Language Arts Scope & Sequence

Overview of Scope and Sequence

Kindergarten

Reading:

Understands that print conveys meaning.
Understands how print is organized and read.
Creates mental images from pictures and stories read aloud.
Awareness of common letter/sound relationships.

Writing:

Uses pictures, symbols and/or letters to convey meaning.
Dictates descriptions of drawings, familiar persons, places, objects, or experiences.
Dictates with a logical sequence of events.
Uses correct writing stance and pencil grip.

Listening/Speaking:

Makes contributions to class meetings and discussions such as recounting personal experiences.
Follows patterns of conversation such as taking turns, raising hand to speak in group, focusing on the speaker.
Listens and responds to oral directions.
Listens to and recites familiar poems, songs, rhymes.

Grades 1 and 2

Reading:

Decodes unknown words using elements of phonics.
Uses context cues appropriate to reading level.
Reads familiar text orally with expression.
Identifies setting, main characters, main idea, and problems in stories.
Relates reading to personal experience.
Makes simple inferences and predictions.
Growing sight word vocabulary.
Responds to literature through discussion and projects.
Retells information and story line from fiction and non-fiction text.

Writing:

Uses writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish written work. Prewriting: e.g. pictures to generate ideas, discussions, verbal rehearsal of ideas. Drafting and Revising: e.g. rearrange and add words/sentences for clarity and completion, add descriptive words and details, incorporate suggestions from others. Editing and Publishing: e.g. edits for punctuation and capitalization, complete sentences, incorporates illustrations, shares finished product.
Writes in response to literature.
Uses declarative and interrogative sentences.
Writes in a variety of formats (e.g. stories, poetry, information pieces, letters).
Spaces words and sentences.
Uses D’Nealian printing with correct letter formation.

Listening/Speaking:

Makes contributions to class meetings and discussions such as recounting personal experiences and adding personal knowledge about a topic.
Asks and responds to questions.
Initiates and maintains conversations, stays on topic, focuses on speaker, takes turns.
Uses different voice level, phrasing, and intonation for different situations.
Listens to and retells familiar stories, poems, and rhymes

Grades 3 and 4

Reading:

Monitors reading and self corrects.
Uses context cues appropriate to reading level.
Decodes unknown words using a variety of cues (context clues, phonics, semantics)
Adjusts speed of reading to suit purpose and difficulty of the material.
Identifies key ideas and supporting details in text.
Makes inferences and predictions based on comprehension of material.
Recognizes elements of genres (story, poetry, nonfiction, letter).
Selects reading material based on personal criteria.
Responds to literature through discussion, projects and writing.
Summarizes and paraphrases information found in fiction and non-fiction text.

Writing:

Uses writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish written work. Prewriting: e.g. graphic organizers, webs, brainstorms ideas -Drafting and Revising: e.g. elaborates on a central idea, attention to word choice, audience, imagery. Editing and Publishing: e.g. edits for spelling of commonly used words, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphs, selects presentation format, incorporates illustrations, charts, and graphs.
Evaluates own and others writing.
Uses exclamatory and imperative sentences.
Writes in a variety of styles and formats (e.g. reports, narrative, expressive compositions, literature response, personal letters).
Writes legibly in D’Nealian cursive.

Listening/Speaking:

Contributes to group discussions.
Asks questions to clarify and seek others’ input.
Makes some effort to have a clear main point when speaking to others.
Shares school work orally with the class.
Identifies nonverbal cues in conversatio

Benchmarks

By the completion of 4th grade students should be able to:

Reading:

Monitor reading and self correct.
Use context cues appropriate to reading level.
Decode unknown words using a variety of cues (context clues, phonics, semantics)
Adjust speed of reading to suit purpose and difficulty of the material.
Identify key ideas and supporting details in text.
Make inferences and predictions based on comprehension of material.
Recognize elements of genres (story, poetry, nonfiction, letter).
Select reading material based on personal criteria.
Respond to literature through discussion, projects and writing.
Summarize and paraphrase information found in fiction and non-fiction text.

Writing:

Use the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish written work. Prewriting: e.g. graphic organizers, webs, brainstorms ideas. Drafting and Revising: e.g. elaborates on a central idea, attention to word choice, audience, imagery. Editing and Publishing: e.g. edits for spelling of commonly used words, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphs, selects presentation format, incorporates illustrations, charts, and graphs.
Evaluate own and others writing.
Use exclamatory and imperative sentences.
Write in a variety of styles and formats (e.g. reports, narrative, expressive compositions, literature response, personal letters).
Write legibly in D’Nealian printing and cursive.

Listening/Speaking:

Contribute to group discussions.
Ask questions to clarify and seek others’ input.
Make some effort to have a clear main point when speaking to others.
Share school work orally with the class.
Identify nonverbal cues in conversation.

Middle School Benchmarks and Topics

In Middle School, Language Arts and Social Studies are integrated in the Humanities curriculum.

The Humanities program organizes the topics the students study around four of the Quaker values: Peace, Justice, Simplicity and Integrity. One value guides the questions and topics that are studied each year. Because Friends School is a progressive school, the Humanities staff has elected to study fewer topics, in greater depth, with the students. The goal of the program is to teach students to read, write and think critically as they grow to embrace life, learning and community with hope, skill, understanding and creativity.

