District 11 Educational Support Services
S.A.I.L.


S.A.I.L. Reading and Language Arts 61-64: Overview
 Course Number: LAM.SAIL61, 62, 63, and 64
Overview
 Students with advanced skills in reading, thinking and composition are enriched by utilizing reading resources based on the study of the Junior Great Books Series and novels supporting the interdisciplinary S.A.I.L. Themes--Anasazi, Middle Ages and the Urban Environment. Concentrated vocabulary development, theme-based spelling words and the higher-level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are further developed. Sixth grade basal spelling text skills are compacted and individualized to meet student needs. Sixth grade basal language skills are also compacted and incorporated into the interdisciplinary themes.
Prerequisite: None
Course Length: 1 semester  Period Length: 1   Grade Level:  6-8   Credit per Semester: 0

 

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Effective readers use different strategies and skills to understand a variety of texts.

  • Effective readers are independent learners who use critical thinking skills.

  • Effective readers are able to select and use relevant information that requires evaluating a variety of sources.

  • Effective readers know that literature provides an understanding of human experience.

  • Effective writers utilize the writing process to organize and strengthen all modes of writing.

  • Effective writers practice and use editing skills for self and peer writing evaluation.

  • Effective writers use conventions correctly.

  • Effective writers write in complete sentences varying sentence structure and length using appropriately punctuated, dependent clauses.

  • Effective writers identify and use the parts of speech correctly.

  • Effective writers know their audience and purpose.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • What is text? How do we apply different strategies and skills to understand a variety of texts
  • How do we communicate? What is effective communication? Why does effective communication require a process?
  • What is standard English? Why do we need to know and use standard English rules?
  • How do we apply stylistic elements and appropriate formats?
  • What is critical thinking? How do we think critically in our lives?
  • What is responsible research? What makes information relevant?
  • How do I use information?
  • What is literature?
  • How can we make personal connections through literature?
  • What makes us human?

  Highest Frequency Standards

Reading:

1c. Locate and paraphrase the key/main ideas and supporting details in fiction and poetry
1g. Identify the meaning of unfamiliar words in context using word recognition skills and context clues
4a. Determine author's purpose
4d. Make predictions and draw conclusions from text in various genre
5a. Use organizational features of text
5c. Summarize and organize info about a topic in a variety of ways (graphic organizers, etc.) from various sources
6a. Read and respond to a variety of literature
6b. Identify characters, setting, problem/conflict, plot, resolution, theme, sequence

Writing:

    2a. Write in a variety of modes - narrative and descriptive
    2b. Organize writing using a logical arrangement of ideas
    2g. Develop ideas and content with relevant details, examples, and/or reasons
    3a. Identify subject, verb, pronouns, and adjectives.
    3c. Write in complete sentences.
    3d. Use conventions correctly (end-marks and apostrophes in contractions and singular possessives).
    3e. Identify and use conventional spelling

High Frequency Standards

Reading:

1d. Infer using a variety of texts and genre
4b. Use reading to solve a variety of problems and answer questions
4c. Differentiate fact from opinion in a variety of texts
5e. Locate other's ideas, image, or information in a bibliography
5f. Locate meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar words
6c. Use knowledge of literary techniques and terminology (dialogue, scene, flashback, figurative language)

Writing:

2c. Use language which supports and enriches the idea.
2d. Plan, draft, revise, and edit for a final copy.
2e. Use transitions to link ideas.
2f. Use a variety of sentence structures.
3b. Use subject/verb agreement, nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, homonyms, and homophones.

Other Standards & E-skills

1a. Compare/contrast different texts with similar themes and ideas
1b. Summarize and synthesize fiction and poetry
1e. Identify sequential order in fiction and poetry
1f. Locate and recall information in text with different structures
4e. Explain the text's main point and use relevant details
5b. Use organizational features of electronic information
5d. Select info to support ideas and justify
 

Visual Thesaurus - use the approved District 11 login and password to the right: User Name: ms68@d11.org  
Password: d112009

Writing
The Cross Curricular Writing plan is used as a guide for writing assignments.

Autonomous Learner Model
“The Autonomous Learner Model (ALM) for the Gifted and Talented was developed specifically to meet the diversified cognitive, emotional, and social needs of learners. Originating at Arvada West High School in Arvada, Colorado, it is now successfully implemented in kindergarten through high school with the gifted and talented as well as all learners in the regular classrooms. Emphasis is placed on meeting the individualized needs of learners through the use of activities in the five major dimensions of the model: Orientation, Individual Development, Enrichment, Seminars, In-depth Study."
~ Autonomous Learner Model: Optimizing Ability. Betts, George T. and Kercher, Jolene K., ALPS publishing, 1999.

  • Orientation Dimension  - provides learners, teachers, administrators, and parents the opportunity to develop a foundation of the concepts of giftedness, talent, intelligence, creativity, and the development of potential. Learners learn more about themselves, their abilities, and what the program has to offer. Activities are presented to give learners an opportunity to work together as a group, to learn more about group process and interaction, and to learn more about the other people in the program.

  • Individual Development Dimension  - provides learners with the opportunity to develop the cognitive, emotional social and physical skills, concepts, and attitudes necessary for life-long learning.

  • Enrichment Dimension - provides learners with opportunities to explore content which is usually not part of the every day curriculum.

  • Seminar Dimension - gives learners in groups of three to five opportunities to research a topic, present it as a seminar to the rest of the class and other interested people, and to assess it by criteria selected and developed by the learners.

  • In-Depth Study Dimension  - empowers learners to pursue areas of interest through the development of a long-term small group or individual in-depth study. The learners determine what will be learned, how it will be learned, how it will be presented, what facilitation will be necessary, what the final product will be, and how the entire learning process will be assessed.

Sample Units

 

 

Parents

Common vocabulary used in the S.A.I.L program include the following:

  • Projects:  A project requires time spent outside of class doing independent research, writing, and creation of high quality product following the guidelines of a rubric. Projects are major grades and are not accepted late. Oops passes may not be used for projects. Projects may take up to 4 weeks, however they can be broken in to smaller chunks. Projects carry the most weight and will drastically affect the overall grade. 

  • Activities/Assignments: Short cycle activities that may last from 1 to 4 days. Most of the content coverage and working time is spent in class. These may look like mini-projects, but are in-class activities. If students do not use their time wisely during class or Study Smart, then they can turn in to homework. Oops passes may be used for Activities and Assignments, and will be marked 5% down for each late day. 

  • Studying for Tests:  Tests are given at the end of a unit, chapter, or major subject area. Students should create study guides, flashcards, review notes and terms on an on-going basis. Students should not wait until the last minute to begin studying. Students may be able to re-take quizzes at the discretion of each teacher. It is the student responsibility to schedule times for re-takes. 

  • Quizzes: Quizzes are given at regular checkpoints throughout a unit, chapter, or major subject area. Students may be able to re-take quizzes at the discretion of each teacher. It is the student responsibility to schedule times for re-takes. 

  • Experiential Learning: A real world activity or practice through which knowledge and skills are gained. This could include mock trial, panel discussions, field trips, simulations, and mentorship. 

  • Labs: Students use the scientific process to explore scientific concepts. The labs are graded using a rubric. Lab notebooks are kept in class. Lab notebooks contain notes, lab write-ups, vocabulary, quizzes, and exams. Lab notebooks can be checked out for studying purposes.

Resources



 

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