; photograph, drawing/painting, chart/table, diagram


Grades 3-5: explanation: something that is explained or made clearer about a topic


information: facts and details


Informational: relating to information

Inform/informationalGrades 3-5: See inform/explain/answer
information

Grades K-2: information: facts about real people, places, or things


Also see facts

informational text/narrative informational text

Grades K-2: informational text: writing that is about facts, real people, real places, or real events in history; also called nonfiction.


narrative informational text: an informational text that reads like a story but is about real people, places, and events.

integrate

Grades 3-5: to combine or pull together information or clues from different formats (e.g., illustration and text) or sources


Grades 6-8: to collect information or clues from different sources or formats, including examining how the details confirm or challenge one another

interactions/interact

Grades K-2: Grade 2: See connections


Grades 3-5: Grade 4: See relationships


Grade 5: interactions: relationships between individuals, events, ideas, or concepts. For example, individuals might fit in the same category; one event might happen before another event; ideas or concepts might fit in the same category, or one idea might explain another.


interact: come together and influence one another


Grades 6-8: interactions: relationships between characters, settings, and events in a narrative; for example, how story characters respond to plot events, how setting shapes characters or plot; how one event causes another event

interpret/interpretation

Grades 3-5: to figure out and explain the meaning or significance


Grades 6-8: Interpretation: explanation of the meaning or significance

introductionGrades 3-5: section of a piece of writing that introduces the opinion or main idea
irony

Grades 6-8: a tone or device that creates humor or suspense. Irony usually involves a contrast between how things appear and the reality


dramatic irony: irony that is created when the reader or viewer knows something that the character does not


Also see suspense

italicsGrades K-2: slanted type, such as this example
key details

Grades K-2: See details


Grades 3-5: See details

key wordsGrades 3-5: words that tell the main information or topic you need to find; you can use key words to find information in a book’s table of contents, index, or headings or on a Web page
labelGrades K-2: a word or phrase that gives information about an object or picture; it is often a word that names an item within a picture
legendGrades K-2: a story passed down from long ago; the story is often about a real person, event, or place; the story may or may not be true, and there is no way to check the facts
lesson

Grades K-2: See central message


Grades 3-5: Grade 3: See central message


Grades 4 and 5: See theme


Grades 6-8: See theme

letterGrades 3-5: a written message addressed to a person or organization
lineGrades 3-5: a row of words in a poem
literal languageGrades 3-5: language in which the meaning is the same as that of the individual words
lyric poemGrades 6-8: a short poem in which the speaker expresses personal feelings and thoughts
main idea

Grades K-2: See main topic


Grades 3-5: the most important idea of a paragraph or text; usually stated in a complete sentence

main topic

Grades K-2: Grade K: what the text is mostly about


Grade 1: what a text or section of text is mostly about


Grade 2: what a text or section of text is mostly about; usually stated in one or two words


Also see focus

major eventsGrades K-2: See event
mapGrades K-2: a special drawing showing part of the Earth, with all the different places where they really are
medium/media/multimedia

Grades 3-5: medium: the method for communicating literature or information, which also refers to how the reader/ listener/ viewer interacts with content; examples include written text, audio version, video, or live version


multimedia: multiple media (including aspects of written text, audio, and video)


Grades 6-8: Also see format

memoirGrades 6-8: a true account of a person’s life or experiences, written by that person
menuGrades K-2: See electronic menu
messageGrades K-2: See central message
metaphor

Grades K-2: a comparison between two unlike things, without using like or as


Grades 3-5: a comparison between two unlike things, without using like or as

meterGrades 3-5: sounds or beats in poetry that have been arranged to create a particular rhythmic pattern
mood

Grades 3-5: the feeling readers get when reading a text, such as scared, excited, happy. Authors and illustrators create that mood through the words they choose and the illustrations they create


Also see tone

moral

Grades 3-5: See central message; theme


Grades 6-8:

motifGrades 3-5: an important idea or subject that repeats throughout a text
motivationsGrades 3-5: the inside feelings and traits, or the outside events and situations, that cause a character to think or do something
multimedia

Grades 3-5: See medium/media


Grades 6-8: See medium/media

multi-paragraph text

Grades K-2: a text with more than one paragraph


See paragraph

mythGrades 3-5: a story with supernatural heroes and beings
narrate

Grades K-2: to share a made-up or true story with readers


Also see author’s purpose

narrative

Grades K-2: a story; it may be true or made up.


