Unit 5: Prove your point

Overall Expectations:

BRV.01 demonstrate the ability to read and respond to a variety of texts;
BRV.02 demonstrate understanding of the organizational structure and features of a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic texts, including information paragraphs, opinion pieces, textbooks, newspaper reports and magazine stories, and short fiction;
BRV.03 demonstrate understanding of the content and meaning of informational, narrative, and graphic texts that they have read using a variety of reading strategies;
BRV.04 use a variety of strategies to understand familiar and specialized words and expressions in informational, narrative and graphic texts;
BWV.01 demonstrate the ability to use the writing process by generating and organizing ideas and producing first drafts, revised drafts, and final polished pieces to complete a variety of writing tasks;
BWV.02 use knowledge of writing forms, and of the connections between form, audience, and purpose, to write summaries, information paragraphs, opinion pieces (i.e., series of paragraphs expressing an opinion), news reports, and personal reflections, incorporating graphic elements where necessary and appropriate;
UAV.02 demonstrate understanding of their own roles and responsibilities in the learning process;
UAV.03 demonstrate understanding of the reading and writing processes and of the role of reading and writing in learning;
UAV.04 demonstrate understanding of their own growth in literacy during the course.

Specific Expectations:

BR1.02 demonstrate the ability to read independently for personal, school-related, and career-related purposes (e.g., by writing a response to a text, answering assigned questions about a text, creating a summary of events outlined in a newspaper report, comparing descriptions of apprenticeship programs and writing a covering letter of application to one of the programs);
BR2.01 use knowledge of the organizational structure of information paragraphs to identify the main idea (often in the topic sentence) and supporting details;
BR2.02 use knowledge of the organizational structure of opinion pieces (e.g., editorials, proposals, short essays in magazines or newspapers) to identify opinions, main ideas or arguments, and supporting details;
BR3.01 choose an appropriate approach to reading a text to match the purpose for reading (e.g., scan to locate the relevant section in a text; skim to identify the main point; read closely to clarify one's obligations in a contract);
BR3.02 use appropriate pre-reading strategies to preview new texts, including:

• Informational texts (e.g., scan for text features such as headings and for embedded graphics to make predictions about content);
• Narrative texts (e.g., read the title and opening paragraph to make predictions about content);
• Graphic texts (e.g., scan for distinguishing features of layout, such as a grid pattern; design, such as levels of heads; and print, such as headings/labels, to preview the content and identify the purpose of the text);

BR3.03 use appropriate strategies to activate and build on prior knowledge of the content of the informational, narrative, or graphic selections (e.g., brainstorm about a topic);
BR3.04 use appropriate strategies to monitor comprehension when reading informational and narrative texts (e.g., pose questions to check understanding; reread passages to clarify understanding; adjust reading speed to suit the complexity of the text);
BR3.05 use appropriate strategies to track and record information and ideas while reading informational and narrative texts (e.g., use highlighter, note-taking, or a visual organizer to identify key facts, points in an argument, or events in a narrative);
BR3.06 use appropriate strategies to locate information in different types of texts, including:

• Informational texts (e.g., search for key words from a question about the selection to locate specific information);
• Narrative texts (e.g., reread the first sentence of successive paragraphs to identify the sequence of events and/or transitions in scene or changes in speaker);
• Graphic texts (e.g., use a ruler to read along lines in a table; read up from the horizontal axis and across from the vertical axis to find a point on a graph);

BR3.07 use appropriate strategies to make inferences about and interpret different types of texts, including:

• Informational texts (e.g., while reading, predict a writer's intentions, conclusions, or biases based on his/her presentation of the facts);
• Narrative texts (e.g., pose questions about the explanations for people's actions given in a workplace incident report: "Are the explanations convincing?" "Do they account for all the facts?" "How could the incident be resolved?" );
• Graphic texts (e.g., compare the sizes of different visual features to identify the elements that are most/least important in an advertisement);

