Language Arts

Strands:

Reading
Writing
Oral Language and Media 

Communication: What’s Your Favourite Style?
Imagine life before people could read or write. How did they communicate? They created sounds and formed words, they drew pictures and used body movements. Eventually we developed systems of communication which allow us to read and write using words. Later developments allowed us to use words to travel long distances through telephones, and more recently digital communications such as texting and email.

Reading

In our independent reading we have been focusing on reviewing some key reading skills.

Study Tip: Regularly review your notes in the “Styles of Communication” Page of your Language Notebook. Take time at home to talk with family members or friends about your reading using the following skills we are practicing in class!

1. Making Connections: When you make connections, explain how something that you have read relates to personal experiences, what you know about the world, or other things that you have read. Be sure to properly describe what you are connecting the reading to. Explain what is the same between the reading and the connection. Then take ONE MORE STEP, and explain how this helps you understand better what you are reading.

2. Making Predictions (Fiction Texts): When you make a prediction for a Fiction Text, you must make an “educated guess” about what will happen. Explain why you came to your conclusion by talking about evidence you noticed. Evidence might come from… what you already read (the Title, words on the cover or in the Table of Contents, parts of the story you have examined), visual images you have observed, related personal experiences you have had, related knowledge you acquired before reading this text, or another book you have read. Be sure to explain HOW the evidence will help you guess what will happen next.

3. Making Predictions (Non-Fiction Texts): When you make a prediction for Non-Fiction Texts, gather your evidence by examining the Text Features of the reading. Read titles, headings, subheadings and introductory texts. Look at Visuals (such as pictures, maps, graphs, etc.) and read the captions. Consider the messages in the Layout of the format (does the page look old? are there symbols in the margins?) Always explain what the text features communicated to allow you to make your prediction.

4. Writing clear definitions:

Decide if the word is a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb or another type of word. Use the words that explain what a noun is (a person, a place, a thing or a concept) to define nouns. Explain verbs as words that describe a type of movement, action or explain a state of being. If you are defining an adjective, say it is a kind of word that describes nouns. Explain adverbs as words that describe the actions of verbs or that clarify how adjectives or other adverbs are used. Be sure you use the words you define descriptively in sentences. Make sure your sentences do not simply repeat the definitions. You will know if you have a good sentence if you cannot easily use another word in the place of the one you have defined in the sentence. Draw a picture that illustrates your sentence or the word. AVOID DEFINITIONS THAT RELY ON THE PHRASE “IS WHEN”. Here are some examples:

a) Mountain: a mountain is a place where the land rises sharply. We were out of breath after the steep climb up the mountain.

b) Run: Run is a verb which describes how an animal or person moves very quickly. My heart pounds quickly when I run three times around the field.

c) pretty: Pretty is an adjective which describes a person’s good looks. My sister looked very pretty with her attractive haircut and fashionable new dress.

d) effortlessly: Effortlessly is an adverb that describes how a person does an action without working hard. The Olympic athlete sprinted effortlessly to the finish line and won the race without even a gasp.

5. Writing a Summary (fiction texts)

(coming soon)

6. Writing a Summary (non-fiction texts)

Rewrite a text in a much shorter form by focussing on the main or important facts.

Focus on the information given in the title, headings or subheadings.

Eliminate less important details or examples.

Always write using your own words to reveal the point of the article.

Visuals may contain important main ideas. Summarize their content without describing everything.

Be sure you include any important information which can be found from the beginning to the end of the original text.

7. Visualization

Visualization means describing the pictures that you see in your mind that are suggested by the words that you read. Visualization should help you understand the messages that authors try to communicate. To explain how visualization helps you understand a passage, follow these steps:

a) Quote the sentence(s) or phrase(s) that you read that allowed you to visualize.

b) To communicate how visualization helped you understand part of a reading or text …

– draw a picture in your mind from the words you read, and describe what you can imagine from the words.

– talk about comparisons you could make to familiar things that you can relate.

– use numbers to visualize quantity.

– identify important areas that are key places in the reading for thought and reflection on the author’s message.

c) State that author’s message the visualization connects to and explain how you could understand the message better thanks to visualization.

