STANDARD 3: Language Arts Literacy

Language Arts Literacy

Mission: Learning to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically and creatively enables students to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their lives.

Standard 3.1 Reading All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.
Big Idea: The ability to read a variety of texts requires independence, comprehension, and fluency.
3.1.6 A. Concepts About Print
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How does understanding a text’s structure help me better understand its meaning?	- Understanding of a text’s features, structures, and characteristics facilitate the reader’s ability to make meaning of the text.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Use a text index and glossary independently and appropriately.
2. Survey and explain text features that contribute to comprehension (e.g., headings, introductory, concluding paragraphs).
3. Recognize and use common print formats to obtain information (e.g., newspapers, magazines, electronic sources).
3.1.6 B. Phonological Awareness: No additional indicators at this grade level
3.1.6 C. Decoding and Word Recognition
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do I figure out a word I do not know?	- Readers use language structure and context clues to identify the intended meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Use a dictionary to decode new words independently.
2. Use context clues or knowledge of phonics, syllabication, prefixes, and suffixes to decode new words.	Instructional focus: • Polysyllabic words; root words (cognates); prefixes and suffixes • Use of known words to understand the meaning of unknown words. • Building of background knowledge via teacher read alouds • Increased use of non-fiction material during language arts literacy instruction ASSESS word attack skills during guided reading.
3. Apply knowledge of new words correctly (refer to word parts and word origin).
4. Apply spelling and syllabication rules that aid in decoding and word recognition.
3.1.6 D. Fluency
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How does fluency affect comprehension?	- Fluent readers group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Adjust reading speed appropriately for different purposes and audiences.	Instructional strategies: •Fluency needs to be modeled (read alouds by fluent adults), practiced (in small, flexible guided reading groups and independently with text that is reread), and assessed by the teacher (during running records and/or conferencing with students).
2. Read aloud in ways that reflect understanding of proper phrasing and intonation.
3. Read silently for the purpose of increasing speed, accuracy, and reading fluency.
4. Apply self-correcting strategies to decode and gain meaning from print, both orally and silently.
3.1.6 E. Reading Strategies (before, during, and after reading)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
-What do readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?	- Good readers employ strategies to help them understand text. Strategic readers can develop, select, and apply strategies to enhance their comprehension.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Activate prior knowledge and anticipate what will be read or heard.
2. Vary reading strategies according to their purpose for reading and the nature of the text.
3. Reread to make sense of difficult paragraphs or sections of text.
4. Make revisions to text predictions during and after reading.
5. Use reference aids for word meanings when reading.
6. Apply graphic organizers to illustrate key concepts and relationships in a text.
3.1.6 F. Vocabulary and Concept Development
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
-What do readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?	- Words powerfully affect meaning
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Infer word meanings from learned roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
2. Infer specific word meanings in the context of reading passages.	Instructional focus: • Infer word meanings through an understanding of the passage’s context, purpose, audience and specifics such as historical context ASSESS using passages with unknown and/or multiple meaning words.
3. Identify and correctly use antonyms, synonyms, homophones, and homographs.
4. Use the dictionary for a variety of purposes (e.g., definitions, word origins, parts of speech).
5. Use a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings
3.1.6 G. Comprehension Skills and Response to Text
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do readers construct meaning from text?	- Good readers compare, infer, synthesize, and make connections (text to text, text to world, text to self) to make text personally relevant and useful.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Respond critically to an author’s purpose, ideas, views, and beliefs.	Instructional strategies: • Teacher read alouds with attention to author’s intent, views and beliefs • Guided reading to improve comprehension at student’s instructional level • Independent reading by students and subsequent demonstration of each student’s understanding of author’s point of view • Demonstration of understanding of an author’s point of view through multimedia projects and activities • Integration of the study of an author’s point of view within the historical perspective • Writing assignments that allow students to share their points of view Examples: Jigsaw reading of a lengthy passage in small group, followed by students sharing interpretations of author’s purpose, ideas, views and beliefs based on their section of the passage.
2. Identify genre by their distinctive elements (e.g. tall tale-exaggeration).	Instructional strategies Teacher read alouds; shared and independent reading and full discussion of genre through: • Literature circles • Guided reading group and individual discussions • Conferencing with individual students • Project-based learning based in genre • Library visits and classroom assignments with attention to genre and author studies • Student-generated graphic organizers and semantic maps that highlight genre-specific elements and vocabulary ASSESS using reader’s response to various genres.
3. Use cause and effect and sequence of events to gain meaning.	Instructional strategy – Use higher order questions whose answers demonstrate knowledge of cause and effect. Example: Explain how construction of homes and businesses around major cities affects the environment.
4. Construct meaning from text by making conscious connections to self, an author, and others.	Instructional strategies: • Literature circles • Group and individual discussions • Conferencing with individual students • Project-based learning based in connections to the theme • Student-generated graphic organizers and semantic maps that highlight connections Example: Students re-write the end of a story, connecting it to their backgrounds and personal experiences.
