Mission Statement: It is the mission of the Elba Central School District to actualize the phrase “Elba Equals Educational Excellence for Everyone.” We are committed to providing both quality and equity. Every student will have the opportunity to develop to the best of his/her ability.
Elba Standards: In addition to the knowledge and basic skills they need in order to participate in society, graduates of Elba Central School will develop:
1. Empowering skills: decision making, goal setting, creative thinking and problem solving abilities;
2. Communication and social interaction skills;
3. Technological literacy;
4. Total wellness (social, physical, emotional health and self-esteem);
5. The values necessary to participate in society.
As a result of achieving these outcomes, our students will embrace lifelong learning.
New York State Standards: 1. Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
2. Students will listen, speak, read, and write for literary response and Expression Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and
performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances
to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical,
and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and
writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.
3. Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and Evaluation
As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments of experiences, ideas, information, and issues.
4.Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction
Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.
National Standards: 1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of ter United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features.
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
10. Students whose first language is English is not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes ( for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Performance Indicators: Description of the levels of student achievement pertaining to standard.
Assessment
:
Acceptable Performance Level
Grade 7- Final examination
70% (passing grade)
Grade 8- Final examination
New York State ELA test
70% (passing grade)
Scope: Various selections organized by genre to encourage a comprehensive study of the types of literature, spelling skills, writing skills, and language arts skills.
Sequence:
1. The short story: plot, character, setting, theme
2. Drama
3. Nonfiction: biographies and personal accounts, essays
4. Poetry: Narrative, figurative, and imaginary; lyric,
5. Fables, myths and legends
6. The novel
7. Weekly spelling words to study the sound, structure and meaning of words; link spelling to the language arts and emphasize the reading-writing connection.
8. ELA test review and preparation in developing the qualities of meaning, development, organization, language use and conventions.
Methodology: Best Practices
Incorporating 6-Traits as a method of assessing writing pieces within the scope of course
Use of related writing texts to encourage students to review for the ELA
Use of technology and computer programs as a way of reaching technological literacy
Use of rubrics for assessing writing pieces for ELA