ST. THEODORE SCHOOL
English/Language Arts
Curriculum Guide
June, 2015
The teachers and administration have worked very diligently over the 2014-2015 school
year to develop a working document that realistically reflects what is being taught at St.
Theodore School. The Common Core State Standards and the Archdiocesan benchmarks
have been used in the making of this document. The content of this guide demonstrates
what is being introduced at each grade level. At subsequent grade levels these skills are
developed more fully and mastered but are not listed in this document.
During the 205-2016 school year the Math curriculum guide will be reviewed and revised
in the same manner.
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English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
K
Identify and use upper and lower case letters
Use a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence
Use an end punctuation mark at the end of every sentence
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
Recognize that the word “I” is always capitalized
Copies sentences correctly using a capital letter and an end punctuation mark
Recognize complete simple sentences
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Identify names of people, places, and things.
Identify action words.
Identify that every sentence needs an action word.
Listening Skills
Listen to a variety of oral presentations for specific information, for enjoyment, and to
actively participate in class discussions
Practice following 1-2 oral directions in order
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Draw conclusions
Identify main ideas and supporting details
Predict outcomes
Make inferences
Identify main character and setting
Comparing and contrasting two texts
Make connections based on text to text, text to self, and text to world
Identify the beginning, middle, and ending within a story
Identify main character and describe setting
Identify rhyme, rhythm, pattern, and repetition
Identify repeated consonant and vowel patterns
Literary Genres
**Create simple poetry
Identify fantasy, folktales, and fairy tales, realistic text, biographies, and autobiographies
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Oral Presentation Skills
Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly
Use age-appropriate vocabulary
Give simple oral directions
Speak in complete sentences
Use their name second when speaking of themselves and someone else
Participate in conversations about Kindergarten topics in small and larger groups
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussion (e.g. listening to others and taking turns
speaking about the topics and texts under discussion)
Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges
Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through
other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting
clarification if something is not understood
Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something
that is not understood
Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and with prompting and support,
provide additional detail
Phonics
Identify letters
Say sounds associated with letters
Write letter that goes with the consonant or vowel sound
Distinguish and segment sounds in initial, final, and medial position in single syllable
spoken words
Blend sounds to make words or syllables
Distinguish long and short vowel sounds in orally stated words
Recognize: ing, digraphs, blends, long vowel-silent e, and r-controlled vowels
Recognize rhyming words
Isolate consonant sounds
Hear and say onset and rime
Reading:
Sight Word Types
Hear and say spoken phonemes
Read simple texts containing a bank of 80 high-frequency words
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Reading:
Basic Reading Skills
Demonstrate basic concepts of print
Read simple text
Demonstrate directionality left to right, return sweep, top to bottom.
Identify connections, with assistance, between text-to-text and text-to-self similarities
and differences in fiction and non-fiction works
Develop an awareness that text and pictures provide information
Identify the front cover, back cover, title page, title, author and illustrator of a book
Retell the story sequence in order.
Explain how you feel about what you read.
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Develop and apply, with assistance, pre-reading strategies
Develop and demonstrate, with assistance, post-reading skills after reading or readalouds to respond to text
Make predictions and inferences while reading a text
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details with in a text
Retell stories and ideas after reading text
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Recall information from a text.
Alphabetize groups of sight words, with assistance
Research a topic, with assistance, and write a simple 2-sentence report
Use simple visual aids as part of a research presentation
Participate in class research and writing.
Vocabulary
Develop vocabulary by listening to, acting out, and discussing unknown words in
stories
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Identify the difference between a phrase and a sentence.
Write legibly using uppercase and lowercase and correct spacing between letters and
words.
Write sentences using correct word order, with assistance.
Write sentences using a period, a question mark, and an exclamation end mark with
assistance.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
With assistance, write a class paragraph about a topic.
With assistance, write what you learned about a text.
Writing:
Essay Types
Compose opinion pieces about a text.
With assistance, complete prompted book report forms.
With assistance, publish a two-sentence Saint report with a hand-made visual.
Writing:
Writing Process
With assistance, write a class paragraph about a topic.
