English Language Arts & Reading
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5th Six Weeks Unit Overviews
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Marta L. Salazar
Director of English Language Arts & Reading
Dyslexia Coordinator
Parent Involvement Coordinator
361-664-0981
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Pre Kindergarten Classrooms 5th Six Weeks
Continuation of: Unit 6 Earth and Sky
Week 1- What changes in each season? Spring/Growing things
PA: Onset rhyme with support
Letter: Vv
Week 2- How can we take care of the Earth? Spring/Growing things
PA: Onset rhyme with support
Letter: Ww
Week 3- Review units 5 & 6 (Assess) Spring/Growing things
PA: Review
Letter: Review
Math: Review
Unit 7 Shadows and Reflections
Week 4- Why do we see shadows? Spring/Growing things
PA: Onset rhyme with and without support
Letter: Xx
Week 5- What makes shadows change? Spring/Growing things/Bugs
PA: Onset rhyme without support
Letter: Yy
Week 6: What is a reflection? Spring/Growing things/Bugs
PA: Onset rhyme without support
Letter: Zz
Kindergarten Classrooms
Unit 5A
Student learning in this unit focuses on elements in fictional literature and word sounds in poetry. Patterns in phonological awareness, phonics, oral and written conventions, and print awareness continue to be introduced and practiced in order to reinforce literacy learning and comprehension during independent reading, shared reading, and writing. Students continue to use the connection between listening, speaking, reading, and writing to establish effective communication of a variety of ideas based on relevance, enjoyment, involvement, and information.
During this unit, students demonstrate letter sound correspondence to decode and spell CVC words. Additionally, students apply previously taught skills and strategies to deepen their understanding of fiction and poetry. Students identify the elements of fiction and the sensory details authors use to create meaning in stories. Students write stories about real or imagined events and revise with adult assistance. Students respond to rhythm and rhyme in poetry and independently write poems.
Unit Vocabulary
- Sensory detail – a detail in writing that describes what is seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched
- Setting – the time and place in which a narrative occurs. Elements of setting may include the physical, psychological, cultural or historical background against which the story takes place.
- Plot – the basic sequence of events in a story. The plot includes the problem and solution.
Unit 5B
Student learning in this unit focuses on making connections within and across genres through reading and writing. Patterns in phonological awareness, phonics, oral and written conventions, and print awareness continue to be introduced and practiced to reinforce literacy learning and comprehension during independent reading, shared reading, and writing. Students continue to use the connection between listening, speaking, reading, and writing to establish effective communication skills. During this unit students revisit compound words and continue to apply letter sound correspondence to decode and spell words, with a focus on CCVC words. Students make text-self, text-text, and text-community connections while reading literary and expository texts.
First Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Media Mania
The focus of the Media Mania unit has students analyzing how words, images and sounds work together to impact meaning.
During this unit, students continue to read and write words using their knowledge of letter/sound relationships and spelling patterns, specifically vowel diagraphs, while increasing sight word recognition. Students use knowledge of alphabetic order to find words in a dictionary. They continue to increase vocabulary by the continued exploration of compound words and contractions. Students identify the purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment) and identify media techniques such as sound and movement while continuing to utilize the comprehension processes. Students identify important facts, retell the order of events, and recognize purposes of media during read alouds and shared readings. Using background knowledge, creating mental models, drawing inferences, and using textual evidence to support understanding becomes a way to process and communicate information. As they explore media literacy, students become more purposeful in their use of processes and strategies. Students continue to write brief stories, letters, compositions, and short responses about a topic that is of interest to them. Their responses may include retelling what they see or hear by stating a main idea, important facts, and using the writing process and conventions of written language.
