What does a student learn in StatePennsylvania,GradeGrade 9,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Reading a nonfiction article or report closely, then backing up any conclusion with specific lines or details pulled directly from the text. A guess without evidence does not count.

Students read nonfiction articles, essays, and reports to figure out why the author arranged the information that way and how specific word choices shape what the reader takes away.

Students read several articles or sources on the same topic, then weigh what each one says to build a fuller, more accurate picture. The goal is to see where sources agree, where they differ, and what that means together.

Students learn the specific words that show up in textbooks, articles, and academic writing across subjects. When they read about history, science, or current events, they build the vocabulary needed to understand and discuss the material.

Students read and understand complex nonfiction on their own, without help from the teacher. This standard is less about one specific skill and more about whether students can handle challenging real-world reading, like articles, essays, and reports, by themselves.

Reading closely means students go back into the story or poem to find specific lines that back up their conclusions. They don't just say what happened. They show why they think so, using the actual words on the page.

Students read a story or poem and explain how the author's word choices, structure, and figurative language work together to create a specific mood or meaning.

Students read two or more works side by side and explain how the themes or structures are similar or different. A poem and a novel might wrestle with the same idea but build it in completely different ways.

Students learn to read the emotional weight of word choices in a story or poem, including metaphors, symbols, and the unstated meanings a word carries beyond its dictionary definition.

Students read full-length novels, plays, and poems on their own, working through complex language and ideas without step-by-step help. This is the independent reading stamina built across ninth and tenth grade.

Students write an argument, then back it up with real evidence from sources and explain why that evidence supports their point. The reasoning has to hold up, not just sound convincing.

Students write essays or reports that explain a topic clearly, using facts, details, and examples a reader can follow. The goal is to inform, not to argue.

Students write a story, real or invented, with a clear sequence of events, specific details, and techniques like dialogue or pacing that make the writing hold together and feel alive.

Students work through the full writing process, from planning and drafting to revising and editing, with a clear sense of who they're writing for and why.

Students pick a focused question, gather information from several sources, and weave those findings into a research project. The work applies to both a quick assignment and a longer multi-week project.

Students write with correct grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. This standard covers the mechanical side of writing: the rules that make a sentence clear and professional.

Students come to class discussions ready to engage, not just wait their turn to talk. They listen to what classmates say, build on those ideas, and explain their own thinking clearly.

Students organize a spoken presentation so the main point is clear and each piece of evidence connects back to it. Listeners should be able to follow the argument without asking what the point was.

Students pull together information from sources like videos, podcasts, and written texts to build a fuller picture of a topic. They also weigh whether a speaker's argument holds up or reflects a particular bias.