Use phonetic spelling to write sentences.
With assistance, add details to strengthen writing.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Explore ways to publish writing using technology.
Brainstorm ideas and make a sloppy copy.
Compose a three-sentence story containing a beginning, middle, and ending including
illustrations.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
1
Apply the correct end marks used with each of the 4 types of sentences
Recognize proper nouns begin with a capital letter
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
Use of capital letters in name titles, initials, titles of books and stories.
Apply commas in a date
Generate complete sentences; using correct structure, word order, and length
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Write 4 types of sentences (telling, commanding, asking, and exclaiming)
Identify the parts of speech in sentences: nouns, proper and common; actions verbs;
pronouns and adjectives.
Interpret a variety of oral presentations: stories, poems, songs, informational text
Orally answer questions as a strategy for comprehension
Listening Skills
Identify the meaning of the message based on the inflection of the speaker
Practice following 2-3 oral directions in order
Ask and answer questions about the author’s point of view
Explain the sequence, and main idea/ details of a text
Draw conclusions from a text
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Retell the beginning, middle and end of a text
Compare and contrast information from a text
Apply word knowledge as a strategy of reading a text
Make inferences as a strategy for comprehension
Distinguish between fiction and non-fiction,
Literary Genres
Understand the features of literary and nonfiction texts: poetry, drama, fantasies,
fables, myths, and legends.
Use descriptive words and stay on topic when speaking
Give and follow two, three and four step directions
Oral Presentation Skills
Deliver oral, descriptive, informational and persuasive presentations
Organize presentations to maintain a clear focus
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Match all consonant and vowel sounds to the appropriate letters
Identify consonants as single, blends, or digraphs in initial, final and medial positions
Identify vowels as short, long, digraphs, or r-controlled
Count and track sounds in a syllable and syllables in words
Identify and produce rhyming words
Blend sounds from letters and letter patterns into recognizable words
Phonics
Model using
– ing and –ed, digraphs, blends, long vowel-silent e, and r-controlled vowels
Recognize letter, spelling, and syllable patterns
Identify, read, write, and spell words with long vowel digraphs, including long e spelled
ee or ea, long a spelled ai or ay, and long o spelled oa, or ow.
Identify, read, write, and spell words with consonant digraphs, including ch, tch, sh,
and wh.
Identify, read, write, and spell words with simple consonant blends,
Recognize and write high frequency words in context
Reading:
Sight Word Types
Read aloud accurately and with appropriate intonation and expression
Read aloud narrative text with appropriate pacing, intonation and expression
Read aloud poetry with rhythm and pace
Match oral words to printed words
Reading:
Basic Reading Skills
Use visual cues as a reading tool: sound/ symbol relationships, letter patterns, spelling
patterns
Use structural cues as a reading tool: compound words, contractions, root words,
suffixes, spelling patterns and word families
Use punctuation when reading
Identify the main idea of a text, stated or unstated
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Identify the supporting details within a text to support the main idea
Make generalizations about a text
Compare and contrast characters and events in a text
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Discuss the sequence of a text
Independently alphabetize grade level words
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Understand the purpose of the following reference materials: table of contents,
chapter titles, bibliography
With assistance, research a topic and write a paragraph example: animals, pollution
Develop and use vocabulary words in context
Vocabulary
Use context clues within a sentence or text to identify vocabulary words
Identify real life connections between words and their use
Write sentences and paragraphs using correct word order
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Produce and expand complete telling, asking, exclaiming and commanding sentences
in response to prompts.
Write informative or opinion text in which the student will name a topic, supply facts
or opinions, in the format of a paragraph.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Write single paragraph compositions
Write a personal narrative using the pronouns, I, me and my.
Identify the beginning, middle and end of an essay.
Writing:
Essay Types
Write a how-to article using the words first, next, then and last.
Identify the elements and characteristics
of a book report: beginning, middle, end, author, illustrator and opinion of book.
Write a friendly letter.
Writing:
Writing Process
Apply the steps of the writing process: brainstorm a topic and details, free writing,
organize ideas,
compose a rough draft, proofread with teacher assistance and revise and produce a
final copy.
