Nature reflections: Interactive language practice for English-language learners

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 3

• Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
  • Objective 1.04: Increase sight vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary through:
    • wide reading.
    • word study.
    • listening.
    • discussion.
    • book talks.
    • book clubs.
    • seminars.
    • viewing.
    • role play.
    • studying author's craft.
• Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
    • setting a purpose.
    • previewing the text.
    • making predictions.
    • asking questions.
    • locating information for specific purposes.
    • making connections.
    • using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression.
  • Objective 4.03: Share written and oral products in a variety of ways (e.g., author's chair, book making, publications, discussions, presentations).
  • Objective 4.04: Use planning strategies (with assistance) to generate topics and to organize ideas (e.g., drawing, mapping, discussing, listing).
  • Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic by using preliminary plans.
  • Objective 4.07: Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama selections using self-selected topics and forms (e.g., poems, simple narratives, short reports, learning logs, letters, notes, directions, instructions).
  • Objective 4.08: Focus reflection and revision (with assistance) on target elements by:
    • clarifying ideas.
    • adding descriptive words and phrases.
    • sequencing events and ideas.
    • combining short, related sentences.
    • strengthening word choice.

Grade 4

• Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
  • Objective 1.04: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
    • wide reading.
    • word study.
    • knowledge of homophones, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms.
    • knowledge of multiple meanings of words.
    • writing process elements.
    • writing as a tool for learning.
    • seminars.
    • book clubs.
    • discussions.
    • examining the author's craft.
• Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
    • setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
    • making predictions.
    • formulating questions.
    • locating relevant information.
    • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, and expression demonstrating an awareness of volume and pace.
  • Objective 4.03: Make oral and written presentations using visual aids with an awareness of purpose and audience.
  • Objective 4.04: Share self-selected texts from a variety of genres (e.g., poetry, letters, narratives, essays, presentations).
  • Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic with specific, relevant, supporting details by using preliminary plans.
  • Objective 4.07: Compose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected and assigned topics and forms (e.g., personal and imaginative narratives, research reports, diaries, journals, logs, rules, instructions).
  • Objective 4.08: Focus revision on a specific element such as:
    • word choice.
    • sequence of events and ideas.
    • transitional words.
    • sentence patterns.

Grade 5

• Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
  • Objective 1.03: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
    • wide reading.
    • word study.
    • word reference materials.
    • content area study.
    • writing process elements.
    • writing as a tool.
    • debate.
    • discussions.
    • seminars.
    • examining the author's craft.
• Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
    • making predictions.
    • formulating questions.
    • supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
    • drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
    • seeking additional information.
    • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and purpose.
  • Objective 4.03: Make oral and written presentations to inform or persuade selecting vocabulary for impact.
  • Objective 4.04: Select a self-evaluated composition for publication and justify rationale for selection.
  • Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that elaborates on major ideas and adheres to the topic by using an appropriate organizational pattern that accomplishes the purpose of the writing task and effectively communicates its content.
  • Objective 4.07: Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected topic and format (e.g., poetry, research reports, news articles, letters to the editor, business letters).
  • Objective 4.08: Focus revision on target elements by:
    • improving word choice.
    • rearranging text for clarity.
    • creating simple and/or complex sentences for clarity or impact.
    • developing a lead, characters, or mood.