Textbooks and Resources

• “Writing and Grammar, Communication in Action” textbook and workbook, Prentice Hall
• “The Interactive Reader Plus” – McDougal Littell
• The Word Within the Word
• Mountain Language
• “Voices” writing through imitation
• “Greek and Latin Roots” by Trisha Callella
• “Short Takes”
• Novels and other literature based on quarterly themes

Course Description
This course focuses on two main areas of literacy: reading and writing.  Students will read for deeper meaning, inference, author’s purpose and theme.  Students will write a variety of short stories, essays, articles and literary analysis pieces.  

Reading/Literature

1. Elements of literature such as characterization, plot, point of view, setting and theme
2. Evaluation of reading comprehension, vocabulary and critical thinking skills
3. Evaluation of daily assignments, homework, tests and projects
4. Select novels will be read in class
5. Skills such as inference, interpretation, elaboration and analysis of literature
6. Relate details from a text to the main idea
7. Utilize questioning, visualizing, and prior knowledge when reading selected passages and/or novels
8. Identification and use of figurative language

 
Writing/Grammar

1. Use the steps of the writing process
2. Analyze different writing genres
3. Vocabulary instruction based on Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes and roots
4. Editing and proofreading
5. Parts of speech
6. Creating strong sentences, paragraphs and longer pieces of writing such as essays and/or short stories
7. Apply the 6-Traits of Writing to all written work (voice, sentence fluency, ideas, conventions, word choice and organization)
8. Use the 6-Traits of Writing rubric to evaluate writings of self and others
9. Focus on narrative writing, descriptive writing and problem/solution writing, literary analysis