Also see story


Grades 3-5: a story, or a text that tells a story, as in a narrative poem

narrative informational textGrades K-2: See informational text
narrator

Grades 3-5: narrator: the voice telling a story or true account


first-person narrator: a voice telling the story from within it, using the pronoun I


second-person narrator: a voice telling the story and addressing the reader as you


third-person narrator: a voice telling the story from outside the story, using pronouns, such as he, she, and they


See observer

nonfictionGrades K-2: See informational text
nonliteral language

Grades 3-5: words that mean more than their literal meaning.


Also see allude, figurative language, metaphor, simile


Grades 6-8: See figurative language

noun

Grades K-2: a word that names a person, place, or thing


plural noun: a word that names more than one person, place or thing

objective

Grades 6-8: without opinions or judgments


Also see summary

observer

Grades 3-5: firsthand observer: an observer who is present at the events


secondhand observer: an observer who has learned about the events or topic, but was not present.


Also see firsthand account, secondhand account, narrator

onomatopoeiaGrades K-2: the use of words that sound like what they describe, such as buzz
opinion

Grades 3-5: what an author or individual thinks or feels about a topic; authors support their opinions with reasons, facts, and evidence.


Also see point of view

pamphletGrades 3-5: a thin book that has a paper cover and is written to give information
paragraph

Grades K-2: a group of sentences with a single focus or topic


multi-paragraph: more than one paragraph

paraphraseGrades 3-5: to say in your own words
participle

Grades 6-8: a verb form ending with -ed or -ing that functions as an adjective


Also see verbal

parts of books

Grades K-2: See back cover, front cover, glossary, index, table of contents, title, title page


Starting in G1, students use the term “text features” to refer to parts of books and other features of texts.


See text features

personification

Grades 6-8: figurative language in which human qualities are given to an animal, object, or idea


Also see figurative language

perspectiveGrades 3-5: the role or position of an observer, character, or narrator in relation to events; such as those of different family members observing a holiday meal; a person’s perspective affects his or her point of view (or opinion) and descriptions; for example, the winner of a game will describe it differently than the loser
persuade

Grades K-2: to share ideas and ask readers to agree with them


Also see author’s purpose

photographGrades K-2: a picture from a camera, showing something that really happened
phraseGrades K-2: several words that make meaning together, such as at lunch
picture book Grades K-2: a book that tells a story using pictures and words
plot

Grades K-2: the series of events in a story or drama, including the order in which they occur and how they relate to each other


Grades 6-8: Also see climax, conflict, exposition, falling action, problem, rising action

plural nounGrades K-2: See noun
poem

Grades K-2: a short text with descriptive language that authors use to share experiences, ideas, or feelings; many poems have rhythm like a song and words that rhyme


Grades 3-5: a type of writing that shares experiences, ideas, or feelings in a vivid and imaginative way; poems may be written in separate lines clustered in groups called stanzas


Grades 6-8: a type of writing that shares experiences, ideas, or feelings in a vivid and imaginative way; poems may be written in separate lines clustered in groups called stanzas; a poem’s form or structure contributes to its meaning

point of view

Grades K-2: what someone—a character, narrator, or reader—believes, thinks, or feels about something or someone; in grade 2, point of view is developed through a character’s thoughts and words


Grades 3-5: what someone—a character, narrator, or reader—believes, thinks, or feels about something or someone; a person’s perspective (role or position in relation to events) will affect his or her point of view


Characters express their point of view through words, thoughts, action, and feelings; narrators or authors may convey their views through the inclusion or exclusion of details, word choice, or by directly stating an opinion.


Also see biased/unbiased, conflicting, first-person narrator, third-person narrator, opinion, perspective, point of view, author’s purpose


Grades 6-8: Also see biased/unbiased, conflicting, first-person narrator, third-person narrator, opinion, perspective, point of view, author’s purpose

points (noun)

Grades K-2: the ideas an author shares about his/her topic


Grades 3-5: ideas shared by an author about his/her topic, for example in opinion writing


Grades 6-8: ideas shared by an author, for example, in an analysis

preposition

Grades K-2: a word such as in, off, or by


Grades 3-5: a word, such as in, of, or by, that expresses the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word or element; often introduces a prepositional phrase

problem/challenge

Grades K-2: what the main character wants or needs


Also see solution


Grades 3-5: In grade 5, students determine theme, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges.


