A three-week Study of Animals

To: PhilÕs Language Arts students and their families.

During the next three weeks, from 2/6 through 2/23, we will be learning research skills and the writing process of an informative essay.

Reading Goals:

• To read with better fluency and comprehension.
  
  
• To read texts for information.
  
  
• To practice note taking skills.
  
  
• To synthesize obtained information.

  We will work toward these goals by:
  

• Reading and analyzing short essays.
  
  
• Shared readings of non-fiction books.
  
  
• Creating note cards while reading books independently.

Writing Goals:

• To obtain, organize and clearly communicate factual information.
  
  
• To write a five-paragraph essay that details the physical characteristics, habitat, diet and life cycle of a chosen animal.
  
  
• To understand the steps of the writing process.

  We will work toward these goals by:

• Undergoing research of a chosen animal.
  
  
• Exploring pre-writing techniques such as brainstorming, directed questioning and outlines. Editing and revising rough drafts toward the completion of a clearly written final draft.

Project Time Line

• Week 1 (2/6~2/9) Explore the construction of an essay, reading for information.
  
  
• Week 2 (2/12~2/16) Pre-writing techniques: research, direct questioning, outlining and writing paragraphs.
  
  
• Week 3 (2/19~2/23) Organizing paragraphs into Final Essay due 2/23.

Phillip Beaumont