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Literacy Lab
LITERACY LAB
Literacy Lab is a fast-paced semester course that improves student reading and writing abilities by engaging students in personalized literacy instruction. Decoding words, reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, responding to text, and writing skills are emphasized. As part of the personalized literacy program, students will participate in computer-based skill programs that will address specific reading needs. In order to develop a lifelong interest in reading, students will select appropriate high-interest materials and read them independently. In addition, students will have the opportunity to work on reading and writing-related assignments from other courses in a guided environment. Students are placed into Literacy Lab upon consideration of reading assessments and the recommendations of the classroom teacher and the basic skills coordinator.
Objectives:
Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literacy, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats. Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct a meaning. Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation. Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text. Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts. Students recognize and appreciate that contemporary and classical literature has shaped human thought. Students recognize that readers and authors are influenced by individual, social, cultural and historical contexts.
Enduring Understandings: Applying pre-reading, during reading and post-reading strategies improves comprehension of a text. Effective readers work through difficult texts by employing a variety of techniques. One becomes a better reader by reading appropriately selected texts. Reading is an active process. Good readers do re-read. Pre-writing, drafting and revising strategies lead to clear, organized, and thoughtful writing pieces
Essential Questions:
What is interfering with my ability to comprehend a text? What can I do to figure out a word that I don’t know? What can I do if I read something but I don’t understand it? How can I use what I know to help me understand a text? How can I improve my writing?
Course Expectations
(These are based upon the Connecticut Standards for Language Arts 9-12. Bold items represent the power standards that will be emphasized in this grade level.)
Forming a General Understanding Activate prior knowledge, establish purpose for reading and adjust the purposes while reading. Determine and apply the most effective means of monitoring comprehension and apply the appropriate strategies. Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning
Differentiated instruction Mini- lessons Gradual release instructional design (explicit instruction > modeling > practice > Active reading
CFA(s) and assignments Summarizing CFA
Course Expectations
(These are based upon the Connecticut Standards for Language Arts 9-12. Bold items represent the power standards that will be emphasized in this grade level.)
Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning
Select and organize relevant information from the text to summarize. independent application to Identify, use, and analyze text structures. new task) Independently draw conclusions and use evidence to substantiate them by Teacher modeling using texts heard, read, and viewed. Explicit instruction and Make and justify inferences from explicit and or implicit information. Analyze the meaning of words and phrases in context Develop vocabulary through listening, speaking, reading and writing. Developing Interpretation practice of reading strategies Teacher “Think Aloud” Teacher/student conferences Guided reading Small group discussions Generate and respond to questions about the text. Independent reading Interpret information that is implied in a text. Shared reading Distinguish between fact and opinion. Sustained silent reading Make, support, and defend judgments about texts. Note taking Discuss and respond to texts by making text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to Journal responses world connections. Flexible groupings Identify and discuss the underlying theme or main idea in texts. Written reading reflections Choose a variety of genres to read for personal enjoyment. Oral reading reflections Persuade listeners about judgments and opinions of works read, written Interactive read aloud and viewed. Pair and Share Discuss, analyze and evaluate how characters deal with the diversity of Book talks human experience and conflict. Collaborative group Analyze and evaluate the basic beliefs, perspectives, biases, and assumptions underlying an author’s work. Examining Content and Structure Identify literary techniques an author uses that contribute to the meaning activities Use of graphic aids Incidental and systematic multi-sensory vocabulary instruction and appeal of texts. Develop a critical stance and cite textual evidence to support the stance. Multi-text responses Free-writes Inferences CFA(s) and writing assignments Open-ended and multiple choice worksheets Timed writing assignments Multi-text responses Main
Idea/Supporting
Details CFA(s) Context-clues CFA Quizzes Writing assignments Vocabulary charts and organizers Discussion Student writing
Objectives: Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes. Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task. Students use knowledge of their language and culture to improve competency in English. Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task. Students use standard English for composing and revising written text.
Course Expectations
Instructional Strategies Evidence Of earning
Use oral language with clarity, voice and fluency to communicate a message. Gradual release instructional design (explicit instruction > modeling > practice > independent application to new task) Oral presentations Teacher modeling Writing mini-lessons Note taking Process writing Free writes Graphic organizers Generating topics Guided writing lessons Collaborative writing Shared writing School-wide Rubrics Focused peer editing Peer / teacher conferences Model texts Oral presentations Listen to or read a variety of genres to use as models for writing in different Writing drafts modes. Timed writing Use the appropriate features of persuasive, narrative, expository or creative Multimedia writing with a focus on: presentations a. clarity CFAs b. support c. fluency Determine purpose, point of view and audience, and choose an appropriate written, oral or visual format. Apply the most effective processes to create and present a written, oral or visual piece Cooperatively revise texts for organization, elaboration, fluency, coherency, and clarity with a focus on: writing topic sentences using key words from the thesis reordering the argument in a way appropriate for the audience, purpose, and thesis and using logical transitions between and within paragraphs to improve fluency and coherence. Research information from multiple sources for a specific purpose. Use sentence patterns typical of spoken and written language to produce text with a focus on improving clarity and eliminating clichés. Evaluate the impact of language as related to audience and purpose. Recognize the difference between standard and nonstandard English and use language appropriately.
