Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Students can meet this standard by using standard English grammar when writing stories for the Finch, writing a summary of their project, and/or presenting their project orally.

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Students can demonstrate grade-appropriate capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing stories for the Finch or writing a summary of their Finch project.

Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

Students will choose language to create effective written and/or oral summaries of their project. If the students complete a project in which they have their Finch acting out a story, they will have to differentiate between narrative and informative language.

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Students will need to interpret the technical words, such as “input,” that are used in documentation for the Finch. Students should be encouraged to find the definition for unknown words.

Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.

Students will learn domain-specific words related to programming and robotics. Examples include “input,” “output,” “light-emitting diode (LED),” and “sensor.” Students should be encouraged to use correct terminology and to find the definitions for unknown words.

Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Students can program the Finch to “act out” a well-known story. The students would have to determine the main points of the story in order to choose what selections from the passage are most important for their Finch to represent.

Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

Students will analyze informational text to complete various Finch lessons and activities. In addition, students will need to interpret the technical words, such as “input,” that are used in documentation for the Finch; however, this documentation does not allow for interpretation of word choice in order to identify meaning or tone.

Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Once students are comfortable with the Finch, they will be able to complete more individualized projects. Upon completion of these projects, students should evaluate the work of other groups and offer constructive feedback.

Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Students can work in groups to complete the Finch activities. They will have to collaborate, expressing their own ideas and building on those of other group members.

Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Students can present their individualized Finch projects orally. They should evaluate the presentations and projects of other groups and offer constructive feedback.

Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

Within their project group, students will evaluate one another naturally in the context of collaboration. They should also evaluate the oral presentations and projects of other groups and offer constructive feedback.

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Students can prepare oral presentations for their Finch projects. These presentations can include an overview of the process and a logical argument relevant to the stated goals of the project. For example, if the students have created a game in which players use the Finch itself as a controller, group members can explain why they programmed each movement to complete a specific task.

Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

The Finch is able to record data about its surroundings. Students can use this information to create graphs for a presentation, interpret the graphs, and explain the data within them.

Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Within their project group, students will naturally use informal English. Their group presentation is an excellent opportunity to focus their attention on communication in different contexts and the importance of formal English in a presentation for school or work.

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Students can approach this standard by creating an informational text which details their project. In addition, working with the Finch challenges students to be very precise in how they use and organize commands. This provides an excellent analogy for the importance of clarity and precision when writing.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.

Students can approach this standard by creating an informational text which details their project. One alternative for elementary students is to have them write a story and program their Finch to “act out” the story.

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

A written summary of a project and/or a documentation journal can be used to meet this standard. More generally, working with the Finch challenges students to be very precise in how they use and organize commands. This provides an excellent analogy for the importance of clarity and precision when writing.

Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Students can edit and revise their written summaries of the project, as well as their stories. In addition, the process of modifying the program will emphasize to students that revising is important in many contexts.

Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

Students can work in groups on various Finch projects. Technology can be used to enable students to collaborate on the written summary of the project or on their documentation journal. Publishing these documents via the internet can be an excellent way for students to share their experience with their families and members of the community.