Language Arts 600

Language Arts 600 continues to build on the sequential development and integration of communication skills in four major areas—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. After completion of course assignments within the course, student understanding will be deepened in the following ways:

• Unit 1: Differentiate and identify common parts of speech
• Unit 2: Use efficient grammar including punctuation, diction, capitalization, and syntax
• Unit 3: Analyze something read to find vocabulary, relationships, and comparisons with context
• Unit 4: Write accurately in different forms including letters and use of outside research
• Unit 5: Recognize propaganda, facts, and opinions in news stories
• Unit 6: Identify different forms of literature in both fiction and nonfiction
• Unit 7: Establish a purpose for reading a passage and adjust reading strategies accordingly
• Unit 8: Differentiate and write different forms of poetry using figurative language
• Unit 9: Link bible stories and passages to different forms of traditional literature

CURRICULUM CONTENT AND SKILLS FOCUS

UNIT 1: ELEMENTS OF GRAMMAR

• Identify the complete subject and the complete predicate of a sentence and rewrite sentences so that the meaning is clear
• Identify the four types of sentences and use correct ending punctuation for each sentence type
• Spell and define the list words
• Make nouns plural or possessive using the rules given, and identify nouns as common or proper
• Identify action and linking verbs, adjectives and the nouns they describe, possessive nouns used as adjectives, and adverbs and adverb phrases in sentences
• Identify and use personal pronouns, conjunctions, and interjections in a sentence
• Identify pronoun case as being nominative, objective or possessive and use demonstrative pronouns
• Identify prepositions and their objects and prepositional phrases as adjective or adverb phrases

UNIT 2: GRAMMAR USAGE

• Spell and define the list words
• Identify commonly used root words, prefixes, and suffixes, and create new words in context using prefixes and suffixes
• Match common shortened words and acronyms with their meanings
• Identify synonyms and antonyms of given words
• Determine the meaning of idioms
• Identify verbs by number and person and verb tenses by using the principal parts
• State all of the to be verbs and the auxiliary verbs and use them in sentences
• Use adjectives and adverbs to create more effective sentences and identify adjectives by degree (as positive, comparative, or superlative)
• Identify fragments and run-on sentences and capitalize words in sentences by using the rules given

UNIT 3: READING SKILLS

• Determine the main idea, theme, author’s purpose, and details of given passages
• Examine words in context to determine their meaning
• Spell and define words with the /sh/ sound or homonyms
• Place events from a story in sequential order and determine the causes and effects of events
• Determine whether information given is a fact or an opinion or whether or not information is valid
• Use comprehension skills to answer questions about a Bible story
• Examine passages and graphs critically to determine specific information
• Choose a fictional short story, and write a report according to the described format
• Use the story outline to identify the setting, plot, and characterizations of a story and to summarize
• Use the technique of compare and contrast to analyze characters from a story

UNIT 4: WRITING SKILLS

• Identify and define the four parts of a paragraph
• Select transitional devices used for various purposes
• Demonstrate your understanding of the parts of a paragraph by writing a paragraph or short autobiography
• Identify, describe, and demonstrate knowledge of the six parts of a business letter
• Describe the steps necessary to choose a specific topic for a report and identify good sources of information
• Spell and define plural words, words ending in -ing, and homonyms
• Read sources, take notes, and complete an outline for a Biblical report
• Arrange information in outline form by main ideas and supporting points
• Describe and apply the three stages of report writing: drafting, correcting, and finalizing
• Acquire new vocabulary through less common homonyms

UNIT 5: NEWSPAPERS AND PROPAGANDA

• Describe the origins of the newspaper as a means of communication
• Practice finding the main idea
• Research modern newspapers or journalism and distinguish fact from opinion in news reports
• Demonstrate your understanding of how to analyze a news story and describe six important questions to answer as you analyze a news story
• Spell and define the homonyms and words with the /sh/ sound
• Describe the meaning of the term “propaganda” and list examples of both good and bad propaganda
• Demonstrate understanding of propaganda by writing an advertisement for a product
• Describe the power and pattern of propaganda used in various forms of media and evaluate an editorial to decide if it uses positive or negative propaganda

