Demo Redbird Language Arts & Writing

An Integrated Approach to Language Arts and Writing

Redbird Language Arts & Writing helps students build strong foundational writing skills. Our integrated approach to Language Arts and writing interweaves instruction and rigorous practice in grammar, writing, and reading. Reading is incorporated into each unit because research shows that students often struggle to learn and master English Language Arts skills when those skills are taught in isolation. With our integrated approach, students can experience the connection between the different language domains as they read passages related to the skills they’re learning in grammar and writing.

Course Structure

Each grade level of content has 9–10 units that focus on a form of writing or reading. Units are divided into lessons that include instruction (lectures) and practice (item sets), skill-building games, and Writing Reviews

Lessons are structured to expose students to reading, parts of speech, paragraph analysis, sentence composition, and sentence structures. Some lessons cover new concepts, while others provide practice with concepts already introduced. This content variation provides an engaging and rich continuous experience for students.

Grade 2

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feedback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 1: Simple Sentences

Lessons

• Instruction
• 2.1.1 Nouns — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 2.1.1 Nouns — Parts of Speech
• 2.1.1 Writing — Sentence Structure
• 2.1.2 Fables — Reading: Prediction
• 2.1.2 Fables — Reading Vocabulary: Long A
• 2.1.3 Proper Nouns — Parts of Speech
• 2.1.3 Fables — Reading: Reflection
• Composition Item Sets
• 2.1.3 Composition — Sentence Composition

Grade 3

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feedback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 5: Reading about Science

Lessons

• Instruction
• 3.5.3 Adverbs — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 3.5.1 Introduction to Science Reading — Reading: Prediction
• 3.5.2 Punctuation with Commas — Sentence Structure
• 3.5.2 Introduction to Science Reading — Reading Vocabulary: Affixes
• 3.5.3 Adverbs — Parts of Speech
• 3.5.4 Introduction to Science Reading — Reading Analysis
• 3.5.5 Writing — Lead Sentence
• Composition Item Sets
• 3.5.3 Composition — Sentence Composition

Grade 4

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feedback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 2: Different Kinds of Myths

Lessons

• Instruction
• 4.2.1 Spelling Past Tense — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 4.2.1 Spelling Past Tense — Parts of Speech
• 4.2.1 Narrative Myth — Reading: Prediction
• 4.2.2 Future Tense — Parts of Speech
• 4.2.3 Narrative Myth — Reading: Analysis
• 4.2.4 Possessive Nouns — Parts of Speech
• Composition Item Sets
• 4.2.2 Composition — Future Tense Sentence Composition
• 4.2.4 Composition — Possessive Nouns

Grade 5

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feeback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 5: Informative and Historical Writing

Lessons

• Instruction
• 5.5.2 Helping Verbs — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 5.5.1 Historical Speech — Reading: Prediction
• 5.5.1 Historical Speech — Reading Vocabulary: Affixes
• 5.5.1 Writing — Main Idea: Informative Paragraphs
• 5.5.3 Helping Verbs — Parts of Speech
• 5.5.3 Historical Speech — Reading: Analysis
• 5.5.3 Historical Speech — Reading: Reflection
• Composition Item Sets
• 5.5.4 Composition — Personal Pronoun Sentence Composition

Grade 6

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feedback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 6: Poetry and Drama

Lessons

• Instruction
• 6.6.3 Writing Opinions — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 6.6.1 Prepositional Phrases — Parts of Speech
• 6.6.1 Reading Poetry — Reading Vocabulary: Noun Modifier
• 6.6.2 Noun Modifier Phrases — Parts of Speech
• 6.6.3 Reading Poetry — Reading: Analysis
• 6.6.7 Writing — Commas
• Composition Item Sets
• 6.6.3 Composition — Sentence Composition
• 6.6.7 Composition — Supporting Sentence Composition

Grade 7

Explore these links to gain a better understanding of Redbird Language Arts & Writing unit components, including instructional videos, multi-modal practice exercises, and writing composition activities with error-specific feedback. Each unit includes an integration of reading, language (grammar and vocabulary), and writing lessons.

