Saskatoon Public Schools places significant emphasis on literacy skills. Literacy is one of two core initiatives. LA consists of multiple strands. Each day one or more of them is addressed. Ongoing efforts to improve literacy skills this year will include:
- formal reading assessments
- specific instruction for reading strategies
- scheduled reading periods
- stories and novels read by me with response activities
- instruction and practice of various writing techniques such as the newspaper format, short essay, letter and poetry
Reading Requirements and Lists
Our classroom has a minimum reading requirement. All students must read and record at least 20 books, 20% of which must be non-fiction. The log is kept in the class. A sample version can be seen here. In class reading time is offered at least once, sometimes twice a week. Until the weather prevents it, we will make regular visits to Alice Turner Library. Home reading is necessary and expected.
Current Focus -Organization in Writing,Public Speaking, Read Aloud Response Activities (Weekly - Eye of the Crow)
"Bad" is a dead word.
Other examples are good, pretty, big, blue, tired and fun. If a student has said the words "get" or "got" today, it was likely misused. And it's almost certain that any adjective prefaced by "very" is dead as well. Dead words are non-specific (vague), weak descriptors we use when we haven't developed a repository of richer, precise terms. All year we will focus on being purposeful about word choice. From there, we build into purposeful construction of sentences, then paragraphs and longer compositions.
Five Paragraph Essay - over several weeks, students will be building to the composition of a five paragraph essay. The essay is the foundational document in academics. The focus is on outlines and effective transitions. Beginning with the creation of effective topics sentences, we will work together to understand the format of stating and supporting a thesis. Assignments increase in length until the final, full length, activity is distributed. Details will be available here.
Public Speaking - While working with the writing strand, we will also focus on the speaking strand. The activities are fun to do but have a point. Short speeches, both delivered with short notice or with lots of preparation time are part of the process. Reader's theatre, using provided scripts, provide extra opportunity to develop skills.
Aspects of effective delivery include:.
Other examples are good, pretty, big, blue, tired and fun. If a student has said the words "get" or "got" today, it was likely misused. And it's almost certain that any adjective prefaced by "very" is dead as well. Dead words are non-specific (vague), weak descriptors we use when we haven't developed a repository of richer, precise terms. All year we will focus on being purposeful about word choice. From there, we build into purposeful construction of sentences, then paragraphs and longer compositions.
Five Paragraph Essay - over several weeks, students will be building to the composition of a five paragraph essay. The essay is the foundational document in academics. The focus is on outlines and effective transitions. Beginning with the creation of effective topics sentences, we will work together to understand the format of stating and supporting a thesis. Assignments increase in length until the final, full length, activity is distributed. Details will be available here.
- essay map form
- essay assignment duplicate
Public Speaking - While working with the writing strand, we will also focus on the speaking strand. The activities are fun to do but have a point. Short speeches, both delivered with short notice or with lots of preparation time are part of the process. Reader's theatre, using provided scripts, provide extra opportunity to develop skills.
Aspects of effective delivery include:.
- Intelligibility
- Gestures and Facial Expressions
- Volume and Force
- Pitch and Tone
- Phrasing (pace and cadence)
- Cueing
- Speech assignment rubric - assessment details with some info on the requirements