Our classroom: Writing an owner's manual

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

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 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
    • fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
    • nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
    • poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
    • drama (skits, plays).
  • Objective 2.07: Explain choice of reading materials congruent with purposes (e.g., solving problems, making decisions).
  • Objective 2.08: Listen actively by:
    • facing the speaker.
    • making eye contact.
    • asking questions to clarify the message.
    • asking questions to gain additional information and ideas.
• Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
  • Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
    • considering the differences among genres.
    • relating plot, setting, and characters to own experiences and ideas.
    • considering main character's point of view.
    • participating in creative interpretations.
    • making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters and events.
    • reflecting on learning, gaining new insights, and identifying areas for further study.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
    • present information in a sequenced, logical manner.
    • discuss.
    • sustain conversation on a topic.
    • share information and ideas.
    • recount or narrate.
    • answer open-ended questions.
    • report information on a topic.
    • explain own learning.
  • 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 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal narrative, short report, friendly letter, directions and instructions).
  • Objective 4.10: Explore technology as a tool to create a written product.
• Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
  • Objective 5.01: Use correct capitalization (e.g., geographical place names, holidays, special events, titles) and punctuation (e.g., commas in greetings, dates, city and state; underlining book titles; periods after initials and abbreviated titles; apostrophes in contractions).
  • Objective 5.02: Use correct subject/verb agreement.
  • Objective 5.03: Demonstrate understanding by using a variety of complete sentences (declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory) in writing and speaking.
  • Objective 5.04: Compose two or more paragraphs with:
    • topic sentences.
    • supporting details.
    • appropriate, logical sequence.
    • sufficient elaboration.
  • Objective 5.05: Use a number of strategies for spelling (e.g., sound patterns, visual patterns, silent letters, less common letter groupings).
  • Objective 5.06: Proofread own writing for spelling and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, word walls).
  • Objective 5.07: Edit (with assistance) to use conventions of written language and format.
  • Objective 5.08: Create readable documents with legible handwriting (manuscript and cursive).

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 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
    • fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
    • nonfiction (autobiographies, informational books, diaries, journals).
    • poetry (concrete, haiku).
    • drama (skits, plays).
  • Objective 2.07: Determine usefulness of information and ideas consistent with purpose.
  • Objective 2.09: Listen actively by:
    • asking questions.
    • paraphrasing what was said.
    • interpreting speaker's verbal and non-verbal messages.
    • interpreting speaker's purposes and/or intent.
• Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
  • Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
    • analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context.
    • examining the reasons for characters' actions.
    • identifying and examining characters' motives.
    • considering a situation or problem from different characters' points of view.
    • analyzing differences among genres.
    • making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, events and themes.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
    • present information and ideas in a clear, concise manner.
    • discuss.
    • interview.
    • solve problems.
    • make decisions.
  • 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 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal and imaginative narrative, research reports, learning logs, letters of request, letters of complaint).
• Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
  • Objective 5.01: Use correct capitalization (e.g., names of languages, nationalities, musical compositions) and punctuation (e.g., commas in a series, commas in direct address, commas and quotation marks in dialogue, apostrophes in possessives).
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by appropriate usage of:
    • pronouns.
    • subject/verb agreement.
    • verb tense consistency.
    • subject consistency.
  • Objective 5.03: Elaborate information and ideas in writing and speaking by using:
    • simple and compound sentences.
    • regular and irregular verbs.
    • adverbs.
    • prepositions.
    • coordinating conjunctions.
  • Objective 5.05: Use visual (orthography) and meaning-based strategies as primary sources for correct spelling.
  • Objective 5.06: Proofread and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources (e.g., dictionaries, thesauri, glossaries, computer spell-checks, and other classroom sources).
  • Objective 5.07: Use established criteria to edit for language conventions and format.
  • Objective 5.08: Demonstrate evidence of language cohesion by:
    • logical sequence of fiction and nonfiction retells.
    • time order sequence of events.
    • sustaining conversations on a topic.

Grade 5

• Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
  • Objective 1.04: Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus, on-line reference tools) to identify and comprehend unknown words.
• Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
    • fiction (tall tales, myths).
    • nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
    • poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
    • drama (plays and skits).
  • Objective 2.07: Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information and ideas based on purpose, experiences, text(s), and graphics.
  • Objective 2.09: Listen actively and critically by:
    • asking questions.
    • delving deeper into the topic.
    • elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
    • evaluating information and ideas.
    • making inferences and drawing conclusions.
    • making judgments.
• Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
  • Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
    • analyzing word choice and content.
    • examining reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
    • creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
    • examining alternative perspectives.
    • evaluating the differences among genres.
    • examining relationships among characters.
    • making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters, events and themes.
• Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
  • Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
    • formulate hypotheses.
    • evaluate information and ideas.
    • present and support arguments.
    • influence the thinking of others.
  • Objective 4.03: Make oral and written presentations to inform or persuade selecting vocabulary for impact.
  • Objective 4.05: Use a variety of preliminary strategies to plan and organize the writing and speaking task considering purpose, audience, and timeline.
  • 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 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., clarification, essay, feature story, business letter).
• Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
  • Objective 5.01: Consistently use correct capitalization (e.g., names of magazines, newspapers, organizations) and punctuation (e.g., colon to introduce a list, commas in apposition, commas used in compound sentences).
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by using:
    • troublesome verbs.
    • nominative, objective, and possessive pronouns.
  • Objective 5.03: Elaborate information and ideas in speaking and writing by using:
    • prepositional phrases.
    • transitions.
    • coordinating and/or subordinating conjunctions.
  • Objective 5.06: Proofread for accuracy of spelling using appropriate strategies to confirm spelling and to correct errors.
  • Objective 5.07: Edit final product for grammar, language conventions, and format.