Unit 1 Navigating the Information Age
- Identify why critical reading is an important life skill
- Learn strategies for implementing critical reading into your life
- Understand the differences between the types of writing and communication
- Examine how motivation and purpose changes the way we communicate
- Discuss how people get information in the digital age and how that contrasts with previous generations
Unit 2: Information for the Masses
- Understand how the elements of visual texts convey meaning
- Describe how news and journalism have changed and the challenges those changes have created
- Identify the ideals at the heart of good journalism and how they work in practice
- Examine media bias and its potential for real world effects, especially in politics
- Explain what “fake news” is and strategies to avoid being manipulated by it
Unit 3: Reading in the Real World
- Identify good sources for official information and understand how to use that information to accomplish goals
- Narrow your research questions to determine neighborhoods, budget, and potential housing options
- Analyze rental ads and rental applications to ensure understanding
- Read and understand utility bills, with the goal of saving as much money as possible
- Navigate the process of establishing legal residency
Unit 4: The First Day on the Job
- Identify key workplace documents, understanding their place in your day-to-day duties
- Use strategies for reading to help understand new and complex information
- Analyze new documents based on previous knowledge and understanding
- Understand how to navigate an employee handbook, including how to find policies and procedures related to your workplace
- Describe how different types of writing applies to the workplace
Unit 5: Signing on the Dotted Line
- Employ strategies to read and understand complex legal and financial documents
- Describe the basic structure of words in order to decode them, including root words, affixes, and etymology
- Explore key documents related to essential transactions to answer questions and guide decisions
- Distinguish between important and unimportant information based on needs and goals
Unit 6: Changing the World Through Writing
- Use graphic organizers to harness and plan ideas
- Adapt ideas to a specific type of writing, which focuses on defining and proposing a solution to a problem
- Identify the common challenges associated with problem-solving writing modes
- Synthesize, summarize, and analyze reliable source material
- Utilize strategies for reading research material to maximize efficiency
Unit 7: Moving from Ideas to An Action Plan
- Understand the importance of outlining based on the structure of your argument
- Organize your ideas and initial research into a thorough outline
- Explain the purpose of the introduction and thesis statement
- Analyze your audience to determine their concerns and address those concerns in your draft
- Use figurative language, syntax, and style to persuade your audience that your proposal is logical and feasible
Unit 8: The Final Countdown
- Identify the two types of revision
- Develop a strategy for revising your own work
- Analyze structural elements based on how well they meet assignment requirements
- Evaluate word choice and style to ensure that your ideas are being communicated well
- Understand how your argument creates inferences in the reader’s mind
