Goals and Objectives

Communication Is Everything!

My goal is for all of my students to become adept at language in all of its forms: writing, reading, speaking, listening. Reading is a skill that you use every day and will continue to use for the rest of your life. The more you read, the better you become. Reading expands your knowledge, informs you, educates you, communicates to you. Literature allows you to experience things through other people's view points. Writing is an equally important skill that you will develop and master as you make your way through school. Writing is a tool that you will rely on every day. It allows you to communicate your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Strong writers can deliver powerful messages with words. Grammar ties both reading and writing together. Understanding how words fit together to build sentences, how the pieces of the sentence work together and depend on each other, and how the sentences combine to create a bigger message is key to understanding words and communicating them to others. Speaking and listening are also parts of language. Learning to listen to others in order to respond appropriately to them is important. Knowing how to speak in front of a group is also an important skill that you are likely to use frequently in life. Finally, being able to find information adds to your ability to communicate and to understand what is communicated to you.

Without language arts, we would have a very hard time communicating information to one another. Everything we do in life depends on communication. So next time you wonder why you have to do language arts in school, just remember that you woulnd't be able to learn anything without communication!

The following language arts objectives were taken directly from the Georgia Learning Connections web site presented by the Georgia Department of Education. The site includes Quality Core Curriculum standards for all grades and all subjects. If you are interested in seeing objectives for your other classes, visit Georgia Learning Connections and click "QCC Standards & Resources."

Strand: Grammar and Usage

  1. Standard: Identifies the types of sentences according to purpose: declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory.
  2. Standard: Identifies the eight parts of speech and their uses in sentences.
  3. Standard: Identifies the parts of a sentence in simple and compound sentences:
    • subjects
    • predicates
    • complements (predicate adjectives, predicate nominatives, direct objects)
    • modifiers (words and phrases)
  4. Standard: Forms singular, plural, and possessive nouns.
  5. Standard: Uses principal parts to form tenses of regular and irregular verbs.
  6. Standard: Identifies types of pronouns such as personal, interrogative, and demonstrative.
  7. Standard: Writes simple and compound sentences and avoids run-ons and nonfunctional fragments.
  8. Standard: Combines sentences using coordination (i.e., compound sentences).
  9. Standard: Applies standards of American English to:
    • subject-verb agreement
    • cases of personal pronouns
    • pronoun/antecedent agreement
    • principal parts of verbs
    • comparisons of adjectives and adverbs
  10. Standard: Applies standard rules of capitalization.
  11. Standard: Spells frequently used words and applies common spelling rules.
  12. Standard: Applies standard rules of punctuation.

    Strand: Listening

  13. Standard: Expands listening vocabulary.
  14. Standard: Follows oral directions and asks questions for clarification.
  15. Standard: Listens and responds to various language patterns and literary forms including regional examples (dialect).
  16. Standard: Responds to literal, inferential, and critical questions.
  17. Standard: Determines the denotative and connotative meanings of words in oral context.
  18. Standard: Summarizes oral information.
  19. Standard: Records orally presented information (takes notes).
  20. Standard: Listens and responds to literature presented orally.
  21. Standard: Evaluates messages and effects of mass media (newspaper, television, radio, film, and periodicals).

    Strand: Literature

  22. Standard: Recognizes various forms of literature (short stories, novels, epics, poems, dramas, folk tales, essays, and myths).
  23. Standard: Responds to literal, inferential, and critical questions about literature.
  24. Standard: Identifies literary elements and techniques such as plot, setting, theme, characters, characterization, conflict, figurative language, and point of view.
  25. Standard: Recognizes common elements of poetry (rhyme, rhythm, stanza, and figurative language).
  26. Standard: Experiences traditional and contemporary literature through a variety of media.
  27. Standard: Recognizes writer's purpose in fiction and nonfiction.
  28. Standard: Recognizes cultures and values represented in literature.
  29. Standard: Recognizes that literature reflects human experiences.
  30. Standard: Responds creatively to literature (drama, art, multi-media projects).
  31. Standard: Identifies and chooses literature according to personal interests.

