Version 4.

1 or Newer
Table of Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4
SkillBuilders Overview.................................................................................................................................................... 4
Skill Tree and Implementation/Integration Ideas................................................................................................. 4
Accessing Assignments.................................................................................................................................................... 5
Entering Orchard as a Pre-Enrolled Student........................................................................................................ 5
Entering Orchard as a Guest................................................................................................................................... 5
Accessing Information on Assigned Skill Trees................................................................................................... 5
Language Arts Exit Skills................................................................................................................................................. 6
Introduction............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Using Language Arts Exit Skills............................................................................................................................. 7
The Menu Bar............................................................................................................................................................ 8
Playing the Games.................................................................................................................................................... 9
Program Parameters................................................................................................................................................11
License and Warranty..................................................................................................................................................... 13


Introduction

Language Arts Exit Skills reflects the Standards for the SkillBuilders
English Language Arts, which are supported by the
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB
International Reading Association (IRA). Students are
given opportunities to learn and apply proven reading Students concentrate their efforts on the language arts
and writing strategies. Students are encouraged to build skills found in their state standards. Students receive
understanding of spoken and written language, identify helpful feedback and ample opportunity for practice.
patterns, practice usage, and transfer appropriate language Topics include using the fundamentals of punctuation
concepts. Language Arts Exit Skills focuses on helping and spelling, using correct forms of adjectives and
students develop skills to become contributing members of adverbs, distinguishing between fact and opinion, making
a literate society. generalizations, and interpreting graphs, charts, diagrams,
and tables.
Orchard can be used effectively in one‑computer
classrooms and in full lab environments. If you identify
a skill that is commonly deficient in students, you can Objectives Implementation/Integration
assign Orchard to serve as a step‑by‑step guide to Ideas
teach, remediate, and reinforce with a large audience. Learn, practice, and Use the passages and questions to
Alternatively, several of Orchard’s programs can be reinforce necessary model comprehension strategies
assigned to assess an individual’s deficient areas, and reading and such as Think Aloud. Read the
then a customized assignment can be created for that writing strategies passage aloud. Then the students
student. Records and reports can be printed to ensure clear, to communicate and teacher can talk about the
consistent communication between lab and classroom efficiently and passage and what they may need
faculty, or among students, parents, and teachers. effectively. to review to fully understand its
context.
Visit our Web site at www.orchardtreeofknowledge.com to
see how other educators successfully integrate and use
Language Arts Exit Skills to help their students. Note: The
Orchard Tree of Knowledge Web site is available only to Orchard
customers. If you do not have a login ID or access code, contact
your local Orchard representative.


Accessing Assignments

For information on management system functions, such Entering Orchard as a Guest

as creating students and assigning students to classes, see
your Orchard Gold Star Teacher’s Guide.
Entering Orchard as a Pre-Enrolled
Student
Having students enter Orchard using a specific login name
not only allows you to monitor student progress through
the variety of records that are kept on each student, but it
also allows students to access individualized assignments
tailored to their specific needs.
Note: A student must be enrolled in at least one class within the
Orchard Manager to use this option.
By entering Orchard as a Guest, students can quickly
access all available Orchard programs. This method
requires little teacher involvement. However, keep in mind
that when students use Orchard in the Guest mode, no
names, records, or bookmarks are kept. Therefore, it is not
recommended that students frequently use this option.
1 Double-click the Orchard icon to open the login screen.*
2 Click the Guest button.
3 Enter the name by which you would like to be called.

1 Double-click the Orchard icon to open the login screen.*

2 Enter your login name and password, if required, and
click OK.

3 If you are enrolled in more than one class, you will be

asked to select a class.

4 Click OK.
A screen showing the available Skill Trees appears.

5 Click a Skill Tree name and then click OK to launch the

program.

Accessing Information on Assigned Skill

Trees
A screen showing your available Skill Trees for that class
appears. Instructors can access information on assigned Skill Trees.

1 Have the student log in and select a class (if enrolled in

more than one class).
The available Skill Trees are shown.

2 Right-click (Windows) or Control+click (Macintosh) any

of the Skill Trees listed.
A Skill Tree Info screen appears with the Skill Tree
name, subject, grade level, type, and completion time.

4 Click a Skill Tree name and then click OK to launch the

program.

*The Orchard icon is located by default in the Orchard folder. For

Windows users, the Orchard icon is also located by default in the Start
Menu. For Macintosh users, the Orchard icon is also located by default in
the Mac Dock menu. 3 Click OK to return to the list of Skill Trees.


Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB

Enrichment Core Remedial

Grade Levels K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
H.S. Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB

High School
Writing Strategies
Combine sentence parts and sentences to produce a variety of sentence structures including basic
sentence patterns and variations
•
Use the correct subject, object, and possessive forms of pronouns •
Use the correct subject-verb agreement with personal pronouns and compound subjects •
Recognize correct verb tense and correct form of tense of irregular verbs •
Use the correct forms of adjectives and adverbs •
Use the fundamentals of spelling •
Use appropriate capitalization •
Use the fundamentals of punctuation •
Design and implement a writing plan that includes a central idea and related ideas, and under-
stands type of audience
•
Brainstorming •
Prewriting •
Outlines •
Reading Strategies
Use context clues to choose the appropriate meaning of multiple-meaning words •
Use knowledge of the meanings of prefixes and suffixes to determine word meanings •
Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words •
Use context clues to determine the meanings of specialized/technical terms •
Identify and use appropriate resource materials •
Recognize facts and details •
Arrange events in sequential order •
Follow complex written directions •
Perceive cause-and-effect relationships •
Predict probable future actions and outcomes •
Interpret graphs, charts, diagrams, and tables •
Make generalizations •
Evaluate and make judgments •
Describe plot, setting, character, and mood in literary selections •
Recognize the author’s point of view and purpose •
Recognize forms of propaganda •
Distinguish between fact and nonfact •
Identifying genres and elements of genres •
Figurative language, i.e., metaphors, similes, exaggerations, analogies •
Synonyms and antonyms •
Outlines, timelines, and graphic organizers •


Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)

Reading Strategies (cont.)

Literary devides, i.e., flashback, foreshadowing, suspense, symbolism, dialogue •
Tone, mood, and style •
Referencing sources, i.e., endnotes, bibliographies, citing sources •
Denotative and connotative meanings •
Descriptive language •
Persuasion, bias, propaganda, and stereotyping •
Research process, i.e., selecting a topic, formulating questions, identifying key words, choosing
sources, skimming, paraphrasing, notetaking, organizing, summarizing, presenting
•
Theme •

Introduction A second dialog box opens.

Language Arts Exit Skills is a completion Skill Tree. This

SkillBuilder program is designed to supplement the
student’s classroom instruction and textbook. The program
has a series of carefully selected skill levels. You choose the
combination of skills appropriate for the student(s) using
the program. SkillBuilders can help you teach one student,
pairs of students, or entire classes, whether you have one
computer or several.

Using Language Arts Exit Skills

After logging in to Orchard and selecting Language Arts Exit
Skills, a dialog box appears asking you to choose skills (if
the parameters are set to allow students to choose skills and
subskills; see Program Parameters).
2 Choose the subskills you want to work on and click OK.
1 Select a skill to work on by clicking the check box next to The skills menu appears again.
the skill.
3 Either choose another skill or click OK to begin.


Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)
Questions
When you begin working on the program, you will receive
10 questions randomly selected from the skills/subskills
chosen.
1 For each question, choose the correct answer and then
click OK.
For an incorrect response, you’ll receive a message such
as “Sorry, try again.” In some SkillBuilders, you will
get a hint to the correct solution. You will get one more
chance to answer correctly. For a correct response on the
second attempt, you’ll receive a congratulatory message,
followed by the solution. If your second answer is
incorrect, you will receive the solution.
When you have answered the required number of
questions, you will see a Scores screen, which shows
your score for each skill worked on.
You may need fewer than 10 questions to master all
assigned/selected skills and subskills and be taken to the
Scores screen.

At the Scores screen, you have several options.
• To receive more problems using the skills already
assigned but not yet mastered or new skills chosen at
the Skills screen, click Restart.
• To select one of four games to play, click Games.
Available games are Arthropod, Racer, Stepping
Stones, and Treasure Hunt. Directions are given
below.
• To print the Scores screen, click Print.
• To leave the program, click Exit.
The Menu Bar
The File Menu
The File menu offers the following options:
• Print Setup, which allows you to select a printer, the
paper size, and the orientation
• Print, which allows you to print your score (only
available at the Scores screen at the end of a lesson)
• End Lesson, which skips the lesson content and takes
you to the Scores screen
• Exit, which ends Reading and Writing Strategies 7-8 and
takes you back to the program selection screen
The Preferences Menu
1 To toggle the sound on or off, click Sound Enabled.
2 To select skills to work on, choose Skills from the
Preferences menu and select skills and subskills as
described earlier.
Note: You may only change the skills you are working on
before you start answering questions.
The Help Menu
1 To see instructions for the program, select Instructions
from the Help menu.
2 To see program information, select About from the Help
menu.
Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)
Playing the Games
Arthropod
The object of Arthropod is to eat all the bugs and escape
through the hole before time runs out.
1 For instructions, click the Instructions button.
2 You can choose the difficulty level by clicking the
“difficulty Level” button and selecting Easy, Medium, or
Hard.
3 You can see the top 10 scores by clicking the “top ten”
button.
4 If you wish to quit without playing the game, click
“exit.”
5 Click the Play button to play Arthropod.
The Arthropod game screen appears.
6 Use the arrow keys to change the arthropod’s direction.
Note: Once you start the arthropod moving by pressing an
arrow key, you do not have to hold down the arrow keys to
keep it moving in the desired direction.
7 Eat as many bugs as you can during the allotted time
by moving the arthropod over them.
Gold bugs are worth more points. The arthropod
grows as it eats.
8 When you hear the frog croak, get out of the way (the
frog can attack only straight down).
9 After you have eaten all the bugs, leave through the
hole at the left side of the screen.
10 If you wish to quit early, press ESC.
The game stops automatically after the time runs out,
or after the arthropod “dies” three times by either
running into the wall or getting eaten by the frog.
When the game is over, your score is shown, along with
the top 10 scores.
11 Press OK to continue.
Racer
The object of Racer is to get around the track the number of
times required by your level as quickly as possible, while
gaining points by picking up gas cans, tools, and tires along
the way.
1 For instructions, click the Instructions button.
2 You can choose the difficulty level by clicking the
Difficulty Levels button and selecting Easy, Medium, or
Hard.
3 You can see the top 10 scores by clicking the Top Ten
button.
4 If you wish to quit without playing the game, click EXIT
GAME.
5 Click PLAY to play Racer.

Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)
The Racer game screen appears.
You will hear five beeps as the dots in the upper left
corner of the screen turn white in the middle. When the
final dot turns white, the car will move forward.
6 Use the arrow keys to steer the car.
Speed bumps will slow the car down, and mud holes
cause the car to skid out of control.
7 Try to pick up gas cans, tools, and tires as you go around
the track, since this will give you extra points.
8 If you wish to quit early, press ESC.
The game stops automatically after you have driven the
number of laps required for the level, or when the time
runs out.
When the game is over, your score is shown, along with
the top 10 scores.
9 Press OK to continue.
Stepping Stones
The object of stepping stones is to turn all the stones from
blue to yellow and then to orange by stepping on them
before time runs out.
1 For instructions, click the Instructions button.
10
2 You can choose the difficulty level by clicking the
Difficulty Levels button and selecting Easy, Medium, or
Hard.
3 You can see the top 10 scores by clicking the Top Ten
button.
4 If you wish to quit without playing the game, click Exit.
5 Click Play As Zade or Play As Zelda to play Stepping
Stones as that character.
The Stepping Stones game screen appears.
6 Use the arrow keys to jump from stone to stone.
Stones turn yellow the first time you step on them, and
orange the second time. When bananas thrown by the
monkey land on a stone, they turn the stone blue. Step
on the stone again to turn it yellow, and once more to
turn it orange.
7 Pick up gems to get extra points.
8 Avoid the jumping monkey, since it will cause you to
stop and fall off the stone.
9 If you wish to quit early, press ESC.
The game stops automatically after you have turned all
the stones orange, when time runs out, or when you fall
for the third time.
When the game is over, your score is shown, along with
the top 10 scores.
10 Press OK to continue.
Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)
Treasure Hunt
The object of Treasure Hunt is to gather all the coins and
escape through the door as quickly as possible, while
dodging the pirates who are trying to catch you.
1 For instructions, click the Instructions button.
2 You can choose the difficulty level by clicking the
Difficulty Level button and selecting Easy, Medium, or
Hard.
3 You can see the top 10 scores by clicking the Top Ten
button.
4 If you wish to quit without playing the game, click Exit
Game.
5 Click the Play button to play Treasure Hunt.
The Treasure Hunt game screen appears.
You are the figure at the top of the screen in the
doorway. The object is to collect the coins and escape
without being caught by the pirates. If the pirates catch
you, you start over at the top of the screen. You get
three chances to collect the coins and escape.
6 Use the arrow keys to move through the castle.
7 Pick up coins by moving over them.
Flashing coins are worth more points.
8 When you have collected all the coins, leave through
the doorway at the top of the screen.
9 If you wish to quit early, press ESC.
The game stops automatically when the time runs out
or when you are captured by the pirates three times.
When the game is over, your score is shown, along
with the top 10 scores.
10 Press OK to continue.
Program Parameters
1 To change settings for this program, log in to the
Orchard Manager as a teacher.
2 Click Edit Class Parameters on the Classes tab, or select
a student and click Edit Student Parameters on the
Students tab.
You will see a list of programs to choose from.
3 Highlight Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB, and click Edit.
The Management screen appears. Default settings are
shown here.
4 Set the sound for the games to on or off.
In math and science programs, you can choose whether
students have the option to use the calculator. This
option is unavailable for language arts.
5 Choose whether or not students may choose to play a
game after they complete the program.
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Language Arts Exit Skills 144SB (cont.)

