English Language Arts Digital Learning Plans

Content experts at the Georgia Department of Education have developed Digital Learning Plans for teachers and parents. These Georgia Standards of Excellence-based plans were specifically designed as support for school districts, administrators, teachers, and parents who work tirelessly to provide students with quality content.

The plans are easy-to-use and include both “plugged and unplugged” activities. Check back for more Digital Learning Plans in each content area as they are updated weekly. These lesson plans were created in collaboration with the Georgia Writing Project. 

Back to all digital learning plans

• Kindergarten

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will develop phonological awareness. Click to download. 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn the steps of the writing process. Click to download. 

   

  
• 1st Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will participate in shared reading. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Using the mentor text Be Kind by Pat Zietow Miller, students will be introduced to the idea of acts of kindness and how that can positively benefit others. Click to download.

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Framework
  This 10-lesson mini unit introduces students to the concept of becoming writers of informational texts. While this unit focuses primarily on writing instruction, the assumption is that students are also engaging in reading workshop lessons centered around nonfiction texts. This overlap in reading and writing instruction allows students to begin producing the same types of texts they are reading independently and invites natural observations of text characteristics used by readers and writers of informational texts. In this unit students will observe as the teacher models writing informational booklets and students will produce multiple booklets themselves over the course of the ten days.

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson One
  Getting Started Writing Informational Booklets
  Students will learn that informational texts are written to teach others about a topic. They will view a sample student-written text and discuss its characteristics before seeing the teacher’s “expert list” of possible writing topics and listening as the teacher models beginning to write in her booklet. Students will then compose their own “expert lists” and begin a booklet to teach others about one of those topics.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Two
  Telling Facts and Adding More
  Students will continue to add to the booklets they started in lesson one, with an emphasis on adding details to both pictures and text. The teacher will continue to clarify for students that informational books tell facts about a topic rather than telling a story about a time something happened. The teacher will model continuing his/her booklet rather than starting a new one.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Three
  Telling Different Parts on Different Pages
  Students will learn to plan a new piece of writing by thinking first about how they might tell about their topic part by part, with different parts, or subtopics, on different pages. Planning their booklets in this way encourages students to think in organized ways and will also allow room for future revisions/additions to booklet pages.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Four
  Getting Help from Writing Partners 
  Students will become more aware of the audience for their writing by reading their booklet to a partner and receiving feedback. The lesson will focus on having partners ask the writer questions about their topic in order to prompt them to add details and facts.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Five
  Getting our Readers’ Attention
  In this lesson, students will work on the leads of their booklets with a focus on creating a lead that lets the reader know the topic in an attention-grabbing way. It is important to note that this lesson is pushing students beyond the basic requirements of the W2 standard, which simply states that students should be able to “name the topic.” The “Evidence of Success” section of this lesson provides guidance on ways to assess student writing as a result of this lesson.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Six
  Being Brave with our Words
  In this lesson, the teacher will encourage students to become “fearless spellers” in order to tackle the spelling of specific vocabulary they will likely encounter as they write about their topics. The purpose of the lesson is to reassure students that the spelling of these often-complicated words does not need to be perfect, but that stretching sounds in order to spell via approximations is the brave thing to do. What we don’t want is students who “play it safe” and avoid words they can’t spell, thereby writing bland, unspecific texts. This lesson is adapted from the works of Katie Wood Ray and Lisa Cleaveland.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Seven
  Illustrating with Intention
  In this lesson students will learn that the illustrations in an informational text teach just as much as the words. As informational authors, we need to make sure to carefully add details to the illustrations in our booklets and to think about the book from the audience’s point of view.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Eight
  Ending our Booklets
  In this lesson student writers will work on providing “a sense of closure” to their informational booklets as the standard asks them to do. Several concrete options for endings will be discussed, such as asking the reader a question, telling the reader what they learned, and telling the reader how you feel about the topic.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Nine
  Getting Ready to Celebrate – Revision!
  In this lesson students will begin to prepare for the culminating celebration during which they will read their books to other students in order to “teach” them about their topics. Students will choose one of the booklets they have worked on over the course of this unit to publish. They will revise the content by rereading the booklet and clarifying ideas and adding or removing words or sentences. Students should not be made to copy over their entire book as part of the publication process, though some students may choose to do so. This revision lesson is about making the ideas in the booklets clearer and stronger; it is not about spelling, punctuation or capitalization, which will be addressed in the editing lesson, lesson ten.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Lesson Ten
  Getting Ready to Celebrate – Editing!
  In this lesson students will prepare for the culminating celebration by editing their book for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization. The goal is not to have a perfectly edited piece of writing. Rather, the goal is for students to edit to the best of their ability and understand that the goal of language conventions is to make their writing easier for the reader to understand. It may be preferable to break this lesson into several days in order to narrow the scope of editing for students.
  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout                                                      

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES 

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Anchor Chart 1

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Anchor Chart 2

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing "I am not afraid of my words” Chart

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Student Sample Booklet [Exemplar]

  Teaching Others What We Know: Informational Writing Student Booklet [Template]

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing
  Framework Overview
  This ten-lesson mini unit introduces students to the concept of becoming writers of opinion texts. During this unit students will learn to distinguish their opinion from those of the teacher and their peers. They will observe as the teacher models opinion writing and conducts shared writing with the class. Students will independently create multiple opinion writing pieces on their own over the course of the ten days.

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing
  Lesson One: What is opinion writing?
  Students will learn that opinion texts tell what a writer thinks about a particular topic. Different people’s opinions may not agree with each other, and that is ok. Opinions vary by person, but facts are something you can prove with your senses. Students will see the teacher’s pre-written model of opinion writing, compare it against a checklist, then go off to write their own opinion pieces. Reminder: first graders should not be taught to use the OREO structure (Opinion, Reason, Evidence, Opinion) because it goes beyond the expectations of the standard and is not developmentally appropriate.
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Two: State your opinion.
  In this lesson, the class will begin by brainstorming a list of topics about which they may have an opinion. Students will practice orally stating their opinions, then will choose a topic to independently write about as the teacher confers.
  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Three: Include a strong reason.
  In this lesson, the class will choose sides on a topic (Which cookies are better: chocolate chip or OREOs?) and engage in shared writing with the teacher to state a strong reason for their opinion. The teacher will help students understand that strong reasons are clearly tied to the opinion. Students will then work on adding a strong reason to their own independent writing. Keep in mind that the standard only requires that students provide A reason (one) for their opinion; however, many of the models used in this mini unit include more than one reason to encourage students to try their hand at adding additional reasons.
  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Four: Get your reader’s attention. 
  In this lesson, students will work on creating an engaging introduction to capture their reader’s attention. The introduction can be as simple as a sentence or question that comes directly before the writer’s stated opinion. The purpose of the introduction is to hook the reader and make them want to continue reading/listening. Therefore, this will make the most sense to students if they have an authentic audience with whom to share their writing, such as a writing partner or a buddy class to whom they will read their pieces.
  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Five: Let your reader know you're done. 
  In this lesson, students will work on the conclusions to their pieces. While students may have written multiple pieces by this point, they may or may not have included the “sense of closure” that the standards require. This lesson will help students signal to their readers that the piece is finished by restating their opinion or adding a “call to action” by suggesting that the reader engages with the topic in some way.
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Student Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Six: Can you add more? 
  In this lesson, students will be encouraged to elaborate on their writing by adding additional reasons. While the first-grade standard only requires that students provide one reason for their opinion, this lesson will push students toward thinking of more than one reason. Therefore, consider this a supplemental lesson to stretch students, but don’t feel discouraged if some students are not able to meet the expectations.
  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Seven: Your writing can make the world better. 
  In this lesson, the teacher will broaden the scope of opinion writing for students. Up to this point, students have been writing their opinions about the “best” (or “worst”) of a category – best movie, toy, dessert, book, etc. This lesson will encourage the first graders to think about their opinions about larger issues – pollution, endangered animals, food safety, water conservation, etc. Many of these can be combined with the science topics studied in 1st grade. Because this concept might be difficult for some students, the lesson is structured around shared writing about a group topic chosen from a list brainstormed by the class. From this point forward in the unit, some students may choose to write about these larger “making the world better” topics, while other students may continue to write about “best” and “worst” items as they have done so far.
  Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Eight: Getting ready to celebrate – REVISION! 
  In this lesson, students will begin to prepare for the culminating celebration in which they will read their books to other students in order to share their opinion about their topics. Students will choose one of the pieces they have worked on over the course of this unit to publish. They will revise the content by rereading, clarifying ideas, and adding or removing words or sentences. Students should not be made to copy over their entire piece as part of the publication process, though some students may choose to do so. This revision lesson is about making the ideas in the booklets clearer and stronger; it is not about spelling, punctuation, or capitalization, which will be addressed in the editing lesson, lesson 9. Note: Before teaching this lesson, look ahead to lesson 10 and choose the way you will help students share their writing in the culminating celebration.
  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing
  Lesson Nine: Getting ready to celebrate – EDITING! 
  In this lesson, students will prepare for the final culminating celebration by editing their pieces for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. The goal is not to have a perfectly edited piece of writing. Rather, the goal is for students to edit to the best of their ability and understand that the goal of language conventions is to make their writing easier for the reader to understand. It may be preferable to break this lesson into several days in order to narrow the scope of editing for students.
  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 
  Lesson Ten: Celebration! 
  In this lesson, students will celebrate the work they have done with opinion writing during this unit. Several options for celebrations will be offered for the teacher to choose from. Celebrations are important because they provide students with an authentic audience to keep in mind as they write, revise, and edit their pieces over the course of the unit. A celebration also allows students to see how far they have come as a writer from the beginning of the unit or earlier in the year. Finally, when students serve as an audience to others, they gather ideas for their own writing.
  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES 

  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 1st Grade Opinion Writing Rubric (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 1st Grade Opinion Writing Student Checklist (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Sharing What We Believe: Opinion Writing 1st Grade Opinion Writing Student Sample Paper

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing Framework Overview 
  This ten-lesson mini unit will support students as they write personal narratives about events and people from their lives. During this unit students will create booklets of their narratives stories that look like the leveled texts they read during their independent reading time. They will learn how to tell a story from beginning to middle to end and add meaningful details by observing as their teacher models writing booklets and shares mentor texts. Students will independently create multiple narrative booklets on their own over the course of the ten days.

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson One: What can you write about? 
  In this lesson the teacher will introduce the idea of writing personal narratives in booklets by reading students a partially written model created by the teacher. The class will then brainstorm ideas for personal narrative stories by listing the people, places, and feelings they have experienced on a class chart to be posted prominently throughout the unit. Students will then be given a blank booklet to begin their stories.
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Two: Tell your story in order. 
  In this lesson the focus will be on telling a story about “a time something happened” rather than writing an “I like…” story. The former is a series of closely linked events (e.g., the time my dog fell into the creek) rather than a list-y story all about a topic (e.g., “I like Sarah. She is my friend. We play soccer. She has a dog.”). While the latter may be a good achievement for some of your students, for most of your students the goal will be to zoom in and tell the story of a specific event in order. Of course, your expectations for your students may vary depending on the time of year you teach this unit.
  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Three: Where should you start your story?
  In this lesson the teacher will help students learn to “set the stage” for their story by beginning their tale before the most important event. For instance, rather than beginning with, “I got stung by a bee,” the young writer could begin with, “My family had a picnic at the lake,” and tell the sequence of events that led to the bee sting. While the writing standards for first graders do not require that they include an introduction to their stories, the teacher can help students learn how to apply a basic story arc to their own writing by thinking carefully about where to begin.
  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Four: How can you end your story? 
  In this lesson the teacher will help students end their stories by providing a sense of closure. This can be attained by helping students show the “event” is resolved (if it was a problem) or that it is simply finished. Students can also show a sense of closure by sharing how they felt at the end. Students should understand that simply writing “the end” does not provide a sense of closure.
  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Five: Get help from your partner! 
  In this lesson students will share their stories with a writing partner as a way to help them begin to write for an audience. Reading their story to a partner can help students begin to become aware of other perspectives and the need to elaborate and explain details for someone who wasn’t there. This lesson pushes students to work on the speaking and listening standards that support collaboration.
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Student Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Six: Add details to your story. 
  In this lesson the students will work on elaborating the details in their stories by mining their illustrations for additional information. Beginning writers oftentimes spend more time on their illustrations than on writing, perhaps because it feels more achievable at this point in their development. This lesson helps students understand that the details in their drawings such as color, amounts/numbers, and specific elements of the setting can strengthen their writing.