An interesting activity could be to actually draw what the words suggest … but drawing a picture does not always allow you to fully explain what you understood from visualizing.

Writing

In our first month, we are focusing on understanding verbs and identifying the differences between present, past and future tenses to be able to communicate more accurately in our oral and written messages.

Study Tip: Regularly review the “boxed lessons” at the top of each grammar sheet. I will soon be updating this page with some online review exercises which you can use to continue to practice these skills.

Math Journals are another place where we are working to use key terminology and improve our ability to explain our thinking. Always refer to rubrics and check to make sure you are meeting the objectives before handing your work in.

Use your own words to exlain how you solved the problem or challenge.

Explain by commenting on the Math Concepts you sued. (e.g., I multiplied the cost of one apple by the number of apples I purchased to find the total cost of the apples I bought).

Tell the steps you went through to get to the final solution.

Use correct math terminology, notation and symbols.

Give examples where possible for your thinking.

Illustrate your solution (when possible) using a picture, diagram or graph.

Show alternate ways to solve the problem.

Make sure you write a clear concluding sentence that answers the question.

Organization of Writing

Use Graphic Organizers to help you organize ideas. Choose the RIGHT organizer to illustrate the kind of connection you want to show between the various ideas of a topic. Check out the graphic organizers on the link.

Types of Writing

Writers generally have three main reasons to communicate:

• To inform
• To persuade
• To entertain

Forms or “genres” of writing generally focus on one of these main objectives.

To inform, writers choose to use a

a)     Procedural style to provide directions or instructions.

b)    Expository style to provide facts and information.

To persuade, writers may write text for a variety of different media (internet, news, radio, television, etc.) They may combine written text with a different  forms of communication such as visual graphics or sound (music, sound effects).

To entertain writers use

a)     narrative style to tell stories

b)    descriptive passages to help the reader picture an image

c)     graphic features to add more visual components.

Good writers may combine the forms of writing to increase communication – however, there is always a MAIN reason for the piece.

For example, expository elements such as facts and information are added to an editorial piece to back up the arguments that the writer presents in a persuasive piece. By adding the secondary purpose (to inform), the writer becomes more convincing, but the overall purpose of the editorial is to persuade.

A story may include descriptive passages to allow readers to visualize what happens, but a story’s MAIN purpose is narrative.

Most essays – whether they are persuasive or informative – require a Thesis Statement.

Thesis Statement:

A thesis statement lets the reader know what your essay will be about. It’s like a giant umbrella: everything in your essay should fit under it. In a persuasive piece, it lets your reader know what your position is. It should tell the reader two things – what the topic is and your position on the topic.

The following is a list of different types of writing. Practise identifying what you think the main purpose of the author for each one must be.  Ask yourself if there might also be a secondary purpose:

fairy tale, letter to the editor, short story, political cartoon, recipe, news article, election speech, picture book, novel, legend, advertisement, biography, comparison essay, diary entry, comic strip, missing person’s report, billboard, poster, textbook, gym warm ups posted on the wall in the gym, play, poem, fire exit sign, joke, game instructions, help menu for functions of a computer program, cause and effect chart, captain’s log

How to Write a Letter to the Editor

1. Be polite. The dittoheads are known for being mean, hateful namecallers. Don’t sink to their level. Respect the people you’re talking about, even if you disagree with their political position. Comment on actions more than personalities.

Bad Example: “Death merchant Bu$h puts people to death who might be innocent, can we trust him to lead?”

Good Example: “George Bush’s position on the death penalty lags behind the judgment of other Republican governors. He is a follower, not a leader.”

1. Be specific. If you’re commenting on an article in the paper, mention the day and page number of the article. If you’re commenting on a specific political position or speech, restate it briefly. Don’t assume the reader knows what you’re talking about: Tell them.

Example: “I disagree with Senator Gram’s position on confirming judges, as reported in Sunday’s Minnepolis Star Tribune (pA12, 9/30/00).”

1. Stick to one topic. Deal with one issue, article or speech in one letter.
2. Use facts and figures to back up your arguments. Quote other experts who commented on the same subject, especially if the news article did not mention them.  Do research!!!
3. State your qualifications, if useful to the letter.

