Writing

Students are introduced to the skills and knowledge required to write research-based opinion essays. After successfully distinguishing the difference between fact and opinion as well as learning specific note taking strategies, students learn how to make a claim (thesis), gather evidence (facts) from articles and videos, and learn how to develop reasoning ("So What?"/Why?) by interpreting their evidence. Students continue to learn about powerful introductory paragraphs, as well as thoughtful idea provoking conclusions.

If students are ready, they are introduced to counterclaims and rebuttals in order to strengthen their opinion piece. This varies depending on individual student needs.

The goal is to develop the ability of student to focus on a particular important moment(s) within a larger story, and not only see through the eyes of the characters in the story, but feel their emotions and thoughts as well. The students' abilities to use descriptive words, and understand others is activated during this unit.

Beyond what the speakers say and do, students are challenged with thinking about what the larger story is about, and what the internal story is about.

Tying in with our Social Studies Unit on Colonial America, students will learn how to develop guiding research questions (broad questions vs. narrow questions), how to (possibly) change these questions as they research to redirect or refocus their informational text, and find the facts that help to explain these broad questions. They will learn about and use key elements that are used in informational texts and online sources.