  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Seven: Add dialogue to your story. 
  In this lesson the teacher will build on lesson 6 and help students think about how to add dialogue to their stories as another type of detail. Since punctuating dialogue with quotation marks isn’t a standard until 3rd grade, the focus will not be on correct punctuation, but rather a way to have the people in their stories talk to bring the narrative to life.
  Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Eight: Be brave with your spelling! 
  In this lesson the teacher will encourage students to use the word wall to spell common words they use over and over again (these may be called “popcorn” words or “sight words” by teachers) and to also be brave with spelling not-so-common words that are more difficult to spell. Research shows that using invented spelling in writing helps develop students’ phonetic understanding and can be a powerful tool to help developing writers (Loewus, 2017). Too often, students hear the message that writing must be spelled correctly and will choose to “play it safe” by only using words they can already spell in their stories. The intent with this lesson is to encourage students to be brave and apply the phonics rules they know in order to spell harder words.
  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Nine: Getting ready to celebrate – REVISION! 
  In this lesson, students will choose one narrative piece they have worked on during the unit to “fancy up” in preparation for the end-of-unit celebration. This lesson will be focused on strengthening the ideas, details, and overall structure of the chosen piece, while saving the work of editing spelling, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization for Lesson 10. Today students will add and delete words and sentences in their booklets to make it stronger and easier for others to understand. They will not need to copy over their booklets to make a “neat copy” unless they choose to do so, since the act of copying can be laborious and disincentivizing, while often resulting in many copying errors.
  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 
  Lesson Ten: Getting ready to celebrate –EDITING! 
  In this lesson students will prepare for the final culminating celebration by editing their book for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. The goal is not to have a perfectly edited piece of writing. Rather, the goal is for students to edit to the best of their ability and understand that the goal of language conventions is to make their writing easier for the reader to understand. It may be preferable to break this lesson into several days in order to narrow the scope of editing for students.
  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES

  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 1st Grade Narrative Writing Rubric (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 1st Grade Student Sample Paper 
  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 1st Grade Narrative Foldable Student Sample
  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 1st Grade Student-friendly Narrative Checklist (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Telling Our Stories: Narrative Writing 1st Grade "I can work with my partner” Guidance (Word Version & PDF Version)

  
• 2nd Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will participate in interactive read-alouds. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about character development  and how characters show feelings in a story. Click to download.

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing: Framework Overview
  This 10-lesson mini unit supports students in writing longer, more in-depth informational texts as second-graders. While this unit focuses primarily on writing instruction, the assumption is that students are also engaging in reading workshop lessons centered around nonfiction texts. This overlap in reading and writing instruction allows students to begin producing the same types of texts they are reading independently and invites natural observations of text characteristics used by readers and writers of informational texts. In this unit students will observe the teacher model writing informational booklets while producing multiple booklets themselves over the course of the ten days.

