The Language Arts program at The San Francisco School hinges on the premise that learning to think and work like a writer is the most important curricular goal.

LANGUAGE ARTS BY GRADE

OVERVIEW

The San Francisco School language arts program builds skills and understanding in the critical areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. A student’s literacy journey begins in preschool where he or she encounters a curriculum full of books, reading aloud, and early literacy activities and it concludes with a critical reading of a Shakespeare play during the 8th grade year. Formal reading instruction begins in the preschool with phonemic awareness activities such as “Sound of the Week,” and instruction is geared to the great variety of student readiness. Reading skills are solidified in the elementary grades through structured guided reading, independent reading, and myriad reading related activities . At every grade level each student is encouraged to read at his or her individual reading level and given much instruction and support to progress to the next level. The focus of the reading program in the upper elementary grades and in the middle school is on critical thinking and interaction with literature. Books are often linked to various parts of the curriculum, and students are encouraged to discuss and write about what they are reading.

Writing is carefully and appropriately linked to reading. Instruction begins in the preschool years, where students develop their fine motor skills and are encouraged to discuss stories they hear. The D’Nealian handwriting program is introduced in the elementary grades. Formal writing mechanics are also introduced in kindergarten and are built upon each year. Grammar instruction begins in first grade and is often taught within the context of daily writing. Formal spelling is introduced in first grade and continues throughout years.

As their critical skills develop, students learn to evaluate the writing of well-known authors and of their peers. They keep journals, write poems, act in plays, create short stories, and edit their own work. They read widely and exchange ideas about books, authors, and the world around them. Through these and other activities, they learn and practice their skills.

Preschool Language Arts

In preschool the overarching focus is to instill a love of reading. Initially, the teachers concentrate on oral language acquisition, sound and letter correspondence, rhyming, phonemic awareness, and the formation of letters, which includes the use of Montessori’s movable alphabet. As they gain confidence and skills, the children create books, dictating the words to teachers or using “best-guess” spelling.

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Kindergarten Language Arts

In kindergarten, students build on each of the language arts skills that they learned in preschool and become proficient in reading three-letter short vowel words, writing mechanics, and regularly using best-guess spelling to create daily snack and lunch menus, stories and books about their experiences—in school, at home and on class fieldtrips. Children are engaged at their respective reading levels, which vary greatly at this age.

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First Grade Language Arts

In the first grade, language arts includes the areas of reading, writing, speech and drama. Children enter first grade at various skill levels, so the program is designed to meet their differing needs. The curriculum is designed to develop the children’s ability to both form and express their own ideas through reading, discussion and writing. The activities range from whole class instruction (e.g. a spelling lesson) to one-on-one teaching and support (e.g. helping a student develop a story idea more fully.)

Reading is practiced each day in small groups of 2 to 4 students with a teacher. The students engage in various activities designed to reinforce the many skills necessary to becoming a fluent, active reader. These include:

Strengthening decoding/phonics skills and expanding sight word vocabulary of both phonetic and non-phonetic words to increase fluency
Developing comprehension and analytical skills such as sequencing, retelling of a story and recognition and comparisons of characters, settings and plots
Reflecting their understanding of events and characters by drawing and recording events from stories, with a focus on summarizing the plots and creating dialogue that fits the characters and story line
Forming and articulating personal responses in areas of interpretation, evaluation and judgment

Writing is used in every part of the curriculum. Creative writing is an important part of each day’s activities. Writing is also used as part of reading activities, as well as to record information and findings in their social studies and science units. Each child also keeps a journal of important events throughout their time at school. Writing skills practiced in First Grade include:

Understanding and using the basic story elements of character, setting and plot
Developing and expanding an idea into a story that has a beginning, middle and end
Using descriptive language and detail to enhance stories
Using spelling rules to progress from “invented phonetic spelling” to correct spelling

Grammar is taught at a basic level in First Grade. The children receive individual instruction when having their written work corrected and group instruction during writing or spelling lessons. These lessons include practice in recognizing types of sentences (statements, questions and exclamations) and their appropriate punctuation. Spelling lessons provide further practice in capitalization and punctuation through spelling dictations.

