Language Arts 8 -- I CAN Statements

General Outcome 1 I can listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore
my own thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.

General Outcome 2 I can listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to
understand and respond (personally and critically) to oral, print, and other media texts.

General Outcome 3 I can listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to manage
ideas and information.

General Outcome 4 I can listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to make my
writing more clear and interesting to my readers.

General Outcome 5 I can listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to respect,
support, and collaborate with my classmates.

Re-evaluating and Extending Personal Understanding

1.1.1 I can change my understanding and expression of ideas by
making connections with new and past knowledge and
experiences.
1.1.2 I can review, reread, discuss and reflect on different types of
text to explore, confirm, and revise my own understandings.
1.1.3 I can find and consider different ideas, opinions, and
experiences to develop and extend my own ideas, opinions,
and experiences.
1.2.1 I can acknowledge the value of others ideas and opinions
when I am exploring and extending my own interpretations.
1.2.2 I can exchange ideas and opinions with others to clarify and
broaden my own understandings and perspectives.
1.2.3 I can reconsider or revise my own initial responses in light of
new information or feedback from others.
2.1.1 I can use strategies to add to and extend my own knowledge
and experiences when I interpret new ideas.
3.3.7 I can incorporate new ideas with my previous knowledge to
help me develop new understandings.
5.1.2 I can broaden and clarify my own opinions by looking at the
ideas of others.

Experiencing Different Forms of Text

1.1.4 I can discuss and respond to ways that different texts
enhance OR restrict the way ideas, information, and
experiences are communicated.
2.2.1 I can enjoy a variety of texts from many cultural traditions and
genres.
2.3.1 I can discuss how the form and genre of a text is appropriate
for its intended purpose and audience.
2.3.2 I can discuss how useful different types of media texts are.
2.3.6 I can summarize the content of media texts and discuss the
choices made when planning and producing them.
2.4.4 I can choose to use different text forms and genres for their
particular purpose and affect they have on their audience.
3.4.1 I can communicate information in a variety of texts
(interviews, mini-lessons, documentaries).
4.1.8 I can choose a document format that is appropriate for my
content, audience, and purpose.
Pursuing Personal
Interests
1.1.5 I can pursue my own personal interest in specific genres of
text.

2.1.2 I can use knowledge about authors, text forms, and genres
(found in previous readings) to direct my own reading
experiences.

Vocabulary
2.1.8 I can use strategies that help me improve my word
identification, develop my vocabulary, and help my spelling.

2.1.9 I can use a thesaurus to improve my vocabulary and locate

appropriate synonyms.

4.2.1 I can use words and phrases to clarify and enhance the ideas
and descriptions in my own writing.

Attend to Spelling
2.1.8 I can use strategies that help me improve my word
identification, develop my vocabulary, and help my spelling.

4.2.6 I can create a system for studying and remembering the

correct spelling of key words.

4.2.7 I can use my knowledge of spelling rules to spell technical

 terms and unfamiliar words in my own writing.

4.2.8 I can identify different spellings of a word in texts and discuss

why the different spellings are appropriate for the audience
and purpose of the text.

Punctuation and
Capitalization
4.2.9 I can use hyphens to break words at the end of a line and to
make a new word from two related words.

4.2.10 I can identify semicolons, dashes, and hyphens, and can use
them to help me understand the meaning of text.

4.2.11 I can use parentheses correctly in my writing.

4.2.12 I can use appropriate punctuation and capitalization when I

refer to other texts in my writing.

Grammar and
Usage
4.2.2 I can use different simple, compound, and complex sentences
to make my writing interesting.

4.2.3 I can use correct pronoun-antecedent agreement in my

writing.

4.2.4 I can use verb tenses consistently in my writing.

Editing and
Revision
4.1.1 I can share my drafts with others so that I get useful feedback
from them.

4.1.2 I can identify how certain features enhance or detract from

the overall effectiveness of mine AND someone elses work; I
can also suggest and make revisions to the text.

4.1.3 I can emphasize important ideas or create dominant

impressions by revising my word choice.

4.1.4 I can revise my work to make my sentence variety, word

choice, and tone better.
4.1.5 I can use electronic editing tools (spell check, thesaurus) to
enhance the clarity of my texts.

Reading Comprehension Strategies

2.1.3 I can enhance my own understanding by paraphrasing main
ideas and supporting details, and by rereading and discussing
important passages.

2.1.4 I can adjust my reading rate (skim, scan, or read slowly) to

help my understanding of the passage.

2.1.5 I can take notes, make outlines, and use other strategies (like
read, recite, review) to remember ideas and information.

2.3.3 I can identify the difference between theme and topic/main

idea.

3.2.4 I can adjust my reading or viewing rate to suit the purpose

and density of the material I am reviewing.

Character Analysis
2.2.5 I can interpret characters choices and motivations in different
texts and relate them to myself and others choices.

2.2.6 I can identify and describe characters traits and motivations,

showing proof from the text and my own personal
experiences.

2.2.7 I can discuss ways that characters are developed and

reasons why characters may change.

2.2.9 I can discuss how characters, plot, and setting are connected
to each other.

2.3.4 By considering a characters words, actions, interactions with

other characters, and the narrators perspective, I can explain
a characters traits and motivations.

