Language+Arts

** Language Arts **


 * Writer's Notebook **
 * Students are required to write 4 self-chosen entries in their writer's notebooks each week.
 * Notebooks are collected every other Friday and graded according to the rubric below.
 * Entries must be at least 1/2 page in length to count.
 * Entries completed during a writing lesson do not count.
 * Entries may be stories, poems, raps, songs, lists, thoughts, questions, observations, etc. Use your imagination!
 * Students can work on entries during morning work, snack, dismissal, free time, or at home.


 * [[file:Writer's NB Rubric.doc]]** The grading rubric for the Writer's Notebook

 Grammar lessons are done every Monday, and the skill is practiced throughout the week along with skills learned in previous weeks. The skills are tested every other week. Topics learned thus far, along with practice worksheets, are listed below. > >   
 * Grammar**
 * 2-word sentences (recognizing subjects and verbs)
 * Adding dependent clauses to independent clauses
 * Joining two independent clauses with a comma and a conjunction (FANBOYS) [[file:Compound Sentences.docx]]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Joining two independent clauses with a semi-colon [[file:LA-Semi Colons.docx]]

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Each week, students will be responsible for learning to spell all 20 of the spelling words. One activity will be assigned and the other two activities can be chosen <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> to complete for homework. Doing these activities will help students practice spelling the words correctly. All spelling homework will be due <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">on Friday morning. Students will be tested on the spelling words on Friday. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">**Assignment 1:** All students must complete the //Spelling & Reading// pages for each unit. If you are using the Challenge list, you will complete the two pages of //Vocabulary Connections// on the painted pages //instead// of the //Spelling & Reading// pages. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Assignments 2 & 3: ** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Each student must complete //two// of the following activities for each unit. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Example: exit <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">e <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">ex <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">exi <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">exit
 * Spelling**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Write words three times each in alphabetical order.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Write a definition and part of speech for 10 words.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Write a synonym and antonym for each spelling word.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Ladder Words – Write each spelling word as shown below:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Type words three times each in three different fonts.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Book Hunt – Find sentences using 10 spelling words in a book, newspaper, magazine, etc., and copy them down. Please write the title of the book, newspaper, or magazine that you used.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> All writing pieces are graded according to the PA Domain Writing Rubric.

[|PA Domain Writing Rubric]

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Use the writing process, learning to revise and edit pieces with a partner, for a variety of purposes. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">To write personal narratives with extended descriptions of people, places and dialogue. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">To write paragraphs to inform and persuade, including how-to, compare/contrast, and summaries. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">To create fictional stories and poems using figurative language. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Develop legible cursive handwriting using correct letter formation and proper spacing and slant. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Learn assigned spelling words at instructional level and develop strategies to self-correct spelling. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Participate in formal oral activities (discussion, book reviews). <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Listen and respond orally to a variety of literature. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Actively listen and participate in cooperative learning situations. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Be introduced to formal study skill and test-taking strategies. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Effectively use reference materials for research and write reports using more than one source. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Learn note taking, outlining, paraphrasing, and summarizing techniques. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Apply correct usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation in final drafts of compositions. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Use correct paragraphing, underlining, quotation marks, plural possessives. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Determine functions of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Vary sentence structure. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> §<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Write to an informative prompt.
 * Grade 4 Language Arts Curriculum:** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">