SPELLING/VOCABULARY AQUISITION
Reading and spelling are directly related. Spelling should be an integral part of language arts instruction. It is the foundation that helps students master the basics of language, especially those who may struggle with reading. It enables students to use different senses and strengths to learn and master the relationship between the sounds and symbols of our language, which is the groundwork of reading. When our students are able to more deeply understand the patterns of our language, they become master communicators. For this reason, we will have weekly spelling tests for students. This will include our word list from our Prefixes and Suffixes and Classical Roots vocabulary workbooks. Throughout the week, students will practice the spelling words using a variety of activities. Then on Fridays, a spelling & vocabulary test will be given to determine if mastery was achieved.
WRITING
Writing instruction prepares students to communicate for a variety of purposes and audiences in the real-world. Students will become immersed in the classroom in the writing process. They will learn the value of planning, revising, rewriting, and rethinking.
Lessons will be centered on The Six Writing Traits:
1. Ideas- selecting and focusing on an idea
2. Organization- how to organize a piece logically
3. Voice- adding a personal flavor to a written piece
4. Word Choice- communicating effectively with precise & descriptive
words
5. Sentence Fluency- ensuring that our sentences combine to produce a
pleasant sound and rhythm
6. Conventions- editing the text grammatically
Writing instruction will also incorporate modeling, analyzing other authors’ works, and practicing effective writing techniques.
Anchorage Public School has developed a comprehensive writing plan to ensure our students have a wide range of opportunities for written expression across the curriculum. Intermediate grade levels (4th & 5th) are required to complete pass-on portfolios for the purpose of showing student growth in writing. Each student must have four writing pieces which have gone through the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and publishing). The kinds of writing include narrative, literary, and informative. Additionally, fourth grade portfolios will be assessed according to a state designed analytical scoring rubric. Please note that throughout the year, some assessments are kept to be used in students’ portfolios.
Expect to see your child:
Reading and spelling are directly related. Spelling should be an integral part of language arts instruction. It is the foundation that helps students master the basics of language, especially those who may struggle with reading. It enables students to use different senses and strengths to learn and master the relationship between the sounds and symbols of our language, which is the groundwork of reading. When our students are able to more deeply understand the patterns of our language, they become master communicators. For this reason, we will have weekly spelling tests for students. This will include our word list from our Prefixes and Suffixes and Classical Roots vocabulary workbooks. Throughout the week, students will practice the spelling words using a variety of activities. Then on Fridays, a spelling & vocabulary test will be given to determine if mastery was achieved.
WRITING
Writing instruction prepares students to communicate for a variety of purposes and audiences in the real-world. Students will become immersed in the classroom in the writing process. They will learn the value of planning, revising, rewriting, and rethinking.
Lessons will be centered on The Six Writing Traits:
1. Ideas- selecting and focusing on an idea
2. Organization- how to organize a piece logically
3. Voice- adding a personal flavor to a written piece
4. Word Choice- communicating effectively with precise & descriptive
words
5. Sentence Fluency- ensuring that our sentences combine to produce a
pleasant sound and rhythm
6. Conventions- editing the text grammatically
Writing instruction will also incorporate modeling, analyzing other authors’ works, and practicing effective writing techniques.
Anchorage Public School has developed a comprehensive writing plan to ensure our students have a wide range of opportunities for written expression across the curriculum. Intermediate grade levels (4th & 5th) are required to complete pass-on portfolios for the purpose of showing student growth in writing. Each student must have four writing pieces which have gone through the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and publishing). The kinds of writing include narrative, literary, and informative. Additionally, fourth grade portfolios will be assessed according to a state designed analytical scoring rubric. Please note that throughout the year, some assessments are kept to be used in students’ portfolios.
Expect to see your child:
- Write
opinion pieces on topics using logical, supportive reasons and information
- Write
informative/explanatory texts to convey ideas clearly
- Teacher/peer
conferencing to develop and strengthen
writing
- Practice
systematic instruction in grammar, spelling, usage, mechanics and presentation
- Conduct
research using several sources to build relevant support for topics
- Write
narratives to develop real or imagined experiences
- Write
reflections/analysis to determine the impact of experiences
- Use
technology to present, produce, and publish writings