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson One: Getting Started Writing Informational Booklets
  Students will learn that informational texts are written to teach others about a topic. They will view a sample student-written text and discuss its characteristics before seeing the teacher’s “expert list” of possible writing topics and listening as the teacher models beginning to write in her booklet. Students will then compose their own “expert lists” and begin a booklet to teach others about one of those topics.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Two: Adding Facts, Definitions, and Details to Our Writing
  Students will continue to add to the booklets they started in lesson one, with an emphasis on adding facts, definitions of potentially confusing terms, and details to their text. The teacher will continue to clarify for students that informational books tell facts about a topic rather than telling a story about a time something happened. The teacher will model continuing his/her booklet rather than starting a new one.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Three: Telling Different Parts on Different Pages
  Students will learn to plan a new piece of writing by thinking first about how they might tell about their topic part by part, with different parts, or subtopics, on different pages. Planning their booklets in this way encourages students to think in organized ways and will also allow room for future revisions/additions to booklet pages.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Four: Using Expert Words in Our Writing 
  The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to incorporate vocabulary specific to their topic into their writing. Since they are “experts” in their subject, they are trying to teach others the correct terminology that goes with the topic.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Five: Introducing Our Topic in Interesting Ways 
  In this lesson, students will work on the leads of their booklets with a focus on creating a lead that lets the reader know the topic in an attention-grabbing way. Young writers often work best with concrete options for leads such as: opening with a question, saying how you/others feel about the topic, posing a riddle, or simply addressing the reader.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Six: Using Comparisons to Describe New Information 
  Students will learn that when stating facts and details in their writing it is often easier for the reader to understand if the writer compares the new, unknown, fact to a more familiar idea.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Seven: Illustrating with Intention 
  In this lesson students will focus on the illustrations in their booklets as teaching tools. Students will learn about diagrams, close-ups, captions, and cutaway drawings as ways of teaching their readers. It is important to note that this standard is pushing students beyond the basic requirements of the W2 standard. Usage of these text features is expected of students as readers, but it is not required that they use them as writers. Therefore, introduce these tools to your students and encourage them to try them, but don’t require their usage as an assessment.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Eight: Ending with the Audience in Mind 
  In this lesson student writers will work on providing a concluding statement or section to their informational booklets as the standard asks them to do. Several concrete options for endings will be discussed, such as telling the reader what they learned, asking the readers a question, telling the reader how you feel, or ending with advice.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Nine: Getting Ready to Celebrate – Revision! 
  In this lesson students will begin to prepare for the culminating celebration during which they will read their books to other students in order to “teach” them about their topics. Students will choose one of the booklets they have worked on over the course of this unit to publish. They will revise the content by rereading the booklet and clarifying ideas and adding or removing words or sentences. Students should not be made to copy over their entire book as part of the publication process, though some students may choose to do so. This revision lesson is about making the ideas in the booklets clearer and stronger; it is not about spelling, punctuation or capitalization, which will be addressed in the editing lesson, lesson ten.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing | Lesson Ten: Getting Ready to Celebrate – Editing!
  In this lesson students will prepare for the culminating celebration by editing their book for correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization. The goal is not to have a perfectly edited piece of writing. Rather, the goal is for students to edit to the best of their ability and understand that the goal of language conventions is to make their writing easier for the reader to understand. It may be preferable to break this lesson into several days in order to narrow the scope of editing for students.
  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use!

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Framework
  Second grade students are eager to share their opinions about a variety of topics. This 10-lesson opinion writing mini unit will provide students with the opportunity to share their opinions about the books they have read or listened to during the year. Students will build upon their knowledge and skills as opinion writers by supplying multiple reasons to support their opinions, using linking words to connect their ideas, and providing a convincing conclusion. Students will have the opportunity to share their Book Reviews in a variety of formats.

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson One 
  Introduction to Book Reviews
  Why do writers write opinion text? Second grade students will understand that opinion writers write to share what they think or feel about a particular topic. In this lesson students will explore the opinion writing genre. Students will analyze second grade book review exemplars to determine the components of an effective book review.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Two
  Reading for Reviews 
  In this lesson students will explore the connections between reading and writing. The lesson will begin with an exploration of a variety of books. The teacher will model how to recount stories from diverse cultures. Students will read stories and recount the story in preparation for their Book Review
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Three 
  Opinion Introductions
  In this lesson students will explore the various ways that writers introduce their topic. Students will review various book reviews to identify the components of a strong introduction. The class will complete a shared writing utilizing the strategies they have learned from the mentor texts used in the mini lesson.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout 

