Subject Area___English Language Arts______Grade Level ___6____
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:
English Language Arts
(Elementary)
Standard 1- Language for Information and Understanding
Listening and Reading
1A. Students gather and interpret information from children's reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs, maps and diagrams.
1B. Students select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation and relate ideas from one text to another.
1C. Students select and use strategies they have been taught for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information.
1D. Students ask specific questions to clarify and extend meaning.
1E. Students make appropriate and effective use of strategies to construct meaning from print, such as prior knowledge about a subject, structural and context clues, and an understanding of letter-sound relationships to decode difficult words.
1F. Students support inferences about information and ideas with reference to text features, such as vocabulary and organizational patterns.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stores, posters, and charts.
2B. Students select a focus, organization, and point of view for oral and written presentations.
2C. Students use a few traditional structures for conveying information such as chronological order, cause and effect, and similarity and difference.
2D. Students use details, examples, anecdotes, or personal experiences to explain or clarify information.
2E. Students include relevant information and exclude extraneous material.
2F. Students use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the "writing process") to produce well-constructed informational texts.
2G. Students observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms.
Standard 2- Language for Literary Response and Expression
Listening and Reading
1A. Students read a variety of literature of different genres: picture books; poems; articles and stories from children's magazines, fables, myths and legends; songs, plays and media productions; and works of fiction and nonfiction intended for young readers.
1B. Students recognize some features that distinguish the genres and use those features to aid comprehension.
1C. Students understand the literary elements of setting, character, plot, theme, and point of view and compare those features of other works and to their own lives.
1D. Students use inference and deduction to understand the text.
1E. Students read aloud accurately and fluently, using phonics and context cues to determine pronunciation and meaning.
1F. Students evaluate literary merit.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students present personal responses to literature that make reference to the plot, characters, ideas, vocabulary, and text structure.
2B. Students explain the meaning of literary works with some attention to meanings beyond the literal level.
2C. Students create their own stories, poems, and songs using the elements of the literature they have read and appropriate vocabulary.
2D. Students observe the conventions of grammar and usage, spelling, and punctuation.
Standard 3- Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Listening and Reading
1A. Students read and form opinions about a variety of literary and informational texts and presentations, as well as persuasive texts such as advertisements, commercials, and letters to the editor.
1B. Students make decisions about the quality and dependability of texts and experiences based on some criteria, such as the attractiveness of the illustrations and appeal of the characters in a picture book, or the logic and believability of the claims made in an advertisement.
1C. Students recognize that the criteria that one uses to analyze and evaluate anything depends on one's point of view and purpose for the analysis.
1D. Students evaluate their own strategies for reading and listening critically (such as recognizing bias or false claims, and understanding the difference between fact and opinion) and adjust those strategies to understand the experience more fully.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students express opinions (in such forms as oral and written reviews, letters to the editor, essays, or persuasive speeches) about events, books, issues and experiences, supporting their opinions with some evidence.
2B. Students present arguments for certain views or actions with reference to specific criteria that support the argument (e.g., an argument to purchase a particular piece of playground equipment might be based on the criteria of safety, appeal to children, durability, and low cost.)
2C. Students monitor and adjust their own oral and written presentations to meet criteria for competent performance (e.g., in writing, the criteria might include development of position, organization, appropriate vocabulary, mechanics, and neatness. In speaking, the criteria might include good content, effective delivery, diction, posture, poise, and eye contact.)
2D. Students use effective vocabulary and follow the rules of grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation in persuasive writing.
Standard 4- Language for Social Interaction
Listening and Speaking
1A. Students listen attentively and recognize when it is appropriate for them to speak.
1B. Students take turns speaking and respond to others' ideas in conversations on familiar topics.
1C. Students recognize the kind of interaction appropriate for different circumstances, such as story hour, group discussions, and one-on-one conversations.
Reading and Writing
2A. Students exchange friendly notes, cards, and letters with friends, relatives, and pen pals to keep in touch and to commemorate special occasions.
2B. Students adjust their vocabulary and style to take into account the nature of the relationship and the knowledge and interests of the person receiving the message.
2C. Students read and discuss published letters, diaries, and journals to learn the conventions of social writing.
NYS Standards
English Language Arts
(Intermediate)
Standard 1- Language for Information and Understanding
Listening and Reading
1A. Students interpret and analyze information from textbooks and nonfiction books for young adults, as well as reference materials, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, graphs, charts, diagrams, and electronic data bases intended for a general audience.
1B. Students compare and synthesize information from different sources.
1C. Students use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing, and categorizing information.
1D. Students distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information and between fact and opinion.
1E. Students relate new information to prior knowledge and experience.
1F. Students understand and use the text features that make information accessible and usable, such as format, sequence, level of diction, and relevance of details.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students produce oral and written reports on topics related to all school subjects.
2B. Students establish an authoritative stance on the subject and provide references to establish the validity and verifiability of the information presented.
2C. Students organize information according to an identifiable structure, such as compare/contrast or general to specific.
2D. Students develop information with appropriate supporting material, such as facts, details, illustrative examples or anecdotes, and exclude extraneous material.
2E. Students use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the "writing process") to produce well-constructed informational texts.
2F. Students use Standard English for formal presentation of information, selecting appropriate grammatical constructions and vocabulary, using a variety of sentence structures, and observing the rules of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
Standard 2- Language for Literary Response and Expression
Listening and Reading
1A. Students read and view texts and performances from a wide range of authors, subjects and genres.
1B. Students understand and identify the distinguishing features of the major genres and use them to aid their interpretation and discussion of literature.
