Curriculum - Lower Elementary Language Arts

Listening and Speaking Skills

1.00 Receptive skills1.10 Listens to others with eye contact and positive body language demonstrating respect for others
1.20 Follows verbal directions – up to four steps
1.30 Blocks out extraneous noise/conversations and maintains work focus2.00 Speaking skills2.10 Speaks publicly before a small group, communicating ideas effectively
2.20 Participates in discussion activities regarding personal or assigned reading
2.30 Participates in drama, play, music performance activities
2.40 Discusses readings, “Shares”, projects within the context of personal experiences and life situations

Reading Skills

1.00 Word Study1.10 Defines and creates compound words
1.20 Defines and identifies: root word, suffixes, prefixes
1.30 Defines and applies examples1.30.1 Antonyms
1.30.2 Synonyms
1.30.3 Homonyms
1.30.4 Similes
1.30.5 Metaphors
1.30.6 Rhyming words 1.40 Determines number of syllables in a word
1.50 Alphabetizes to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th letter
1.60 Uses reference texts appropriately1.60.1 Dictionary: Locates words, parts of speech, definitions using guide words
1.60.2 Thesaurus: Locates synonyms
1.60.3 Encyclopedia: Locates information an a topic
1.60.4 Atlas
1.60.5 Almanac
1.60.6 Telephone book
1.60.7 Uses Computer card catalog or Dewey decimal system for locating information in library1.70 Classifies vocabulary terms and creates a chart
1.80 Reads orally with fluency, accuracy, and comprehension 2.00 Grammar 2.10 Defines parts of speech and identifies each part within a sentencenoun (proper and common); adjective; article; verb; preposition; pronouns; adverbs; interjections; conjunctions2.20 Locates within a sentence: subject; predicate; direct object3.00 Comprehension3.10 Sequences events in a story by beginning, middle, an end
3.20 Reads and answers comprehension questions on grade level with > 80% accuracy
3.30 Determines fact or opinion in statements
3.40 Determines cause and effect
3.50 Makes predictions, draws inferences, and conclusions from what is read
3.60 Relates and compares reading material to real life experiences4.00 Combined tasks 4.10 Works independently to complete a task by following written directions
4.20 Reads for pleasure * 4.20.1 Defines and identifies: legends; myths; fairy tales; biographies; autobiographies, fiction; non-fiction4.30 Participates in Jr. Great Books reading with vocabulary enrichment and assignments
4.40 Reads pictographs, tables, charts, and graphs with accuracy and answers questions for comprehension

Spelling Skills

Writing Skills

1.00 Handwriting1.10 Writes legibly in manuscript, with margins and spacing
1.20 Writes legibly in cursive, with margins and spacing2.00 Language mechanics2.10 Capitalizes correctly
2.20 Utilizes punctuation correctly: End marks; commas; quotation marks; colons;
semicolons; hyphens; abbreviations; apostrophes 3.00 Writing Skills3.10 Beginning skills3.10.1 Writes 3 types of sentences: declarative; imperative; interrogatory
3.10.2 Writes a description utilizing adjectives
3.10.3 Writes a paragraph accurately with correct capitalization, punctuation and topic sentences
3.10.4 Writes a persuasive paragraph
3.10.5 Groups topics into paragraphs
3.10.6 Understands writing process: planning, drafting, editing, rewriting, publishing 3.20 Intermediate skills3.20.1 Writes a journal entry
3.20.2 Writes poems, including a haiku poem
3.20.3 Completes a story in own word when given a story starter
3.20.4 Writes an autobiography
3.20.5 Writes a short summary of a book previously read
3.20.6 Writes a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end
3.20.7 Writes a friendly letter or thank you note with correct structure
3.20.8 Writes descriptive essay
3.20.9 Writes a newspaper article with headline and byline3.30 Advanced skills3.30.1 Illustrates a story map
3.30.2 Groups topics into paragraphs
3.30.3 Writes a comparison paragraph using a Venn Diagram for a draft
3.30.4 Creates an outline from material read
3.30.5 Takes notes on important information
3.30.6 Begins general research activities: Finds books, uses index, uses table of contents, records information
3.30.7 Paraphrases information from information
3.30.8 Writes short research paper with a bibliography
3.30.9 Uses a computer to publish a story or work
3.30.10Completes assignments within deadline, demonstrating responsibility for 4th grade
3.30.11Utilizes computer at the beginning levels

* Reading is accomplished through “Read-Aloud”, self-selection, and by assignment for group discussion work. Reading spans the gamut from picture books, beginning readers, short prose, poetry, SRA’s, Barnell-Loft, chapter books, Junior Great Books, Caldecott Books, Newberry Books, and beginning classics.

Listed are some of the available selections from Junior Great Books: