PBS Teachers provides a searchable database of PBS lesson plans, activities, and multimedia resources for teachers and students. Below is the complete list of curriculum topics and definitions for this subject area.

Creative Thinking (PreK-12)

Includes the development of skills that enable flexible, original, imaginative, innovative, or elaborative ways of thinking about an existing or new idea. Focuses on specific application to literature, writing, and other language arts components.

Critical Thinking Skills (PreK-12)

Includes prediction, cause and effect, fact and opinion, memorization, counter statements, questioning skills, etc. Focuses on the written, printed, and spoken word and the communication and organization skills related to each.

Debate/Public Speaking (3-12)

Includes tips and strategies for effective public speaking and debate.

Drama/Dramatics (3-12)

Includes the literary analysis of dramatic works and discussion of the works and their writers. Focuses on the written work itself and not on the performance aspect.

Film (6-12)

Includes study of screenplays and authorship of the film, including analysis and critique.

Folklore (PreK-12)

Includes study of a particular group or culture's indigenous stories; may include fables, legends and tall tales. Does not include stories used to explain the culture's origins and belief systems (see Mythology).

Grammar (K-12)

The study of the rules governing the use of a language. Includes study of how linguistic units combine to form sentences and the system of inflections, syntax, and word formation of a language.

Journalism (3-12)

Includes the mechanics of gathering, writing, editing, photographing, publishing and reporting the news or timely information through print publication, Internet, radio or television. Focuses on critical analysis of journalistic writing styles and texts.

Listening Comprehension (PreK-5)

Includes understanding the spoken word to acquire knowledge and potentially relate said knowledge to other concepts or events.

Literature (6-12)

Includes formal study of novels, short stories, poems, plays and authors (American, British, World).

Literature: Literary Terms (3-12)

The study of literary styles and language use, including genres, narrative elements, and literary devices.

Media Studies (K-12)

Involves understanding the characteristics and components of the media (newspapers, radio, television, billboards). Focuses on understanding persuasive techniques employed by the media and the ability to deconstruct and analyze media messages.

Mythology (3-12)

The study of a body or collection of stories belonging to a cultural group that seeks to explain the creation, rules and laws of the natural world.

Non-Fiction

Biography and Autobiography (PreK-12)

The study of biography and autobiography as genres. Does not include brief biographies used as a component of a larger lesson about an individual, or composition skills for writing a biography or autobiography.

Letters, Diaries and Essays (3-12)

The genre study of letters and essays; does not include composition skills for writing a letter or essay, but rather the examination of particular letters, diaries and essays as literature.

Organizing Information & Ideas (PreK-12)

Includes categorization, sequencing/ordering, outlining, comparing and contrasting, and using graphic organizers.

Oral Language Development (PreK-2)

Includes the study, research, practice, or testing of speech development, speech pathology and oral communication skills.

Poetry and Poets (PreK-12)

Includes the study of poets and poetry, including analysis, interpretation and structure; does not include composition.

Reading

Books & Stories (PreK-5)

Includes the study of authors and illustrators, fiction and non-fiction genres, library skills, book clubs/reviews, and book units.

Emergent Literacy Skills (PreK-5)

Includes concepts of print and phonemic awareness; skills include letter identification and awareness of letter-sound correspondences, syllables, and rhyming.

Reading Aloud (K-2)

Includes reading to an audience and oral reading skills such as enunciation, projection, etc.

Reading Comprehension (K-12)

Involves understanding written language and includes the ability to articulate an author's main idea and interpret meaning. Includes the ability to correctly recall information and an understanding of characterization, sequence of events, context and symbolism. Also encompasses the ability to relate a text to other readings or events.

Spelling (K-8)

Includes the sequencing of letters or characters to form words and an understanding of spelling rules and root words.

Storytelling (PreK-12)

Includes the presentation of oral stories and the study of methods used to tell stories effectively. Focuses on the language, writing, and reading components of storytelling, but does not include theatrical aspects.

Vocabulary (PreK-12)

Knowledge of words and their meanings in a given language, including related concepts such as synonyms/antonyms, homonyms, etiology, etc. Includes vocabulary from any language.

Writing

Composition (PreK-12)

Includes the organization and creation of written works. For emergent writers, also includes drawing as a means of conveying information.

Handwriting (K-5)

The art and process of forming letters and words by hand.

Mechanics (K-12)

The study and implementation of correct punctuation, capitalization, formatting and spelling to create proper sentence structure and clear understanding.