2.2.5 I can discuss ways that characters are developed and

reasons why characters may change.

Creative and
 Figurative
Language
2.2.10 I can discuss how word choice, figurative language, plot,
setting , and characters work together to create mood and
tone.

2.3.7 I can identify creative uses of language and visuals in popular

culture; I can also discuss how imagery and figurative
language create tone and mood in these texts.

4.1.9 I can explain ways that new words, phrases, and expressions
enter the language (popular culture, technology, other
languages).

4.1.10 I can understand the literal and figurative meaning of words,

using idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes.

4.1.11 I can experiment with figurative language, voice, sentence

structure, patterns, camera angle, and music to create a
mood in my text.

Mood and Tone

2.2.10 I can discuss how word choice, figurative language, plot,
setting , and characters work together to create mood and
tone.

2.3.7 I can identify creative uses of language and visuals in popular

culture; I can also discuss how imagery and figurative
language create tone and mood in these texts.

4.1.11 I can experiment with figurative language, voice, sentence

structure, patterns, camera angle, and music to create a
mood in my text.

Point of View
2.2.2 I can write and represent narratives from different points of
view.

2.2.3 I can realize that there is more than one possible

interpretation for texts and can discuss these different points
of view.

2.3.5 I can compare and contrast different perspectives provided by

 first and third person narration.

2.4.2 I can retell texts from different points of view.

3.1.2 I can follow the development of arguments, opinions, or

points of view in texts.

3.3.2 I can organize ideas and information to establish an overall

point of view in my texts.

5.1.3 I can compare ways that texts show different cultures or

periods in history.

Research Skills
2.1.6 I can identify and use clues in reference materials
(catalogues, databases, web sites, thesauri, writers
handbooks) to easily access information.

2.1.7 I can identify and use structural features of texts (magazines,

newspapers, instruction booklets, advertisements, schedules)
to find information and to help me read with purpose.

3.1.3 I can select appropriate sources of information for my topic,

audience, purpose, and text form.

3.1.4 I can make my own plan to access, gather, and record

information.

3.2.1 I can find information from a variety of sources when

conducting research.

3.2.2 I can use tools and text features (subtitles, margin notes, key
words, electronic searches, visual effects and sound effects)
to access information.

3.2.3 I can record key ideas from texts and avoid overusing direct
quotations.

3.2.5 I can develop and use criteria to evaluate the usefulness,

currency, and reliability of information for my research.
3.3.3 I can make point-form notes that summarize major ideas and
supporting details of my research sources.

3.3.4 I can discard information that isnt important for my audience,

purpose, form, or point of view.

3.3.5 I can use a consistent and approved format to give credit for
my quoted and paraphrased ideas.

3.3.6 I can identify the relevance of information to my purpose AND

can address gaps in my information.

3.4.3 I can consider different ways to achieve my research goals.

Presentation of
Information
3.4.2 I can incorporate appropriate visuals and other media to
inform and engage my audience.

4.1.7 I can vary my handwriting style and pace, depending on my

purpose and audience.

4.3.1 I can plan small group and short, whole class presentations
that share information.

4.3.2 I can present information that has a clear purpose, and that
appeals to the interest and background knowledge of my
audience.

4.3.3 I can use feedback from presentation rehearsals to modify my

presentation AND can plan a particular effect or purpose that
my presentation achieves.

4.3.4 I can predict how presentations will be organized and can

identify important ideas and supporting details in the
presentation.

4.3.5 I can respond respectfully by using appropriate verbal and

non-verbal feedback.

Working With a
Group
5.2.1 I can present ideas and promote ideas that help my group
 advance their thinking AND recognize everyones ideas.

5.2.2 I can contribute to group goals and extend my own learning.

5.2.3 I can cooperate with my group to get the task done by

defining responsibilities, negotiation to reach agreements,
setting objectives and time frames, and reviewing the groups
progress.

5.2.4 I can evaluate my contribution to the group, offer feedback to

others, and suggest ways to improve our group task.

Text Structure and

Composition
2.4.1 I can create texts that are related to issues I have
encountered in other texts and in my own life.

2.4.3 I can create texts with both main and minor characters.

2.4.4 I can choose to use different text forms and genres for their
particular purpose and affect they have on their audience.

3.1.1 I can experiment with different ways to focus a topic and

select an appropriate text form for my purpose and audience.

3.3.1 I can organize ideas and information to create a comparison,

chronology, or to show a cause-effect relationship.

3.4.1 I can communicate information in a variety of texts

(interviews, mini-lessons, documentaries).

4.1.6 I can use paragraphs to create unity and clarity in my texts.

4.1.8 I can choose a document format that is appropriate for my

content, audience, and purpose.

Making
Comparisons and
Connections
2.2.4 I can make connections between an authors biography and
their texts.

2.2.8 I can compare the characters, plot, conflicts, and main ideas
of similar texts.
5.1.1 I can compare my understanding of other people, cultural
traditions, and values with others understandings through
texts.

Community
Conduct
5.1.4 I can participate in organizing and celebrating special events
while recognizing their significance to Language Arts.

5.1.5 I can use language and actions that respects different races,
cultures, genders, ages, and abilities.

Goal Setting
1.1.6 I can reflect on my growth in how I use language to make and
revise my own personal goals.