BR4.01 use appropriate strategies to discover the meaning of unfamiliar and technical words encountered in their reading (e.g., use print, online, and bilingual dictionaries; use context to determine the meaning of new words; create concept maps using new words; build a bank of sight words to increase reading fluency);
BW1.01 identify the topic, the audience, the purpose for writing, and the requirements of the particular writing form;
BW1.02 use pre-writing strategies to generate ideas for writing (e.g., brainstorming, constructing mind maps and semantic webs);
BW1.05 use appropriate strategies to organize ideas and information for writing (e.g., sort ideas into categories for an information paragraph; use a checklist to plan an incident report; create headings to guide the writing of a résumé; create an outline with an introduction/topic sentence, body, and conclusion);
BW1.06 create a first draft that includes the main and supporting ideas in the required form (e.g., that uses distinct paragraphs where the form requires);
BW1.07 revise drafts to ensure that ideas are presented in a logical order, to discard irrelevant ideas and information, to add details where information is insufficient, and to ensure a tone and level of language appropriate to the audience and purpose, using appropriate strategies (e.g., use checklists; discuss the draft with a peer or the teacher);
BW1.08 quote and/or cite information from sources accurately, and acknowledge all sources of ideas and information used in written work;
BW1.09 use appropriate strategies to edit written work (e.g., read aloud to detect errors; correct errors using personal checklists of “look-fors”, a shared word/grammar wall, a personal grammar guide, and/or computer spelling and grammar programs) to achieve accuracy in the use of the conventions of standard Canadian English, including the requirements of grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation listed below:

Grammar and Usages

• write complete and correct sentences
• use consistent and appropriate verb tense and voice
• make verbs agree with subjects
• make pronouns agree with their antecedents in number and gender

Spelling

• use knowledge of spelling patterns and rules, and a variety of appropriate resources, to spell correctly (e.g., personal dictionaries, class word walls, sound-based and visual spelling strategies)

Punctuation

• use punctuation correctly, including period, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon, quotation marks, parentheses, and ellipses;

BW2.05 explain the purpose and uses of opinion pieces (e.g., to justify a point of view; to persuade; to convince);
BW2.06 construct a series of paragraphs, clearly stating an opinion in the opening paragraph and supporting it in subsequent paragraphs with clear, sufficient, and convincing reasons (e.g., to persuade fellow students to recycle pop cans; to convince an employer to adopt a flex work schedule);* *During the term, students will independently produce for evaluation a minimum of one summary, one information paragraph, two series of paragraphs expressing an opinion, and two news reports;
BW2.07 use knowledge of how to write summaries, information paragraphs, and opinion pieces to produce informational writing for a variety of personal and school-related purposes (e.g., résumés, covering letters, reports);
BW2.12 construct personal reflections, in paragraph form, choosing a clear focus and using appropriate examples to explain their thinking (e.g., set goals for reading or writing, reflect about an important accomplishment in their personal lives; explain an important skill they’ve acquired);
UA2.01 identify the behaviours and attitudes they need to promote their own learning (e.g., active participation, confidence in their ability to improve, persistence, practice, willingness to reflect on their learning process and learn from their mistakes);
UA3.03 demonstrate understanding that writing is a process that involves a range of thinking and composing skills (e.g., by describing, in a small-group discussion, how they use strategies before, during, and after writing to explore, organize, and express ideas and to polish final copy);
UA3.04 demonstrate understanding that their subject, audience, and purpose for writing influence their choices of form, tone, and level of language (e.g., by accurately describing, in a conference with the teacher, the form, style, and tone of a piece of writing and explaining why they are appropriate to the subject, audience, and purpose for writing)
UA3.05 demonstrate understanding of the role of reading and writing in the learning process (e.g., by describing how they use reading and writing to locate and understand information in different subject areas; to generate, explore, and clarify ideas and thinking; to communicate for a variety of purposes; to express themselves; and to reflect on and extend their learning).