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Four 
  Providing Reasons
  In this lesson, students will understand why it is important to support their opinion with reasons. Opinion writers must provide reasons that support their opinions. The reasons that the author provides help the reader better understand why the author feels/thinks the way they do. The class will add to their shared writing by adding reasons to the opinion. Students will add reasons to their book review drafts to support their opinions.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Five
  Engaging Readers
  In this lesson, students will learn how to add details to strengthen their opinion writing so that readers are more engaged. Students will continue to add to their book review drafts.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Six
  Using Linking (Transition) Words
  In this lesson, students will learn how to add linking words (transition words) to connect their opinion and reasons. Students will continue to add to their book review drafts.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Seven
  Writing Strong Conclusions 
  In this lesson, students will learn how to write strong conclusions that remind readers of their opinions. Students will continue to add to their book review drafts.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Eight
  Revision Power
  In this lesson, students will learn about the power of revision. Students will use their understanding of revision to revise the class book review and their individual book review drafts.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Nine
  Editing
  In this lesson, students will learn about the power of editing to strengthen their credibility as a writer. Students will use their understanding of editing to finalize the class book review and their individual book review drafts.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! Lesson Ten
  Sharing & Celebrating
  In this lesson, students will celebrate their writing by sharing their final drafts with their peers. Students will share their final draft in the author’s chair, receive feedback from their peers, and create a final reflection for their work.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES 

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Anchor Chart 1

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Anchor Chart 2

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Anchor Chart 3

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing Anchor Chart 4

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing: Student Sample Booklet [Exemplar]

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing: Student Booklet [Template]

  Teaching Others Through Informational Writing: Nonfiction Writing Paper [Template]

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! “Big Make” Revision Checklist

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! “Big Make” Editing Checklist

  Opinion Writing: Book Reviews You Can Use! “Big Make” Rubric

  
• 3rd Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: In this collection of learning plans, students will learn to ask and answer questions to understand a text, understand the difference between literal and non-literal language, understand important parts of a story and compare the stories, compare and contrast stories, write about similarities and differences in stories, understand questions with informational text, use academic language in science and social studies, understand the important details in informational text, compare and contrast details in two informational texts, and write about two informational texts. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn the art of opinion writing. Click to download learning plan. Click to download PowerPoint.

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Framework Overview
  Students will learn how to write an informational piece to share information with others. Students will learn how to efficiently research and organize information to share information effectively with a desired audience. At the end of the lesson sequence, students will write to inform the audience about a meaningful topic. Learning Targets: 
  · Students will write an informative text to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. 
  · Students will introduce a topic and group related information together. 
  · Students will develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details. 
  · Students will use linking words and phrases to connect ideas within categories of information. 
  · Students will include a concluding statement or section.

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson One 
  What is informational writing? 
  Students will examine informational writing to see the purpose, audience, and strategies used in informational writing. Students will begin brainstorming topics and subtopics to begin their own informational writing piece.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson One “How is Informational Writing Different?” Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson One “I See, I Think, I Wonder” Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson One Informational Writing Anchor Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Two
  Drafting an Introduction 
  Students will examine informational writing to see the purpose, audience, and strategies used in informational writing. Students will write an introduction to their informational writing piece and begin drafting subtopics.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Two Exemplar Introduction

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Two Introducing your Topic Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Three
  Develop the Topic (Part I): Subtopics, Research Facts, Definitions, & Details 
  Students will examine informational writing to see the purpose, audience, and strategies used in informational writing. Students will begin writing subtopics and will focus on writing to a specific audience. Facts are an important aspect of informational writing, and students will learn how to research facts and add them to their writing.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Four
  Develop the topic (Part II): Subtopics, Research facts, Definitions, & Details 
  Students will examine informational writing to see the purpose, audience, and strategies used in informational writing. Students will begin writing subtopics and will focus on writing to a specific audience. In informational writing, key words and glossaries are used to provide readers with content vocabulary. Students will focus on adding vocabulary to their writing pieces today.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Five
  Develop the topic: Begin writing subtopics (Research facts, definitions, details) 
  Students will examine informational writing to see the purpose, audience, and strategies used in informational writing. Students will continue writing subtopics and will focus on writing to a specific audience. In informational writing, authors use details and organize them into structures to inform their audience. This lesson will focus on adding details to students’ informational writing through different text structures such as compare and contrast, problem and solution, and cause and effect.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Five Structure Anchor Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Six
  How to Connect Ideas: Using Transition Words, Phrases, and Sentences 
  Students will use transition words, phrases, and sentences in their informational writing pieces. It is important to transition smoothly between details and subtopics in writing. Students will practice ways to transition and reread their writing to add transitional words, phrases, and sentences.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Six Transitions Anchor Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Six Transition Paragraphs

