Kindergarten	Grade 4
Grade 1	Grade 5
Grade 2	Grade 6
Grade 3	Grade 7 & 8

Return to the Curriculum Main Page

Kindergarten

Reading The student will: Recognize lowercase letters. Recognize uppercase letters. Know the sounds of consonant letters in isolation. Give the beginning sounds of pictures or words. Listen and recall events of a story. Understand basic concepts of print. (Left to right, holds book correctly, turns pages one at a time). Understand the sound-symbol relationship.

Writing The student will: Write first name correctly. (Capital at the beginning and lower case on other letters). Write uppercase letters. Write lowercase letter. Write legibly. Begin learning 6-Trait Writing process: conventions - capitalize beginning of sentence and ending punctuation.

Listening The student will: Listen actively to be an effective communicator. Take turns in conversation and demonstrate an interest in what others have to say by allowing others to complete their messages. Ask questions of others and provide responses to questions in order to clarify understanding.

return to top

Grade 1

Reading The student will: Demonstrate an understanding and use concepts of print. Recognize and make upper and lower case letters. Identify and produce letter sounds. Use phonics to decode words. Use context clues to attack new words. Demonstrate literal comprehension, main ideas, details, sequence of narrative and expository text. Identify story elements. Read with fluency and expression. Recognizes 50 most frequently used sight words. Identify and manipulate rhymes.

Writing The student will: Use the 6-trait writing process: Ideas - write multiple sentences on one topic. Conventions - use punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.

Listening The student will: Listen actively to be an effective communicator. Express a complete thought orally.

return to top

Grade 2

Reading The student will: Recognize and understand specific new vocabulary words. Decode words phonetically. Use context clues. Demonstrate knowledge of sequence. Identify and interpret story elements: Setting Characters Problem Solution. Reads fluently at grade level. Comprehends text on a literal, inferential, and evaluative level. Identifies characteristics of narrative and expository selections.

Writing The student will: Use 6 trait writing process: Ideas - write multiple sentences on one topic. Organization - uses a Powerful Writing Tree. Voice - expresses self. Word Choice - uses interesting words. Writes complete sentences that are easy to read. Write a final copy legibly.

return to top

Grade 3

Reading The student will: Understand text using literal, inferential, and critical thinking skills. Use decoding strategies: Context Syntax Phonetic clues. Activate prior knowledge to comprehend text. Read with appropriate fluency for grade level. Read and comprehend different genres such as: Nonfiction, Fiction Poetry. Make a connection with reading and real life. Recognize and understand new vocabulary. Be able to retell the story including main idea and details. Sequence ideas in a variety of materials. Explain author's purpose (i.e., to inform, to persuade, to entertain) Identify and interpret story elements: Plot Solution Setting Mail Idea Characters.

Writing The student will: Recognize and use the 4 type of sentences: Statement Question Exclamation Command. Recognize parts of speech: Nouns Verbs Adjectives. Understand and develop 6 traits of writing skills and strategies: Idea Organization Word choice Voice Sentence fluency Conventions. Use process writing: Prewriting Revision Editing Publishing Understand the importance and use of proper conventions in their own writing.

return to top

Grade 4

Reading The student will: Interpret the author's message using QAR (Question, Answer, Relationship): Right There Think and Search Author and Me On my Own. Use decoding strategies: Context Syntax Phonetic clues. Reading fluently. Read independently for enjoyment. Reading for purpose from a variety of genre: Nonfiction Historical and realistic fiction poetry Traditional (folk tale, fairy tale, fable) Drama Functional. Make a connection with reading and real life. Recognize and understand new vocabulary: Synonyms/antonyms Multiple meaning words Homophones and homographs. Read for comprehension: Author's purpose and perspective Cause and effect Compare and contrast Predict outcomes Sequence and summarize. Apply study skills and strategies: KWL (what you know, what you want to know, what you want to learn) SQ3R Note talking Follow and give directions. Identify and interpret literary elements: Narrative - plot, characterization, setting, point of view, theme, mood, narration, and dialogue Expository - structure and organization, main idea.