Use sensory words to write a descriptive essay
Writing:
Creative Writing
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
2
Use abbreviations for days, months, and formal titles,
Apply commas to the greeting and closing of friendly letters
Use commas to separate city and state in a written address
Identify the subject and predicate,
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
Recognize subject/verb agreement
Develop 4 types of sentences (statement, command, question, and exclamation)
Use proper nouns, pronouns and possessive nouns in sentences.
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Select the being verbs and helping verbs in sentences.
Identify and use adverbs for manner.
Compare and contrast a variety of oral texts.
Practice listening comprehension through oral and written responses.
Listening Skills
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud
Follow 3-4 oral directions in order
Summarize the characters, setting, & plot of a story
Identify the author’s purpose
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Infer using plot details
Outline main ideas and details in multi-paragraph texts
Describe and retell the plot of a story
Compare fiction and nonfiction texts
Literary Genres
Identify features of realistic fiction
Model understanding of the speaker-audience relationship
Fluently present texts or information to whole and small groups
Oral Presentation Skills
Use diagrams, timelines, and photographs to enhance oral presentations
Identify CVC and CVCe patterns in longer words
Phonics
Read and write words using
r-controlled vowels
Produce words with syllable patterns of
C-le, VCCV,
V/CV, VC/V
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Explain the use of prefixes and suffixes
Create inflections using rules :
Change y to I,
Double the final consonant,
Change f to v,
Identify vowel diphthongs and vowel variants
Identify and write age-appropriate high frequency words
Reading:
Sight Word Types
Practice fluency accuracy and reading rate
Reading:
Basic Reading Skills
Demonstrate intonation and expression
Use phrasing when reading
Explain the main idea and details of a text
Identify the plot of a story
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
State the author’s purpose
Compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction
Examine cause and effect relationships in text
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Distinguish between and locate information using the dictionary, atlas, encyclopedia,
thesaurus,
and internet
Participate in shared research and writing projects to create multiple paragraphs on
the topic
Construct sentences using grade level vocabulary words
Vocabulary
Use word structure clues to determine meaning
Construct and rearrange sentences by combining subjects or predicates.
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Write paragraphs with 5 complete sentences, including main idea, details, and
conclusion
Write personal narratives using descriptive details in sequential order.
Writing:
Essay Types
Write a descriptive paragraph using sensory words.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Write a book report and express opinions about the book in essay form.
Use facts and opinions to write a research report.
Collaborate with peers and adults during the writing process.
Proofread own and others’ writing.
Writing:
Writing Process
Choose appropriate and effective words when writing.
Create a prewriting plan with pictures or words.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Create posters, ads, poems, and stories with characters, settings, and supportive
details
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
3
Separate lists within sentences by using commas; Identify and use commas and
conjunctions within a compound sentence
Identify simple and complete subjects and predicates;
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
Distinguish correct subject/verb agreement with irregular verbs
Write irregular plural nouns, irregular verbs, possessive adjectives, and possessive
pronouns and identify them within sentences.
Examine words that can be used as nouns or verbs.
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Select and use appropriate verb tenses (past, past progressive, present, present
progressive and future).
Recognize conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections and their purpose.
Identify and use adverbs for time, and place
Recall and retell information gathered while listening to read along and read aloud
stories
Listening Skills
Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker
Recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea
Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two
texts on the same topic
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Identify the theme of the story
Examine
characters’ speech, qualities, and actions throughout a story
Recognize and describe conflicts and resolutions within stories
Compare and Contrast features of expository non-fiction, realistic fiction, historical
fiction, biographies, plays and folktales.
Literary Genres
**Compose informational narratives, how-to articles, and persuasive descriptive, and
creative writing.
Prepare and present persuasive speeches, readers theater, oral personal narratives,
how-to talks, oral descriptions, and oral book reports.
Oral Presentation Skills
Summarize what was read and choose important events to include in an oral book
report.
Formulate answers to questions in an interview format
Identify, read, write, and spell words with consonant blends, including str, scr, and spr.
