School Administrative District #4

Unity of purpose

CORE CURRICULUM: SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

Department: English Language Arts

CONTENT STANDARD: LANGUAGE STUDY

Language study is understood to include grammar, usage, and the mechanics of writing; as well as the history and sociology of language itself. All students are expected to use the conventions of standard written and spoken English to write and to speak correctly.

 

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Alphabetize words as an aid to research

3.        Demonstrate an initial understanding that there are rules that govern correct spelling

4.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of adverbs as words that tell how, when, or where something is done

5.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of conjunctions as words that connect two or more things

6.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of interjections as words that show strong feeling

7.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of how to use commas correctly to set off

á         Items in a series

á         Parts of an address or date

8.        Identify and evaluate how written language use varies according to personal situations and settings (e.g., school, home, community)

9.        Make observations about the use of

á         Graphic symbols (e.g., +, -, <,>, =) encountered in various real-life situations

á         Idioms of language

CONTENT STANDARD: ORAL AND VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

Oral communication includes skills traditionally referred to as speaking and listening. All students are expected to demonstrate the ability to speak and to listen in order to explore ideas; to present lines of thought; to represent and reflect upon human experience; and to communicate feelings, knowledge, and opinions. Visual communication includes critical viewing skills needed to make sense of the information presented in the media. All students are expected to demonstrate the ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate what they see and hear in the media.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Kindergarten-Grade 4

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Listen courteously when others are reading or speaking

3.        Listen to and follow one- and two-step directions

4.        Demonstrate the ability to listen and view

á         Appreciatively

á         Attentively

á         Marginally

5.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of critical listening and viewing

6.        Listen to and record information

7.        Orally identify and manipulate phonemes in syllables and multi-syllabic words

8.        Initiate and maintain appropriate conversations with peers and adults

9.        Use oral language appropriate to the level of formality required

10.    Use increasingly complex sentence structures and vocabulary in oral communication

11.    Use oral language for diverse purposes (e.g., to inform, to persuade, to entertain)

12.    Participate in choral speaking and recite short poems, rhymes, songs, and stories with repeated patterns

13.    Participate in creative dramatics

14.    Contribute to group discussions

15.    Seek the ideas and opinions of others

16.    Begin to use evidence to support opinions

17.    Report orally and summarize personal discoveries he/she has made as a result of reading, listening, and viewing

18.    Summarize/paraphrase central concepts from oral and visual presentations

19.    Ask and seek answers to questions

20.    Demonstrate an initial understanding of verbal communication skills

á         Word choice

á         Voice control

á         Projection

á         Pace

á         Tone

á         Inflection

á         Pronunciation

á         Articulation

21.    Demonstrate an initial understanding of non-verbal communication skills

á         Poise

á         Posture

á         Hand control

á         Facial expression

á         Body language

á         Eye contact

á         Appearance

22.    Use a variety of media and technological resources to make creative and expository oral presentations

CONTENT STANDARD: PROCESS WRITING

Process writing includes those steps through which writers move regardless of audience, purpose, focus, or particular mode of writing. All students are expected to use the skills and strategies of the writing process to explore ideas; to present lines of thought; to represent and reflect on human experience; and to communicate feelings, knowledge, and opinions.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Use the writing process to complete written work

á         Prewriting

á         Drafting

á         Revising

á         Sharing/publishing

3.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of how to word process a piece of writing

CONTENT STANDARD: CREATIVE WRITING

Creative writing is expressive and imaginative writing. All students are expected to use the techniques of creative writing to explore ideas; to represent and reflect on human experience; and to communicate feelings.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Write stories (or other pieces) that show a definite beginning (introduction), middle (body), and end (conclusion)

3.        Write original poems based on appropriate models from literature

á         Haiku

á         Cinquain

á         Acrostic

á         Diamanté

CONTENT STANDARD: PRACTICAL WRITING

Practical writing is formulaic writing. All students are expected to be able to use writing skills to conduct personal and career-related business .

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

 

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Begin to write in cursive

3.        Demonstrate an initial understanding of how to address an envelope

CONTENT STANDARD: EXPOSITORY WRITING

Expository writing includes informative and persuasive writing. All students are expected to use the techniques of exposition to explore ideas; to present lines of thought; to represent and reflect on human experience; to communicate feelings, knowledge, and opinions; and to present information gleaned from research.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

 

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.         Demonstrate an initial understanding of the well-structured paragraph

á         Topic sentence

á         Supporting sentences

á         Clincher sentence

3.        Write one-paragraph essays (or other pieces) that

á         Use structures appropriate to audience and purpose

á         Begin to include topic sentences, supporting sentences, and clincher sentences

á         Begin to use descriptive language that clarifies, enhances, and develops ideas

á         Demonstrate an initial understanding of voice

4.        Use print, non-print, and electronic resources to gather information for research topics

5.        Present information obtained from research in a way that combines various forms of information, e.g., maps, charts, photos

CONTENT STANDARD: DEVELOPMENTAL (PROCESS) READING

Just as there are stages through which all effective writers pass to one degree or another, there are stages through which all effective readers pass. Developmental reading is characterized by the reader tackling the written language in order to differentiate among letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs. The reader learns decoding skills for recognizing and determining the meaning of unfamiliar words and learns to recognize various text structures and the organization of informational books. All students are expected to use the reading process to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate what they have read.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Select texts for enjoyment

3.        Apply word-analysis strategies to read a variety of printed materials by

á         Using knowledge of less common vowel patterns

á         Using knowledge of homophones

4.        Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary, glossary, or other reference source

CONTENT STANDARD: FUNCTIONAL READING

Functional reading is characterized by the reader tackling diverse texts and purposes for reading. The reader learns to use background knowledge to aid comprehension and to apply some general strategies for remembering information. All students are expected to use reading strategies (1) to experience, understand, and appreciate literature and culture and (2) to extract meaning from, recognize assumptions and implications within, and evaluate ideas presented in informational texts.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Grade 3

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Read and comprehend a variety of fiction and non-fiction selections in order to

á         Begin to use knowledge of language and text structures to aid comprehension

á         KWL method

á         SQ3R method

á         Make, confirm, and revise predictions

á         Recognize basic elements of plot and recount events, ideas, and important details from material read, heard, or viewed

á         Identify and explain how characters and situations found in various materials are like people or events in his/her own life or in other works

á         Understand how dialogue relates and contributes to a story or text

á         Begin to identify characteristics of distinct genres

á         Use information contained in chapter and section headings, topic sentences, and summary sentences to construct the main ideas

á         Locate supporting ideas

á         Organize information or events logically

á         Use information to learn about new topics

á         Distinguish between fact and opinion

3.        Use the parts of a book to access information

á         Spine

á         Cover

á         Table of contents

á         Chapters

á         Titles

á         Pictures and captions

á         Subtitles

á         Glossary

á         Index

4.        Extract information from a variety of secondary sources

á         Atlas

CONTENT STANDARD: RECREATIONAL READING

Recreational reading is characterized by the reader reading for pleasure or for personal purposes, not for purposes prescribed by a course of study or a career. All students are expected to use reading to fulfill personal and social needs.

Performance Indicators: The learner will·

Kindergarten-Grade 12

1.        Review and extend prior learning

2.        Read for pleasure

3.        Read for personal purposes

4.        Listen as literature is read aloud

5.        Read to others, especially to children

6.        Select, abandon, and re-read texts according to personal needs and interests