6 Choose whether students may select the skills and
subskills they want to work on.
• If you decide not to allow students to select skills
and subskills, click the Skills button and choose skills
and subskills as described earlier. Initial subskills are
shown here:
8 Determine the percent correct required for mastery,
which is the percent of questions a student must answer
correctly before mastery is achieved.
The default setting is 80 percent, or a minimum of four
of five questions answered correctly.
9 Click OK to save changes to the parameters.

Note: If you allow students to choose their own skills, they

will be able to choose from all of the skills in the program.
Setting skills through the program parameters will not limit
the skills from which students may choose.

7 Set the minimum number of questions required for

mastery.
If a student answers all the questions pertaining to
a subskill correctly, this is the minimum number of
questions he or she will see pertaining to that subskill.

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License and Warranty

Use of the software program on the enclosed discs is subject to the terms of this License Agreement. By using this software you
signify that you have read the Agreement and accept its terms.

Siboney Learning Group’s sole warranty to you the purchaser is that the discs provided with this document, when used with the
specified equipment and system software, will perform substantially as described in this document for the warranty period. If
the discs are found to be defective, the full extent of our liability is the replacement of the discs or the refund of your money, at
our discretion, upon receipt of the defective discs; before returning discs to us, you must call or write for a Return Authorization
Number.

SIBONEY LEARNING GROUP makes no other warranties, oral or written, express or implied, including but not limited to
implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights,
and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. Siboney Learning Group shall not be liable for damage or
loss, direct or indirect, incidental or consequential, resulting from the use of or the inability to use this disc, even if Siboney
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Siboney Learning Group’s licensor(s) makes no warranties, express or implied including without
limitation the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose,
regarding the software. Siboney Learning Group’s licensor(s) does not warrant, guarantee or
make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of the software in
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ranties is not permitted by some jurisdictions. The above exclusion may not apply to you.

In no event will Siboney Learning Group’s licensor(s), and their directors, officers, employees or
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the software even if Siboney Learning Group’s licensor has been advised of the possibility of such
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the action (whether in contract, tort (including negligence), product liability or otherwise), will be limited to $50.

Orchard is the result of the talents of many people: teachers, designers, programmers, and graphic artists. The cost of
developing this program is recovered by its sale; illegal duplication of the software raises the cost to all legitimate users.
Please do not make illegal copies.

Program screens in this document were taken from the Windows version of the software. Macintosh screens may differ
slightly.

Copyright © Siboney Learning Group and its licensors.

All rights reserved.

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 Orchard Software is
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Copyright © 2006 Siboney Learning Group www.orchardsoftware.com