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

Students read on their own and with teacher guidance, choosing from complex stories, articles, and other sources that reflect a range of people and viewpoints, including voices outside the mainstream.

Students read on their own and keep track of whether they understand what they're reading. When something stops making sense, they use strategies like rereading a passage or looking up a word to get back on track.

Students pick up grade-level texts on their own and read them well enough to handle real assignments. That means working through both stories and nonfiction without waiting to be walked through every page.

Students find and read two different authors writing about the same topic, then compare what each one says.

Students read challenging stories and nonfiction on their own, choosing some books themselves and working through others assigned by the teacher. The texts focus on Dakota and Anishinaabe voices, both historical and present-day.

Students pick and read stories, essays, or other texts by or about Dakota and Anishinaabe people, then use what they read to dig into a concept, issue, or piece of history on their own terms.

Reading closely enough to understand what a text says, figure out its deeper meaning, and explain what themes or central ideas the author is really getting at.

Students back up their conclusions with direct quotes and details pulled from the text, explain what the text implies beyond what it states outright, and write a neutral summary of what the text actually says.

Students read two or more texts and explain what each author is really saying beneath the surface. They trace how specific details build that message and consider how the author's background or point of view shaped it.

Students look at two or more characters side by side, noting where they overlap and where they differ. The focus is on characters with messy or conflicting wants, not just simple heroes and villains.

Students examine how a nonfiction writer builds an argument or explanation, looking at the order ideas appear, how each one is set up, and how they connect to each other across the piece.

Students look at how a piece of writing is built, such as how a story is ordered or how an article groups its ideas, then use that to make sense of what they read and judge how well it works.

Students look at how an author's choices shape a story: why the narrator sees events a certain way, how hints about what's coming create tension, and how jumping back in time changes the reader's experience.

Students break down how a nonfiction text is built, looking at how individual sentences and paragraphs push a central idea forward. They identify whether the author opens with a claim and backs it up, or builds toward a conclusion from specific details.

Students look closely at photos, charts, illustrations, or other visuals in a text and explain how those images shape the meaning or mood of what they read.

Students look at what shaped a piece of writing: when it was written, what the author lived through, and whether the work is fact or fiction. Those forces explain why the text says what it says and sounds the way it does.

Students look at who wrote a text and ask how that person's background, beliefs, and point of view shaped what they included and how they said it. A writer's identity and purpose leave fingerprints on every paragraph.

Students look at when a text was published and ask whether that age makes it more or less trustworthy today. A science article from 1980 or a history book from a century ago may tell only part of the story.

Students read an argument and spot the claims the author makes, then flag any statements that are false or use flawed logic to mislead the reader.

Students read complex articles or essays and judge whether the arguments hold up. They decide if the evidence actually supports the claim or if something is missing.

Students read two articles on the same topic, then weigh which author makes a stronger case. They check whether each author's evidence actually supports the claim and whether the reasoning holds up.

Students look closely at specific word choices in a novel, article, or other complex text and explain how those words shape the tone, meaning, and overall effect of the piece.

Word choice shapes more than meaning. Students study how an author's specific words, rhythm, or sentence patterns set the tone of a literary text and signal when, where, or what kind of world the story inhabits.

Students study specialized words in nonfiction, tracing roots, prefixes, and suffixes to understand why a word means what it means. Breaking a word into its parts is often faster than reaching for a dictionary.

Students find information from multiple sources, check whether each source is trustworthy and actually relevant to the topic, and weigh perspectives that don't all agree with each other.

Students research a topic by seeking out sources that disagree with each other, not just sources that confirm one view. The goal is a fuller picture of the issue before drawing conclusions.

Students read sources on a topic and decide which ones are trustworthy, fair, and useful enough to rely on. If the sources they find aren't convincing, they go look for better ones.

Writing clear sentences means knowing how words sound, how to spell them, and how punctuation and grammar hold them together. Students apply those skills to get their ideas onto the page in a way readers can follow.

With a teacher's help, students revise their writing to match the formatting and citation rules of a specific style guide, such as MLA for English class or APA for science.

No writing benchmark is assigned at this grade level. The skills in this strand are addressed in the grades around it.

Grammar becomes a choice, not just a rule. Students use sentence structure, pronouns, and parts of speech on purpose to shape how their writing sounds and feels to a reader.

Students practice writing regularly across subjects, bringing their own point of view and experiences to the page. The goal is to make writing feel like a normal, everyday habit rather than a one-time assignment.