Example: “I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, and Betty McCollum’s plan to invest in childhood education excellence is good because in my experience…”

1. When possible, compare and contrast. State why your candidate is better and why the other candidate is poor on an issue.
2. Be concise. Short letters are more likely to be printed than lengthy screeds.
3. Be original. Don’t sound like everyone else. Use your own voice.
4. When appropriate, use humor.

Example: “George Bush says that the US shouldn’t be the world’s policeman, yet Dick Cheney wants to increase military spending. Why do they want to build an army we’re not going to use?” Aside: I sure called this one. Bush caught in another lie.

1. Be grammatically correct. The paper will correct any minor spelling errors, but they won’t edit letters where the sentences make no sense.
2. Be positive when appropriate. Don’t hesitate to send a complimentary letter to the newspaper for a good editorial or story. Congratulate politicians you agree with.
3. Read your letter out loud. Does it sound good? Does it make sense?

Success Criteria for a Letter to the Editor (from classroom brainstorming)

A Letter to the Editor should …

1. have a clear position
2. introduce of your position early in the piece – using a Thesis Statement
3. get your reader’s attention by asking questions, being witty
4. clear arguments with reasons, supporting facts and details
5. defeat the arguments of the opposing view
6. use vocabulary appropriate to the topic
7. use good connectives to highlight persuasion
8. a call to action to let the reader know what to do
9. never insult the reader .. you will never get someone on your side that way
10. PERSUADE THE READER THAT YOU ARE RIGHT!

[howcast url=’http://www.howcast.com/videos/383542-How-To-Write-a-Letter-To-the-Editor’ height=’240′ width=’360′]

Ontario Curriculum Exemplars pp. 132 to end:  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/writing18ex.pdf

The Comparison Essay

Author purpose:  The purpose will vary according to the topic.  For example, if you are comparing two arthropods, the main focus is to inform. In some comparisons, the main focus could be to persuade (e.g., a politician who compares the policies of his party to those of his opponent).

To compare = to say what is the same between two (or more) things or ideas.

To contrast = to say what is different between two (or more) things or ideas.

In a good comparison essay …

1. The reader will learn something meaningful from your comparison of two (or more) things by understanding what is the same and what is different between the two ideas under comparison.  The reader might learn if the two ideas are largely the same, basically different, or have some similarities and some differences.
2. The writer uses connectives that highlight similarities and differences. To focus on similarity: same, both, similar, alike, most, as well as, the majority. To focus on difference: different, dissimilar, few, however, although, on the other hand.
3. The writer uses “side by side” comparison of one criterion at a time, including proof or examples at each step of the way.
4. A concluding sentence summarizes the learning from the essay.

The Journal or Diary Entry (includes Captain’s Logs)

The main purpose is to inform. However, there will be narrative and descriptive elements since the entry relates the story of a person’s life and provides details of the places, people and events the person encountered.

Key elements of a good journal or diary entry:

1. The paragraph is written in the first person.
2. The entry is dated.
3. The paragraph retells what has happened in a logical order. Verbs are in the past tense.
4. The writer shares his or her feelings, views and attitudes.
5. The vocabulary, events and views of the writer inform the reader of the time, place and character of the writer.
6. Description is married to narration at appropriate places. The writer uses strong verbs, adjectives and adverbs to help the reader visualize the experience.
7. Connectives of order and time clarify narration. (First, then, afterwards, suddenly, later, at one point, earlier, before, in time, eventually, finally, in the end, by the time that …, immediately, as, etc.)

Exemplar for Writing in Role: Journal entry for Giovanni Caboto

Captain’s Log – June 24, 1497

Today, something magnificent happened.  At six bells, the lookout from the crow’s nest sighted something in the distance and called out, “Land ho!”  I was in my quarters, charting our course when I heard the call.  I rushed to the quarter deck and took out my telescope. There on the horizon rose a rocky, rugged coast.  We had had clear sailing and fair winds until that moment. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and dark clouds blew in from the west.  The wind picked up, and the ship started to keel.  We tacked to keep a steady course.  By eight bells we were in sight of a harbour.  We dropped anchor and rowed the dory to shore in the driving rain.  Miraculously, as we came ashore the clouds parted, the sun came out and a rainbow formed.  The first mate carried our flag ashore.  With great ceremony I claimed this land for England, and for our noble King Henry the Seventh.  I called this land … New Found Land!

