Grade 5 Writing Curriculum

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contribution.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use commas to indicate interrupters, items in a series, and to indicate direct address. 
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
  • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
  • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
  • Support opinions with examples and details.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message. 
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
  • Use description, details, and examples.
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
  • Develop persuasive writing skills.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
• Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
  • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
  • Maintain eye contact with listeners. 
  • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
  • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
  • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
  • Organize information to convey a central idea.
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
  • Write multi paragraph compositions. 
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use quotation marks with dialogue. 
  • Edit for fragments and run-on sentences.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:

• Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
• Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 

• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
  • Use description, details, and examples.
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
  • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
  • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
  • Use descriptive details and examples.
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
  • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
  • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience.
  • Write multi paragraph compositions.
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use prepositional phrases.
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
• Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
  • Construct questions about a topic. 
  • Collect and organize information from multiple resources. 
  • Give credit to sources used in research.
  • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:

• Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
• Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 

• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
  • Use description, details, and examples.
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
  • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
  • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
  • Use descriptive details and examples.
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas.
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process.
  • Select audience and purpose.
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
  • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
  • Write multi paragraph compositions.
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice.
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English: 
  • Use commas to indicate interrupters, items in a series, and to indicate direct address.
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
  • Use coordinating conjunctions.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
• Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
• Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 

• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
  • Use description, details, and examples.
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
  • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
  • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
  • Use descriptive details and examples.
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
• Expand vocabulary when reading:
  • Use context to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
  • Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. 
  • Identify an author’s use of figurative language.
• Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, and poetry: 
  • Summarize plot events using details from text.
  • Discuss the impact of setting on plot development. 
  • Describe character development. 
  • Identify theme(s). 
  • Explain the resolution of conflict(s). 
  • Identify genres.
  • Differentiate between first and third person point-of-view. 
  • Explain how an author’s choice of vocabulary contributes to the author’s style.
  • Draw conclusions and make inferences with support from the text. 
  • Identify cause and effect relationships. 
  • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts. 
  • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
• Develop listening/oral communication skills.
• Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
• Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
• State the main ideas or themes of the story.
• Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
• Develop listening/oral communication skills.
• Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
• Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
• Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
• Support opinions with examples and details.
• Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
  • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
  • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
  • Use description, details, and examples
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
  • Develop persuasive writing skills
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
  •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing   
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use adjective and adverb comparisons. 
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals.
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.  
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
• Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
  • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
  • Maintain eye contact with listeners.
  • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
  • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
  • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
  • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
  • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience. 
  • Write multi paragraph compositions.
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line.
  • Edit for fragments and run-on sentences.
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.
• Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
  • Construct questions about a topic. 
  • Collect and organize information from multiple resources. 
  • Evaluate the relevance, reliability, and credibility of information. 
  • Give credit to sources used in research. 
  • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet. 

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
  • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
  • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
  • Support opinions with examples and details.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
  • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
  • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
  • Use description, details, and examples
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
  • Develop persuasive writing skills
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
  •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing  

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas.
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
• Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
  • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
  • Maintain eye contact with listeners. 
  • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
  • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
  • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
• Expand vocabulary when reading: 
  • Use context to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
  • Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
  • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words.
  • Identify an author’s use of figurative language. 
  • Use word-reference materials. 
  • Develop and use general and specialized content area vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
  • Engage in writing as a process. 
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
  • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
  • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience.
  • Write multi paragraph compositions.
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Use interjections. 
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
  • Use description, details, and examples.
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
  • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
  • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
  • Use descriptive details and examples.
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency

Students will be able to: 

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
  • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
  • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
  • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
  • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
  • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive: 
  • Engage in writing as a process.
  • Select audience and purpose. 
  • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
  • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
  • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
  • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
  • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience. 
  • Write multi paragraph compositions.
  • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
  • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
  • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Eliminate double negatives. 
  • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
• Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
  • Construct questions about a topic.
  • Collect and organize information from multiple resources.
  • Evaluate the relevance, reliability, and credibility of information.
  • Give credit to sources used in research. 
  • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
  • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

• Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
  • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
  • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
  • Support opinions with examples and details.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
• Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
  • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
  • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker 
• Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
  • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
  • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
  • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
  • Use description, details, and examples
  • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
  • Develop persuasive writing skills
  • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
  • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
  • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
  •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
  • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing   
• Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
  • Develop linguistic competency