What does a student learn in StateMinnesota,GradeGrade 10,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students read on their own and follow assigned reading, working through challenging stories and nonfiction from writers with different backgrounds and points of view, including voices that don't often show up in standard curricula.

Students read several texts on the same topic, connect ideas across them, and write notes that show how their thinking developed. A teacher helps along the way.

Students pick up a grade-level book or article for a class assignment and read it closely enough to understand, analyze, and respond to it on their own.

Students find and read several authors writing about the same topic, then compare how each one sees the issue differently based on their own background or point of view.

Students read complex stories and nonfiction on their own and with teacher guidance. The texts center the voices and experiences of Dakota and Anishinaabe people, both historical and present-day.

Students pick and read literary or informational texts by or about Dakota and Anishinaabe people, then use what they read to explore a concept, issue, or piece of history that connects to their purpose for reading.

Reading critically means more than following the plot. Students dig into what a text is really saying, tracking how themes and central ideas develop across a full, challenging piece of writing.

Students find specific lines or passages from the text to back up their conclusions, including what the author states directly and what readers have to infer. They also note where and how the author introduces key ideas, then summarize the text without adding their own opinion.

Students read two or more texts on the same topic and compare what each author is really arguing. They also ask how the author's background or point of view might have shaped that message.

Students trace how a character changes across a story and explain how those changes push the plot forward. The focus is on the connection between who a character is becoming and what happens next.

Students read two nonfiction pieces on the same topic and compare how each author builds their argument: what order they raise points in, how they develop each one, and where the two authors agree or diverge.

Students look at how a story, article, or argument is built, how the parts connect and why the author arranged them that way. That structure helps students make sense of difficult texts and judge whether they work.

Students look at how an author arranges events, whether the story moves straight ahead, jumps around in time, or follows two storylines at once, and decide how those choices shape the reader's experience.

Students read an informational text and judge how specific sentences or paragraphs build, sharpen, or shift the author's main argument. They explain what each section adds, not just what it says.

Students look at photos, charts, or other visuals in a text and explain how those images shape the meaning or mood of the piece as a whole.

Students read a story or article and ask why the author wrote it this way: when they lived, what they believed, and where they came from. Those questions change what the text means and how it's built.

Students read a text and consider who wrote it and why. The author's background, beliefs, and point of view shape what details get included, what gets left out, and how the writing sounds.

Students examine how the year a book or article was published affects whether its facts and ideas still hold up today. A science text from 50 years ago or a history book written during a conflict may need to be read with that context in mind.

Students read an argument and judge whether the reasoning holds up. They check if the evidence actually supports the claim and spot any statements that are misleading or logically flawed.

Students read opinion pieces and nonfiction articles, then decide whether the author's argument holds up. They look at whether the claims are backed by real evidence or just strong language.

Students read what multiple authors say about the same topic, then judge whether each argument holds up. They ask: is the evidence actually relevant, is there enough of it, and does the reasoning follow?

Students look closely at specific words and phrases in a text to understand how an author's word choices shape the meaning, tone, and style of what they're reading.

Students pick apart words that carry more than one meaning in a story or novel, then explain how those word choices shape what the text feels like and what it's really saying.

Students look at specific word choices in nonfiction and explain how those words shape the text's meaning, including what a word's origin reveals about the culture, time period, or place the author is writing from.

Students find information from multiple sources, check whether each source is trustworthy and relevant, and look for perspectives beyond the obvious ones.

Students gather information on a topic from sources that represent different viewpoints, not just one side. The goal is to build a fuller picture of the issue before drawing conclusions.

Students evaluate where information comes from, asking whether the source has a bias, an agenda, or gaps that make it less reliable, then decide which sources are worth using.

Students apply what they know about spelling, grammar, and punctuation to put their ideas into clear, readable sentences on the page.

With a teacher's help, students follow a style guide (such as MLA or APA) to format and punctuate their writing correctly for the subject and assignment.

No writing benchmark is set for this standard at this grade level. Skills in this area are addressed in earlier or later grades.

Grammar and punctuation choices shape how writing sounds and who it sounds like. Students practice using those tools on purpose, not just correctly, to give their writing a distinct voice.

Regular writing practice across subjects, where students bring their own perspective and voice to the page. The goal is fluency: writing often enough that finding the right words gets easier.