Speech and Drama are woven into the activities of each day. Opportunities to practice and develop these skills are:

Reading with appropriate expression
Reading their own stories to the class and to the preschoolers
Running the morning meeting and presenting to the class when “Person of the Week”
Participating in class discussions
Performing a play before an audience

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Second Grade Language Arts

In the Second Grade, language arts are taught using a workshop approach which emphasizes strategy instruction and meaningful and critical engagement with texts. During reading, students read independently, meet in small groups to discuss books and conference one-on-one with teachers. Each writer’s workshop begins with a mini-lesson which focuses on such topics as craft, grammar, punctuation, genre, and story structure. These short lessons are followed by a sustained independent writing period during which students write, revise, edit and conference one-on-one with teachers. Afterwards, the class comes back together for author’s chair to share their work.

Sample skills and projects include:

Expanding students decoding skills and use of context clues to help them become more fluent readers
Learning and applying comprehension strategies: making predictions about text, making connections, asking questions, inferring and synthesizing text.
Reading units focused on biographies, creation myths, folktales, poetry and nonfiction
Reading and discussing critical texts about immigration and social justice issues
Writing units of study covering genre (poetry, non-fiction, memoirs), author study, and the writing process (editing and revising)
Keeping a Writer’s Notebook where students practice living a ‘writer’s life’ -- they write about things they notice, create stories, and reflect on life events
Revision and editing of student work that is shared and celebrated during several publishing parties
Spelling and grammar taught in context with other Language Arts activities

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Third Grade Language Arts

The third grade Language Arts program weaves a rich tapestry of interrelated activities that enhance the children’s reading, writing, and oral language skills. The reading program is designed to build a love of literature, including folk and fairy tales, mysteries, realistic fiction, fantasies and biographies. Non-fiction topics are also covered during social studies and science units. The children learn to read for information and to develop important research skills. Oral language occurs throughout the day, whether children are answering the “question of the day” or doing a “book commercial” to promote a favorite book.

Sample skills and projects:

A Cinderella unit provides a multi-cultural look at an archetypal character that appears in hundreds of stories around the world. By reading different versions of this perennial tale, the students learn to compare and contrast different works of literature while learning about various cultures.

Students begin the year reviewing and refining their D'Nealian manuscript writing. Cursive handwriting is introduced and by the end of the year students are writing primarily in cursive.
Creative writing projects are often linked with reading, writing or project time studies. When studying California Indians, students perform Coyote Tale puppet shows. Having investigated the elements of these popular tales, the students then write their own Coyote Tales, which are published as a class book. Students also research aspects of Native American Indian life, present oral reports, and write about their topics.
A variety of writing projects is offered at this level: letter writing, personal narrative, reports, descriptive writing exercises, poetry, journals and story writing. Project time provides an opportunity to write about field trip experiences, to record information and to write about experiments.
The “Person of the Week” takes home a very mischievous teddy bear named Felix for a week and writes about their adventures.
Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, root words, prefixes, suffixes and parts of speech are addressed in the context of reading and writing activities. Children learn to recognize synonyms, antonyms, homophones and homographs.
Performance pieces that reflect reading units are prepared by the students during the year; a skit about Paul Bunyan and a moving poem about Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Literary Tea Party at the end of the year gives students a chance to share their oral and written work with parents.
The Teaching Lesson project allows each student to pick a topic or skill to teach to the rest of the class, visit the library to find books on the chosen subject, prepare a colorful poster to help teach it, create an outline to use for the presentation, and become the teacher for a class period.

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Fourth Grade Language Arts

In the fourth grade, children read, write and discuss ideas in every area of the curriculum. Fourth graders continue to transition from having learned to read into reading and writing to learn. Students read books together as a class, participate in smaller book discussion groups and use multiple resources to research topics of their choice. The students write narrative and expository pieces such as book reviews, creative stories, poetry, procedures for math and science, lab reports, and persuasive speeches and learning journals. Lastly, they participate in group discussions, meetings and presentations.