Phonics
Identify, read, write, and spell words with silent letters (kn, gn, wr, and gh)
Identify, read, write, and spell words with a schwa sound
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Read and comprehend grade level literature and informational text independently and
proficiently
Reading:
Basic Reading Skills
Describe the connection between sentences within a paragraph (e.g. cause/effect
relationship or sequence)
Read with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, using the text as the
basis for answers
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Identify the central message, lesson, or moral of a story and the key details which
support it
Describe characters and how their actions affect the sequence of events within the
story
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same
author about the same or similar characters
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Recall information from experiences
Gather information from print and digital sources
Take brief notes on sources
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Sort evidence into provided categories.
Consult reference materials, including glossaries and beginning dictionaries, as needed
to check and correct spellings.
Use guide words within a dictionary to locate words
Use dictionary entries and definitions to find meanings of unknown words
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting reference
materials
Vocabulary
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same
root (e.g. family, familiar)
Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries to determine or clarify the meaning of words
and phrases.
Combine two simple sentences to make a compound sentence.
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Write a variety of simple and compound sentences.
Identify and rewrite run-on sentences.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Write paragraphs with 5-7 complete sentences, making sure that each paragraph
focuses on one topic or idea.
Write an opinion piece with a point of view for a given text.
Write a persuasive essay with a clear topic sentence and reasons that support it.
Writing:
Essay Types
Write an informational text to explore a topic and express information clearly.
Develop characters and plot in a work of realistic fiction.
Summarize the plot and key details in a monthly book report project.
With guidance from adults, use appropriate organization of information while writing
to task, purpose, and audience.
Develop and strengthen the steps of the writing process with guidance from peers and
adults.
Use technology to produce and publish written work.
Writing:
Writing Process
Develop routine writing with different time frames, and a variety of tasks, purposes,
and audiences.
Compose a first draft based on the prewriting plan.
Proofread, revise and edit a first draft.
Publish a variety of written work.
Brainstorm ideas and plan a story.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Develop characters and plot.
Write dialogue between characters in a story.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
4
Use colons to create lists
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
Demonstrate how to use colons after the salutation of a business letter and before a
list of items
Revise run-on sentences into compound sentences
Explain the use of nouns and pronouns as direct objects,
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
Identify nouns, pronouns and adjectives as subject complements.
Compose 4 types of sentences (declarative, imperative, interrogative, and
exclamatory)
Apply “There is” and “There are” properly in a sentence.
Identify nouns as: subject complements and direct objects, collective, objects of
prepositions, concrete and abstract;
Distinguish between separate and joint possession with possessive nouns.
Identify pronouns as: subject or object, in 1st 2nd or 3rd person, and recognize their
antecedents.
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Identify adjectives as articles, demonstrative, comparative, and the position within a
sentence.
Use verbs as perfect tense: present/past/future; and verb phrases.
Apply linking verbs in sentences.
Identify adverbs as comparative, and double negatives.
Use conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections properly in a sentence.
Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points
Listening Skills
Compare and contrast different versions of a story and their characters
Identify the moral of the story
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Interpret character development throughout a story
Identify characters’ motivations throughout a story
Interpret the use of figurative language within written work (similes, metaphors,
idioms, personification and hyperboles)
Identify features of a porquoi tale.
Interpret plot events through narrative poetry.
Literary Genres
Interpret plot events through diary entries.
Categorize genres of stories in a yearlong 32-Book Challenge.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Distinguish between situations needing formal versus informal language.
Prepare and present oral complaints and requests.
Oral Presentation Skills
Formulate insightful questions based on student presentations.
Demonstrate knowledge of topic by being able to answer audience questions based on
the presentation.
Identify and Distinguish the meaning between words with suffixes: -able, -ible, -ment,
-less, -ant, -ent, -eer, -ist, -ian, and use the suffixes when dividing the word into
syllables
Understand word meaning, and separate words into syllables based on prefixes: non-,
in-, out-, down-, up-, over-, under-, and subPhonics
Distinguish between words with irregular plurals and possessives
Recognize words that use suffixes in combination to break apart the syllables
Know Greek and Latin parts of words
Recognize how words can be broken apart by prefix-base-suffix
Identify fact versus opinion, and recognize words that signal an opinion.