5. Recognize persuasive and propaganda techniques used to influence readers.	Instructional strategy - use authentic media • Editorials • Advertising campaigns • Celebrity endorsements • Popular culture, e.g., music, poetry, television and other media, etc. ASSESS through students’ oral and written responses to the elements inherent in persuasive writing.
6. Recognize and understand historical and cultural biases and different points of view.	Instructional strategies: • Teacher read alouds with attention to author’s intent, views, culture and beliefs • Guided reading • Independent reading by students and subsequent demonstration of each student’s understanding of author’s point of view, historical references and cultural biases • Demonstration of understanding of an author’s point of view through multimedia projects and activities • Integration of the study of an author’s point of view with a focus on the historical perspective during the time in which the piece was written ASSESS through writing assignments that allow students to share their cultural points of view based on multi-cultural readings.
7. Identify and analyze features of themes conveyed through characters, actions, and images.	Instructional focus: • Classroom instruction around a central theme that crosses content areas (social studies, science, math, etc.) • Examination of literature for theme whenever relevant • Reading passages connected to the theme upon which the units/lessons are planned. Example: Choose literature related to the historical period studied in social studies or concept in science.
8. Distinguish between major and minor details.	Instructional strategies Use: • Classroom discussion (whole group, small group) • Graphic organizers
9. Make inferences using textual information and provide supporting evidence.	Instructional strategy – higher order questioning Ask: • What does the author mean? What words support that meaning? • What meaning is not explicitly stated? • How does this passage relate to something you know about or have heard about? • How does that knowledge lead you to infer from the author’s writing?
10. Recognize common organizational patterns in text that support comprehension (e.g., headings captions).	Instructional strategies: • Use nonfiction text elements (headings; captions; sidebar stories and facts; illustrations; graphics, etc.) to fully comprehend text. • Whole group instruction: text features • Small group: guided reading using nonfiction text • Organization of classroom libraries to feature organizational text ASSESS through writing assignments and project-based learning tasks that demand organizational elements. Example: Students create websites that capitalize on the use of organizational structures.
11. Identify and analyze text types, formats, and elements in nonfiction.	Instructional strategies: Study and critique: • News stories – various media • Feature articles in newspapers, magazines and journals • Online newsletters • Textbook chapters ASSESS through oral and written critique.
12. Recognize characterization, setting, plot, theme, and point of view in fiction.	Instructional strategies: Ask: • How does the setting directly affect the story’s outcome? • How critical to the story were the supporting characters? • How would you analyze the plot? • How is the mood relevant to the reader and to the story? ASSESS through class discussion.
13. Recognize sensory details, figurative language, and other literary devices in text.	Instructional focus: • Explicit instruction about figurative language • Selection of teacher read alouds that are authentic examples of authors’ uses of figurative language • Investigation of the sound of poetry and how it can be used to affect mood or tone of the message • Exploration of the various structures of poetry and discussion of the ways that poets use their craft to convey a message ASSESS through writing assignments (responding to and creating poetry).
14. Identify and respond to the elements of sound and structure in poetry.	ASSESS by incorporating poetry into writing assignments (both responding to poetry and writing poetry in various forms, e.g., Haiku, ballads, etc.).
15. Analyze drama as a source of information, entertainment, persuasion, or transmitter of culture.
16. Identify and analyze elements of setting, plot, and characterization in plays that are read, written, or performed.
17. Explain ways that the setting contributes to the mood of a novel, play, or poem.
18. Interpret idiomatic expressions.	Instructional focus: •Explicit instruction is needed on idiomatic expressions, particularly for students whose first language is other than English. It is helpful to make connections for students between the literal and non-literal interpretation of language. ASSESS by having students explain the literal interpretation and the idiomatic meaning through dramatic presentation.
3.1.6 H. Inquiry and Research
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- Why conduct research?	- Researchers gather and critique information from different sources for specific purposes.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Develop and revise questions for investigations prior to, during, and after reading.
2. Select and use multiple sources to locate information relevant to research questions.
3. Draw conclusions from information gathered from multiple sources.	Instructional strategy: • Synthesize information from various sources to answer a research question. Example: Research what taxes are, how they are collected and how tax dollars are used in your local community.
4. Interpret and use graphic sources of information such as maps, graphs, timelines, or tables to address research questions.	Instructional strategy: • Synthesize information from various sources to answer a research question. Example: Use the timeline of a major era in history, pinpoint a turning point along that timeline that contributed to a major historical change (use the Civil War; the Vietnam War; woman’s suffrage movement; civil rights movement; etc. ) and write about that change in the context of events preceding it .
5. Summarize and organize information by taking notes, outlining ideas, and/or making charts.
6. Produce projects and reports, using visuals, media, and/or technology to show learning and support the learning of an audience
7. Compare themes, characters, settings, and ideas across texts or works and produce evidence of understanding.

Standard 3.2 Writing All students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.
Big Idea: Writing is the process of communicating in print for a variety of audiences and purposes.
