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Descriptive Statement:
A primary reading goal is for students at all grades to
read independently with fluency and comprehension so that
they become lifelong readers and learners. In order to achieve
this goal, students benefit from "daily opportunities
to read books they choose for themselves, for their own purposes,
and their own pleasures" (Calkins, 2001). Students should
read grade-appropriate or more challenging classic and contemporary
literature and informational readings, both self-selected
and assigned. In order to grow as readers and deepen their
understanding of texts, students need many opportunities to
think about, talk about, and write about the texts they are
reading. A diversity of reading material (including fiction
and nonfiction) provides students with opportunities to grow
intellectually, emotionally, and socially as they consider
universal themes, diverse cultures and perspectives, and the
common aspects of human existence.
In early reading instruction, children need to know about
sounds, letters and words, and their relationships. Phonemic
awareness, knowledge of the relationships between sounds and
letters, and an understanding of the features of written English
texts are essential to beginning reading. Direct, systematic
phonics instruction enables many students to develop their
knowledge of phonics, and provides a bridge to apply this
knowledge in becoming independent and fluent readers. Systematic
phonics instruction typically involves explicitly teaching
students a pre-specified set of letter-sound relations and
having students read text that provides practice using these
relations to decode words (National Reading Panel, 2000).
It is important to help students become fluent readers in
the early years, and then help them expand their literacy
abilities as they progress through the middle and high school
grades.
The reading process requires readers to respond to texts,
both personally and critically, and relate prior knowledge
and personal experiences to written texts. Students apply
literal, inferential and critical comprehension strategies
before, during, and after reading to examine, construct, and
extend meaning. In becoming fluent readers, students must
draw on the word meaning and sentence structure of text and
sound/symbol relationships, and use these cueing systems interchangeably
in order to gain meaning. Students need to recognize that
what they hear, speak, write, and view contributes to the
content and quality of their reading experiences.
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Descriptive Statement:
Writing is a complex process that begins with the recording
of one's thoughts. It is used for composition, communication,
expression, learning, and engaging the reader. Proficient
writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to
vary form, style, and conventions in order to write for different
purposes, audiences, and contexts. Students should have multiple
opportunities to craft and practice writing, to generate ideas,
and to refine, evaluate, and publish their writing. In a successful
writing program, students develop and demonstrate fluency
in all phases of the writing process, including prewriting,
drafting, revising, editing of multiple drafts, and postwriting
processes that include publishing, presenting, evaluating,
and/or performing.
Students should be helped to understand the recursive nature
and shifting perspectives of the writing process, in moving
from the role of writer to the role of reader and back again.
It is important for students to understand that writers write,
then plan and revise, and then write again. They will learn
to appreciate writing not only as a product, but also as a
process and mode of thinking and communicating. "By the
mysterious alchemy of the written word, we range over time
and space, expanding our experiences, enriching our souls,
and ultimately becoming more fully, more consciously human"
(Keene, 1999). Students should recognize that what they hear,
speak, read, and view contributes to the content and quality
of their writing.
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A.
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Concepts About Print/Text |
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1.
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Develop knowledge about various
print formats, including newspapers, magazines, books,
and reference resources. |
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2.
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Recognize purposes and uses
for print conventions such as paragraphs, end-sentence
punctuation, and bold print. |
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3.
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Identify and locate features
that support text meaning (e.g., maps, charts, illustrations). |
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B.
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Phonological Awareness |
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No additional indicators
at this grade level |
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C.
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Decoding
and Word Recognition |
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1.
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Use letter-sound
correspondence and structural analysis (e.g., roots,
affixes) to decode words. |
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2.
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Know and
use common word families to decode unfamiliar words. |
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3.
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Recognize
compound words, contractions, and common abbreviations. |
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D.
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Fluency |
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1.
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Use appropriate
rhythm, flow, meter, and pronunciation in demonstrating
understanding of punctuation marks. |
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2.