1C. Students identify significant literary elements (including metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme, meter, irony, climax) and use those elements to interpret the work.
1D. Students recognize different levels of meaning.
1E. Students read aloud with expression, conveying the meaning and mood of a work.
1F. Students evaluate literary merit based on an understanding of the genre and the literary elements.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students present responses to and interpretations of literature, making reference to the literary elements found in the text and connections with their personal knowledge and experience.
2B. Students produce interpretations of literary works that identify different levels of meaning and comment on their significance and effect.
2C. Students write stories, poems, literary essays, and plays that observe the conventions of the genre and contain interesting and effective language and voice.
2D. Students use Standard English effectively.
Standard 3- Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Listening and Reading
1A. Students analyze, interpret, and evaluate information, ideas, organization, and language from academic and nonacademic texts, such as textbooks, public documents, book and movie reviews and editorials.
1B. Students assess the quality of texts and presentations, using criteria related to the genre, the subject area, and purpose (e.g., using the criteria of accuracy, objectivity, comprehensiveness, and understanding of the game to evaluate a sports editorial).
1C. Students understand that within any group there are many different points of view depending on the particular interests and values of the individual and recognize those differences in perspective in texts and presentations (e.g., in considering whether to let a new industry come into a community, some community members might be enthusiastic about the additional jobs that will be created while others are concerned about the air and noise pollution that could result.)
1D. Students evaluate their own and others' work based on a variety of criteria (e.g. logic, clarity, comprehensiveness, conciseness, originality, conventionality) and recognize the varying effectiveness of different approaches.
Speaking and Writing
2A. Students present (in essays, position papers, speeches, and debates) clear analyses of issues, ideas, texts, and experiences, supporting their positions with well-developed arguments.
2B. Students develop arguments with effective use of details and evidence that reflect a coherent set of criteria (e.g., reporting results of lab experiments to support a hypothesis).
2C. Students monitor and adjust their own oral and written presentations according to the standards for a particular genre (e.g., defining key terms used in a formal debate).
2D. Students use Standard English, precise vocabulary and presentational strategies effectively to influence an audience.
Standard 4- Language for Social Interaction
Listening and Reading
1A. Students listen attentively to others and build on others' ideas in conversations with peers and adults.
1B. Students express ideas and concerns clearly and respectfully in conversations and group discussions.
1C. Students learn some words and expressions in another language to communicate with a peer or adult who speaks that language.
1D. Students use verbal and nonverbal skills to improve communication with others.
Reading and Writing
2A. Students write social letters, cards, and electronic messages to friends, relatives, community acquaintances, and other electronic network users.
2B. Students use appropriate language and style for the situation and the audience and take into account the ideas and interests expressed by the person receiving the message.
2C. Students read and discuss social communications and electronic communications of other writers and use some of the techniques of those writers in their own writing.
National Standards:
Sponsored by NCTE and IRA
The vision guiding these standards is that all students must have the opportunities and resources to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully as informed, productive members of society. These standards assume that literacy growth begins before children enter school as they experience and experiment with literacy activities—reading and writing, and associating spoken words with their graphic representations. Recognizing this fact, these standards encourage the development of curriculum and instruction that make productive use of the emerging literacy abilities that children bring to school. Furthermore, the standards provide ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning. They are not prescriptions for particular curriculum or instruction. Although we present these standards as a list, we want to emphasize that they are not distinct and separable; they are, in fact, interrelated and should be considered as a whole.
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 the 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 (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior 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 (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) 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 (e.g., spelling and punctuation), 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 (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) 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 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 (e.g., 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
|
| A measure of student progress on performance indicators.
|
Based on pre-established criteria.
A passing grade of 70% or higher
3 or better on 8th grade ELA
3 or better on a 5 point 6+1 traits rubric
|
| (any kind of test you are giving that is testing the performance indicator - formal or informal)
|
|
Scope: Range of subject matter. (address reading/writing/listening and speaking in your grade level; integration of ELA; four blocks instruction; Six Traits)
Sequence Charts
Sequence Charts
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Reading
| What Students Read (Genre)
|
Taught Skills
|
Historical Fiction
*My Brother Sam is Dead
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Realistic Fiction
*Hatchet
*Loser
*Missing May
*Following Fake Man
Mystery
Nonfiction
Poetry
Play
|
Identify Purpose of Reading
Identify Main Idea
Identify Supporting Details
Using inflection
Word recognition/context clues
Recognize unfamiliar words
Recognize signal words
Identify Literary elements
Identify the different characteristics of the genres.
Identify different perspective
Evaluate information, ideas, opinions, and themes.
Compare/contrast
|
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Writing
| What Students Write
|
Taught Skills
|
Expository
Fiction
Mystery
Poetry
Creative
Persuasive (Debate)
Compare/Contrast
Nonfiction
Professional (business letters)0
Literature Responses
|
6+1 Traits of Writing
Understanding Purpose
Using Writing Process
Use of Graphic Organizers
Compare/Contrast
|
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Listening/Speaking
| Speaking Experiences
|
Taught Skills
|
Oral Book Reports
Readers Theatre
Literature Responses
Debate
Puppet Play
|
Appropriate Language for audience level of understanding
Audible voice
Pacing
Eye Contact
|
| Listening Experiences
|
Taught Skills
|
Books on Tape
Read Aloud
Debate
Literature Response
|
Listening to interpret data
Listening to follow directions
Identify implicit rather than stated
Recognize specific content vocabulary
Identify Purpose of Listening
|
Methodology: Best Practices
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ELA Curriculum Guide
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