Standard 3: Language Arts Literacy

Language Arts Literacy Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) for the end of the designated grade span

Place a "+" for an expectation that represents a strength & a "-" for a weakness

+ or -

STANDARD 3.2 (WRITING) ALL STUDENTS WILL WRITE IN CLEAR, CONCISE, ORGANIZED LANGUAGE THAT VARIES IN CONTENT AND FORM FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND PURPOSES.

 

A.     Writing as a Process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, postwriting)

 

By the end of Kindergarten, students will:

 

1.         Recognize that thoughts and talk can be written down in words.

 

2.         Observe the teacher modeling writing.

 

3.         Generate and share ideas and experiences for a story.

 

4.         Attempt to put ideas into writing using pictures, developmental spelling, or conventional text.

 

5.         Write (print) own first and last name.

 

6.         Participate in group writing activities such as experience stories, interactive writing, and shared writing.

 

7.         Begin to sequence story events for writing using pictures, developmental spelling, or conventional text.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 1, students will:

 

1.         Begin to generate ideas for writing through talking, sharing, and drawing.

 

2.         Observe the modeling of writing.

 

3.         Begin to use a basic writing process to develop writing.

 

4.         Use simple sentences to convey ideas.

 

5.         Increase fluency (ability to write ideas easily) to improve writing.

 

6.         Continue to use pictures, developmental spelling or conventional text to create writing drafts.

 

7.         Revisit pictures and writings to add detail.

 

8.         Begin to mimic an author’s voice and patterns.

 

9.         Begin to use a simple checklist to improve writing with teacher support.

 

10.     Begin to use simple computer writing applications during some parts of the writing process.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 2, students will:

 

1.      Generate ideas for writing: hearing stories, recalling experiences, brainstorming, and drawing.

 

2.      Observe the modeling of writing.

 

3.      Begin to develop an awareness of simple story structures and author’s voice.

 

4.         Use sentences to convey ideas in writing.

 

5.      Maintain the use of a basic writing process to develop writing.

 

6.      Use graphic organizers to assist with planning writing.

 

7.      Compose readable first drafts.

 

8.      Use everyday words in appropriate written context.

 

9.         Reread drafts for meaning, to add details, and to improve correctness.

 

10.     Focus on elaboration as a strategy for improving writing.

 

11.     Participate with peers to comment on and react to each other’s writing.

 

12.     Use a simple checklist to improve elements of own writing.

 

13.     Use computer writing applications during some parts of the writing process.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 3, students will:

 

1.       Generate possible ideas for writing through recalling experiences, listening to stories, reading, brainstorming, and discussion.

 

2.      Examine real-world examples of writing in various genres to gain understanding of how authors communicate ideas through form, structure, and author’s voice.

 

3.      Use graphic organizers to assist with planning writing.

 

4.      Compose first drafts from prewriting work.

 

5.      Revise a draft by rereading for meaning, narrowing the focus, sequencing, elaborating with detail, improving openings, closings, and word choice to show voice.

 

6.      Participate with peers to comment on and react to each other’s writing.

 

7.      Build awareness of ways authors use paragraphs to support meaning.

 

8.      Begin to develop author’s voice in own writing.

 

9.      Use reference materials to revise work, such as a dictionary or internet/software resource.  

 

10.   Edit work for basic spelling and mechanics.

 

11.     Use computer word-processing applications during parts of the writing process.

 

12.   Understand and use a checklist and/or rubric to improve writing.

 

13.   Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and areas needing improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 4, students will:

 

1.      Generate possible ideas for writing through talking, recalling experiences, hearing stories, reading, discussing models of writing, asking questions, and brainstorming.

 

2.      Develop an awareness of form, structure, and author’s voice in various genres.  

 

3.      Use strategies such as reflecting on personal experiences, reading, doing interviews or research, and using graphic organizers to generate and organize ideas for writing.

 

4.      Draft writing in a selected genre with supporting structure according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.

 

5.       Revise drafts by rereading for meaning, narrowing the focus, elaborating, reworking organization, openings, and closings, and improving word choice and consistency of voice.

 

6.      Review own writing with others to understand the reader’s perspective and to consider ideas for revision.  

 

7.       Review and edit work for spelling, mechanics, clarity, and fluency.

 

8.      Use a variety of reference materials to revise work, such as a dictionary, thesaurus, or internet/software resources.