Students write regularly across different situations, picking their own topics and formats, and adding visuals like charts or images when those help make the point.

Students write about how different parts of their identity, such as family background, culture, or personal experience, shape the way they see and interpret the world. The goal is a piece that sounds like no one else could have written it.

Students plan, draft, revise, and edit a piece of writing before it's finished. Each step builds on the last, so the final version is stronger than what they started with.

Students plan and draft pieces, then gather feedback from real readers and use it to revise and improve the writing before publishing. The goal is to treat writing as a back-and-forth process, not a one-and-done assignment.

Word choice and sentence length shape how writing sounds and feels. Students experiment with both, adjusting them based on who will read the piece and what tone fits the situation.

Students write a persuasive argument about a topic or text, backing each claim with real evidence and sound reasoning. They also think about who will read it and adjust how they make their case.

Students write a persuasive argument on a real issue they care about, backing their position with evidence and addressing the strongest reason someone might disagree.

Writing a persuasive piece means students take a clear position, then acknowledge and respond to views that disagree with theirs. They build on what they already know about argument writing to make a stronger, more complete case.

Students write to explain a complex idea clearly, using facts and details drawn from real texts. The goal is accuracy and knowing who will read it.

Students write an informative piece that compares facts from multiple perspectives, including Indigenous viewpoints, on a single topic. They explain how ideas connect and differ, use vocabulary specific to the subject, and organize their writing to match the kind of text they are producing.

Students read a story or novel, then write a response that goes beyond summary, explaining what the text means, how it works, or what it made them think.

Students write stories, poems, and other creative pieces using specific details and word choices that bring their ideas to life. The goal is writing that feels intentional, not just filled in.

Students practice writing techniques from published works they've studied, then apply those moves to their own stories, poems, or other creative pieces.

Students study a published story or poem they admire, then borrow its structure (how it opens, shifts, or ends) to shape their own writing.

Students choose a question they want to answer, research it, and write or present their findings for a real audience. The work shifts depending on who needs to know and why.

Students come up with their own questions to kick off a research project, then keep asking new questions as they dig deeper into a topic.

Students pick a topic, gather information from multiple sources, and write up what they found in their own words. The goal is to show they actually understand the subject, not just copy facts from one place.

Students back up their writing with quotes or details pulled from outside sources, then cite where each one came from. They also learn why copying someone's work without credit is both a legal and an ethical issue.

Students find and use sources from books and websites, then quote or paraphrase accurately, giving each source proper credit. They follow a style guide like MLA or APA and learn why copying without attribution is off-limits.

Students discuss and share their own ideas while making space for perspectives from Dakota, Anishinaabe, and other communities. Both listening and speaking count as part of the work.

Students take turns leading and joining class discussions and storytelling, sharing their own ideas while genuinely considering Dakota, Anishinaabe, and other cultural perspectives, not just listening but actively thinking through viewpoints different from their own.

Students discuss real topics from social studies and science, sharing their own ideas while making room for other perspectives, including those of Dakota and Anishinaabe people.

Students build on what classmates say during discussion, then sum up where the group agrees and where it doesn't. It keeps conversations moving instead of talking past each other.

Students practice reaching agreement as a group by finding common ground and weaving in opinions that differ from the majority. This includes listening across different backgrounds and cultures, not just the loudest voices in the room.

Students follow a teacher-provided example to work through a disagreement respectfully during group discussion.

Students ask questions that connect the conversation to bigger ideas, bring other people into the discussion, and push back on or support conclusions. Coming prepared makes all of this possible.

Students ask for feedback on their work, then use what they hear to revise it. That means listening closely, deciding what to act on, and making real changes to the piece.

Students shape what they say and how they say it based on who's listening. They choose words, tone, and structure that fit the situation, whether that's a classroom discussion or a formal presentation.

Students adjust how they speak or write depending on who they're talking to and why. In a class discussion or job interview, that means using formal English; in a group project, it might mean something more casual.

Students choose the right format for the job, whether that means writing a paragraph, giving a speech, or posting something online, and think carefully about who they are trying to reach before they start.

Students pull information from videos, charts, speeches, and other sources together to answer a question or build an argument. They also check whether each source is trustworthy and accurate before using it.

Students make a digital product (a video, a post, a slideshow) aimed at a real audience, then share it while thinking about who owns the content they used and what trace they leave online.