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Seven
  How to conclude my writing: Provide a concluding statement or section 
  Students will add conclusion statements to their writing. Conclusion statements are important for students to write because it gives them the opportunity to wrap up their writing and compel their audience to do more research or extend their knowledge further.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Seven Conclusions Anchor Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Seven Conclusions Exemplar

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Eight
  Culminating “Big Make” Task: Choose a meaningful topic to inform others 
  Students will begin their “Big Make” Task. Students will apply the strategies and methods learned throughout the first seven lessons to create a new informational writing piece. For this writing piece, students will choose to write about a topic that is meaningful to them. This gives students the opportunity to use knowledge they have gained and use it in a meaningful way, by informing others of a topic that is important to them.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Eight Meaningful Topic Anchor Chart

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Nine
  Culminating “Big Make” Task: Choose a meaningful topic to inform others 
  Students will continue their “Big Make” Task. Students will apply the strategies and methods learned throughout the first seven lessons to create a new informational writing piece. For this writing piece, students will choose to write about a topic that is meaningful to them. This gives students the opportunity to use knowledge they have gained and use it in a meaningful way, by informing others of a topic that is important to them.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others | Lesson Ten
  Culminating “Big Make” Task: Choose a meaningful topic to inform others 
  Students will complete their “Big Make” Task. Students will apply the strategies and methods learned throughout the first seven lessons to create a new informational writing piece. For this writing piece, students will choose to write about a topic that is meaningful to them. This gives students the opportunity to use knowledge they have gained and use it in a meaningful way, by informing others of a topic that is important to them.
  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Presentation of Anchor Charts

  Informational Writing: Writing to Inform Others Rubric

  
• 4th Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about details and examples in a story, language and stories, comparing and contrasting stories, writing about stories, details and examples from the text, academic and content language, compare and contrast informational text, the importance of language with informational text, and writing about informational text. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn the art of opinion writing. Click to download.

  How to Write a Personal Narrative: Framework Overview 
  This ten-lesson unit will provide students with an understanding of the genre writing and will select a focus based on purpose and genre expectations. Students will be led through the writing process from start to finish, as well as have opportunities to participate in the peer editing process. Using mentor texts, the characteristics of a personal narrative will be utilized throughout the unit, providing students with examples to encourage use of the same techniques in their personal narrative writing pieces. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate and respond to their peers throughout the unit.