Grades 6-8: the challenge that the main character faces or tries to address


Also see conflict

problem/solution text structureGrades 3-5: text organized by presenting a problem related to an event, an idea, a concept, or piece of information and then presenting the solution
procedureGrades K-2: steps, or main actions, for making or doing something; usually steps are connected by their order; one step may also make another happen; technical procedures usually appear in technical texts, such as a recipe
process/sequence text structureGrades 3-5: steps that show how to do something or how something works; the steps are described in order
propel the action

Grades 6-8: move or advance the plot


Also see plot

prose

Grades 3-5: one of the three main types of text, or genres; the other two types are drama and poetry


Also see genre

provoke a decision

Grades 6-8: cause decisions by characters


Also see character

public service announcementGrades 3-5: a statement made to the public for the good of the community
publishGrades K-2: to prepare a piece of writing for sharing with others, often by printing it out or posting a final copy; this stage occurs after a draft has been revised, edited, and proofread
punGrades 3-5: a kind of wordplay, involving a word with two meanings or two words that sound the same but have different meanings
purposeGrades K-2: See author’s purpose, describe, inform/explain, narrate, persuade
questionGrades K-2: a sentence, phrase, or word that asks for information or details; asked and answered by readers as a way to understand the text
question word

Grades K-2: a word, such as who, what, where, when, why, and how, that often begins a question


quotation: words, sentences, or phrases repeated from a text or a speaker exactly as they appear or were stated


quote/quotation
Grades 3-5: quote: to repeat words, sentences, or phrases directly from their sources
quote accurately Grades 3-5: to repeat in writing or orally words, sentences, or phrases directly from their source, preserving the exact spelling, punctuation, and arrangement of words, without changing the meaning
reading fluencyGrades K-2: ability to read smoothly or naturally
reason

Grades K-2: supporting information, such as facts, examples, pictures, small stories; reasons and evidence support a point


Also see points


Grades 3-5: information provided to support an opinion or point; effective reasons are based on evidence, logic, and information rather than on the writer’s personal views


See evidence, opinion


Grades 6-8: See argument, claim

recountGrades K-2: See retell
refer explicitlyGrades 3-5: use a specific word or words from the text as a means of supporting a claim or answer to a question about the text
relationships

Grades K-2: See connections


Grades 3-5: connections between individuals, events, ideas, or concepts; for example, individuals might fit in the same category; one event might happen before another event; ideas or concepts might fit in the same category, or one idea might explain another.


Also see interactions/interact


Grades 6-8: Also see interactions/interact

relevant/irrelevant

Grades 6-8: relevant: closely connected to all aspects of the topic or claim in the analysis


irrelevant: not closely connected to all aspects of the topic or claim in the analysis


Also see details/ particular details, evaluate/evaluate evidence

repetition

Grades K-2: repeated lines: lines that repeat over and over


Also see alliteration, rhyme


Grades 3-5: sounds, words, and lines that appear more than once


Also see alliteration, rhyme

researchGrades 3-5: to search for information about a topic; the activity of searching for information
resolutionGrades 6-8: the part of a story or drama in which problems are resolved; the ending
retell/recount

Grades K-2: retell: say aloud the important details in order


Grade 2: recount: say aloud the important details in order


revise/revisionGrades K-2: revise: to change a piece of writing (draft) to make it better; when you revise, you focus on the content and on making your writing clearer
rhyme/rhyme scheme

Grades K-2: the use of words that sound the same at the end, such as hat and bat


Grades 6-8: rhyme scheme: a pattern of end rhymes


See sonnet

rhythmGrades K-2: the organization of sounds in a pattern; beats are the pieces of the pattern
rising actionGrades 6-8: the part of a story or drama in which a series of events/ episodes complicates matters for the characters, and results in increased drama or suspense
scene

Grades 3-5: a division of a play


See act

scientific textsGrades 3-5: texts that usually explain scientific ideas or concepts
second personGrades 3-5: See narrator
secondhand accountGrades 3-5: a story of a true event told by an observer who has learned about the topics or events but wasn’t there
senses/words that appeal to senses

Grades K-2: senses: our ability to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the world around us.


words that appeal to senses: words that help readers experience the story in their minds by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.