Unit Vocabulary
- Vowel digraph or vowel pair – two vowels that together represent one phoneme or sound (e.g., ea, ai, oa)
- Media – a variety of ways people communicate with others (e.g., print, digital, electronic, social)
- Media literacy – ability to use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work
- Topic – what the author is writing about, the subject (e.g., polar bears)
- Purpose – the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
Unit 5B
Research: Making a Plan
During this unit, students generate topics for research, create relevant questions, use resources as evidence, and produce a product for display. Students use text features to gather and compile information that communicate answers to formulated and unformulated questions. Students become purposeful in their use of processes and strategies and continue to communicate and monitor comprehension while evaluating various forms of expository text used for their research. Word study continues by understanding patterns in spelling and language. In preparation for second grade, students continue to restate main ideas, identify important facts, retell the order of events, and infer while examining a variety of texts.
- Misconceptions: Some students believe that sources can only be gathered from print, when in actuality they should have the experience of interviewing local experts.
- Underdeveloped concepts: Students are engaged and more focused on the research process when the topic is of interest to them.
Unit Vocabulary
- Vowel digraph or vowel pair – two vowels that together represent one phoneme or sound (e.g., ea, ai, oa)
- Diphthong – A combination of two vowel sounds in one syllable to form a new phoneme
- Source – document or person that supplies information about a topic or interest
- Open-ended research question – a type of question used to encourage many possible responses rather than a single directed one (e.g., What are the effects of watching TV while studying?)
2nd Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Research/Communicating Findings
This unit includes student expectations that address the use of reading and writing skills to create a research plan in order to gather and produce information about a topic and then organize the information for a presentation. Patterns in phonics and conventions continue to be practiced in order to reinforce fluent reading and writing.
In Unit 04, students engaged in reading a range of expository and procedural text and analyzed related media to establish a purpose for reading and writing. They continued to process sound/symbol relationships to encode and decode words. During this unit, students generate topics for research, create relevant questions, cite resources as evidence, and present information to a specific audience. Students become purposeful in their use of processes and strategies and continue to communicate and monitor comprehension while evaluating various forms of expository text used for their research. Word study continues by understanding common prefixes and suffixes while learning how to incorporate them into their writing.
Misconceptions:
- Some students believe that research topics must come from the teacher, when in fact students are engaged and more focused on the research process when the topic is of interest to them.
- Some students believe that sources are gathered from print only, when in actuality they need to also have the experience of interviewing local experts and using natural or personal sources when appropriate.
Unit Vocabulary
- Antonym – a word that means the opposite or nearly the opposite of another word (e.g., son/daughter, top/bottom)
- Synonym – a word means the same or nearly the same as another word (e.g., happy/glad, mad/angry)
- Open-ended research question – a type of question used to encourage many possible responses rather than a single directed one (e.g., What are the effects of watching TV while studying?)
- Source – a book, website, newspaper, magazine, or person that supplies information
Unit 5B: Media Method
In Grade 01, students examined media by identifying the purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment) and techniques used in media such as sound and movement. During this unit, students explore media including digital media (e.g., email, websites, video games) to identify purposes, techniques (e.g., sound, movement, visuals) and written conventions (e.g., structure) specific to the media form. Students continue to communicate and monitor comprehension while reading various forms of media. Word work continues by using affixes to determine meanings and using resources and patterns of language as they practice spelling. Main idea, sequence, purpose, and locating facts are skills that are addressed while examining many forms of media through a variety of genres introduced in previous units. Students continue revising and editing drafts to practice conventions of written language and become familiar with persuasive text for the purpose of writing persuasive statements that are important to the student and for multiple audiences.
Misconceptions - Some students believe that media literacy only includes printed material, but actually it includes digital media such as video games, web sites, and email.
Unit Vocabulary
- Purpose – the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
- Media – a variety of ways people communicate with others (e.g., print, digital, electronic, social)
- Digital media – electronic media that work on digital codes (as opposed to analog media). Examples include e-mail, digital videos, e-books, Internet, video games, and interactive media.
- Persuasive text – text written with the intent to persuade or convince the reader of something
Third Grade Classrooms
Unit 5: Discovering Connections
Students examine a variety of forms of text representing a wide range of themes and topics and will compare and contrast features specific to the genre. Students continue to use processes to make inferences, draw conclusions, and provide textual evidence during their reading experiences. They examine teacher-selected and self-selected texts and media based on individual interest and abilities providing opportunities to make personal and world connections within and across different contexts.