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Recognize author’s purpose and perspective within written work.
Draw conclusions based on details in the text and prior knowledge
Make connections throughout research to tie together events
Use visual aids as part of a research presentation. Such as graphs, charts and tables
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Conduct a short research project to build knowledge through different aspects of the
topic
Integrate information from at least two sources on the same topic
Construct compound sentences that include compound subjects, predicates, and
direct objects.
Write paragraphs that link opinion and reasons using words and phrases.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Recognize and compose effective introductions and conclusions in a personal
narrative.
Write an informative or explanatory piece, using precise language and vocabulary to
explain the topic.
Writing:
Essay Types
Write narratives using sensory language to explain experiences and events.
Use appropriate vocabulary, facts, definitions, and details that support the topic in an
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
informational text.
Create a persuasive book commercial for a book report.
Devise a letter of complaint and/or request based on a made up situation.
Construct an organizer to group and format illustrations and text features in an
informational text.
Writing:
Writing Process
Recall information from experiences and print to take notes, finish writing pieces, and
provide a list of sources.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and
research in writing.
Create Pourquoi tales, that answers a question in nature.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Develop a story around the conflict that needs to be resolved.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
5
Identify the use of semicolons in compound sentences.
Recognize the use of underlining, italics and quotation marks to indicate a title of work.
Explain the use of nouns and pronouns as indirect objects and objects of prepositions:
concrete/
abstract.
Diagram a simple sentence and compound sentences into words, phrases and clauses
based on their function.
Identify nouns as showing possession: separate/joint; appositive phrases:
restrictive/nonrestrictive.
Recognize pronouns can be intensive, reflexive, demonstrative, interrogative and
indefinite; masculine, feminine and neutral.
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Use who and whom correctly in sentences.
Identify numerical adjectives and adjective phrases.
Apply troublesome adverbs, adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses to a sentence.
Compose sentences
Engage in a range of collaborative discussions with partners, building on others’ ideas
and expressing their own clearly
Listening Skills
Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by
reasons and evidence
Use context clues to identify unknown vocabulary
Formulate opinions based on literary criticism
Create generalization and inferences based on events in a story
Identify literary patterns and symbolism
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Arrange events in a story based on cause and effect relationships
Practice student-led literature circles to create group discussion
Identify point of view of characters in a story;
Recognize imagery and sensory language
Sequence events through a narrative nonfiction text.
Evaluate main idea and detail through an informative narrative.
Literary Genres
Identifying point of view and author perspective in an autobiography or biography.
Categorize genres of stories in a yearlong 40- Book Challenge.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Monologue famous historical characters that have been researched
Oral Presentation Skills
Phonics
Recognize and Distinguish between word ending patterns:
-ation, -ition,
-sion, -ion,
-ous, -eous,
-ious, and use the suffixes when dividing the word into syllables
Understand word meaning, and separate words into syllables based on prefixes: im-,
in-, ir-, and ilIdentify words borrowed from other languages
Recognize how words can be broken apart by prefix-root-suffix
Identify the main idea of a text based on the provided details (not in a text).
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Recognize persuasion within a text.
Make inferences based on details and prior knowledge.
Use visual aids, such as maps and diagrams as part of a research presentation
Use a thesaurus when writing.
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Explain what it means to plagiarize and
Apply steps to prevent plagiarism
Cite web sources used for research
Write a variety of complex sentences.
Construct compound sentences that include object of the preposition.
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Identify and write sentences using interjections.
Identify and create phrases and clauses that are adjectives, adverbs, subjects, subject
complements, direct objects and objects of prepositions.
Write paragraphs that link opinion and reasons using clauses.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Use descriptive language to relate experiences and events.
Create expository newspaper based on a text within a literature circle.
Writing:
Essay Types
Writing:
Writing Process
Create a playable game board based on details of a text within a literature circle.
With guidance from peers and adults, use appropriate organization of information
while writing to task, purpose and audience.