Sample skills and topics include:

Reading – Book Clubs, meeting in small groups, reviewing and practicing reading strategies: making predictions, making connections to self, other text, the world, and asking questions to monitor comprehension.
Creative writing projects linked with reading, writing or project time studies. When we are studying the history and culture of Ghana, we read West African myths, folktales and proverbs. The symbolism embedded in the proverbs and folktales develops students' ability to infer meaning based on cultural values. Students are able to write their own Anansi tale that encompasses the motifs of this type of West African folktale.
Learning to locate research materials, distinguish between the main ideas and details, identify keywords, take notes, write an outline, construct a bibliography and organize the details of their report into a cohesive whole.
Continuing the use of their D’Nealian manuscript writing throughout the year.

Paragraphing, grammar, usage, and mechanics. Children are then expected to properly use these conventions in their daily writing.
Spelling, root words, prefixes, suffixes, and parts of speech in the context of reading and writing. Children learn to recognize synonyms, antonyms, homophones and homographs.

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Fifth Grade Language Arts

Writing
The 5th grade writing program is implemented with a keen eye toward the developmental leaps a student must make when entering the middle school years. Reinforcing the idea that the process of writing is a system, and encouraging the class to see composition as construction, 5th graders are creating a “toolbox” with which they can use to access and hone their writing craft. Approaching our written work with an eye on process and the notion of revisiting and revising allows us to be more productive, organized, and in control of our finished product.

Most importantly, our 5th graders become more independent and fluent writers, sure that they are communicating their interior thoughts clearly and with intention.

The overarching questions that we pursue include:

“What tools can I collect this year to add to my writers toolbox?”
“How can I access my toolbox to become a more creative and independent writer?”
“How can I best communicate through my writing?”

Writing practices are explored through various genres including:

Essays: Persuasive, response to literature, five paragraph with thesis statement
Poetry
Memoir
Free writing
Short story
Expository writing: Note taking, paraphrasing, summarizing
Journal writing
Letter writing
Picture/Word Prompt writing

Grammar
Grammar and mechanics are addressed within the context of daily writing assignments through mini lessons that are generated from authentic student work. This direct teaching method keeps the information relevant to the writers, allowing the students to embed grammar lessons into their work as they are creating it.

Assessment
One-on-one student-teacher conferences are an important aspect of the writing program, ensuring that students have the tools they need in their individual toolboxes. Rubrics are introduced as commenting tools because they create clear expectations of student work, fostering the creation of independent writers.

5th graders are encouraged to share their work aloud throughout the writing process. This enables students to take pride in their work while bolstering their oral language skills. This also gives our students practice in the fine art of being a cooperative and engaged audience of listeners.

Striving to instill confidence in our writing skills and joy in the written word will better enable students to cope with the demands of upper school writing projects.

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Sixth Grade Language Arts

Reading: In the sixth grade, the goal of the reading program is to create life-long readers who utilize their skills in every type of reading task. The program provides: teacher and peer role models for reading, class time to read, guidance with choosing reading material, structured interpretive discussions, support with an at-home reading and a summer reading program.

Instruction of reading methods continues all year weaving through all-class books, small group books and independent reading. The emphasis is on direct teaching of reading strategies that work and plenty of practice: making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance and synthesizing. Students practice these strategies through writing entries in their Literature Logs, drawing, acting, speaking, leading discussions and taking quizzes.

Text for Vocabulary Development:

Wordly Wise 3000: Book 6 by Kenneth Hodkinson and Sandra Adams

Books used in the 6th Grade (subject to change):

The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Students choose one of the following (subject to change):

The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake
The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm

Students choose one of the following immigration stories (subject to change):

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Journey of the Sparrows by Fran Leeper Buss
Dragon’s Gate by Laurence Yep
Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat
The Stone Goddess by Minfong Ho

Writing: The goals of the sixth grade writing program are that students learn the criteria for writing well in many different genres and learn the skills to reach those criteria as well. The course consists of in-class, daily writing in a workshop style setting where students receive models of good writing and support for their efforts. Students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and interests, experiment with voice, and gain fluency and enjoyment. The through-line questions guiding our work are:

How can I write essays, poems, memoirs, and short stories that capture the reader?
How can I use the conventions of writing to make my meaning clear?

