Literature and communication are the keystones of the Keys language arts program. From the earliest grades, Keys School fosters the love of reading. As students become more proficient readers, they develop an appreciation for the techniques employed by skilled writers. In the upper grades, students learn to pursue their ideas to deeper levels and to express them with originality, fluency of style, and effective vocabulary. Oral expression is emphasized at every grade level. Students develop confidence, organization of thought, and good speaking and listening skills, all important qualities for successful communication. The overall goal of our language arts program is to produce graduates who enjoy reading and who are able to effectively express their own ideas.
Kindergarten
Reading/Literature
- Learning to read
- Reading diagnostics
- Reading groups
- Class stories
- Concepts of print
Writing
- Fine Motor
- Phonetic, inventive spelling
- Story sequencing
- Writing stories, thank-you notes, etc.
Language
Spelling
- Phonemic awareness, rhymes
- Sight words
- Phonetic spelling
Phonics
- Sound/symbol correspondence
- Blends and initial consonant digraphs
- Decoding strategies
Vocabulary
- Embedded throughout curriculum
Speaking/Listening
- Raising hands to speak, patience
- Listening skills
- Following 3-step directions
- Sharing orally, asking relevant questions
- Recalling sequences in stories, recipes, etc.
First Grade
 |
Reading/Literature
- Story components: characters, main ideas, and sequence
- Poetry
- Reading Center
- Class play
Writing
- Journal writing
- Writer's workshop
- Name writing
- Small motor skills
Language
Grammar
- Complete sentences
- Punctuation
Spelling
- Words their Way
- Vowel oriented
- Sight words
Phonics
- Decoding
- Long/short vowels
- 2-letter blends
- Read, Write, & Type
Vocabulary
- Sight-word spelling
- Compound words
- Word meanings in literature
Speaking/Listening
- Oral presentations
- Sharing
- Audience etiquette
- Following two-step directions
- Class play
Second Grade
Reading/Literature
- Reading groups
- Chapter & picture books read aloud
- Reading fluency
- Research reading
Writing
- Hand Writing without Tears
- Journal writing
- Book reviews
- Non-Fiction
- Research reports
- Poetry, pen pals
- Writer's workshop, student written/published fiction
Language
Grammar
- Contractions, nouns, verbs, adjectives
- Daily Oral Language grammar
Spelling
- Dictionary skills
- Words Their Way
- Writers Workshop
Vocabulary
- Vocabulary from books
- Daily Oral Language grammar
- Words Their Way
- Presentations
- Daily read aloud by teacher
- Class play
Speaking/Listening
- Presentations
- Daily read aloud by teacher
- Class play
Third Grade
Reading/Literature
- Reading to learn
- Exposure to various genres
- Literature analysis, understanding, critical thinking
- Author methods
- Making connections
- Predictions and inferences
Writing
- Writing/editing process
- Creative writing
- Poetry
- Mysteries
- Fairy tales
- Expository writing
- Paragraph structure
- Biographies
- Handwriting without Tears
- Six Traits Writing
- Sentance Structure
Language
Grammar
- Capitalization
- Ending punctuation
- Apostrophes, commas, quotation marks
Spelling
- Words Their Way
- Spelling lists grouped by phonetics, syllable patterns, word parts
- High Frequency Words
Vocabulary
- Contextual clues to word meanings
- Analogies
- Synonyms & antonyms
- Taken from all subject areas
Speaking/Listening
- Practice speaking clearly, confidently, naturally, and respectfully
- Oral reports
- Social studies presentations
- Class play
Fourth Grade
Reading/Literature
- Historical fiction
- Fiction, non-fiction, plays, biographies, tall tales, poetry, newspapers, literary magazines
- Literature discussions about character development, predicting outcome, finding personal connections
- Skim & scan
- Conflicts, moral & ethical
Writing
- Book reviews
- Reports
- Poetry, letters
- Writer's Workshop
- Memoirs, recipes, writer's notebooks
- Multiple paragraphs
- Research & organization techniques
- Writing independently
- Six Traits Writing
Language
Grammar
- Parts of speech
- Quotations
Spelling
- Words gathered from other subjects
Vocabulary
- Vocabulary from reading, math, science, & social studies
Speaking/Listening
- Oral Reports
- Poetry recitation
- Reading aloud (novels)
- Literature discussions
- Class play
Fifth Grade
Reading/Literature
- Reading comprehension
- Class novels
- Historical fiction
- Science fiction, fantasy, mystery
- Biography
- Character analysis and development
- Critical thinking, compare/contrast
- Plot, conflict, point of view, setting, foreshadowing, irony
Writing
- Descriptive & persuasive essays
- Creative writing
- The writing process: drafts, peer editing, revisions
- Haiku, Tanka, limericks, etc.
- Reader response journals
- Personal reflections
- Describe, explain, compare and contrast
Language
Grammar
- Recognition of nouns, verbs, adverbs, pronouns, adjectives
- Use of vivid verbs, adjectives, & adverbs to enhance writing
Spelling
- Weekly spelling words gathered from mistakes in student's own writing, weekly quizzes
Vocabulary
- Weekly words from novels and other in class reading
Speaking/Listening
- Daily literature discussions
- Presentations
- Skits & speeches
- Class play
- Debate: Who discovered America ?
- Yosemite Town Meeting
Sixth Grade
Reading/Literature
- Novels
- Short stories
- Biographies
- Poetry
- Plot analysis, setting, conflict, character, narrative perspective, analysis of elements
- Fables/Myths
Writing
- Writing process: brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, revising, presenting,
- Expository essay: form, development of main idea, support
- Creative writing: fiction narrative, descriptions, poetry, journal
- Six Traits Writing
- Effective vocabulary usage, sentence fluency
Language
Grammar
- Parts of speech, tenses, punctuation, subject verb agreemnet
- Editing
Spelling
- Common errors, words related by pattern or rule
Vocabulary
- From literature and other sources, words from roots
Speaking/Listening
- Confidence in speaking
- Class/group discussions
- Oral presentations
- Class play
Seventh Grade
 |
Reading/Literature
- Novels
- Short stories
- Biographies
- Short drama
- Poetry
- Analysis of fiction elements: theme, character development, symbolism, perspective
Writing
- Writing process: organization, editing, style revision
- Development of essay skills: thesis idea, support, transitions
- Creative writing: description, narrative, dialog, poetry, use of senses, voices, richer vocabulary, and perspective
Language
Grammar
- Direct/indirect objects, prepositional phrases, noun-verb agreement, noun functions, editing
Spelling
- Student errors, patterns & rules
Vocabulary
- Word origins & careful choices, contexts, literature word lists
Speaking/Listening
- Development of individual ideas in discussions
- In-depth discussions
- Oral presentations
Eighth Grade
Reading/Literature
- Novels
- Short stories
- Biographies
- Short drama
- Poetry
- Fiction elements: theme, characters, symbolism, perspective
Writing
- Developing more complex writing: polishing, idea development, clarity
- Essay skills: thesis idea, support, transitions
- Creative writing: style, precise vocabulary, character development
Language
Grammar
- Dependent/independent clauses, case, modifiers, parallelism, editing
- Novels, short stories, biographies, short drama, poetry
Spelling
- Student errors, patterns & rules
Vocabulary
- Greek and Latin roots, precise and effective word choice
- Contexts, literature word lists
Speaking/Listening
- Extended discussions on literature and issues
- Oral reports
- Speeches
- Development of individual opinion and articulate, confident expression
|
|