In previous units, students explored literary works and informational texts in order to understand genre features and to practice using reading and writing processes in order to understand and communicate meaning. During this unit, students use previously learned skills to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze texts by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students examine thematic links and logical relationships within and across texts. The exploration of a variety of genres begins to develop personal reading preferences and provide a foundation for participation in discussions. Using the writing process, students continue to compose original text to communicate their own understanding and ideas. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively.
Misconceptions:
Some students confuse the theme of a literary work with the topic. The topic is the subject while the theme is a comment, an observation, a lesson, or an insight about the subject.
Unit Vocabulary
- Theme – the central or universal idea of a piece of fiction or the main ideas on a nonfiction essay
- Topic – what the author is writing about- the subject (e.g., polar bears)
Fourth Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Understanding Connections across informational texts
In previous units, students explored informational texts for the purpose of understanding the informational genre features and to conduct research. During this unit, students analyze informational texts by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students examine logical relationships among ideas within and across texts. Using the writing process, students continue to create expository compositions to communicate their own understanding and ideas. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is experienced before, during, and after reading.
Unit 5B: Understanding Connections Across All Genres
In previous units, students explored literary works and informational texts for the purpose of understanding genre features and to practice using reading and writing processes in order to understand and communicate meaning. During this unit, students use previously learned skills to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze texts by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students examine thematic links and logical relationships within and across texts. Using the writing process, students continue to write to communicate their own understanding and ideas. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively.
Underdeveloped concepts:
- Comprehension is made easier when thinking is organized in accordance with the way the author organized his/her ideas. Students need to recognize that texts are different to an extent, but depending on the author’s purpose, the topic, and the genre, texts employ different structural patterns.
Unit Vocabulary
- Informational text – text that presents information, including expository, persuasive, and procedural text
- Literary text – written works that are generally recognized as having artistic value; basic forms of literary text are prose fiction, drama, poetry, and literary nonfiction.
Fifth Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Making Connections Across All Genres
During this unit, students use previously learned skills to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze texts by making comparisons in purpose, perspective, themes, and topics. Students examine thematic links and logical relationships within and across texts. Using the writing process, students continue to compose original text to communicate their own understanding and ideas. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and will be experienced before, during, and after reading.
Unit Vocabulary
- Informational text – text that presents information, including expository, persuasive, and procedural text
- Literary text – written works that are generally recognized as having artistic value; basic forms of literary text are prose fiction, drama, poetry, and literary nonfiction
Unit 5B: Understanding the Research Process
During this unit, students summarize informational text by locating and using specific information provided through the identification and utilization of relevant sources. Students consult with others to generate a research topic, develop a plan, and gather information from secondary and primary sources. Information gathered is examined for relevance, validity, and reliability and then recorded and converted into a graphic/visual format. Student will record bibliographical information according to a standard format in a bibliography and continue to use the fundamentals of the writing process to communicate their own understanding. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word Study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is experienced before, during, and after reading.
Misconceptions:
Students often believe that research is simply gathering information, then listing the information in reports. In fact, research consists of sorting through multiple sources by organizing thoughts and information and connecting ideas.
Unit Vocabulary
- Primary source – a source from the time in which an event being studied occurred and created by someone who was present at the event
- Secondary source – a source that is a step removed from the original accounts of an event or experience
6th Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Generating Connections: Informational Text
During this unit, students use previously learned knowledge and skills to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze informational texts and media by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students compare and contrast purposes of different authors on the same topic in different informational texts. Using the writing process, students continue to compose original text to communicate their own understanding. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is supported before, during, and after reading.
Unit 5B: Generating Connections: All Genres
During this unit, students use previously learned skills to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze texts and media by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students compare and contrast historical and cultural settings in literary texts and compare and contrast purposes of different author’s writing on the same topic in informational texts. The exploration of a variety of genres will continue to develop personal reading preferences and provide a foundation for participation in discussions. Using the writing process, students continue to compose original text to communicate their own understanding. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is supported before, during, and after reading. In Unit 06, students apply and utilize skills and processes to plan, organize, and present research findings.
