Kindergarten – 5^th Grade FCAs by Category

Kindergarten

1^st Grade

2^nd Grade

3^rd Grade

4^th Grade

5^th Grade

Mechanics

Letter formation (Aug.)

Spacing (Nov.)

Capitalize beginning of sentence, proper noun, & “I” (Feb.)

Punctuation/

end marks (May)

Capitalize days of the week & months of the year (Aug.)

Write a complete simple sentence (Sept.)

Use comma in dates & in items in a series (Dec.)

Write a complete paragraph (Mar.)

Use commas with city & state and in letter writing (Aug.)

Capitalize street names & holidays (Nov.)

Use apostrophes in contractions (Feb.)

Write a complete compound sentence (May)

Capitalize words in titles & special events (Aug.)

Parts of speech: pronouns & adverbs (Nov.)

Use apostrophes with possessives (Feb.)

Use quotation marks in direct speech (May)

Correct use of verb tense (Aug.)

Subject/verb agreement in number & gender (Nov.)

Use commas before coordinating conjunctions (Feb.)

Use commas & end punctuation with direct quotations (May)

Avoid run-on sentences (Aug.)

Capitalize names of organization (Nov.)

Use of commas with appositives, in direct address, & with “yes” and “no” (Feb.)

Indefinite pronouns with a singular verb (May)

Organization

Left to right progression (Sept.)

Wrap-around sentence (Jan.)

Wrap-around sentence (Oct.)

Paragraph -use a topic sentence, three details, & a closing sentence (Apr.)

Topic Sentence (Sept.)

Transition words (Jan.)

Complete paragraph with a topic sentence, three details with elaboration, & a closing sentence (Sept.)

Produce opinion writing (Jan.)

Introductory paragraph elements including “hook” (Sept.)

Use of transition sentences (Jan.)

Body paragraph structure (Sept.)

Introductory paragraph with hook, topic sentence, three supporting details, & concluding sentence (Jan.)

Content

Word Choice – content & academic vocabulary (Dec.)

Details (Apr.)

Word Choice (Jan.)

Details with elaboration (May)

Word choice (Dec.)

Complete paragraph with a topic sentence, three details with elaboration, & a closing sentence (Apr.)

Word choice (Dec.)

Details with elaboration (Apr.)

Content specific word choice (Dec.)

Using text evidence (Apr.)

Best word choice (Dec.)

Using text evidence (Apr.)

Style

Using word wall words (Oct.)

Different first word in the sentence (Mar.)

Sentence length (Nov.)

Colorful adjectives (Feb.)

Action verbs & colorful adjectives (Oct.)

Alliteration (Mar.)

Beginning sentence variety - limit use of pronoun & articles as first word (Oct.)

Simile & metaphor (Mar.)

Precise words & sensory details (Oct.)

Sentence variety (Mar.)

Sentence variety (Oct.)

Precise words & sensory details (Mar.)

6^th Grade – 10^th Grade FCAs by Category

6^th Grade

7^th Grade

8^th Grade

9^th Grade

10^th Grade

Mechanics

Capitalize proper adjectives (Nov.)

Use of commas after introductory elements – clauses & phrases (Dec.)

Use of parallel structure (Apr.)

No use of first person in argument writing (May)

Capitalize proper adjectives (Nov.)

Use of commas after introductory elements – clauses & phrases (Dec.)

Use of parallel structure (Apr.)

No use of first person in argument writing (May)

Capitalize proper adjectives (Nov.)

Use of commas after introductory elements – clauses & phrases (Dec.)

Use of parallel structure (Apr.)

No use of first person in argument writing (May)

Active & passive voice (Oct.)

Appropriate use of hyphen, colon, & semicolon (Jan.)

Ellipses to show omitted information (Feb.)

Appropriate use of gerunds, infinitives, & participles (Mar.)

Active & passive voice (Oct.)

Appropriate use of hyphen, colon, & semicolon (Jan.)

Ellipses to show omitted information (Feb.)

Appropriate use of gerunds, infinitives, & participles (Mar.)

Organization

Write a clear topic sentence, introduction, or claim (Aug.)

Transitions exist to smoothly advance the writing - internal transitions, including phrases & clauses – (Jan.)

Write a clear topic sentence, introduction, or claim (Aug.)

Transitions exist to smoothly advance the writing - internal transitions, including phrases & clauses – (Jan.)

Write a clear topic sentence, introduction, or claim (Aug.)

Transitions exist to smoothly advance the writing - internal transitions, including phrases & clauses – (Jan.)

Logically structure argumentative writing (Sept.)

Follow a logical progression of ideas (Apr.)

Logically structure argumentative writing (Sept.)

Follow a logical progression of ideas (Apr.)

Content

Support statements with text evidence (Sept.)

Use appropriate content area vocabulary & domain-specific words (Oct.)

Support statements with text evidence (Sept.)

Use appropriate content area vocabulary & domain-specific words (Oct.)

Support statements with text evidence (Sept.)

Use appropriate content area vocabulary & domain-specific words (Oct.)

Use relevant information from a variety of sources (Aug.)

Present the counterclaim in argumentative writing (May)

Use relevant information from a variety of sources (Aug.)

Present the counterclaim in argumentative writing (May)

Style

Cite sources correctly (Feb.)

Use tone appropriately for audience & purpose (Mar.)

Cite sources correctly (Feb.)

Use tone appropriately for audience & purpose (Mar.)

Cite sources correctly (Feb.)

Use tone appropriately for audience & purpose (Mar.)

Cite sources appropriately (Nov.)

Extended metaphor (Dec.)

Cite sources appropriately (Nov.)

Extended metaphor (Dec.)