Language Arts
Students will be learning six core reading comprehension strategies.......
1. Monitor and Clarify: readers monitor their reading by being aware of when meaning is breaking down. When this occurs, they use fix-up strategies to clarify meaning.
2. Make Connections: readers use background knowledge to make connections before, during, and after reading.
3. Visualize: readers visualize when they make visual images in their mind.
4. Ask Questions : readers ask questions before, during and after reading.
5. Infer and Predict : readers infer or "read between the lines" by adding what they already know from their own experiences (prior knowledge) to the information in a text.
6. Summarize : readers recognize, connect, and organize important ideas, facts and details during and after reading to help them better understand what they have read.
Students will be learning about the six traits of writing..............
1. Ideas: Main idea, focus, details, clarity, research
2. Organization: Lead, design, sequencing, pattern matching purpose, transitions,
pacing, closure
3. Voice: Sound, tone, individuality, connection to audience, strong verbs, detail, risk,
honesty---being yourself!
4. Words: Verbs! Clarity, precision, fresh words and phrases, simplicity, natural
sound----avoidance of wordiness, inflation, jargon and tired words
5. Fluency: Variety, smooth flow, easy on the ear, easy to read aloud, transitional
phrases, natural dialogue
6. Conventions: Spelling, punctuation, grammar and usage, capitals, and paragraphs