 

9.       Use computer writing applications during most of the writing process.

 

10.   Understand and apply elements of grade-appropriate rubrics to improve and evaluate writing.

 

11. Reflect on one’s writing, noting strengths and areas needing improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 5, students will:

 

1.        Write stories with multiple paragraphs that develop a situation or plot, describe the setting, and include an ending.

 

2.         Write informational compositions with multiple paragraphs that present important ideas, provide details, and offer a concluding paragraph.

 

3.         Generate possible ideas for writing through listening, talking, recalling experiences, hearing stories, reading, discussing models of writing, asking questions, and brainstorming.

 

4.         Develop an awareness of form, structure, and author’s voice in various genres.

 

5.         Use strategies such as graphic organizers and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas for writing.

 

6.         Draft writing in a selected genre with supporting structure according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing

 

7.         Make decisions about the use of precise language, including adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and specific details, and justify the choices made.

 

8.         Revise drafts by rereading for meaning, narrowing focus, elaborating and deleting, as well as reworking organization, openings, closings, word choice, and consistency of voice.

 

9.         Review own writing with others to understand the reader’s perspective and to consider and incorporate ideas for revision.

 

10.     Review and edit work for spelling, usage, clarity, organization, and fluency.

 

11.     Use a variety of reference materials to revise work.

 

12.     Use computer writing applications during the writing process.

 

13.     Understand and apply the elements of a scoring rubric to improve and evaluate writing.

 

14.     Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 6, students will:

 

1.         Write informational compositions of several paragraphs that engage the interest of the reader, state a clear purpose, develop the topic, and conclude with a detailed summary.

 

2.         Generate ideas for writing through reading and making connections across the curriculum and with current events.

 

3.         Expand knowledge about form, structure, and voice in a variety of genres.

 

4.         Use strategies such as using graphic organizers and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas for writing.

 

5.         Draft writing in a selected genre with supporting structure and appropriate voice according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.

 

6.         Make decisions about the use of precise language, including adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and specific details, and justify the choices made.

 

7.        Revise drafts by rereading for meaning, narrowing focus, elaborating and deleting, as well as reworking organization, openings, closings, word choice, and consistency of voice.

 

8.         Review own writing with others to understand the reader’s perspective and to consider and incorporate ideas for revision.

 

9.         Review and edit work for spelling, usage, clarity, organization, and fluency.

 

10.     Use a variety of reference materials to revise work.

 

11.     Use computer writing applications during the writing process.

 

12.     Understand and apply the elements of a scoring rubric to improve and evaluate writing.

 

13.     Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 7, students will:

 

1.         Write stories or scripts with well-developed characters, setting, dialogue, clear conflict and resolution, and sufficient descriptive detail.

 

2.         Write multi-paragraph compositions that have clear topic development, logical organization, effective use of detail, and variety in sentence structure.

 

3.        Generate and narrow topics by considering purpose, audience, and form with a variety of strategies (e.g., graphic organizers, brainstorming, or technology-assisted processes).

 

4.         Revise and edit drafts by rereading for content and organization, usage, sentence construction, mechanics, and word choice.

 

5.         Demonstrate understanding of a scoring rubric to improve and evaluate writing.

 

6.         Compose, revise, edit, and publish writing using appropriate word processing software.

 

7.         Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students will:

 

1.         Write stories or scripts with well-developed characters, setting, dialogue, clear conflict and resolution, and sufficient descriptive detail.

 

2.         Write multi-paragraph compositions that have clear topic development, logical organization, effective use of detail, and variety in sentence structure.

 

3.         Generate and narrow topics by considering purpose, audience, and form with a variety of strategies (e.g., graphic organizers, brainstorming,  technology-assisted processes).

 

4.         Revise and edit drafts by rereading for content and organization, usage, sentence construction, mechanics, and word choice.

 

5.         Utilize the New Jersey Registered Holistic scoring rubric to improve and evaluate their writing and the writing of peers.

 

6.         Compose, revise, edit, and publish writing using appropriate word processing software.

 

7.         Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 12, students will:

 

1.         Engage in the full writing process by writing daily and for sustained amounts of time.

 

2.         Use strategies such as graphic organizers and outlines to plan and write drafts according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.

 

3.        Analyze and revise writing to improve style, focus and organization, coherence, clarity of thought, sophisticated word choice and sentence variety, and subtlety of meaning.

 

4.         Review and edit work for spelling, usage, clarity, and fluency.

 

5.         Use the computer and word-processing software to compose, revise, edit, and publish a piece.

 

6.         Use a scoring rubric to evaluate and improve own writing and the writing of others.

 

7.         Reflect on own writing and establish goals for growth and improvement.