See describe

sequence of eventsGrades 3-5: the exact order in which events happen
series of chapters/scenes/stanzas

Grades 3-5: the larger portions that make up a text: students consider how these parts fit together to provide the overall structure


See text structure

series of eventsGrades K-2: several events together. One connection among events in a series is the order in which they happened. Another connection is that some events made other events happen.
sestinaGrades 6-8: A poem that has six stanzas (six lines each) and one three-line stanza; each line in the first six stanzas ends with one of six words; each line in the final stanza includes two of the words
setting

Grades K-2: when and where a story happens; time may refer to a specific time period or can be the past, present, or future


Grades 3-5: the time and place in which a story, novel, or drama takes place; the time may refer to a specific time period or can be the past, present, or future


Grades 6-8: time and place in which a story, novel, or drama takes place, including the social environment; the time may refer to a specific time period or can be the past, present, or future

sidebar

Grades 3-5: a section of text at the side of the page that gives information that is related to the main topic but special or different in some way


See text features.

signal words

Grades K-2: words used to describe connections among events, ideas, or information


For example: Words such as also and unlike show when two examples are the same or different. Words such as first, next, and last show the order of events. Words such as because and so show how one event makes another happen.


Grades 3-5: See transition words


Grades 6-8: See transition words

similarities

Grades K-2: what is the same or close to the same between two examples


Also see compare

simileGrades 3-5: a comparison between two unlike things, using like or as
soliloquyGrades 6-8: in a drama, a speech in which a character shares inner thoughts or feelings; the character may be alone on stage or just does not acknowledge the other characters
solution

Grades K-2: the answer to the problem or how the main character solves it


Also see problem

sonnet

Grades 6-8: a poem with fourteen lines and a meter called iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line in English)


Petrarchan sonnet: a sonnet with two stanzas, one of eight lines and one of six lines; it has the rhyme scheme ABBAABBA and then CDECDE or CDCDCD


Shakespearean sonnet: a sonnet with four stanzas, three with four lines each, and a final stanza of two lines; it has the rhyme scheme ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG


Also see rhyme scheme

sound devicesGrades 6-8: See alliteration, repetition, meter, rhyme, rhythm
speaker of a poem

Grades 3-5: the voice you hear in poem; just as in a story, the speaker may be the author or a character.


Grades 6-8: See point of view

speechGrades 3-5: a piece of writing that is intended to be presented orally for an audience
specific informationGrades 3-5: See details
stage directionsGrades 3-5: directions that tell what the actors should do or how they should behave
stanza

Grades K-2: lines that form a unit in a poem or song


Grades 3-5: a unit of organization in a poem; how the stanzas fit together shows readers text structure

story

Grades K-2: text that has a character or real person/animal problem, and solution; a story may be made-up or true


Also see narrative, fiction, nonfiction

story structureGrades K-2: the parts of a story, including the beginning, middle, and end, and how they relate to one another
story versionGrades K-2: a retelling of a story that is different from the original
storybook

Grades K-2: a book with a fiction story


See fiction

structureGrades K-2: See story structure; text structure
style

Grades 6-8: the techniques an author uses and the choices he or she makes.


For example, an author may use very long and detailed sentences or many short sentences with simple words. An author may write as if telling a story, in a narrative style, even if the text is not a story. An author may address readers directly to persuade them, with an argumentative style.

subheading

Grades K-2: a small heading that tells the name of a small part of a book or a small part of a page


Also see heading, text features.

summary/summarize

Grades 3-5: narrative text summary: a brief retelling of the main events and key details in a story, including one about real people, places, or events; uses an organized manner, such as by telling:


Somebody wanted


But


So


Then


informational text summary: a brief recounting of the main ideas and most important details of an informational text; uses an organized manner, such as by answering who, what, when, where, why, and how


Grades 6-8: objective narrative summary: a summary that tells only the main events about who, what, where, why, when, and how and that does not include the reader’s personal opinions or judgments about the text


For narrative nonfiction, use a narrative summary format, such as by telling:


Somebody wanted


But


So


Then


objective informational text summary: a summary that tells only the central ideas and details about who, what, where, why, when, and how and that does not include the reader’s personal opinions or judgments about the text


support/supporting details

Grades 3-5: support: to provide evidence for an answer or claim; supporting details

provide evidence


Also see details, evidence


Grades 6-8: See details/particular details

suspense

Grades 6-8: heightened excitement or tension readers or viewers feel when they do not know what will happen


Also see climax, rising action

symbolGrades 3-5: Grade 4: something that stands for something else; for example, a white dove stands for peace
tableGrades K-2: See chart
table of contentsGrades K-2: a list of main parts of the book, which usually comes after the title page
technical meanings

