STANDARD 3.2: Language Arts Literacy

Language Arts Literacy Areas of Focus: Grade 6

Mission: Learning to read, write, speak, listen, and view critically, strategically and creatively enables students to discover personal and shared meaning throughout their lives.

Standard 3.2 Writing

All students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

Big Idea: Writing is the process of communicating in print for a variety of audiences and purposes.
3.2.6 A. Writing as a Process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, postwriting)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do good writers express themselves? How does process shape the writer’s product?	- Good writers develop and refine their ideas for thinking, learning, communicating, and aesthetic expression.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Write informational compositions of several paragraphs that engage the interest of the reader, state a clear purpose, develop the topic, and conclude with a detailed summary.	Instructional focus: • Includes explicit instruction on all steps of the writing process • Study of informational writers (what they write about; how they convey information in a way that makes it accessible to readers); use of paraphrasing; use of informational elements (captions; illustrations; charts; graphs, etc.) ASSESS using writing assignments that reflect nonfiction read in the classroom and incorporate students’ personal experiences in a way that reflects understanding of the subject matter. Example: Students write informational pieces about the: • Effects of global warming • Impact of women in politics • Salaries and endorsements in professional sports
2. Generate ideas for writing through reading and making connections across the curriculum and with current events.
3. Expand knowledge about form, structure, and voice in a variety of genres.
4. Use strategies such as using graphic organizers and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas for writing.
5. Draft writing in a selected genre with supporting structure and appropriate voice according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.	Instructional focus: • Understanding genre, author’s voice and intent, audience and purpose for writing • Drafting (getting ideas on paper) • Structures of writing in various genre Example: Students write a persuasive essay about the medical or social needs of children in a third world country.
6. Make decisions about the use of precise language, including adjectives, adverbs, verbs, and specific details, and justify the choices made.	Instructional focus: • Explicit instruction during teacher read alouds and small group instruction • Interactive word walls • Teacher paraphrasing during both reading and speaking • Anchoring of the new words to students’ backgrounds and experiences • Writing assignments that require the use of domain-specific vocabulary • Attention to words that author’s choose and how they illuminate the story being told or the information being shared ASSESS using writing assignments that require specific word choices. Example: Write a descriptive piece that employs sensory vocabulary to evoke a feeling or a mood, e.g., memories evoked by the smell of a particular food or by a specific sound.
7. Revise drafts by rereading for meaning, narrowing focus, elaborating and deleting, as well as reworking organization, openings, closings, word choice, and consistency of voice.
8. Review own writing with others to understand the reader’s perspective and to consider and incorporate ideas for revision.
9. Review and edit work for spelling, usage, clarity, organization, and fluency.
10. Use a variety of reference materials to revise work.
11. Use computer writing applications during the writing process.
12. Understand and apply the elements of a scoring rubric to improve and evaluate writing.
13. Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.
3.2.6 B. Writing as a Product (resulting in a formal product or publication)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do writers develop a well written product?	- Good writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Expand knowledge of characteristics, structures, and tone of selected genres.
2. Write a range of grade appropriate essays across curricula (e.g., persuasive, personal, descriptive, issue- based)	Instructional strategies: • Use the study of literature and expository text to study an author’s use of words, phrases and information • Provide multiple writing assignments that allow students to write across curricula (some timed, others spanning several days or weeks) • Expand persuasive writing beyond only letter writing to incorporate editorials, essays, advertisements and endorsements • Develop targeted word walls to provide vocabulary used specifically for persuasive, descriptive writing, etc. • Investigate issue-based current events and work to incorporate writing into the development of an understanding of social studies/science based issue Example: Students write a persuasive essay extolling the virtues of a presidential candidate.
3. Write grade appropriate, multi-paragraph expository pieces across curricula (e.g., problem/solution, cause/effect, hypothesis/results, feature articles, critique, research reports).	Examples: • Students write features about adversity overcome by their personal heroes. • Students design websites that illustrate a scientific problem from hypothesis to results.
4. Write various types of prose, such as short stories, biography, autobiography, or memoir that contain narrative elements.	Example: • Students write prose, biographies.
5. Support main idea, topic, or theme with facts, examples, or explanations, including information from multiple sources.	Example: • Students write a research report that includes facts, examples, or explanations from multiple sources related to a particular topic or theme.
6. Sharpen focus and improve coherence by considering the relevancy of included details, and adding, deleting, and rearranging appropriately.
