Language Arts

By the time children enter third grade, they are reading a variety of texts for pleasure, as a means of gathering information, and for learning about the style and format of various types of literature. Small language arts groups are formed in order to accommodate individual needs. Within any given group there is a diversity of student strengths.

A wide variety of genres are read. We most often read historical fiction because our theme relates to American history. Language arts groups may also read biographies, poetry, folktales, drama, contemporary fiction, fantasy, or nonfiction.

Opportunities are provided for children to read both aloud and silently. In third grade, reading is integral to studies in all academic content areas. Third graders are involved in numerous reading and writing activities throughout the school day. Some of these activities are connected to the thematic study while other activities are designed to support specific skill development.

The third grade writing program emphasizes process. Students develop their writing skills by choosing their own topics, drafting, revising, and redrafting. We teach capitalization, punctuation, and other editing skills individually and in the context of the students' own writing. Students complete assignments related to literature, poetry, research, and letter writing.

Fourth and fifth grade students in Junior Unit A are encouraged to think more abstractly as they tackle increasingly sophisticated literature. They become increasingly adept at connecting literature to their own personal experiences and to issues and themes brought up in other disciplines; discussion opportunities in whole-group and small-group settings help students clarify their views and opinions. Strategies for reading a variety of texts closely are taught explicitly, and an understanding of the structure of various genres is stressed. Students are now more often reading to learn rather that learning to read, so evaluating content critically in a variety of media becomes increasingly important. Silent sustained reading continues to be part of the weekly schedule, proving opportunities for students to make independent reading choices with the guidance and encouragement of their teachers.

The language arts curriculum encourages students to examine their everyday lives and circumstances with a writer’s eye. Students are expected to analyze and evaluate their own lives in order to produce more meaningful writing. These observations are recorded in each student’s notebook. The notebook then serves as a “seedbed” of ideas and topics for all kinds of writing. These ideas may be the inspiration for a writing project. These projects may include personal narratives, poetry, nonfiction books, and playwriting. Steps in the writing process continue to be stressed and supported; students are expected to plan their writing as well as edit, revise, and selectively “publish” it.

In both Junior Unit B and A, small reading groups work daily on decoding, comprehension, vocabulary, and other language skills. Spelling and grammar instruction is an integral part of the curriculum; grammar and spelling are taught explicitly and within the context of student writing.Students apply their knowledge of phonics and explore different spelling patterns to help them decode and understand new words during reading and to use these words accurately in their speech and written work.