Writing The student will: Use 6-traits of writing: Good sentence fluency Word choice to paint a picture in the reader's mind. Proper conventions Good ideas and content Organization of paper Strong voice. Use the writing process: Prewriting Drafting Revising Proofreading Publishing. Use complete sentences and paragraphing in their work. Use various forms of writing: Expository Narrative Descriptive Persuasive Cross-curricular Everyday writing. Apply revision skills: Sentence fragments/run-ons Choose words effectively Vary sentence structure Unity coherence Punctuation Capitalization. Recognize parts of speech: Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs. Write in cursive Apply spelling generalizations and spelling strategies.

return to top

Grade 5

Reading The student will………. Use pre-reading strategies: Prediction Prior knowledge Scan the text. Use decoding strategies: Context Syntax Phonetic clues. Uses knowledge of conventions to read fluently. Comprehend a variety of texts. Read for enjoyment. Read for purpose from a variety of genre. Apply active reading strategies: Predict Question Visualize Make connections Mark up the text. Read for comprehension: Author's purpose Perspective Classify Draw conclusions Main idea and details Paraphrase Cause and effect Fact and opinion. Apply study skills and strategies: Skim/scan Note-taking Outline Research. Identify and interpret literary elements: Characterization Setting Plot Theme Figurative language Narration Sound devices Dialogue Point of view. Respond to literature: Connect Compare and contrast Question Make inferences Reflect Summarize.

Writing Use the six traits of writing: Ideas Organization Word choice Voice Fluency Conventions. Use the writing process: Prewriting Drafting Revising Proofreading Publishing. Use complete sentences and paragraphing. Use various forms of writing: Expository Narrative Descriptive Persuasive Technical Everyday writing. Apply revision skills: Sentence fragments/run-ons Choose effective words Vary sentence structure Unity and coherence Punctuation Capitalization. Recognize parts of speech: Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs Prepositions. Write in cursive. Apply spelling generalizations and spelling strategies. Organize information for a piece of writing.

return to top

Grade 6

Reading The student will…….. Read fluently at instructional and independent levels. Sustain reading for at least 30 minutes. Read a variety of genre. Initiate their own reading. Read fluently. Use pre-reading strategies: Prediction Prior knowledge Scanning/skimming the text. Use comprehension strate gies during reading: Make inferences Self-correct Refer back to the text for supporting details. Main idea Literary devices Use post reading strategies: Make connections with the text Compare characters Retell the main points in an organized way. Character development. Reflection Identify point of view, theme, characters, setting, plot, author's intent. Use context clues and structural analysis to recognize unfamiliar words.

Writing Use figurative language in their writing: Metaphor Simile Personification Use the 6 traits of writing: Good sentence fluency Word choice to paint a picture in the readers' mind Proper conventions Contains clear ideas and content Paper is well organized Written with strong voice Can organize information from a story or nonfiction text into graphic organizer. Can use information from a nonfiction text to prepare notes. Can organize notes into paragraphs to do research including citation of sources. Use the following steps to write a composition: Pre-writing, brainstorming, organizing ideas Rough draft Proofreading, editing, revising Writing a final copy.

return to top

Grade 7 & 8

Reading The student will……… Read fluently at independent and instructional levels. Read a variety of genre: Fiction Poetry Nonfiction Technical Drama Use pre-reading strategies: KWL Scanning/ skimming Prediction Chapter Titles Organization of book. Use comprehension strategies: Inferences Self-correcting Vocabulary enrichment Re-reading Main Idea Literary devices. Use post-reading strategies: Checking predictions Retelling main points of the story, including time line, story map Character development Making connections with other pieces of literature and real life events. Reflection Understand plot, character, setting, theme, author's intent or message, and point of view. Use and understand figurative language: Similes Metaphors Personification. Use Question, Answer, Relationship (QAR): right there, think and search, author and me, and on my own. Participate in literature circles. Participate in reading workshop.

Writing Use the writing process from brainstorming through final copy. Recognize and use the 6 trait analytical model: Conventions Word choice Organization Ideas and content Sentence fluency Voice Use paraphrasing, summarizing, and note-taking. Write for a variety of purposes: Expository Narrative Technical Persuasive Participate in writing workshop. Cite sources from various research sources: Text CD Rom Internet Interview

return to top

Return to the Communications Curriculum Main Page