Unit 1: Working with Autobiographies

Lessons

• Instruction
• 7.1.4 Verb and Verb Phrases — Video Instruction
• Practice Item Sets
• 7.1.1 Starting a Narrative — Parts of Speech
• 7.1.1 Autobiography — Reading: Prediction
• 7.1.3 Autobiography — Reading: Analysis
• 7.1.4 Verb and Verb Phrases — Parts of Speech
• 7.1.5 Autobiography — Reading: Prediction
• Composition Item Sets
• 7.1.2 Composition — Sentence Composition
• 7.1.5 Composition — Supporting Sentence Composition

Themes:
Success Criteria & Composition Skills

Each Writing Review is centered around a real-world theme, which provides students the opportunity to connect writing to their own life experiences.

First, get acquainted with Writing Reviews by clicking on each of the “Theme” tabs to your left to learn about the themes, success criteria, and composition skills focused on in each Writing Review, by genre and grade level.

Explore:
Narrative Writing Review | Grade 4

Then, take an interactive tour of Writing Reviews by clicking on the “Explore” tab to your left.

Narrative | Grades 3–7:

Students complete one Narrative Writing Review in grades 3–7. Below are the themes, success criteria, and composition skills of focus.

Informative | Grades 3–7:

Students complete one Informative Writing Review in grades 3–7. Below are the themes, success criteria, and composition skills of focus.

Opinion | Grades 3–5:

Students complete one Opinion Writing Review in grades 3–5. (In grades 6 and 7, students complete an Argument Writing Review instead of Opinion.) Below are the themes, success criteria, and composition skills of focus.

Argument | Grades 6–7:

Students complete one Argument Writing Review in grades 6 and 7. (In grades 3–5, students complete an Opinion Writing Review instead of Argument.) Below are the themes, success criteria, and composition skills of focus.

Narrative Writing Review | Grade 4​

Throughout each genre and grade, Writing Reviews are structured the same to encourage students to see the consistency in foundational writing skills.

Diverse and engaging themes within the grade-level content, however, gives students the opportunity to focus and practice the foundational skills without feeling repetitive.

Let’s take a closer look at Grade 4 to see how foundational writing skills are both consistent and engaging within Redbird Language Arts & Writing:

• Introductory Video: Writing a Narrative​
• Success Criteria and Expert Model​​
• Explore the Theme and Build Background​​
• Plan Your Essay ​​
• Write Your Essay​​
• Self-Evaluate and Publish​

Writing Reviews complement and support what educators are teaching in the classroom. Though direct teacher input isn’t required for students to complete the essays, teachers can give additional feedback at any stage to further improve student learning.​

Overview

Redbird Language Arts & Writing provides robust reporting capabilities that empower educators to personalize instruction and accelerate learning. All reports are real-time and accessible online in the click of a button. With data that is easy to understand, teachers can immediately:

• Track progress of the entire class in one dashboard
• Use data to inform their instructional planning
• Share results with parents to improve transparency

District-level reports help administrators easily see how often the program is being used and how schools within the district are performing. While Redbird Language Arts & Writing offers a robust suite of reporting capabilities, these are the key reports you won’t want to miss.

Standards Proficiency Report

Shows student progress and proficiency against Common Core State Standards* at the class level. This report helps teachers pinpoint where individuals or groups of students may be struggling or progressing giving them the opportunity to provide the appropriate support or encouragement where students need it most.

*Select state-specific standards proficiency reports are also available.

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Classroom Overview

Provides a detailed report including time spent on task, correct first attempts, lesson pace, lesson location, and activity breakdown. These key metrics help teachers determine how well students are progressing and identify which students need teacher attention.

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News Feed

View Student History

1. Filter by specific alert type (or view All) by selecting the Filter buttons.
2. You can sort the list by date or student by selecting Group buttons.
3. Notifications appear for last seven (7) days and are not dependent on when you were online.
4. Notification tiles are grouped by Date first (with Today at the top).

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Student Snapshot

Sequence of every attempt at a skill, including a heat map showing student progress by calendar day. Enables teachers to review progress, discuss understandings, and improve effective use of Redbird.

Student Replay

Keystroke-by keystroke replay of every student action including instruction and open ended responses. Enables teachers to review and discuss areas where a student struggles.

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Provides data by school, with a rollup across all classes within the district. Easy color coding helps administrators see at a glance how often the program is being used and if the program is being used with fidelity. Usage is reported out in three ways:

1. Average number of minutes in program per week
1.  60-90 min/week is recommended
2. Average number of student lessons completed per week
1.  2+ lessons completed/week is the target
3. Average number of precursor lessons completed

This report is available at both the district level (top image) and school level (bottom image).

NOTE: The District Benchmark report is visible only to administrator-level Redbird accounts.

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