Curriculum Guide - Writing VI

A+LSCURRICULUM GUIDE
The English Language - Writing VI
Grade Levels 7-9

The A+dvanced Learning SystemŽ Writing curriculum is comprehensive and completely integrated for grade levels 1-9. Students are directed through a sequence of six titles. The curriculum consists of Study Guides, Lessons, Tests, and Essays. Study Guides and Essays introduce students to the process of writing and give extensive practice in the steps of the process of writing. Lessons provide written exercises and present problems in sentence structure, sentence combination, and the use of proper grammar in writing.

The purpose of A+LS Writing is two-fold. The Study Guides and Essays acquaint students with thought processes, planning processes, and the actual creation, revision, and editing processes involved in writing. The Lesson and Test portions of each title allow students to practice the formation of clear, grammatically and structurally correct sentences and paragraphs.

Essays are specifically designed to stimulate student creativity. Engaging essay topics encourage students to write about feelings, emotions, and experiences. These exercises also broaden the student's perspective of surroundings, people, communities, and the world. Students will develop an extensive pool of writing ideas that will provide endless hours of excellent writing practice.

The Lessons and Tests develop the student's reading, comprehension, analytical, keyboard, and problem-solving skills. Students are presented with written paragraphs to change in some way. The student provides written (keyboard) responses to various problems. A total of 300 progressively challenging lessons, each comprised of five exercises, provides unusual depth to this extensive family of products. These 1,500 exercises can provide for more than 100 hours of concentrated student work.

A+LS Writing exercises include both a Practice Mode and a Test, and include complete authoring capability for Study Guides and Essay Questions as well. Exercises are complete with on-screen lesson instructions which are voiced for early grade levels. The Practice Mode provides the student with opportunities to develop skills before taking the Test. All A+LS titles offer immediate feedback and correct answers.

LESSON #	LESSON TITLE	STUDY GUIDE/ESSAY CONTENT	LESSON/TEST CONTENT
1	Positive and Negative 1	Stages of writing, the planning process, useful tools. Students brainstorm about given topic.	Students change positive statements to negative statements.
2	Positive and Negative 2	Informative and persuasive writing. Students write descriptive paragraph.	Students change positive statements to negative statements.
3	Positive and Negative 3	Useful tools in the planning process. Explanation of brainstorming. Students write factual paragraph.	Students change positive statements to negative statements.
4	Questions and Statements 1	Explanation of clustering. Students write about feelings about a given subject.	Students change statements to questions, moving verb.
5	Questions and Statements 2	Different writing forms. Students describe a possession.	Students change statements to questions, moving verb.
6	Questions and Statements 3	Example of informative writing. Use of facts. Instructions. Students list examples of informative writing.	Students change statement to question.
7	Questions and Statements 4	Different points of view. Students write persuasive paragraph.	Students change questions to statement.
8	Questions and Statements 5	Gathering advertising information through lists. Students write invitation for event.	Students change questions to statement.
9	Questions and Statements 6	Presenting important information in advertising. Students write descriptive paragraph.	Students change questions to statement.
10	Sentence Construction 1	Informal aspect of drafting. Consulting other people for ideas. Students describe given item.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
11	Sentence Construction 2	Free writing, grammar, spelling, punctuation. Students write list of words associated with certain event.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
12	Sentence Construction 3	Using letters and notes to communicate. Students write descriptive sentences about given topic.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
13	Sentence Construction 4	Purpose of note taking, helpful hints. Students describe personality traits.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
14	Sentence Construction 5	Importance of good grammar. Review of sentence types. Students create 'new' animal.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
15	Sentence Construction 6	Students write paragraph from given phrases.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
16	Sentence Construction 7	Rearranging and improving thoughts and words, deleting words. Students revise draft.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
17	Sentence Construction 8	Stretching the vocabulary, overused words. Students revise draft.	Students construct sentences from word lists.
18	Sentence Combination 1	Sequence of draft and revision. Making improvements. Students revise draft.	Students construct correctly punctuated paragraphs.
19	Sentence Combination 2	Clear and concise points, complete thoughts, deleting unnecessary words. Students write instructions.	Students construct correctly punctuated paragraphs.
20	Sentence Combination 3	Ordering thoughts and ideas. Writing paragraphs, topic sentences. Students write paragraph with topic sentence.	Students construct correctly punctuated paragraphs.
21	Sentence Combination 4	Review of writing stages. Proofreading for errors. Students describe feelings about given topic.	Students construct correctly punctuated paragraphs.
22	Sentence Combination 5	Thoroughness in proofreading, making corrections. Students write memories associated with smell.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
23	Sentence Combination 6	Complete sentences, details. Students describe imaginary trip.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
24	Sentence Combination 7	Avoiding run-on sentences. Students use imagination to describe feelings.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
25	Sentence Combination 8	Avoiding incomplete sentences. Students write about feelings in given circumstance.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
26	Sentence Combination 9	Noun-verb agreement. Students write about feelings at given event.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
27	Sentence Combination 10	Using correct tense. Students write descriptive paragraph.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
28	Sentence Combination 11	Review of capitalization. Students write letter of apology.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
29	Sentence Combination 12	Review of sentence types. Students create 'new' person.	Students combine sentences using correct punctuation.
30	Sentence Combination 13	Review of writing stages. Preparation of final draft. Students write about fame.	Students combine sentences and compound subject using correct punctuation.
31	Sentence Combination 14	Methods of publication. Students use imagination to describe feelings.	Students combine three sentences into two sentences, with compound predicate.
32	Sentence Combination 15	Definition and examples of fact and opinion. Students make plans for future.	Students combine three sentences into one sentence with compound verb.

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