6th Unit 1 Module 2
Key Themes & Topics:
Community
Claims
Argument
Essential Questions
What is my role within a community?
Key Reading Standards
a. Use Key Ideas and Details to:
Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. (CCSS RL.6.3; CAS 6.2.1.a.iii)
b. Use Craft and Structure to:
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.(CCSS RL.6.6; CAS 6.2.1.b.iii)
Key Writing Standards:
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. (CCSS W.6.3; CAS 6.3.3.a)
Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. (CCSS W.6.3.a)
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop exerpeinces, events, and/or characters. (CCSS W.6.3.b)
Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. (CCSS W.6.3.c)
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. (CCSS W.6.3.d)
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. (CCSS W.6.3.e)
Summative Assessment Task
Phase I ends with an outline of the unit’s summative assessment outlining how students will show their progress of mastery of key standards and showcase their answers to the unit’s essential questions. This provides a goal toward which all weekly and daily learning activities can be designed. Summative assessments are vertically aligned to increase collaboration within and between departments.
Texts & Tasks for Unit
Choose the selection of texts and writing tasks below that will work for the unit. If you would like to provide feedback on this list or recommend a different task or text, please click here.
Extended Texts
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (Overdrive)
Ghost by Jason Reynolds (DMS & Overdrive)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (Overdrive & DMS)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling (DMS)
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Overdrive)
The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Restart by Gordan Korman (DMS)
A View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (DMS)
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (Overdrive)
Short Literary Texts
CommonLit (Log in to view texts)
"The Drive-In Movies" by Gary Soto (use with On Demand task)
“I Am Offering This Poem” by Jimmy Santiago Baca
“Little Things Are Big” by Jesús Colón
“Peaches” by Adrienne Su
“The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilder
"Thank You M’am" by Langston Hughes
Short Informational Texts
CommonLit (Log in to view texts)
“A Kenyan Teen’s Discovery: Let There Be Lights to Save Lions” by Nina Gregory
"Marley Dias: The 13-year-old Author Who Made a Difference" by Barrett Smith
“NOAA’s Big Miracle Worker” by NOAA
“Tiny Plastic, Big Problem” by Alison Pearce Stevens
"Farms of the Future" by Tracy Vonder Bring (use with Paired Text Argument)
"Working the Farms: Children on the Move" by Mike Weinstein (use with Paired Text Argument)
Current Events articles exploring how young adults are positively impacting communities
Analytical Writing Tasks
Answer the Question in One Paragraph: A repeating writing opportunity to reflect on the essential question. (Doc) (Writable)
Future Farms Paired Text Argument: A paired text argument examining how future farms affect the lives of migrant workers. (Doc) (Writable)
Roles in a Community: A multimodal argument about the individuals role and contributions to a community. (Doc) (Writable)
Examining Community: A response that analyzes the point of view, interactions, relationships, and behaviors of community members. (Doc) (Writable)
Point of View Analysis: A response to a short information text that analyzes the author's point of view or purpose in a text. (Doc) (Writable)
Short Literary Text Analysis: A response that analyzes both the point of view and character change within a literary text. (Doc) (Writable)
Narrative Writing Tasks
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT - Narrative: An original fiction piece, based on a selected text from within the module, that tells an aspect of the story from the point of view of a new character. (Doc) (Writable)
ON DEMAND - Narrative: A narrative, based on a pre-determined text, that tells an aspect of the story from the point of view of a new character. (Doc) (Writable)
Fan Fiction - Role Change: An original piece that rewrites a scene or chapter placing the protagonist in a new role within their community. (Doc) (Writable)
Personal Narrative - Helpfulness Narrative: A personal narrative sharing a time the writer was helpful to others. (Doc) (Writable)
Research Task
Research Blitz - Individuals in Communities: A research task in which students explore the contributions of individuals to specific communities. (Doc) (Writable)
Impact of Individuals: A research task in which students compare and contrast the roles of two individuals from different communities. (Doc) (Writable)
Roles in a Community Podcast: A recorded interview with an individual that discusses their role within a community. (Doc) (Writable)
Phase III: Planning
Each unit’s Phase III tasks will be a general week-by-week outline of the flow of learning tasks for students. Realizing the cultures and schedules at each site will vary and place unique demands on class time, these outlines are to be seen as generally flexible. Also in recognition of school and classroom cultures, expectations, and practices, unit plans will offer templates for tasks, but will not list daily lessons. This is to allow enough certainty of district alignment while allowing for features such as co-teaching, integrated ELA and social studies, and other unique programmatic designs.
Unit 1 Module 2 Reflection & Feedback
Please leave your feedback, reflections and assignment requests below.
The curriculum design team will meet quarterly to review and respond to your feedback. Please direct immediate questions or concerns to seiler_jenny@svvsd.org.