reading

Reading and Writing Lab

This semester course is primarily for students who have not mastered basic reading, writing, and learning skills. It is required of freshman who are below grade level in reading and writing ability and is required of any student who has not successfully completed the ELA/MCAS.

Grades are based on improvement and hard work in class. A student who does his/her best work, works to capacity, and conscientiously maintains a complete journal will earn an "A." The grade is based on choices a student makes to be in class on time, come prepared with journal and pen, complete assignments on time, and work cooperatively with classmates to improve self-knowledge and the ability to use of reading and writing strategies.

When a student misses class, he or she is still responsible for the work that was done in that missed class. The assignments are listed in the student's edline.net account, and any materials can be obtained in room 514 before or after school.

Reading Lab Rubric

Enduring Understandings	Essential Questions	Key Concepts	Examples
Effective readers use specific strategies to help them better understand what they read.	What helps me make sense of what I read? How can I read more effectively?	generalize, evaluate, infer paraphrase, compare & contrast, predict, connotation & denotation	short stories, poems, novels, non-fiction
Writing conveys meaning,	What if writing did not exist? How can I improve my writing to communicate better?	prewriting, draft, revise, edit, publish types of writing: creative, informative, expository and persuasive	theme, outline, short stories, poems, editorials, essays
Language mechanics and conventional usage enhance written and spoken communication.	What is the ladder into the middle class? Why is it important to use words correctly? How do I correctly communicate a complete thought?	parts of speech, punctuation, word usage, sentence structure, agreement of subject and verb	sentence and paragraph writing, editing, computer practice
Authors utilize different literary elements to convey a deeper meaning.	How does knowledge of literary elements enrich my understanding of literature? How does purpose, my own and the author’s, influence my understanding?	story elements, character, point of view, theme, idioms, stereotype, foreshadowing, bias	short stories, nonfiction, novels, poetry
Great literature addresses questions about our experiences in life.	Should literature teach us something? Why read different genres?	fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama	fiction & nonfiction, narratives, ballads, myths, fantasy, scifi, tall tales & fables
Being able to identify important information extends knowledge.	How can I use resource materials effectively? How can improving my study skills help me in and out of school? Is what we see and hear always true or accurate?	resource and reference materials, parts of a book, thesaurus and dictionary	web search engines, URLs, appendix