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Read at different
speeds using scanning, skimming, or careful reading
as appropriate. |
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E.
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Reading
Strategies (before, during, and after reading) |
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1.
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Use knowledge
of word meaning, language structure, and sound-symbol
relationships to check understanding when reading. |
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2.
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Identify
specific words or passages causing comprehension difficulties
and seek clarification. |
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3.
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Select useful
visual organizers before, during, and after reading
to organize information (e.g., Venn diagrams). |
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F.
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Vocabulary
and Concept Development |
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1.
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Infer word
meanings from learned roots, prefixes, and suffixes. |
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2.
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Infer specific
word meanings in the context of reading passages. |
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3.
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Identify
and correctly use antonyms, synonyms, homophones, and
homographs. |
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4.
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Use a grade-appropriate
dictionary (independently) to define unknown words. |
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G.
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Comprehension
Skills and Response to Text |
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1.
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Discuss underlying
themes across cultures in various texts. |
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2.
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Distinguish
cause and effect, fact and opinion, main idea and supporting
details in nonfiction texts (e.g., science, social studies). |
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3.
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Cite evidence
from text to support conclusions. |
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4.
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Understand
author's opinions and how they address culture, ethnicity,
gender, and historical periods (cf. social studies standards). |
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5.
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Follow simple
multiple-steps in written instructions (cf. mathematics
standard 4.4). |
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6.
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Recognize
an author's point of view. |
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7.
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Identify
and summarize central ideas in informational texts. |
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8.
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Recognize
differences among forms of literature (poetry, drama,
fiction, nonfiction). |
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9.
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Recognize
literary elements in stories, including setting, characters,
plot, and mood. |
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10.
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Identify
some literary devices in stories. |
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11.
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Identify
the structures in poetry. |
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12.
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Identify
the structures in drama (cf. visual and performing arts
standards). |
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13.
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Read regularly
in materials appropriate for their independent reading
level. |
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H.
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Inquiry
and Research |
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1.
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Use library
classification systems, print or electronic, to locate
information. |
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2.
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Investigate
a favorite author and produce evidence of research. |
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3.
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Read independently
and research topics using a variety of materials to
satisfy personal, academic, and social needs, and produce
evidence of reading. |
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A.
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Writing as a Process (prewriting,
drafting, revising, editing, postwriting) |
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1.
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Generate possible ideas for
writing through talking, recalling experiences, hearing
stories, reading, discussing models of writing, asking
questions, and brainstorming. |
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2.
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Develop an awareness of form,
structure, and author's voice in various genres. |
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3.
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Use strategies such as reflecting
on personal experiences, reading, doing interviews or
research, and using graphic organizers to generate and
organize ideas for writing. |
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4.
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Draft writing in a selected
genre with supporting structure according to the intended
message, audience, and purpose for writing. |
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5.
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Revise drafts by rereading
for meaning, narrowing the focus, elaborating, reworking
organization, openings, and closings, and improving
word choice and consistency of voice. |
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6.
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Review own writing with others
to understand the reader's perspective and to consider
ideas for revision. |
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7.
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Review and edit work for spelling,
mechanics, clarity, and fluency. |
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8.
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Use a variety of reference
materials to revise work, such as a dictionary, thesaurus,
or internet/software resources. |
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9.
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Use computer writing applications
during most of the writing process. |
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10.
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Understand and apply elements
of grade-appropriate rubrics to improve and evaluate
writing. |
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11.
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Reflect on one's writing, noting
strengths and areas needing improvement. |
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B.
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Writing
as a Product (resulting in a formal product or publication) |
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1.
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Create narrative
pieces, such as memoir or personal narrative, that contain
description and relate ideas, observations, or recollections
of an event or experience. |
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2.
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Write informational
reports across the curriculum that frame an issue or
topic, include facts and details, and draw from more
than one source of information. |
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3.
