Course: English Language Arts

Curriculum

1. 6 lessons Character Unit

   In this unit you will find lessons ranging from character traits and motivations to analyzing character's actions to help determine theme.

    
   • Lessons
   • Character's Motivations

     Students will be able to analyze character’s behaviors and speech to explain what motivates the character to speak and act the way they do.

      
   • Character Traits

     Students will be able to analyze character’s actions, thoughts, and dialogue to determine the character’s traits.

      
   • Character's Qualities Influence on Resolution

     Students will be able to study and analyze the central character’s behaviors to interpret how the character’s qualities influence the resolution of the conflict.

      
   • Static Vs. Dynamic Characters

     Students will be able to analyze the speech and behavior of characters in a short story and describe how characters change or remain the same.

      
   • "Back" that Trait Up!

     SWBAT identify character's traits and emotions by examining text details and roleplaying characters from the text.

      
   • The Character and Me!

     SWBAT compare and contrast a character's life and traits in their books with their own way of life in the world they live in.

      
2. 3 lessons Folklore

   This unit has several creative ideas and lessons that can be used to teach students how to read and analyze various types of folklore.

    
   • Lessons
   • Compare/Contrast Sequence of Events

     Students will be able to compare and contrast the sequence of events and important details in two folktales.

      
   • Folklore Theme

     Students will be able to analyze details in folktales looking for the topic and character’s actions and words to determine the theme statement.

      
   • Similar Theme

     Students will be able to compare and contrast events and details in two folktales and create a similar theme statement.

      
3. 8 lessons Poetry

   This poetry unit inclues lessons on figurative language, music as poems, style, tone, and mood.

    
   • Lessons
   • Style, Tone, and Mood with Nikki Giovanni

     Students will be able to draw conclusions about style, mood, tone, and meaning of “the drum” and “Choices” based on the author’s word choice and use of figurative language.

      
   • Sound Devices in Poetry

     Students will be able to analyze the use of sound devices in a poem in order to explain how these sound devices contribute to the meaning of a poem.

      
   • Musical Poetry

     Students will be able to interpret the meaning of appropriate music lyrics and identify and explain various elements of poetry used in the song.

      
   • What it Means to be a Scholar

     SWBAT review and correctly use various types and elements of poetry in order to write their “What it Means to be a Scholar” poem.
     
     

      
   • Paul Rever's Ride/Paraphrasing (narrative poem)

     SWBAT analyze the effects of sound, figurative language, and graphics to determine the meaning of “Paul Revere’s Ride.”

      
   • Paul Revere's Ride/fig. language

     SWBAT draw conclusions about style, mood, tone, and meaning of poetry based on the author’s word choice and use of figurative language.

      
   • What does poetry SOUND like?

     SWBAT draw conclusions about style, mood, and tone in by listening and reading various poems from the book “Hip Hop Speaks to Children”.

      
   • I see... & I feel...

     SWBAT recognize how an author's use of language creates images and feelings by sketching what they see and jotting down how they feel.

      
4. 1 lessons Context Clues

   Here you will find helpful lessons to teach context clues.

    
   • Lessons
   • Context Clues #1

     SWBAT use context clues to determine the meanings of various vocabulary words.

      
5. 3 lessons The Story of an Eyewitness by Jack London

   In this unit there are three lesson plans that help teach the feature story "The Story of an Eyewitness" by Jack London.

    
   • Lessons
   • Chronological Order (day 1)

     SWBAT recognize organizational structures and arguments for and against an issue in Jack London’s “The Story of an Eyewitness.”

      
   • Organizational Patterns

     SWBAT recognize organizational structures and arguments for and against an issue in Jack London’s “The Story of an Eyewitness.”

      
   • Scholar Feature Stories

     SWBAT use organizational patterns in writing as they begin their pro/con feature story for the class newspaper.

      
6. 2 lessons Style, Tone, Mood

   This folder contains various lessons and activities for style, tone, and mood standards.

    
   • Lessons
   • The Tell Tale Heart (Mood)

     SWBAT draw conclusions about mood based on the author’s use of word choice and figurative language.

      
   • The Ballad of the Harp Weaver (tone)

     SWBAT draw conclusions about tone based on the author’s use of word choice and figurative language.

      
7. 4 lessons Informational Text
    
   • Lessons
   • Procedural Text Documents

     SWBAT use text features and elements of a procedural text document to create an original text that explains how to play their favorite game or sport.

      
   • Main Idea/Test Practice

     SWBAT read an informational text selection and identify and analyze the main ideas of parts of the story and the entire story.

      
   • Identifying Details/Summary

     SWBAT read an newspaper article and use post-it notes to identify specific details and create a summary.

      
   • Fact or Opinion?

     SWBAT analyze specific details in non-fiction text and determine if the details are facts or opinions.

      
8. 7 lessons Lessons for Independent Student Novels

   In this folder, you will find numerous lessons that can be taught with students using their own independent novels as the texts for the lesson. This is especially good for those of you who are following the reader's workshop model, like me!

    
   • Lessons
   • Main Idea

     SWBAT read a fictional short story and identify and analyze the main ideas of parts of the story and the entire story.

      
   • How does the Character Live?

     • SWBAT use main ideas and important details from their independent reading book to create an adult life for the main character(s) in their story.

      
   • Character's Problems/Resolutions

     SWBAT analyze the setting, and the problems and resolutions characters face in their independent reading book

      
   • Character's Motivations

     SWBAT analyze character’s actions and create a brief script to help classmates determine the character’s motivations.

      
   • Theme

     SWBAT read a short story/novel and analyze details to determine the theme of the story.

      
   • similar theme 1
      
   • You Cover It!

     SWBAT reveal the main ideas and themes of their independent reading book by creating a magazine cover with important details about their books.

      
9. 2 lessons Vocabulary & Grammar

   In this unit you will find all sorts of fun, interactive vocabulary lessons that can be incorportated into your English or adapted to any other content area. Enjoy!

    
   • Lessons
   • Vocabulary Zig Zag

     SWBAT analyze the meanings of vocabulary words to create zig zag sentences incorporating more than one vocabulary word.

      
   • Parts of Speech Carousel

     SWBAT identify and use parts of speech in speaking, reading, and writing.

      
10. 2 lessons Identifying Details in the Passage

    In this unit you will find lessons to help you show your scholars how to dig and search through a text to find specific details.

     
    • Lessons
    • I Spy!

      SWBAT identify specific details in a section of a passage or an entire paragraph explain how those details contribute to the meaning of the text.

       
    • Name that Text Feature

      SWBAT identify and explain the purpose of text features used in a passage.