General
2020 COVID-19 Addendum
Students will be working virtually in English Language Arts until the District reopens. This means that there are going to be modifications to the curriculum. Please stay tuned to Google Classroom for specifics. The following learning goals have been targeted as essential moving forward towards the end of the school year and will be the focus with digital support: Informational Writing.
The focus during this time:
Research-Based Information Writing: In this Unit, students will select and engage in a topic through research. They will analyze sources, take notes, organize information, draft, revise, and edit in order to produce a digital informational book.
Heinzel_hour1: https://classroom.google.com/c/Mzc3MzUzNzA4NjJa
Heinzel_hour2: https://classroom.google.com/c/Mzc3MzUzNzA5MDJa
Heinzel_hour3: https://classroom.google.com/c/Mzc3MzUzNzA5Mjla
Heinzel_hour4: https://classroom.google.com/c/Mzc3MzUzNzA5NDha
Heinzel_hour6: https://classroom.google.com/c/Mzc3MzUzNzA5NzVa
Johnson_hour1: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NDExNzUxMjI1MjNa
Johnson_hour2: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NDExNzUxMjI1Mzla
Johnson_hour3: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NDExNzUxMjI1NTBa
Johnson_hour4: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NDExNzUxMjI1Nzda
Johnson_hour6: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NDExNzUxMjI1ODla
Course Description
In this course, students will expand their creative, analytical reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, as well as refining their speaking and listening skills through the use of the Reading and Writing Workshop format. Through this format, students will develop their ability to closely read and interpret increasingly complex literature and informational texts. They will express their thinking through writing and speaking in a variety of ways, for a variety of purposes and audiences. Students will additionally engage in inquiry based research to improve skills within self selected topics. Not only does this reinforce key concepts learned in elementary school but it also prepares them for deeper concepts seen later in secondary education.
Key Course Learning Experiences
Students will deepen their understanding of reading, writing, and research concepts specific to the Units of Study
Deep Study of Character: In this Unit, students will think deeply about characters, investigate the influence of setting, and develop overarching themes in fiction books.
Tapping the Power of Non-Fiction: In this Unit, students will discern central ideas in nonfiction texts as well as determine essential vocabulary based on a chosen topic. Students will create a visual representation of the information learned (one-pager or other formats).
Personal Narrative: In this Unit, students will draw from their own personal experiences to craft a personal narrative referring to a memory, or small moment in their life.
Social Issues Book Clubs: In this Unit, students will analyze social issues that exist in the world today through reading and working collaboratively in book clubs.
Research-Based Information Writing: In this Unit, students will select and engage in a topic through research. They will analyze sources, take notes, organize information, draft, revise, and edit in order to produce a digital informational book.
Book Tastings: At the beginning of each unit, students will have several opportunities to explore a variety of titles within the genre of reading study.
Gallery Walks: At the end of each unit, and sometimes mid-unit, students will have the opportunity to share and celebrate their work through displaying it for their peers, and classmates from the opposite “House,” to view and give compliments.
Essential Learning Goals
Reading: Using the reading workshop framework (mini-lesson, independent practice, small group, and conferring), students will demonstrate a foundational understanding of how to critically interpret, analyze, and evaluate informational texts and literature of varying levels of text complexity for a range of tasks, purposes, audiences, and mediums.
Writing: Using the writing workshop framework (mini-lesson, independent practice, small group, and conferring), students will demonstrate a foundational understanding of how to write in a variety of formats (narrative, informative, argumentative) over different periods of time (on-demand as well as short and extended time frames), adapt and apply their writing for a range of tasks, audiences, and purposes.
Major Assessments and Success Criteria
Reading and Writing Workshop is largely performance-based and guides students through formative and summative assessments to show evidence of student growth. Students will also engage in self-reflection to evaluate their learning.