Write narratives using dialogue, description, details and pacing in written work
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Write narrative using a different character’s point of view and perspective.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Comprehend the purpose of and write nonsense verse poems using rhyme and
rhythm.
Write a tall tale about a hero using brainstorming, prewriting and drafting processes.
Use sensory words and phrases in a description.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
6
Apply semicolons in compound sentences and with series in which the items include
commas
Classify apostrophes to indicate the omission of a letter or the plural of a lowercase
letter
Explain the use of hyphens that divide words at the end of a line, in compound
numbers, and to separate parts of some compound terms
Diagramming appositives and intensive and reflexive pronouns and prepositional
phrases
Create complex sentences
Distinguish between prepositions and adverbs
Identify nouns that are adverbial, appositive, with indefinite adjectives, and by joint
and separate possession
Distinguish pronouns that are indefinite, and as subject pronouns
Indicate indefinite adjectives and suffixes of adjectives
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Classify adverbs as degree, affirmation, and negation. Identify suffixes of adverbs and
adverb phrases
Recognize verbs as troublesome; transitive and intransitive; active and passive;
indicative, emphatic, imperative, and subjunctive moods; and modal auxiliaries.
Focus on evidence presented by a speaker to support claim, while adding insights to
build on speaker’s ideas
Show understanding and gain deeper knowledge by crafting meaningful questions after
recalling information
Listening Skills
Compare and contrast the practice of reading text to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text and discussing what is perceived from both.
Come prepared with evidence to support reflections and ideas for discussion
Listen actively by taking notes during lessons and group meetings.
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of inferences, ask questions, and make
connections
Examine how imagery and sensory language, are evident throughout the text
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Identify methods of characterization through character, character’s reactions, and
narrator’s direct comments.
Determine an author’s style through word choice, sentence structure, and imagery.
Establish mood of a story and tone conveyed by author.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Analyze and discuss allusion in a story
Define and recognize differences between denotation and connotation and whether
the connotation is positive or negative.
Contrast external and internal conflict of a character
Recognize the five parts of a plot as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and
resolution within a story.
Utilizing reading strategies more actively by previewing, setting a purpose, connecting
to, using prior knowledge, predicting, visualizing, monitoring, and making inferences to
comprehend text.
Evaluate the sound devices and meaning of a poem through rhyme, meter, rhythm,
alliteration, and refrain.
Identify, recite, and write free verse, haiku, limerick, narrative, and ode style poetry.
Surveying the customs from which a setting takes place in fiction and non-fiction
literature.
Literary Genres
Identifying the elements that make up a fable, myth, legend, tale autobiography, and
biography.
Scaffold learning from different genres of literature concerning the same topic.
Paraphrase text by grasping the ideas and meaning presented in a text.
Rewrite and perform scripts that add to or embellish a literary work.
Read essays aloud to an audience.
Orally present books in Power point or other technology related formats.
Oral Presentation Skills
Comprehend stage directions from a play to model information about the setting and
character’s behavior in a play.
Reading:
Comprehension/Critical Reading
Skills
Comprehend all genres of literature through previewing, setting a purpose for reading,
making connections, using prior knowledge, predicting, visualizing, monitoring, making
inferences.
Recognize parts of a dictionary.
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Recognize Web searches on the Internet and evaluate appropriate Web sites
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Use analogies to comprehend relationship between words.
Vocabulary
Illustrate idioms to understand differences between literal and figurative meanings.
Recognize variances between proper and slang word choice, especially with regard to
regional differences.
Demonstrate paragraphs using diverse sentence length.
Writing:
Sentence Structure
Recognize and compose effective introductions and conclusions in a descriptive essay.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Write with varied sentence types in each paragraph of a personal narrative and
descriptive essay: simple, compound, and complex.
Shift to paragraphs efficiently using transition words.
Writing:
Essay Types
Understand and demonstrate characteristics of a personal narrative, descriptive essay,
and a business letter.
Understand the importance of audience, tone, and formal language in a business letter.
Select a topic, free-write, and organize ideas for an essay.
Use prewriting notes to write a first draft.
Arrange sentences and paragraphs in chronological order in a personal narrative.
