Goals

=Goals for Co-Taught Freshmen English=

In addition to the language arts goals (specified below) - we want our lesson plans and units to develop the following skills which we feel are vital for successfully navigating life: Critical Thinking Skills Communication Skills Analytical Skills Problem Solving Skills

We want to develop students who are active, critical readers of fiction and non-fiction texts.
-As result students will. . . - identify main ideas in authentic texts (highlighting texts) - locate specific information in authentic texts to support understandings - understand when an author is making an inference - preview, predict, question throughout the reading process - annotate texts to show active thinking - make personal connections to the text and be able to articulate them - ask insightful questions about authentic texts - understand how context affects understanding of an authentic text - develop independent reading skills - form well-supported opinions (verbal and written) about readings using specific evidence from the text and their own sense of logical reasoning - be able to identify and define key literary concepts (plot structure, setting, characterization, symbolism, irony, figurative language, and theme) - understand how these concepts enhance understanding of texts - develop strategies to identify and clarify meanings of difficult / intimidating words.

We want to develop students who are confident and capable writers who can write for a variety purposes:
- As a result students. . . - will consistently write clear and grammatically complete sentences. (i.e students consistently do not write run-on or fragmented sentences) - will write for a variety of purposes and audiences - will enhance their word choice to improve the clarity, creativity, and style of their sentences. - will experiment with a variety of sentence structures to enhance their style. - will write coherent, focused paragraphs for a variety of purposes. - will use prewriting strategies to establish a clear focus for their writing - will create a writing plan on which to base their first draft. - will revise and edit to create polished, professional pieces of writing that accomplish a variety of purposes. - will recognize their strengths and weaknesses as writers and develop a plan to enhance and minimize these traits. - will be able to identify the parts of speech and parts of sentences necessary for understanding sentence structure. - will be able to use transitional phrases and transitional moments to connect ideas in a piece of writing.

We want to develop students who are confident in their ability to research a specific subject -
As a result, our students. . . - will utilize a process to plan, research, and structure a researched project. - will paraphrase source material into their own words - will understand and apply MLA guidelines - can ask questions to narrow a search and find a specific topic. - gather, read, and organize a variety of appropriate texts, websites, articles, and sources of information to help construct their project. - will be able to identify what makes an information source appropriate and useful.

We want to develop students who are confident in their ability to speak and commnicate in a public format ..
As a result, our students. . - use listening techniques which keep them actively engaged (SLANT) - can design and deliver an oral presentation delivered with intelligence, clarity, and commitment. - will understand and apply knowledge of how to work effectively and communicate in a small group format.