UNIT 6: LITERARY FORMS

• Spell and define the list words
• Describe some of the characteristics of poetry
• Describe many fictional literary forms
• Describe two non-fictional literary forms: the biography and the autobiography
• Choose a biography, and write a book report according to the described format
• Describe how an author uses literary devices to help create the mood for a story

UNIT 7: READING FOR A PURPOSE

• Consider the value of expressive language in great literature
• Analyze expressive language to determine the author’s purpose for using it
• Spell and define the list words
• Read for information and complete an outline using information from an article
• Identify main ideas and supporting details
• Review how information is best used when writing a report
• Develop an appreciation for the inspirational value of the Bible
• Demonstrate your understanding of researching and organizing information into a report
• Choose a novel, and write a book report according to the described format
• Research a specified topic and write a report

UNIT 8: POETRY

• Describe the characteristics of poetry, including rhythm, pattern, central idea, and economy of words, as well as use of free verse
• Spell and define the list words
• Build a store of words suitable for painting word pictures by exploring synonyms and similes
• Identify and use metaphors, as well as poetic devices such as alliteration and rhyme
• Explore the possibilities of invented words for the sake of adding humor to poetry
• Explore the use of metaphors and Dylan Thomas couplets to add meaningful imagery to poetry
• Use description and metaphors to create a pen picture
• Discover how poetic forms such as cinquains and shaped poems can add to the imagery of poetry and write a cinquain and a shaped poem
• Identify and describe ballads and write a report on a type of ballad known as a lullaby
• Describe riddles, palindromes, and conundrums
• Discover the cleverness of the limerick and write limericks

UNIT 9: BIBLE LITERATURE

• Describe the value of the Bible as literature, the use of story form in the Bible, and how Bible stories are woven into the history of Israel
• Choose a Bible story, and write a report according to the described format
• Describe how parables and proverbs are used in the Bible
• Spell and define the list words
• Describe the use of poetry in the Bible and know where it is found.
• Memorize or paraphrase a poetic passage of Scripture
• Describe how prophetic writing is used in the Bible
• Describe the literary forms in which Biblical history and biographies are written.
• Locate the books of law in the Bible and describe the literary form in which they are written

UNIT 10: REVIEW

• Review key terms, standards, and rules from previous units
• Practice the skills and concepts discussed throughout the course

LITERATURE LIST

UNIT 3: READING SKILLS

• “The Ants and the Grasshopper”
• Johnson, Della – “Let George Do It!”
• Johnson, Della – “Midnight Callers”
• “King Jehoshaphat”
• “Robert Bruce”
• “William Tell”
• “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego”

UNIT 5: NEWSPAPERS AND PROPAGANDA

• “Newspapers: People Want to Know”
• Webber, Brian – “Lost Dog Found”

UNIT 6: LITERARY FORMS

• “The Tired Caterpillar”

UNIT 7: READING FOR A PURPOSE

• Wier, Ester – The Loner (excerpt)
• “A Profitable Business”

UNIT 8: POETRY

• Stevenson, Robert – “Rain”
• Loeks Bouman, Elizabeth – “Best of Two Worlds”
• Mather, Annis – “Lost Youth”
• Mather, Annis – “Youth”
• Mather, Annis – “Children’s Laughter”
• Mather, Annis – “Old Age”
• “Sir Patrick Spens”
• Priest, Florence – “A couple who lived in Wyo”
• Priest, Florence – “A lady who lived on the Verde”
• Lear, Edward – “There was an Old Man with a Beard”
• Lear, Edward – “There was a Young Lady of Bute”

UNIT 9: BIBLE LITERATURE

• “Gideon’s Call”

UNIT 10: REVIEW

• “Old Hunting Recipe for Rhinoceros Stew”

Additional Resources

In addition to the default course content, some projects may require paper and pencil or drawing supplies to complete the assignment. Writing assignments may require a graphic organizer to be printed out and used in the writing process. Projects (such as book reports or informational essays) may require students to acquire outside resources for research or reading.

The following lessons require specific materials that are not included in this course and must be acquired separately: