Draft letters: Improving student writing through critical thinking

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9 — English I

• Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
  • Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
    • an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
    • a sense of how the reaction results from a careful consideration of the text.
    • an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrating increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by selecting and exploring a wide range of genres.
• Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
  • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that:
    • uses varying sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) purposefully, correctly, and for specific effect.
    • selects verb tense to show an appropriate sense of time.
    • applies parts of speech to clarify and edit language.
    • addresses clarity and style through such strategies as parallelism; appropriate coordination and subordination; variety and details; appropriate and exact words; and conciseness.
    • analyzes the place and role of dialects and standard/nonstandard English.
    • uses vocabulary strategies such as roots and affixes, word maps, and context clues to discern the meanings of words.
  • Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in spoken and written English by:
    • avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
    • selecting correct subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and appropriate verbs.
    • using and placing modifiers correctly.
    • editing for spelling and mechanics (punctuation and capitalization).

Grade 10 — English II

• Goal 1: The learner will react to and reflect upon print and non-print text and personal experiences by examining situations from both subjective and objective perspectives.
  • Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (through small group discussion, class discussion, journal entry, essay, letter, dialogue) to written and visual texts by:
    • relating personal knowledge to textual information or class discussion.
    • showing an awareness of one's own culture as well as the cultures of others.
    • exhibiting an awareness of culture in which text is set or in which text was written.
    • explaining how culture affects personal responses.
    • demonstrating an understanding of media's impact on personal responses and cultural analyses.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrate increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by:
    • selecting and exploring a wide range of works which relate to an issue, author, or theme of world literature.
    • documenting the reading of student-chosen works.
• Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
  • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
    • employing varying sentence structures (e.g., inversion, introductory phrases) and sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).
    • analyzing authors' choice of words, sentence structure, and use of language.
    • using word recognition strategies to understand vocabulary and exact word choice (Greek, Latin roots and affixes, analogies, idioms, denotation, connotation).
    • examining textual and classroom language for elements such as idioms, denotation, and connotation to apply effectively in own writing/speaking.
    • using correct form/format for essays, business letters, research papers, bibliographies.
    • using language effectively to create mood and tone.
  • Objective 6.02: Edit for:
    • subject-verb agreement, tense choice, pronoun usage, clear antecedents, correct case, and complete sentences.
    • appropriate and correct mechanics (commas, italics, underlining, semicolon, colon, apostrophe, quotation marks).
    • parallel structure.
    • clichés, trite expressions.
    • spelling.

Grade 11 — English III

• Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
  • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
    - discover multiple perspectives.
    - investigate connections between life and literature.
    - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
    - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
    - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
    -consider cultural or historical significance.
• Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
  • Objective 4.03: Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in public and political documents by:
    - identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
    - recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
    - articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or artist.
    -evaluating the historical significance of the work.
• Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
  • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language by:
    - decoding vocabulary using knowledge of Anglo-Saxon, Greek, and Latin bases and affixes.
    - discerning the relationship of word meanings between pairs of words in analogies (synonyms/antonyms, connotation/denotation).
    - revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
    - contrasting use of language conventions of authors in different time periods of United States literature.
    -analyzing the power of standard usage over nonstandard usage in formal settings such a job interviews, academic environment, or public speaking events.
  • Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing at a level appropriate to eleventh grade by:
    - reviewing and refining purposeful use of varying sentence types with correct punctuation.
    - reviewing and refining correct pronoun usage, antecedents, and case.
    - refining subject/verb agreement and choice of tense.
    - extending effective use of phrases and clauses. - discussing parts of speech as they relate to writing.
    -editing for correct spelling and mechanics.

Grade 12 — English IV

• Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text as well as to personal experience.
  • Objective 1.01: Compose reflective texts that give the audience:
    - an understanding of complex thoughts and feelings.
    - a sense of significance (social, political, or philosophical implications).
    - a sense of encouragement to reflect on his or her own ideas.
  • Objective 1.02: Respond to texts so that the audience will:
    - empathize with the voice of the text.
    - make connections between the learner's life and the text.
    - reflect on how cultural or historical perspectives may have influenced these responses.
    - examine the learner's own response in light of peers' responses.
    -recognize features of the author's use of language and how the learner relates these features to his/her own writing.
• Goal 4: The learner will analyze and critique texts from various perspectives and approaches.
  • Objective 4.02: Develop critiques that give an audience:
    - an appreciation of how themes relate among texts.
    -an understanding of how authors' assumptions, cultural backgrounds, and social values affect texts.
    -an understanding of how more than one critical approach affects interpretation.
• Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
  • Objective 6.01: Apply knowledge of literary terms, grammar, and rhetoric in order to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately by:
    - understanding how to use and apply grammatical, metaphorical, or rhetorical devices.
    - recognizing how to use different language conventions (such as loose or periodic sentences, effective use of passive voice, or the importance of strong verbs).
    - revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
    - contrasting use of language conventions of authors in different time periods of British literature.
    - analyzing the power of standard usage over nonstandard usage in formal settings such a job interviews, academic presentations, or public speaking events.
  • Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing by:
    - reviewing and refining purposeful use of various sentence types.
    - editing for correct punctuation, spelling, mechanics, and standard edited American English.
    - using appropriate transitional words and phrases.