Middle M/J Language Arts 1 - Grade 6

Segment 1

• Reading Comprehension/Informational & Expository Writing/Argumentative Writing
• Developing an idea
• Identifying theme
• Recognizing plot pattern
• Comparing and contrasting mediums
• Using context clues
• Developing thesaurus and dictionary skills
• Identifying implicit and explicit meaning
• Finding the main idea
• Writing an effective summary
• Assessing internet sources
• Reading informational texts
• Researching and organizing information
• Avoiding plagiarism and citing sources
• Writing an introduction
• Connecting and supporting ideas
• Writing a conclusion
• Revising and reflecting
• Using formal language in writing
• Writing effective transitions
• Using signal phrases
• Writing a strong introduction
• Correcting dangling modifiers
• Using transitions and signal phrases
• Maintaining formal style
• Writing a solid conclusion
• Revising and reflecting
• Proofreading and editing
• Selecting effective digital media
• Using spelling rules
• Paraphrasing a text
• Determining relevant information
• Identifying figurative language
• Understanding rhetorical appeals
• Analyzing universal themes across time

 

Segment 1 Advanced

• Analyzing plot and theme in narrative poetry
• Paraphrasing relevant information from informational texts
• Creating a biographical one-pager
• Writing a personal biography and autobiography

 

Segment 2

• Reading Comprehension/Argumentative Writing/Narrative Writing
• Recognizing logical fallacies
• Identifying elements of an effective claim
• Effectively supporting a claim
• Identifying reliable sources
• Organizing an argument
• Determining the central/main idea
• Using elaborative details
• Writing a summary
• Understanding how figurative language affects meaning and tone
• Interpreting figurative language
• Finding literal and figurative meaning
• Comparing and contrasting texts
• Using context clues
• Interpreting implicit and explicit meaning
• Identifying characteristics of poetic forms
• Looking for connotative meanings
• Analyzing plot pattern
• Identifying protagonist and antagonist
• Classifying direct and indirect characterization
• Determining point of view
• Defining types of conflict
• Determining theme in a text
• Using pronouns correctly
• Correcting errors with hyphens
• Identifying verbals
• Using correct pronoun/antecedent agreement
• Creating a commercial
• Using diverse media formats
• Recognizing point of view
• Identifying the narrator
• Planning narrative writing
• Writing the exposition to a narrative
• Using narrative techniques
• Discovering a writer’s craft
• Writing dialogue effectively
• Revising and editing for impact
• Reflecting on the writing process

 

Segment 2 Advanced

• Analyzing the development of a claim in literature
• Creating a sonnet or villanelle about a fictional character
• Writing a script based on a narrative poem

Students are responsible for obtaining independent reading material.

Besides engaging students in challenging curriculum, the course guides students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their progress through a variety of assessments. Assessments can be in the form of practice lessons, multiple choice questions, writing assignments, projects, research papers, oral assessments, and discussions. This course will use the state-approved grading scale. Each course contains a mandatory final exam or culminating project that will be weighted at 20% of the student’s overall grade.***

***Proctored exams can be requested by FLVS at any time and for any reason in an effort to ensure academic integrity. When taking the exam to assess a student’s integrity, the exam must be passed with at least a 59.5% in order to earn credit for the course.  

To achieve success, students are expected to submit work in each course weekly. Students can learn at their own pace; however, “any pace” still means that students must make progress in the course every week. To measure learning, students complete self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, projects, discussion-based assessments, and discussions. Students are expected to maintain regular contact with teachers; the minimum requirement is monthly. When teachers, students, and parents work together, students are successful.