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Craft writing
to elevate its quality by adding detail, changing the
order of ideas, strengthening openings and closings,
and using dialogue. |
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4.
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Build knowledge
of the characteristics and structures of a variety of
genres. |
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5.
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Sharpen focus
and improve coherence by considering the relevancy of
included details, and adding, deleting, and rearranging
appropriately. |
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6.
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Write sentences
of varying lengths and complexity, using specific nouns,
verbs, and descriptive words. |
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7.
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Recognize
the difference between complete sentences and sentence
fragments and examine the uses of each in real-world
writing. |
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8.
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Improve the
clarity of writing by rearranging words, sentences,
and paragraphs. |
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9.
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Examine real-world
writing to expand knowledge of sentences, paragraphs,
usage, and authors' writing styles. |
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10.
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Provide logical
sequence and support the purpose of writing by refining
organizational structure and developing transitions
between ideas. |
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11.
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Engage the
reader from beginning to end with an interesting opening,
logical sequence, and satisfying conclusion. |
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C.
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Mechanics,
Spelling, and Handwriting |
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1.
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Use Standard
English conventions that are appropriate to the grade
level (sentence structure, grammar and usage, punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, handwriting). |
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2.
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Use increasingly
complex sentence structure and syntax to express ideas.
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3.
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Use grade
appropriate knowledge of English grammar and usage to
craft writing: subject/verb agreement, pronoun usage
and agreement, appropriate verb tenses. |
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4.
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Use punctuation
correctly in sentences, such as ending punctuation,
commas, and quotation marks in dialogue. |
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5.
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Use capital
letters correctly in sentences, for proper nouns, and
in titles. |
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6.
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Study examples
of narrative and expository writing to develop understanding
of the reasons for and use of paragraphs and indentation.
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7.
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Indent in
own writing to show the beginning of a paragraph. |
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8.
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Spell grade-appropriate
words correctly with particular attention to frequently
used words, contractions, and homophones. |
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9.
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Use knowledge
of base words, structural analysis, and spelling patterns
to expand spelling competency in writing. |
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10.
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Use a variety
of reference materials, such as a dictionary, grammar
reference, and Internet/software resources to edit written
work. |
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11.
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Write legibly
in manuscript or cursive to meet district standards. |
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D.
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Writing
Forms, Audiences, and Purposes (exploring a variety
of forms) |
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1.
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Write for
different purposes (e.g., to express ideas, to inform,
to entertain, to respond to literature, to question,
to share, etc.) and a variety of audiences (e.g., self,
peers, community). |
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2.
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Study the
characteristics of a variety of genres, including expository,
narrative, poetry, and reflection. |
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3.
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Develop independence
by setting self-selected purposes and generating topics
for writing. |
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4.
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Write independently
to satisfy personal, academic, and social needs (e.g.,
stories, summaries, letters, poetry). |
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5.
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Use writing
to paraphrase, clarify, and reflect on new learning
across the curriculum. |
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6.
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Respond to
literature in writing to demonstrate an understanding
of the text, to explore personal reactions, and to connect
personal experiences with the text. |
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7.
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Write narratives
that relate recollections of an event or experience
and establish a setting, characters, point of view,
and sequence of events. |
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8.
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Write informational
reports that frame a topic, include facts and details,
and draw information from several sources. |
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9.
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Write letters
for a variety of audiences and purposes, formal and
informal. |
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10.
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Use a variety
of strategies to organize writing, including sequence,
chronology, and cause/effect. |
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11.
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Demonstrate
higher-order thinking skills through responses to open-ended
and essay questions in content areas or as responses
to literature. |
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12.
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Use relevant
graphics in writing (e.g., maps, charts, illustrations).
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13.
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Demonstrate
the development of a personal style and voice in writing.
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14.
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Review scoring
criteria of a writing rubric. |
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15.
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Develop a
collection of writings (e.g., a literacy folder, a literacy
portfolio). |
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