Unit Vocabulary
- Implicit theme – refers to the author's ability to construct a piece in such a way that through inference the reader understands the theme
- Thematic link – a logical connection made between or among texts that share similar themes
7th Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Formulating Connections Across Informational Texts
During this unit, students use previously learned knowledge and skills to examine a variety of informational genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze informational texts and media by making comparisons in purpose and perspective and make text, personal, and world connections. Students examine and explain the difference in the authors’ purpose in informational texts and media. The exploration of a variety of informational genres continues to develop personal reading preferences and provide a foundation for participation in discussions. Students set goals for writing improvement and continue to compose original text using the fundamentals of the writing process to communicate their own understanding. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principle that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively.
Unit Vocabulary
- Purpose – the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
- Summarize – to reduce large sections of text to their essential points and main ideas
- Organizational pattern – the pattern an author constructs as he or she organizes his or her ideas and provides supporting details
- Rhetorical fallacy – an argument that is not sound but may still be convincing
Unit 5B: Formulating Connections Across All Genres
During this unit, students use skills learned to examine a variety of genres presenting similar ideas while recognizing features specific to each genre. Students analyze texts and media by making comparisons in purpose and perspective and make text, personal, and world connections. Students examine and explain the difference between the theme of a literary work and the author’s purpose in informational texts and media. The exploration of a variety of genres continues to develop personal reading preference and provide a foundation for participation in discussions. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is supported before, during, and after reading. In Unit 06, students utilize skills and strategies learned to plan, organize, and present research findings.
Unit Vocabulary
- Theme – the central or universal idea of a piece of fiction or the main idea of a nonfiction essay
- Purpose – the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
8th Grade Classrooms
Unit 5A: Creating Connections Across All Genres
During this unit, students use previously learned knowledge and skills to examine a variety of texts presenting similar ideas and themes and analyze texts by making comparisons in purpose and perspective. Students continue to compose original text using the fundamentals of the writing process to communicate their own understanding. Students write in a genre that is appropriate for their audience and purpose. Students explore language while continuing to build on the principles that vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical to the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively. Word study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from the literature and is supported before, during, and after reading.
Unit 5B: Media Literacy
During this unit, students evaluate the role of media including interpreting how visual and sound techniques influence the messages in media. Students also evaluate how the techniques used in media create a certain point of view and how that point of view can affect an audience. Students continue to use the writing process to compose original text(s) and apply complex writing techniques. Vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar are applied throughout the unit to support comprehension and oral and written communication. Word Study is inclusive of genre specific vocabulary, literary terms, and appropriate vocabulary from literature. In English I, students analyze evidence in persuasive texts, including famous speeches, and various forms of media.
Unit Vocabulary
- Purpose – the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
- Audience – the intended target group for a message, regardless of the medium
English I & English II
Unit 5A: Genre Connections
During this unit, students deepen their understanding of the unique elements of specific genres by analyzing short texts and excerpts. Students demonstrate understanding of fictional text through the writing of a short essay in response to open-ended questions. Students incorporate a familiar theme in a brief engaging story that includes believable characters and a variety of literary devices. Expository text is revisited and students demonstrate understanding and make connections by creating a graphic organizer. Students make connections between, within, and across genres in brief written notebook responses to paired selections.
Unit 5B: College and Career Literacy
In this unit, students read and write college and work-related documents such as instructions, emails, correspondences, memos and project plans. Students continue the examination of informational text in order to explain the controlling ideas and specific purposes of expository texts. Students make connections to self, the real world, and the community by analyzing and reflecting on informational text. Students analyze and reflect upon fictional text read independently. Word study is supported in the context of reading and writing.
Information on the unit overviews is taken from the TEKS Resource System
Marta L. Salazar - Director of English Language Arts/Reading; Dyslexia Coordinator; Parental Involvement Coordinator
Email: marta.salazar@aliceisd.net
Phone: 3616640981