3.2.6 A. Writing as a Process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, postwriting)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do good writers express themselves? How does process shape the writer’s product?	- Good writers develop and refine their ideas for thinking, learning, communicating, and aesthetic expression.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Write informational compositions of several paragraphs that engage the interest of the reader, state a clear purpose, develop the topic, and conclude with a detailed summary.	Instructional focus: • Includes explicit instruction on all steps of the writing process • Study of informational writers (what they write about; how they convey information in a way that makes it accessible to readers); use of paraphrasing; use of informational elements (captions; illustrations; charts; graphs, etc.) ASSESS using writing assignments that reflect nonfiction read in the classroom and incorporate students’ personal experiences in a way that reflects understanding of the subject matter. Example: Students write informational pieces about the: • Effects of global warming • Impact of women in politics • Salaries and endorsements in professional sports
2. Generate ideas for writing through reading and making connections across the curriculum and with current events.
3. Expand knowledge about form, structure, and voice in a variety of genres.
4. Use strategies such as using graphic organizers and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas for writing.
5. Draft writing in a selected genre with supporting structure and appropriate voice according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.	Instructional focus: • Understanding genre, author’s voice and intent, audience and purpose for writing • Drafting (getting ideas on paper) • Structures of writing in various genre Example: Students write a persuasive essay about the medical or social needs of children in a third world country.
6. Make decisions about the use of precise language, including adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and specific details, and justify the choices made.	Instructional focus: • Explicit instruction during teacher read alouds and small group instruction • Interactive word walls • Teacher paraphrasing during both reading and speaking • Anchoring of the new words to students’ backgrounds and experiences • Writing assignments that require the use of domain-specific vocabulary • Attention to words that author’s choose and how they illuminate the story being told or the information being shared ASSESS using writing assignments that require specific word choices. Example: Write a descriptive piece that employs sensory vocabulary to evoke a feeling or a mood, e.g., memories evoked by the smell of a particular food or by a specific sound.
7. Revise drafts by rereading for meaning, narrowing focus, elaborating and deleting, as well as reworking organization, openings, closings, word choice, and consistency of voice.
8. Review own writing with others to understand the reader’s perspective and to consider and incorporate ideas for revision.
9. Review and edit work for spelling, usage, clarity, organization, and fluency.
10. Use a variety of reference materials to revise work.
11. Use computer writing applications during the writing process.
12. Understand and apply the elements of a scoring rubric to improve and evaluate writing.
13. Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.
3.2.6 B. Writing as a Product (resulting in a formal product or publication)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do writers develop a well written product?	- Good writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Expand knowledge of characteristics, structures, and tone of selected genres.
2. Write a range of grade appropriate essays across curricula (e.g., persuasive, personal, descriptive, issue- based)	Instructional strategies: • Use the study of literature and expository text to study an author’s use of words, phrases and information • Provide multiple writing assignments that allow students to write across curricula (some timed, others spanning several days or weeks) • Expand persuasive writing beyond only letter writing to incorporate editorials, essays, advertisements and endorsements • Develop targeted word walls to provide vocabulary used specifically for persuasive, descriptive writing, etc. • Investigate issue-based current events and work to incorporate writing into the development of an understanding of social studies/science based issue Example: Students write a persuasive essay extolling the virtues of a presidential candidate.
3. Write grade appropriate, multi-paragraph expository pieces across curricula (e.g., problem/solution, cause/effect, hypothesis/results, feature articles, critique, research reports).	Examples: • Students write features about adversity overcome by their personal heroes. • Students design websites that illustrate a scientific problem from hypothesis to results.
4. Write various types of prose, such as short stories, biography, autobiography, or memoir that contain narrative elements.	Example: • Students write prose, biographies.
5. Support main idea, topic, or theme with facts, examples, or explanations, including information from multiple sources.	Example: • Students write a research report that includes facts, examples, or explanations from multiple sources related to a particular topic or theme.
6. Sharpen focus and improve coherence by considering the relevancy of included details, and adding, deleting, and rearranging appropriately.
7. Write sentences of varying length and complexity, using specific nouns, verbs, and descriptive words.	Instructional focus Writing: • Explicit instruction about the complexity of sentences, including powerful beginnings and segues or transitional words, phrases and sentences • Types of sentences (compound, complex) Vocabulary: • Explicit instruction during both teacher read alouds and small group instruction • Interactive word walls • Teacher paraphrasing during reading and speaking as well as during writers’ conferences with individual students • Anchoring of the new words to students’ backgrounds and experiences • Writing assignments that require the use of domain specific words • Attention to words that authors choose and how words illuminate the story or the information • Knowledge about multiple meaning words and selection of precise words Examples: • Students create semantic webs for multiple meaning words. • Students write reviews of their favorite books or movies, using figurative language and descriptive vocabulary.
8. Prepare a works consulted page for reports or research papers.
9. Provide logical sequence throughout multi-paragraph works by refining organizational structure and developing transitions between ideas.	Instructional focus: • Transition words, phrases and sentences • Knowledge of logical sequence as evidenced by progression of ideas
10. Engage the reader from beginning to end with an interesting opening, logical sequence, and satisfying conclusion.
3.2.6 C. Mechanics, Spelling, and Handwriting
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do rules of language affect communication?	- Rules, conventions of language, help readers understand what is being communicated.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators