ELA Workshop Curriculum
The curriculum provides a balanced reading program. Lessons are based on research-based literacy principles which help students to not only learn to read, but to learn to love to read.
Classes are offered during a 10 week (quarterly) cycle.
Students attend assigned class on alternate days (A or B).
Study Skills
-
This class is designed for students to improve organizational and study skills within content area subjects. The focus will be on textbook and other non-fiction reading, research skills, and test-taking strategies.
-
All sixth graders enrolled in ELA Workshop classes at the start of the school year will be enrolled in this class.
Word Study
-
Students learn to read and spell words through activities that build phonemic awareness.
-
Vocabulary-building and enhancement activities are emphasized.
-
Latin and Greek root words, prefixes, and suffixes will be incorporated into class lessons.
Reader's Theatre
-
Reader’s Theatre is an exciting course designed with built-in strategies that focus on improving vocabulary, reinforcing fluency, comprehension, and public speaking skills. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are integrated throughout the program. Grade-level content supports instruction through the use of whole-group mini-lessons, guided practice, choral reading, tape assisted reading and oral readings of plays (Quarter 3).
Book Club/Novel Ideas
- Students will be exposed to a wide range of literature experiences with a focus on building comprehension.
- Students are provided the opportunity to become lifelong readers through teacher read-alouds, guided and independent reading (Quarters 3 and 4).
Writing
-
Students develop essential writing skills through modeled, collaborative and independent writing activities.
-
Students will practice correctly written manuscript (print) and cursive (script) handwriting.
Test Academy
-
Students learn life-long study habits and test-taking strategies (Quarter 2)
Graphic Arts and Writing
- Graphic Arts and Writing was designed with a student’s certain learning style in mind. Graphic Arts and Writing encourages reluctant writers who are avid artists to incorporate their cartooning and drawing skills together with a strong writing program. This exciting course is centered on the student’s artistic drawing skills, creation of images in the computer using scanned original artwork through the application of Photoshop, visual instruction, and reflective writing essays based on artwork. Offered through Teacher recommendation (Quarters 3 and 4).
Creative Writing
-
This course is for the student who is interested in exploring their writing techniques through a variety of writing experiences. Students will read and hear models of different authors' crafts and will practice incorporating them into their own writing. In addition, peer editing and revision skills will be emphasized, and students will be expected to read their work aloud for all to enjoy.
- Students will write and illustrate an original storybook for a district kindergarten partner that will be professionally bound and published. The books will then be presented as a literary gift to the kindergarten partner at a Young Authors' Sharing Ceremony (Quarter 4).