Journal Planning Organizer:

Date of your entry: _____________________

1. Main event you want to discuss:

2. Point(s) of view you will reveal:

3. Information of your time that shapes your views.

4. Things you could describe:

5. Feelings about your experience you will share:

Cause and Effect

A cause makes something happen. Ask, “Why did it happen?” to find the cause.

An effect is what happens due to a cause. Ask, “What happened?” to find the effect.

Connectives that highlight Cause and Effect include: because, since, so, as a result, which led to

Oral language and Media

Oral language is a key focus for this year. Drama based on Media Models is one way we can use to improve our oral language.

Our first oral activity has also involved understanding Media Events With Experts.

Strategies for Viewing and Listening are a focus for learning how to use media clips as tools. These strategies have also been used for viewing and understanding videoclips for our social studies unit on Archaeology. Be sure to review regularly your viewing guides to recall what strategies we have identified and used.

Identifying the Structure of a Media Event With Experts

Review your notes on how to produce Iron Chef. They will help you with creating a structure for understanding and producing our upcoming Fashion Show, Disaster Report from Wonderland and our version of “Let’s Sell This House!”

Looking Like and Talking Like the Experts

Finding and viewing models for your oral challenges can be very useful. Watching episodes for “Iron Chef” laid the foundations for our “in class” production of the popular television show. Start searching for and watching television models for our upcoming Fashion Show, Disaster Report from Wonderland and our version of “Let’s Sell This House!” Pay particular attention to the vocabulary the experts use for each situation as well as the tone or “voice” of each event. Consider starting your own specialized vocabulary listfor each of these upcoming challenges.

Your challenge will be to develop the skills to be ready for your Archaeological Dig which will be a filmed event.

Storytelling – Legends and Myths

To use a storytelling voice to convey a tone of tradition, respect for the past and harmony with the spirit world to tell your legend…

• Establish the past using phrases like “long, long ago”
• Talk about the traditional gods and spirits as they apply
• Talk about the forces or character-creatures of nature that apply to your story
• Create the formality of the “sacred circle” using a voice that is respectful and honours the culture you are presenting
• Avoid modern expressions that would not have been used long ago
• Use descriptive language
• Use a chorus to give a sense of ceremony
• Create a sense of harmony with nature by speaking at a moderate pace (avoid rushing)

To tell your story so that the beginning, middle and end of the story follow in correct order…

• Be sure to establish time and place at the beginning. Make sure the events of your story are clearly sequenced and coordinate with the actions your group members are portraying through action.
• Use narration, dialogue and-or chorus to move your story clearly from the beginning to the end.
• Speak with clarity, good pronunciation (every consonant and every vowel please!) and expression to highlight the emotion of each moment.
• Make sure your opening sentences  allow the audience to know where they are and who they are meeting.
• Choose carefully when one – two – three or four people will speak. Make sure if many people are speaking together (in unison) that we can understand what they are saying. As beginners, limit how often “chorus” is used.
• Vary the intensity of volume for more interest.
• Stand still when you talk and turn your face to the audience. (Move-stop-talk.)
• Be sure  you include the important details from the beginning, the middle and the end of your story.
• Use appropriate transition words. (First, then, suddenly, unfortunately…)
• Use the past tense to say what happened.
• Make sure that there is a sense of conclusion in which the “wisdom of your people” is recognized and the importance of Nature is highlighted.

Providing Descriptive Feedback

You can demonstrate how well you understand the focus of any oral or written activity through the quality of the critical comments that you provide about the work of your peers or your own work. This is called “Providing Descriptive Feedback”.

Good descriptive feedback focuses comments on the success criteria for an activity.

Good comments always provide appreciation for how the work specifically meets the success criteria. Always provide clear examples of what you see that works well in the work. Any comments that discuss ways student work could be improved should be expressed with kindness, referring to specific areas for improvement and offering ways for the student to improve. Your skills for keen observation and reflection on what you have understood will determine how well you can help yourself or others find the path towards self-improvement.