California Language Arts Standards

WRITING

Grade Five

1.0 Writing Strategies

Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits the students' awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.

 

2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

Students write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive texts of at least 500 to 700 words in each genre. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. Using the writing strategies of grade five outlined in Writing Standard 1.0, students:
2.1 Write narratives:
a. Establish a plot, point of view, setting, and conflict.

b. Show, rather than tell, the events of the story.

2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate an understanding of a literary work.

b. Support judgments through references to the text and to prior knowledge.

c. Develop interpretations that exhibit careful reading and understanding.

2.3 Write research reports about important ideas, issues, or events by using the following guidelines:
a. Frame questions that direct the investigation.

b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.

c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.

2.4 Write persuasive letters or compositions:
a. State a clear position in support of a proposal.

b. Support a position with relevant evidence.

c. Follow a simple organizational pattern.

d. Address reader concerns.

WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS

Grade Five


The standards for written and oral English language conventions have been placed between those for writing and for listening and speaking because these conventions are essential to both sets of skills.

1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions

Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions appropriate to this grade level.