5-6 Grade

“Peace” Year

Guiding Questions: How do people deal with conflict? How do you create peace? How do people interact and change? Topics:

Ancient Communities: Students will study ancient communities to look at how others have dealt with conflict and the effect conflict has had on their communities.
Quaker Studies: students will examine Quaker history and Quaker lives to see how Quakers have worked to create peace in their communities.

“Justice” Year

Guiding Questions: How do people decide what is just? How do societies organize themselves to be just?

Topic — Minnesota History: Students will examine how different groups in Minnesota have organized throughout Minnesota’s history to determine what is just for themselves and for the whole state. Students will look at the groups that had the power to make these decisions in different time periods of Minnesota’s history as well as at how the groups without power were affected.

6th Grade Benchmarks:

In Social Studies, students will:

Recognize continents and regions within the U.S. and the world
Understand major themes in Minnesota history and the multiple perspectives that are represented in that history.
Recognize the multiple perspectives that are involved in creating a just society.
Apply a framework for understanding cultures to an ancient community.
Identify and analyze how groups have dealt with conflicts
Find and use a variety of sources (atlases, databases, computer search engines, newspapers, library resources)

In Reading, students will:

Recognize the characteristics of biographies, memoirs, poetry and drama.
Understand the effect of plot and character on stories.
Recognize the components of non- fiction/expository texts and identify their purpose.
Express understanding of literature that reflects deep reading.
Read fluently in a variety of genres.

In Writing, students will:

Recognize the elements of the writing process.
Understand the key function of revision in the writing process and how to revise their own writing.
Recognize language structure and pattern as it applies to the conventions of English.
Write in regular journal exercises to develop fluency as a writer.
Write for a variety of purposes (essays, research writing, stories, poems, letters, etc.)

In Speaking and Listening, students will:

Listen attentively to and interact with presenters.
Practice expressing opinions in both small group and whole class discussions.
Present oral reports to a variety of audiences.

In Group Work, students will*:

Recognize the importance of listening accurately and respectfully to all members of the group.
Make sure all members of the group have agreed to consensus and that no one is left behind or allowed to fall behind.
Understand how to criticize ideas and not the members of the group.

7-8 Grade

“Simplicity” Year:

Guiding Questions: How do people balance their needs and the needs of society? How do people decide how to use their resources?

Topics:

U.S. government: Students will look at how the U.S. decided to answer the question of how to balance the needs of the individual and the society. Students will examine the structure of the U.S. government and the reasoning behind the structure.
Students will engage in research projects to examine a variety of aspects of U.S. law: 1. the U.S. government in comparison to other governments to see how others have balanced the needs of the individual and the community, 2. the evolution of the Bill of Rights and/or U.S. laws by examining how groups have organized to change how the U.S. protects individuals and the society, and/or 3. environmental issues and how governments have balanced the needs of the society and the individual

“Integrity” Year:

Guiding Questions: How have societies changed by interaction with other societies? How do I have my values when confronted by countervalues? How do people decide when and how to take a stand?

Topics:

Immigration: Students will examine how immigrants have been affected by their new societies. Students will look at the immigrant experience throughout the U.S.‘s history and how U.S. societies have responded to different immigrant groups. This unit will especially be a time for examining primary sources in preparation for History Day.
History Day: Students will create their own History Day projects, based on the National History Day theme
Popular Culture: Students will examine different aspects of popular culture (media, advertising, television, movies, video games, music) and will look at what values are portrayed and at how these values relate to their own values.

8th Grade Benchmarks:

In Social Studies, students will:

Recognize continents and regions within the U.S. and the world, identify all 50 U.S. states and have a working knowledge of countries in other continents.
Expand ability to find and use a variety of sources (atlases, databases, computer search engines, newspapers, library resources)
Know the difference between primary and secondary sources and use both in research projects.
Complete a History Day project.
Be able to identify current events related to topics in class.
Understand the structure of the U.S. government and its strengths and weaknesses.
Use historical events and movements to understand when and how societies have changed.

In Reading, students will:

Recognize the characteristics of biographies, memoirs, poetry, drama and short story.
Understand the effect of plot, character, setting and theme on stories.
Summarize reading of narrative and expository texts to show strong comprehension.
Express understanding of literature that reflects deep reading.
Read fluently in a variety of genres.

In Writing, students will:

Use proficiently the elements of the writing process.
Understand many strategies for revision, including peer conferencing.
Apply language structure and patterns of conventional English in their own writing.
Write in regular journal exercises to develop fluency as a writer.
Write for a variety of purposes (essays, research writing, stories, poems, letters, etc.)

In Speaking and Listening, students will:

Listen attentively to and interact with presenters.
Take clear notes from presentations.
Express opinions clearly and with increasing fluency in both small group and whole class discussions.
Present oral reports to a variety of audiences.

In Group Work*, students will:

Listening accurately and respectfully to all members of the group.
Make sure all members of the group have agreed to consensus and that no one is left behind or allowed to fall behind.
Act responsibly to make sure they are not “left behind” in group work.
Criticize ideas and not the members of the group.

(*Group work goals based on ideas and wording of Mano Singham, Ph.D., University Center for Innovations in Teaching and Education, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.)