Use words, symbols, and other forms, including appropriate technology, to express understanding of topics, themes, and issues and make connections to learning in other areas of study.

Communicate thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly and, when appropriate, artistically.

Create spoken, written, and other representations that include:

• a main idea(s) with supporting details, explanations, and examples
• a beginning that introduces the topic, a middle that is sequenced and connected to the topic, and an ending
• appropriate use of language and conventions including conventional print.

Communicate ideas, findings, and information pertaining to topics, problems, questions, or issues by creating easy-to-follow visual, oral, and written formats with a clear purpose (e.g., short report, explanation of a procedure).

Create a variety of narratives and poems.

Use inquiry to explore a question, topic, problem, or issue that students, individually or as a group, want to know more about or want to resolve/solve:

• Record and share personal knowledge and understanding of a topic
• Answer inquiry questions using a variety of sources such as children's magazines, folktales, the environment, and online resources
• Review information and ideas to determine their usefulness to inquiry or research needs
• Determine main ideas that will inform inquiry questions
• Organize and explain understandings, ideas, and information using a variety of strategies such as clustering, categorizing, and sequencing
• Record understanding, ideas, and facts using a variety of strategies such as webbing and charting, and list the sources
• Determine whether ideas and information collected is sufficient or adequate for established purpose
• Share and report what was learned in an easy-to-follow visual, oral, and written format
• Assess inquiry or research experiences and skills
• Use the language of inquiry (e.g., "We learned ...").