7. Write sentences of varying length and complexity, using specific nouns, verbs, and descriptive words.	Instructional focus Writing: • Explicit instruction about the complexity of sentences, including powerful beginnings and segues or transitional words, phrases and sentences • Types of sentences (compound, complex) Vocabulary: • Explicit instruction during both teacher read alouds and small group instruction • Interactive word walls • Teacher paraphrasing during reading and speaking as well as during writers’ conferences with individual students • Anchoring of the new words to students’ backgrounds and experiences • Writing assignments that require the use of domain specific words • Attention to words that authors choose and how words illuminate the story or the information • Knowledge about multiple meaning words and selection of precise words Examples: • Students create semantic webs for multiple meaning words. • Students write reviews of their favorite books or movies, using figurative language and descriptive vocabulary.
8. Prepare a works consulted page for reports or research papers.
9. Provide logical sequence throughout multi-paragraph works by refining organizational structure and developing transitions between ideas.	Instructional focus: • Transition words, phrases and sentences • Knowledge of logical sequence as evidenced by progression of ideas
10. Engage the reader from beginning to end with an interesting opening, logical sequence, and satisfying conclusion.
3.2.6 C. Mechanics, Spelling, and Handwriting
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- How do rules of language affect communication?	- Rules, conventions of language, help readers understand what is being communicated.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Use Standard English conventions in all writing, such as sentence structure, grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, handwriting.	Instructional strategies: • Students review exemplar essays. • Students edit sample essays.
2. Use a variety of sentence types and syntax, including independent and dependent clauses and prepositional and adverbial phrases, to connect ideas and craft writing in an interesting and grammatically correct way.
3. Use knowledge of English grammar and usage to express ideas effectively.
4. Use correct capitalization and punctuation, including commas and colons, throughout writing.
5. Use quotation marks and related punctuation correctly in passages of dialogue.
6. Use knowledge of roots, prefixes, suffixes, and English spelling patterns to spell words correctly in writing.
7. Demonstrate understanding of reasons for paragraphs in narrative and expository writing and indent appropriately in own writing.
8. Edit writing for correct grammar usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
9. Use a variety of materials, such as a dictionary, grammar reference, and/or internet/software resources to edit written work.
10. Write legibly in manuscript or cursive to meet district standards.
3.2.6 D. Writing Forms, Audiences, and Purposes (exploring a variety of forms)
Essential Questions	Enduring Understandings
- Why does a writer choose a particular form of writing?	- A writer selects a form based on audience and purpose.
Areas of Focus/Cumulative Progress Indicators	Comments and Examples
1. Write for different purposes (e.g., to express ideas, inform, entertain, respond to literature, persuade, question, reflect, clarify, share) and a variety of audiences (e.g., self, peers, community).	Instructional strategies: • Use of authentic text (newspapers, Internet sources, magazines and journals, advertisements, speeches, directions, songs and poetry, letters, brochures and pamphlets, comic strips, websites, political cartoons, etc.) to study audience and purpose for writing • Facilitated discussion among students as a way of brainstorming their purpose and ideas • Target writing to reflect a particular audience and purpose Examples: • Students write a speech to inform peers about the dangers of smoking. • Students write a poem to entertain. • Students write an advertising slogan to persuade.
2. Gather, select, and organize information appropriate to a topic, task, and audience.
3. Develop and use knowledge of a variety of genres, including expository, narrative, persuasive, poetry, critiques, and everyday/ workplace writing.
4. Organize a response that develops insight into literature by exploring personal reactions, connecting to personal experiences, and referring to the text through sustained use of examples.
5. Write narratives, establishing a plot or conflict, setting, characters, point of view, and resolution.	Instructional strategies: • Use selected literature to highlight/teach elements of narrative writing • Provide opportunities for students to write ASSESS through narrative writing assignments.
6. Use narrative techniques (e.g., dialogue, specific actions of characters, sensory description, and expression of thoughts and feelings of characters).	Instructional strategies: • Use selected literature to highlight/teach narrative techniques • Provide opportunities for students to write ASSESS through narrative writing assignments.
7. Write reports based on research with a scope narrow enough to be thoroughly covered, supporting the main ideas or topic with facts, examples, and explanations from authoritative sources, and including a works consulted page.
8. Write persuasive essays with clearly stated positions or opinions supported by organized and relevant evidence to validate arguments and conclusions, and sources cited when needed.	Instructional focus: • Clearly stating positions • Supporting opinions • Substantiating relevant evidence • Writing a summative statement that supports the position Example: Students write a persuasive essay to convince teenagers to get involved in saving the environment.
9. Demonstrate the ability to write business letters in correct format and coherent style.
10. Use a variety of strategies to organize writing, including sequence, chronology, cause/effect, problem/solution, and order of importance.	Instructional focus: • Study of precise, sequential writing (for style and selection of vocabulary) • Study of transition words that show chronological sequence (and addition of these words to the classroom’s interactive word wall or targeted word) Example: Students create and complete a graphic organizer demonstrating knowledge of cause/effect, using the effects of weather on coastal areas as the subject matter.
11. Demonstrate higher-order thinking skills and writing clarity when answering open-ended and essay questions in content areas or as responses to literature.
12. Use relevant graphics in writing (e.g., maps, charts, illustrations, graphs, photographs).
13. Demonstrate the development of a personal style and voice in writing.
14. Review scoring criteria of relevant rubrics.
15. Develop a collection of writings (e.g., a literacy folder or a literacy portfolio).

Link to Standard 3.2 Grade 5

Link to Standard 3.2 Grade 7

Back to Main Page