English Language Arts

unit 1

Reading: Building a Reading Life

Learners view themselves as part of a community of readers. Readers will build relationships with texts and collaborate with partners to enhance their reading. Readers follow the Reading Workshop routines and procedures.

Writing: Launching the Writing Workshop with Notebooks Through Personal Narratives

This unit introduces the students to world of writing as they identify themselves as authors and illustrators as they generate and relate their own real life experiences. Routines and procedures for Writers Workshop are introduced and student quickly identify themselves as authors and illustrators while incorporating the 21st Century Skills of creativity, problem solving, communication and innovation.

Unit 2

Reading: Character Studies and Growing Theories

Readers develop theories about how characters grow and change by thinking deeply about them. By connecting deeply with the characters and critically analyzing reasons for their actions and beliefs, readers become more invested in their reading and are better able to visualize and understand the story.

Writing: The Art of Information Writing

Writers delve into producing informational texts, teaching others about what they know. Students nurture their writing identities and personal passions by sharing their expertise with their readers. Writers utilize nonfiction text features to present their topic best. Writers work with their partners to begin to provide more specific, meaningful feedback and get support with their own work. Writers in this unit further develop their communicative and collaborative skills.

Unit 3

Reading: Reading Across Informational Texts to Gather Research

Readers will read to learn by choosing topics they are already passionate about and seeking to learn even more than they may already know. This unit spotlights skills and habits essential to readers of expository nonfiction: determining importance, finding main idea and supporting details; figuring out and using new content-specific vocabulary; and comparing and contrasting information learned across texts. Readers will be independent, self-directed learners to process and analyze read information.

Writing: Opinion: Changing the World

Writers will become passionate about their opinions and how to support through thoughtful reasoning and evidence. They will grow more sophisticated in considering audience and tailoring their opinions to convince particular audiences. Writers will make a thesis or claim and then use evidence to influence others’ thinking by effectively communicating through creativity and innovation.

Unit 4

Reading: Culture Book Clubs

Readers will read to learn about culture and characters through the integration of narrative texts that cover cultural social studies topics. Readers will learn to communicate and collaborate about their reading and comprehension through participation in book clubs. Readers will learn that book club preparatory skills are similar to those needed to demonstrate global competency.

Writing: Opinion: Researching Global Issues

Writers will conduct research to support their Global Citizenship performance task in social studies. They will gather information and connect their new learning with their prior cultural and global citizenship knowledge. Writers will use various ways to record information and come up with essential questions based upon the information they have gathered. A presentation based on their research will allow them to share their knowledge with classmates as they exhibit character and demonstrate social responsibility and active citizenship.

Unit 5

Reading: Global Challenge Research Clubs

Readers will read to learn and gather research through the integration of texts that cover their Global Citizenship unit. Readers will continue to communicate and collaborate about their research through participation in these book clubs. Readers will continue to demonstrate global competency by gathering information that connects their new learning with their prior knowledge. Readers will use various ways to record information and come up with essential questions based upon the information they have gathered. A creative and innovative presentation based on their research will allow them to share their knowledge with classmates.

Writing: Fiction Writing

Writers will have the chance expand on ideas throughout various genres of fiction writing. Writers will combine all of their learned craft and write through the eyes and minds of other characters. Writers will rehearse their stories with partners before writing drafts that develop character and plot. With their strong background knowledge in craft and mechanics, writers will develop creative original products.

Unit 6

Reading: Global Challenge Research Clubs

Readers will read to learn and gather research through the integration of texts that cover their Global Citizenship unit. Readers will continue to communicate and collaborate about their research through participation in these book clubs. Readers will continue to demonstrate global competency by gathering information that connects their new learning with their prior knowledge. Readers will use various ways to record information and come up with essential questions based upon the information they have gathered. A creative and innovative presentation based on their research will allow them to share their knowledge with classmates.

Writing: Fiction Writing

Writers will have the chance expand on ideas throughout various genres of fiction writing. Writers will combine all of their learned craft and write through the eyes and minds of other characters. Writers will rehearse their stories with partners before writing drafts that develop character and plot. With their strong background knowledge in craft and mechanics, writers will develop creative original products.

Unit 7

Reading: Reading Mystery

Readers will read mystery texts to strengthen their abilities to make logical inferences and relevant connections from it. Readers will cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Readers will analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Readers will organize these facts and analyze these characters and events to formulate a possible solution to a mystery