Course Expectations
Demonstrate proficient use of proper mechanics, usage and spelling skills. (See Appendix H: Grammar Articulation) Sharing of Student
Writing
Instructional Strategies Evidence Of earning
LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM Literacy Lab: Resources
The following resources are available for use with a whole class or in small groups.
Texts: Among the Hidden- Maragaret Haddix Peterson Applying Differentiation Strategies Handbook Critical Literacy: Figurative Language and Inferences English Teacher's Book of Instant Word Games Fascinating News Stories Flash Fiction Forward Great Short Stories: Quick Reads by Great Writers Micro Fiction: An Anthology of Fifty Really Short Stories Mnemonic Cartoons for Learning New SAT Words Word Powe Cartoons I Mnemonic Cartoons for Learning New SAT Words Word Powe Cartoons II New Sudden Fiction: Short Stories from America and Beyond Reader’s Handbook Reading Smarter Real-Life Reading Activities for Grades 6-12 Scholastic Action Magazine Succeeding: Overcoming the Odds The Life of…..Sample Set World's Shortest Stories Writer’s Inc.
Computer Programs: Read Naturally Lexia
LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM High School English Classes at a Glance
Appendix G
Aspect Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
Students will read a minimum of 4 major works/collections including The Odyssey. At least two of those books should be studentselected with class time given for reading. Students will read a minimum of 4 major works/collections including To Kill a Mockingbird, Macbeth, and Hunger Games. At least two of those books should be studentselected with class time given for reading. Emphasis will be placed upon in-depth short story analysis. Students will read a minimum of 5 major works/collections including The Catcher in the Rye. At least one of those books should be student-selected with class time given for reading. Students will read a minimum of 4 major works/collections including Hamlet. At least one of those books should be student-selected with class time given for reading.
Students will read a minimum of 5 major works/collections including The Odyssey, Of Mice and Men and a Shakespeare selection. At least two of those books should be student-selected with class time given for reading. Students will read a minimum of 5 major works/collections including To Kill a Mockingbird, Macbeth, and Fahrenheit 451. At least one of those books should be studentselected with class time given for reading. Emphasis will be placed upon in-depth short story analysis. Students will read a minimum of 6 major works/collections including The Catcher in the Rye. At least one of those books should be student-selected with class time given for reading. Students will read a minimum of 7 major works/collections including Hamlet and Lord of The Flies. At least one of those books should be student-selected with class time given for reading.
Students will read a minimum of 6 major works/collections including The Odyssey, Of Mice and Men and a Shakespeare selection. At least two of those books should be student-selected.
Reflective compositions Literary analysis 1-2 page personal narrative 2 page research paper or project Literary analyses Multi-text responses Creative response 2-3 page research paper or project Literary analyses Close reading analysis Personal essay 2-5 page research paper or project SAT timed writing Literary analyses Close reading analysis Personal narrative/college essay 4-5 page research paper
Reflective compositions Literary analysis 2-3 page personal narrative 2-3 page research paper Literary analyses Multi-text responses Creative response 3-4 page research paper Literary analyses Close reading analysis Personal essay 3-6 page research paper SAT timed writing Literary analyses Close reading analysis Timed writing Personal narrative/college essay 4-6 page research paper
Reflective compositions Literary analysis 3-4 page personal narrative 3-5 page research paper Literary analyses Multi-text responses Creative response, including at least two poems 6-9 page research paper Literary analyses Close reading analysis Creative writing, focus on voice 5-8 page research paper Timed writing Literary analyses Close reading analysis Timed writings Personal narrative/college essay 8-10 page research paper
20-30 min. per assignment, which may include 510 pages reading with questions, vocabulary, graphic organizers, prewriting or narrative writing, studying for test or quiz 20-30 min. per assignment, which may include 10-15 pages reading with questions, vocabulary, graphic organizers, prewriting or narrative writing, studying for test or quiz 20-30 min. per assignment, which may include 10-15 pages reading with questions, vocabulary, graphic organizers, prewriting, narrative or literary writing, studying for test or quiz 20-30 min. per assignment which may include 2030 pages reading with questions, vocabulary, graphic organizers, major writing assignments, studying for test or quiz
30-60 min. per assignment. Reading and writing every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term chunked assignments independently with reminders. 30-60 min. per assignment. Reading and writing every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term chunked assignments independently. 30 – 60 min. per assignment. Reading (30 pages) and writing every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently. 45 -60 min/ assignment. Reading (50-100 pgs/wk) and writing every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently.
Reading (30-40+ pages) and writing is expected every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently. Reading (40-50+) and writing is expected every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently. Substantial reading (50+ pages) and writing is expected every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently. Independent reading (150+ pgs/week) and writing is expected every assignment; students are expected to manage long-term assignments independently.
Students will read a minimum of 6 major works/collections including To Kill a Mockingbird, Macbeth or Othello, and Brave New World or Fahrenheit 451. At least one of those books should be student-selected. Emphasis will be placed upon in-depth short story analysis. Students will read a minimum of 8 major works/collections including The Catcher in the Rye and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Students will read a minimum of 8 major works/collections including Hamlet and Jane Eyre. At least three of those books should be student-selected.
