Unit 4 Learning Goals

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.