Grades 6-8: meanings used to discuss topic-or domain-specific words


Also see domain/ domain-specific language

technical procedureGrades K-2: See procedure
technical textsGrades 3-5: texts that usually explain technical procedures, such as scientific experiments or recipes
textGrades K-2: a piece of writing, such as a storybook or poem
text box

Grades K-2: text in a box with a colored background; it usually gives information that is related to the main topic but is special or different in some way


Also see text features

textual evidence

Grades 6-8: evidence from a text (fiction or nonfiction) that you can use to illustrate your ideas and support your arguments or analysis


Also see evidence

text features

Grades K-2: See caption, glossary, heading, illustration, index, photograph, sidebar, subheading, table of contents, text box


Grades 3-5: See bold print/bold type, caption, electronic menus, glossary, illustration, heading, hyperlinks, icons, index, key words, photograph, sidebar, subheading, table of contents, text box

text structure

Grades 3-5: the overall way a text’s parts, such as chapters, scenes, and stanzas, are organized and relate to one another:


how events, ideas, information, or concepts in a text are organized


Also see chronological text structure; comparison text structure, cause/effect text structure, description text structure, problem/solution text structure; process/sequence text structure


Grades 6-8: the overall way a text’s parts, such as chapters, scenes, and stanzas are organized and relate to one another


See chronological text structure; comparison text structure, cause/effect text structure, description text structure, problem/solution text structure; process/sequence text structure


Also see rhyme scheme, rhythm, soliloquy, sonnet, stanza

text type

Grades K-2: See fiction, nonfiction, poem, storybook, picture book.


Also see genre


Grades 3-5: See genre


Grades 6-8: See genre

thematic topic

Grades 3-5: a topic related to the theme and expressed in one or two words;


Also see theme

theme

Grades K-2: See central message, moral, lesson


Grades 3-5: a universal message about the world outside/beyond the text.


A theme can be the central message, the lesson, or what the author wants you to learn or think about after reading. Themes are usually stated in a complete sentence.


Grades 6-8: Grades 7 and 8: Students analyze theme development over course of a text

third personGrades 3-5: See narrator
timelineGrades 3-5: a diagram that shows dates and events, usually placed along a line
time stamp

Grades 3-5: a heading or subheading that tells the time and/or date for events or information in the section that follows, such as in a dated journal


Also see text features

titleGrades K-2: the name of a book
title pageGrades K-2: a page at the beginning of a book that gives the title and usually includes the author’s and illustrator’s names
tone

Grades K-2: See tone of voice


Grades 3-5: See tone of voice


Grades 6-8: author’s attitude toward a topic, conveyed through the author’s words.


Sometimes that attitude is expressed through a particular character’s voice. Examples of tone include formal, angry, humorous, and frightened.


See mood

tone of voice

Grades K-2: the feeling or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking.


Tone of voice reveals the narrator or character’s feelings about certain events, details, or characters in the story. A tone of voice could be angry, happy, funny, silly, and so on.


Grades 3-5: the feeling or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking; may provide a clue to point of view


Grades 6-8: See tone

topic

Grades K-2: what a text or section of text is mostly about


Also see main topic

topic sentenceGrades K-2: the sentence in a paragraph that tells the main idea
traits

Grades 3-5: qualities that make one person or thing different from another person—traits are not easily changed; traits tend to be permanent while feelings (emotions) are temporary; physical traits (tall, short, fury, spotted); personality traits (religious, honest, loyal, loving, kind, sneaky, selfish); traits can reveal what a character values or cares about.


Also see feelings

transition words

Grades 3-5: words used to describe relationships/ interactions among events, ideas, or information.


For example: Words such as also and unlike show when two examples are the same or different. Words such as first, next, and last show the sequence of events. Words such as because and so show how one event makes another happen.

unknown/unfamiliar words
Grades K-2: words readers haven’t seen before or haven’t heard before
Venn diagramGrades K-2: See diagram
verbGrades K-2: a word that shows an action
verbalGrades 6-8: See gerund, infinitive, participle
verse

Grades 3-5: writing in which stressed and unstressed syllables are organized into rhythmic patterns


Also see poem, rhythm, meter

Web pageGrades 3-5: Grade 4: a document on the World Wide Web; a page shown on a website
words that suggest feelingsGrades K-2: See connotative language
words that appeal to sensesGrades K-2: See senses/words that appeal to senses; describe
writing formatsGrades 3-5: See article, essay, letter, pamphlet, paragraph, public service announcement, speech