Language Arts Unit: A World of Wild, Wacky, Wonderful Words
This unit is designed specifically to meet the needs of high-ability students by setting the following goals:
Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature
Develop an understanding of author's craft, the specific technique an author uses to convey an intended message
Develop writing skills
Develop a playful curiosity about language
Develop an understanding of the concept of systems, especially systems related to language
A variety of literature selections will provide the context for our exploration of word play, figures of speech, and systems. The literature will stimulate discussion, writing, listening, and vocabulary activities. In class, we will read and discuss numerous poems, several picture books, and several books. We will specifically look for examples of word play in what we read, and we will learn to understand the parts of speech, the parts of a sentence, and figures of speech and why they are used. The unit includes the following activities that will require some work outside of class and may need your support at home. When students have any homework I will make sure to email parents to keep them informed.
Journal Activities
Written Homework Assignments
Research online on different languages from around the world, ancient to the present.
Additional information will be sent home as assignments are given. There will be opportunities for students to work with the teacher and classmates on each project as the unit progresses.
Assessments First, I gave them a pretest to assess their level and skills in language arts literature analysis and persuasive writing. Students will be assessed again at the end of the unit to see the progress they have made.
What can I do at Home Here are a few things you can choose to do at home to engage students in the unit we are currently working on:
Read books with your child or talk with them after they read. Ask questions specific to the key ideas and the use of language they found when they read. This includes many things such as figurative language, main idea, supporting details, character feelings and more.
Play word games to engage their vocabulary and language usage. Using their spelling words is a great way to do this.
Encourage your child to write everyday. Start a weekly or daily bible study and have them write their thoughts or feelings.
Create art using their spelling words or any words you find around the house.
Create sentences and stories from words collected around the house. We read a great book this summer called Donovan's Word Jar. Encourage them to start a word jar like he did.
When watching shows or movies ask the same questions you would when reading a book. Then make the connection with them that all movies start as scripts or books.
Language Arts Unit: Beyond Words This unit is designed specifically to meet the needs of high-ability students by setting the following goals:
Develop analytical and interpretive skills in literature.
Develop skills in identifying, analyzing, and using figurative language.
Develop writing skills in persuasive writing.
Develop linguistic competency.
Develop analogical reasoning skills.
Develop an understanding of the concept of change, especially changes in language.
A variety of literature selections will provide the context for the exploration of figurative language and change. The literature will stimulate discussion, writing, listening, and vocabulary activities. In class, we will read the discuss numerous poems, several picture books, and one novel. Students will keep a response journal to help them reflect on what they read. We will specifically look for examples of figurative language in what we read, and we will learn to understand the parts of similes and metaphors and why they are used.
The unit includes the following activities that will require some work outside of class and may need your support at home:
Independent reading, including a novel.
Written assignments (You will always be notified when there is any extra work to be done at home).
A research project on language and changes in families over time. (A majority of the project will be done in class with only a few sections to be done at home).
Assessments First, I gave them a pretest to assess their level and skills in language arts literature analysis and progress in persuasive writing. Students will be assessed again at the end of the unit to see the progress they have made. A writing portfolio will also be a way to self assess and evaluate their writing and understanding of the use of figurative language.
What can I do at Home Here are a few things you can choose to do at home to engage students in the unit we are currently working on:
Study other languages by setting up a letter-writing or e-mail arrangement with a family member who lives in another country or state and write to them on a regular basis.
Read books with your child or talk with them after they read. Ask questions specific to the key ideas and the use of language they found when they read. This includes many things such as figurative language, main idea, supporting details, character feelings and more.
Play word games to engage their vocabulary and language usage. Using their spelling words is a great way to do this.
Encourage your child to write everyday. Start a weekly or daily bible study and have them write their thoughts or feelings.
Create art using their spelling words or any words you find around the house.
Create sentences and stories from words collected around the house. We read a great book this summer called Donovan's Word Jar. Encourage them to start a word jar like he did.
When watching shows or movies ask the same questions you would when reading a book. Then make the connection with them that all movies start as scripts or books.