Edit the first draft for content by distinguishing between necessary and unnecessary
details.
Writing:
Writing Process
Revise rambling and run-on sentences.
Write with clarity by using exact words to make writing more precise.
Publish a final draft.
Classify the characteristics of a trickster tale.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Comprehend and display importance of well-developed characters and setting in
creative writing.
Learn the functions of a dialogue and choose dialogue tags correctly.
Identify and apply spatial order and chronological order in a description.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Capitalization and Punctuation
Language Conventions:
Grammatical Structures
7
Explain the use of dashes to set off words that indicate a change in thought and
hyphens to form some temporary adjectives
Diagramming participles, gerunds, infinitives, adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and
noun clauses
Create compoundcomplex sentences
Distinguish conjunctions that are subordinate, troublesome, and conjunctive adverbs
Identify prepositions that are multiword and prepositional phrases that are used as
nouns
Demonstrate the use of personal pronouns after the conjunctions “than” or “as” and
the use of relative pronouns
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
Indicate the adjectives “few” and “little” and their comparative and superlative degrees
correctly in a sentence
Classify adverbs that are interrogative, troublesome, and adverbial nouns
Recognize verbals as participles and their placement; gerunds as subjects, subject
complements, objects, appositives, and as possessives using –ing verb forms; infinitives
as subjects and subject complements, direct objects, appositives, as adjectives and
adverbs, and as hidden and split infinitives
Be able to identify visuals, sound, and editing in a documentary.
Listening Skills
Identify, recite, and write epic, ballad, sonnet, and couplet style poetry.
Literary Genres
Plan and produce a documentary recording narration from a script.
Oral Presentation Skills
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Vocabulary
Understand the difference between fact and opinion and use facts in expository essay
writing.
Understand how to use an almanac or yearbook; atlas; encyclopedia, articles and
periodicals; and listings of magazines and newspaper articles.
Use analogies to comprehend relationship between words
Eg: item and category; part and whole.
Identify and create phrases and clauses that are appositives.
Writing:
Sentence Structure
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Create and revise an outline.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Develop and use formal style of writing.
Write relevant details and detailed information in a how-to article.
Writing:
Essay Types
Produce an effective expository essay supported by a strong main idea and details.
Write over extended time frames for a range of disciplined tasks, purposes and
audiences.
Plan, research, and organize topic and information for an expository essay.
Writing:
Writing Process
Draft, edit, revise, and publish an expository essay.
Classify the characteristics of a fantasy-fiction story.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Comprehend and display the importance of successful plot development.
Use figurative language in a fantasy-fiction story.
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Domains
Language Conventions:
Parts of Speech
8
Distinguish adverbs in comparison between “as…as” and “so…as”
Recognize the correct use of the adverb equally
Analyze and discuss euphemisms.
Literary Analysis Skills and Devices
Assess characters as flat, round, dynamic, or static.
Differentiate between dramatic, verbal, and situational irony.
Identify, recite, and write elegies.
Literary Genres
Produce and report scripts in media for works of fiction.
Oral Presentation Skills
Write and perform a script to persuade an audience, reaching both their intellect and
emotion.
Record research information using note cards.
Organize note cards into an outline.
Research Process and Reference
Skills:
Produce information from documentaries to build knowledge for a research paper
Vocabulary
Use analogies to comprehend relationship between words
Eg: degree of intensity, time sequence, and spatial location .
Form a tone that creates a specific mood in persuasive writing.
Writing:
Paragraph Structure
Use parenthetical notations in MLA format.
Write a position statement, a body that supports the position statement, and a
summarizing conclusion in a persuasive piece.
Recognize the elements and characteristics of a research paper.
Writing:
Essay Types
Complete research projects using several sources.
Write a works cited page using MLA format.
Pre-write, draft, edit, revise, and publish a persuasive essay and research paper.
Writing:
Writing Process
English/Language Arts Curriculum Guide 2015
Comprehend and prepare play structure, format, and dialogue for a script.
Writing:
Creative Writing
Write character and setting descriptions.
Produce and dramatize dialogue and stage directions.