Students write regularly across many types of tasks, picking their own topics and formats. When it fits the work, they add visuals like charts or images to support their message.

Students write about who they are and how they connect to the wider world. The goal is to express a personal point of view, not just report facts.

Students plan, draft, revise, and edit a piece of writing before sharing a final version. Each step builds on the last, so the finished writing is stronger than what they put down first.

Students learn to adjust their writing to fit what a specific publication asks for, whether that means hitting a word count, following a format, or matching the expected tone.

Word choice and sentence structure shape how writing sounds and what it means. Students revise their drafts to make sure every word and sentence fits the audience they're writing for.

Students write a focused argument for a real audience, backing up their claim with evidence from the text and sound reasoning. The goal is to persuade, not just summarize.

Students write a persuasive argument on a real issue, address the strongest objection to their position, and back both sides with evidence. This builds on argument writing from earlier grades.

Students write a persuasive piece on a real, meaningful issue, showing they understand the topic from multiple angles and can make a case that holds up under scrutiny.

Students write essays or reports that explain a complex topic clearly, using facts and examples pulled from what they've read. The writing is shaped for a specific audience.

Students write an informative piece on a complex topic, choosing facts carefully for accuracy and relevance. They use specific vocabulary for the subject, organize the piece clearly, and keep a neutral tone throughout.

Students pick one angle on a story, either zooming in on a single element like character or setting, or stepping back to compare how several elements work together, then write an analysis that makes their thinking clear.

Students write stories or poems with specific details and purposeful word choices to express an idea clearly. The focus is on craft: how word choice, structure, and imagery shape what a reader feels or understands.

Writing a short story, poem, or other creative piece, students practice techniques like figurative language, dialogue, or vivid description to fit the task at hand.

Students choose a structure that fits the story or poem they are writing. A personal narrative might follow a timeline; a poem might use a repeating pattern. The form serves the piece, not the other way around.

Students research a question they care about, then turn what they find into a written piece or presentation shaped for a specific reader or goal.

Students come up with their own questions to dig into a topic, then ask follow-up questions as they learn more. The goal is to keep narrowing in on a real problem worth solving.

Students pick a topic, gather information from multiple sources, and write up what they found. The goal is to understand the subject well enough to explain it clearly to someone else.

Students back up their writing with evidence pulled from outside sources, cite those sources correctly, and show they understand when and how they can legally use someone else's words, images, or ideas.

Students pull quotes, restate ideas in their own words, and summarize information from print and digital sources, then cite each one correctly using the right style guide for the assignment.

Students practice speaking and listening in group discussions while making space for Dakota and Anishinaabe voices alongside other perspectives. They also share their own ideas and experiences as part of the conversation.

Students take turns leading and joining discussions, sharing their own ideas while actively considering Dakota and Anishinaabe perspectives alongside other viewpoints from voices unlike their own.

Students discuss grade 10 topics from social studies and science, sharing their own ideas while listening to perspectives from classmates, including Dakota and Anishinaabe voices and others unlike their own.

Students build on what others say in a discussion, not just wait for their turn. They ask follow-up questions, add to someone else's point, and help the conversation go somewhere useful.

Students work with classmates to agree on ground rules before a group discussion starts: how to make decisions, who handles which role, and what the group needs to finish by the end.

Students practice specific ways to work through disagreements in group discussion, including how to listen, respond, and keep the conversation moving when people see things differently.

Students keep a class discussion moving by asking questions that connect the topic to bigger ideas, pulling quieter classmates into the conversation, and pushing back on or building on what others say.

In group discussions, students listen to different viewpoints, sum up where the group agrees and disagrees, and revise their own ideas when someone makes a good point.

Students choose words and sentence structures that fit who they are talking to and why. In a class discussion or presentation, that means adjusting tone, word choice, and detail based on the situation.

Students choose words, tone, and structure to fit who they are talking to and why, adjusting how they speak whether the conversation happens in person, online, or in front of a group.

Students read, listen to, and create content across print, audio, and digital formats, choosing the right format for the task and audience. They also think critically about where information comes from and how it shapes the message.

Students choose how to share information based on who they are talking to and why, picking the right format, tone, and platform while keeping their communication honest and safe.

Students create a digital project (a video, podcast, slide deck, or remixed piece) for a real audience, then publish it while thinking through how that choice shapes their online presence.