ELA Curriculum

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the English/Language Arts (ELA) department is to ensure all students receive a solid background in English and Language Arts that enables them to read fluently, comprehend a variety of texts, and to analyze and compare various texts.  Students will also be able to write narrative, informative, and persuasive pieces as well as respond to texts in writing.  We will provide students with the language skills necessary for career and post-secondary opportunities in the 21st Century society and economy.

 The ELA Program at SVRCS is designed to build knowledge, skill, understandings, and competencies aligned to the PA Core Standards for English/Language Arts Content:

STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

1.1 Foundational Skills (Pre K–5 only)  

Book Handling
Print Concepts
Phonological Awareness
Phonics and Word Recognition
Fluency
1.2 Reading Informational Text

Key Ideas and Details
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Range of Reading
1.3 Reading Literature

Key Ideas and Details
Craft and Structure
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Range of Reading
1.4 Writing

Informative/Explanatory
Opinion/Argumentative
Narrative
Response to Literature
Production and Distribution of Writing
Technology and Publication
Conducting Research
Credibility, Reliability, and Validity of Sources
Range of Writing
1.5 Speaking and Listening

Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Conventions of Standard English
 

 ELEMENTARY ELA PROGRAM

SVRCS uses the Reading Street program to deliver core-aligned ELA content to grades K-5.  This program delivers appropriate grade-level content to build knowledge and competencies to meet PA Core Standard expectations.  The program is designed to nurture a love of reading, build skills in phonics, writing, and language, and to build the capacity of students to comprehend texts and interact with them.  The program lays a solid foundation for success in secondary studies.

 MIDDLE LEVEL ELA PROGRAM

SVRCS continues to use the Reading Street program in grade 6.  Then in grades 7 and 8, students read a variety of novels, poems, and plays to build their understanding of a variety of texts.  Students will increase their ability to analyze text structure, author purpose and viewpoint, and to compare various texts.  Also, the program works to move students towards college/career ready reading, writing, language, and vocabulary skills.

 
HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ELA PROGRAM

SVRCS moves students towards competency in college/career ready reading, writing, language, and vocabulary skills.  The program uses a variety of novels, poems, plays, and other texts to build students comprehension and ability to analyze texts.  The program uses texts from a variety of cultures including American, British, Asian, and African authors.  At the high school level, students will also work towards proficiency in communicating ideas and information both through writing and speech.

SVRCS English/Language Arts Sequence

GRADE                                    COURSE                                  COURSE NUMBER                 

Kindergarten               Grade K ELA                                                                50000

 1st grade                     Grade 1 ELA                                                                50100

 2nd grade                    Grade 2 ELA                                                                50200

 3rd grade                    Grade 3 ELA                                                                50300

 4th grade                     Grade 4 ELA                                                                50400

 5th grade                     Grade 5 ELA                                                                50500

 6th grade                     Grade 6 ELA                                                                50600

 7th grade                     English 7                                                                     15007

 8th grade                     English 8                                                                      15008

 9th grade                     English 9                                                                      15009

10th grade                    English 10                                                                    15010

11th grade                    English 11                                                                    15011

12th grade                    English 12                                                                    15012 

10th and 11th grade      College Prep and Composition                                         15021

10th and 11th grade      Advanced Placement Prep and Composition                     15022

9th-12th grade              Journalism                                                                     15902