Literacy Workshop

Unit 0: Building a classroom community

Essential Question:

How do we build a community that promotes both independent and collaborative growth?

Guiding Questions:

  • How can we be a caring community of learners?
  • How do we develop independent thinking skills in our classroom?
  • How do good writers develop a strong argument?

Unit 1: Identity & Author's Craft

Essential Questions:

  • How can we tell powerful stories about people’s experiences?
  • How does culture and the surrounding environment develop identity?

Guiding Questions:

  • How do experiences and culture shape your own identity?
  • How do authors use literary devices to deliver a message to their audience?
  • How does the use of adjectives and adverbs add to the meaning of poetry?
  • How do critical incidents reveal character traits?
  • How does perspective influence identity?
  • How does various punctuation add to the flow and meaning of sentences?
  • Why is it necessary to use capitalization?

Unit 2: Persuasive Speech & Taking a Stand

Essential Questions:

  • How can I use my voice to take a stand for the betterment of society?
  • Why do we fight for the things we believe in?
  • What motivates people to publically take a stand?

Guiding Questions:

  • How can authors tailor communication to persuade a targeted audience?
  • How do authors advocate a claim persuasively?
  • What motivates people to publically take a stand?
  • How can a topic of interest be developed into a research paper?
  • What are effective pre-research methods?
  • How do writers check to make sure they have produced clear and coherent pieces that are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience?
  • How do authors use varying sentences to convey an idea?