    Strand: Reading

  32. Standard: Reads for a variety of purposes to obtain meaning from different kinds of materials.
  33. Standard: Reads for pleasure.
  34. Standard: Recognizes differences between fiction and nonfiction.
  35. Standard: Distinguishes between fact and opinion.
  36. Standard: Expands reading vocabulary.
  37. Standard: Interprets literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases.
  38. Standard: Recognizes syntactic and semantic relationships.
  39. Standard: Uses word recognition strategies (e.g., affixes, roots, and compound words) to acquire new vocabulary.
  40. Standard: Uses context clues to determine meanings of unknown words.
  41. Standard: Adjusts reading speed according to purpose and rereads for comprehension.
  42. Standard: Recognizes explicit and implicit main ideas, details, sequence of events, and cause-effect relationships.
  43. Standard: Makes predictions and comparisons.
  44. Standard: Makes generalizations and draws conclusions.
  45. Standard: Recognizes persuasion techniques in propaganda and advertising.
  46. Standard: Recognizes bias and stereotypes.
  47. Standard: Recognizes relevance of data.
  48. Standard: Interprets written instructions and other directive information.
  49. Standard: Applies reading strategies to specific content and subject matter.

    Strand: Reference and Study Skills

  50. Standard: Recognizes differences among paraphrasing, summarizing, and plagiarizing.
  51. Standard: Recognizes organizational systems used in media centers for collections and reference sources.
  52. Standard: Uses a research process: topic selection, question formation, key word identification, source selection, skimming, paraphrasing, note-taking, summarizing, and presenting.
  53. Standard: Selects appropriate sources (database, electronic multi-media technologies, microforms, interviews, general and specialized references, community resource files, and periodical indices) to collect information on a given topic.
  54. Standard: Analyzes information to determine relevance to topic.
  55. Standard: Retrieves information on a single topic from multiple sources (periodicals, indices, almanacs, general and specialized materials, electronic multi-media technologies, microforms, and databases).
  56. Standard: Selects main ideas and supporting details from multiple sources, and creates an outline.
  57. Standard: Documents sources with reference citations.
  58. Standard: Uses study techniques such as
    • PQRST (Preview, Question, Read, Study, Test)
    • SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Review, Report)
    • PQ4R (Preview, Question, Research, Read, Review, Report)
    • 4R (Research, Read, Review, Report)
  59. Standard: Develops strategies for taking tests in different formats (multiple choice, sentence completion, essay, etc.).
  60. Standard: Uses the media center as a source of information and pleasure.

    Strand: Speaking

  61. Standard: Expands speaking vocabulary.
  62. Standard: Communicates effectively through oral expression.
  63. Standard: Adjusts manner and style of speaking to suit audience and situation.
  64. Standard: Paraphrases and discusses information in a variety of settings.
  65. Standard: Participates in oral presentations.
  66. Standard: Participates in dramatic activities such as puppetry, pantomime, plays, choral speaking, and storytelling.
  67. Standard: Develops awareness of nonverbal communication such as gestures, body language, and facial expressions.
  68. Standard: Uses standards of American English in appropriate settings.

    Strand: Writing

  69. Standard: Uses a writing process that involves prewriting, drafting, revising, editing (can involve peer editing), proofreading, and publishing.
  70. Standard: Writes paragraphs that include unifying ideas and supporting details (may include topic sentence and clincher sentence).
  71. Standard: Produces paragraphs and compositions for a variety of purposes (exposition, description, narration, and persuasion).
  72. Standard: Expands writing vocabulary.
  73. Standard: Experiments with organization, style, purpose, and audience.
  74. Standard: Produces various types of writing (personal, academic, business, and vocational).
  75. Standard: Uses descriptive words and phrases.
  76. Standard: Uses dialogue in writing.
  77. Standard: Applies grammatical and mechanical conventions in writing.
  78. Standard: Correctly spells frequently used words and commonly confused words (e.g., to, two, too)
  79. Standard: Writes legibly.
  80. Standard: Uses available electronic communication technologies in writing.