Understanding how to formulate statements and support those statements with commentary is fundamental to a writer’s repertoire, to the writing students will do in all of their courses, and for the high school admissions process. Fall course work begins with two essays - ritual/tradition and a favorite place - capitalizing on the rich diversity of the student population and striving to introduce new and continuing students to each other. Through these assignments students learn and practice:

brainstorming
outlining or mapping with support of Inspiration Software
the drafting process including proofreading, editing, and rewriting
giving and receiving critical feedback
publishing

Class writing projects continue with the teaching of specific genres and the criteria for being successful in that genre. The major writing practices taught and developed are:

creating voice
using description in a show-not-tell style
attention to audience
conventions so that others understand the meaning
use of computers and keyboarding skills in the drafting process

Highlights of the writing workshop include:

direct teaching through mini-lessons
development of an individualized proofreading list
one-on-one conferences with the teacher
group sharing of writing

Student performance is assessed through the use of a rubric that outlines the work quality expectations. Students and the teacher create the grading rubric based on models of good writing. The text used in writing class in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades is Write Source 2000: A Guide to Writing, Thinking and Learning.

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Seventh Grade Language Arts

Reading: In the seventh grade, the literature studied in the humanities curriculum is from a variety of genres that include: the personal narrative, novel, mythology, non-fiction, and historical fiction. The seventh grade program provides: teacher and peer role models for reading, class time to read, and structured interpretive discussions. The literary genres and time periods are explored through reading assignments, teacher and student-led discussions, independent and group projects, written assignments, quizzes, and tests. The areas of skill development are: questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance and synthesizing. The texts will help initiate discussions on the three "through-lines," or broad themes, of the seventh grade Humanities curriculum:

How are just and equitable societies created?
How do we understand patterns in history?
How can we find out the truth about what happened in the past?

Students develop an ongoing “organic” vocabulary list of terms from their texts. The understanding and application of these terms are displayed via short writing exercises. A sampling of texts explored in the seventh grade include:

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Iqbal by Francesco D’Adamo
When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
and shorter selections from various anthologies.

The basic text for our grammar lessons is English Workshop, Third Course by John E. Warriner.

Writing: The seventh grade writing curriculum emphasizes the writing process that develops expository, critical, persuasive, and creative writing. Students also receive a good deal of support with in-class writing (a skill necessary for the Independent School SSAT), and with formal business letters such as thank you notes.

Similar to the previous skills taught in middle school language arts, class writing projects continue with the teaching of specific genre and the criteria for being successful in that genre. The major writing practices taught and developed are:

writing using the third person voice perspective
using description in a show-not-tell style
attention to formal language
careful proofreading for grammar and punctuation
Providing supporting details and development of ideas

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Eighth Grade Language Arts

Reading: In the eighth grade, the literature studied in the humanities curriculum is from a variety of genres. These include the personal narrative, novel, novella, short story, mythology, non-fiction, and poetry within the context of American history. The 8th Grade program provides teacher and peer role models for reading, class time to read, guidance with choosing reading material, structured interpretive discussions, support with an at-home reading and a summer reading program.

The literary genres and time periods are explored through reading assignments, teacher and student-led discussions, independent and group projects, written assignments, quizzes, tests, and art. The areas of skill development are questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance and synthesizing.

Students develop an ongoing “organic” vocabulary list of terms that intrigue, confuse, or amuse. The understanding and application of these terms are displayed via art and dramatic activities. A sampling of texts explored in the 8th Grade include:

Jefferson’s Children by Shannon Lanier
The Odyssey (The Children’s Homer)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
8th Grade Poetry Reader
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
A play by William Shakespeare

Writing: The 8th grade writing curriculum emphasizes the writing process that develops expository, critical, persuasive, and creative writing. The Schaffer writing process is used for expository writing so that students gain a greater level of consciousness about his or her work. Additionally, students gain vocabulary necessary to discuss the elements of their writing and to analyze literature. Students also receive a good deal of support with in-class writing (a skill necessary for the Independent School SSAT), and with their high school personal statement writing.

creating voice
using description in a show-not-tell style
attention to audience
conventions so that others understand the meaning
providing supporting details and development of ideas

All projects, essays, and tests are “works in progress”. This means that each of these assessment tools involve students in creating the rubrics, editing and reviewing written work, preparing essay questions, and completing projects. Students culminate their larger works with reflections, individual conferences, and peer feedback.

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