Informational Reading & Writing:

What is happening in the teenage brain?

Guiding Questions and Big Ideas

How is the adolescent brain changing?

Should screen time be limited? Why or why not?

How can I make an informed decision about an issue and then effectively argue my position?

The teenage brain is in a period of dynamic growth and change that is unique to this stage of life.

Behavior shapes the physical structure of the brain, and the physiology of the brain affects behavior.

Researchers wonder how screen time affects the development of adolescents.

Content Connections

Science:

The Living Environment

Living things are both similar to and different from non-living things.

The continuity of life is sustained through reproduction and development.

STEAM:

Science and Engineering Practices

Obtaining, evaluation, and communicating information.

Standards

Writing

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.AIntroduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.BDevelop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.CUse appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.DUse precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.EEstablish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.FProvide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.7Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.8Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

Reading Informational Texts

Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.7Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.9Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.10By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.