Unit 4 Writing and Oral Communication

We are learning to

• Develop ideas in properly constructed paragraphs;
• Demonstrate unity and coherence in longer pieces of writing;
• Use grammar and punctuation correctly to communicate clearly;
• Adjust our diction and sentence construction for different audiences and purposes;
• Incorporate quotations smoothly into our writing to support our ideas;
• Use MLA formatting accurately;
• Deliver engaging and well organized presentations;
• Support ideas with effective visuals;
• Use effective note-taking techniques during lectures, videos, and presentations.

I will know I am successful when I can…

• State my point; illustrate with a relevant quotation, paraphrase, or summary; explain how that illustration supports my point;
• Use transition words and phrases, as well as logical organization to create coherence in paragraphs and essays.
• Recognize when my paragraphs may stray away from the main idea and revise my writing to ensure paragraphs are unified;
• Use semicolons, commas, dashes, and colons correctly to enhance my ideas;
• Use techniques like climactic order and repetition to enhance my ideas;
• Identify, through revision, where I may have used words that are not as specific or effective, or do not have the right connotation for the idea I’m trying to express;
• Write about literature in the present tense;
• Provide a context for quotations;
• Use punctuation around quotations correctly;
• Provide accurate in-text citations;
• Create an accurate works cited page;
• Format the pages of my essay correctly;
• Make eye contact with my audience when speaking;
• Speak without reading from slides or cue cards;
• Create slides that emphasize key ideas but do not stand in for them;
• Use a minimal amount of text on the screen;
• Choose eye-catching, high resolution images to emphasize key ideas in my presentation;
• Create handouts for my audience that contain my presentations thesis and supporting details.