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson One: Let’s review narrative characteristics!
  In this lesson, we will review the elements of a narrative and begin the process of selecting a focus and point of view for their upcoming task.
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson One: Let’s review narrative characteristics!
  In this lesson, we will review the elements of a narrative and begin the process of selecting a focus and point of view for their upcoming task.
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Two: Identifying Personal Narrative 
  Characteristics in a Mentor Text This lesson will provide students with an opportunity to identify personal narrative characteristics in a mentor text. Students will also select a topic for their writing and begin the first stage of prewriting using a graphic organizer.
  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Three: Writing a Strong Lead 
  Students will read or view several leads found in mentor texts to see strong leads that authors have used in their writing. Students will then construct a strong lead as well as the introduction paragraph for their personal narrative.
  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Four: Determining POV & Plot Structure 
  Students will review point-of-view to determine how to write their personal narratives. They will then listen to or read a mentor text to determine the plot structure. They will take these two understandings to complete a plot diagram over their intended personal narrative.
  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Five: Transition Words, Phrases, & Clauses 
  In this lesson, students will learn about adding transitions words and phrases to their writing to provide the reader with a roadmap to their writing. Students will identify transitions in a mentor text and then add these elements to their graphic organizers.
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Student Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Six: Flashback, Foreshadowing, & Dialogue to Enhance Writing 
  In this lesson, students will review foreshadowing, flashback, and dialogue and then use them to enhance their personal narratives. Students will then use their graphic organizers to help them compose their draft’s sentences then color-code their drafts to ensure strategy use.
  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Seven: Writing the Conclusion
  In this lesson, students will draft the conclusion of their narrative writing piece using the paragraph format discussed in lesson three.
  Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Eight: Peer Revision & Editing 
  Students will begin the revision process today with a partner assigned to them. Students will engage in a practice session of peer editing, so they are aware of the expectations during this process. Students will then use a checklist of your choosing to guide their interactions and revisions.
  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Nine: Revision & Editing 
  This lesson allows students the opportunity to revise their writing based on peer feedback as well as feedback from the teacher. The conclusion of this lesson will allow students one last chance to edit their writing using the rubric.
  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  How to Write a Personal Narrative 
  Lesson Ten: Publishing the Final Draft 
  This lesson will provide students with the opportunity to show off their hard work! Students will publish their writing and share their final presentation with friends and family.
  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES
  How to Write a Personal Narrative Elements of the Story Handout PDF Version

  
• 5th Grade

  **NEW**Informational Writing Framework

  Framework Overview
  This lesson sequence will teach students to write informative essays by following stages of the pre-writing process that will also include research on a topic of choice as a final writing piece. Students will learn to organize their research and choose an audience for their informative essay, and they will publish their work in a grade-wide culminating coffee house-style event.
   
  Informational Writing - Lesson One - What is informative writing?
  Students will be introduced to informational texts and writing; they will be given the opportunity to view and give feedback to sample fifth grade informational writings.
  Informational Writing Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing - Lesson Two - How do I brainstorm an idea or topic to write about?
  Students will be introduced to three brainstorming strategies that they may choose from to find students’ intended research topic. Teacher will support students along the way to ensure students have a topic ready for research the following day.
  Informational Writing Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing - Lesson Three - How do I begin my research for my informative writing?
  Students will use today to begin research online using websites and/or physical resources (books, informational texts, etc.). The teacher will model by doing a search for your own topic of interest. Let students take notes any way they wish today to see what they already know about note taking.            
  Informational Writing Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing - Lesson Four - Where do I begin my research for my essay and what strategies can I use for note taking?
  Students will begin reading and taking notes from their research material from yesterday. Teacher will show students how to highlight important information in paragraphs using any informational mentor text (book or passage). Teacher will then introduce and model the use of three different graphic organizers that students may use to take their research notes.
  Informational Writing Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing Lesson Four Graphic Organizer     

  Informational Writing - Lesson Five - Why is it important to organize my research before I write? 
  This lesson will be a whole class discussion about why it is important to organize research before we begin writing. Students will utilize Flipgrid to record their answers, and peers will reply and respond to their answers in the Flipgrid platform. After students discuss the importance of organization and before beginning writing, the teacher will use exemplars to show examples of various student work from fifth grade informational writing assessments.
  Informational Writing Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing - Lesson Six - What strategies can I use to organize my research?
  This whole-class lesson will show students two strategies for organizing their research notes before beginning their writing. Students will be asked to remember the reasons from yesterday’s lesson on why work should be organized before writing so that writing can be completed more efficiently.
  Informational Writing Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing Lesson Six Note Graphic Organizer        

  Informational Writing - Lesson Seven - How can I create a hook to grab my reader’s attention in my introduction?
  This lesson will provide students time to review their notes from yesterday so that they can begin thinking about a good introductory paragraph to hook their reader into their writing right away. Students who need differentiation may use the organizer from lesson six to write their introduction.
  Informational Writing Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing Lesson Seven Graphic Organizer: Introduction  

  Informational Writing - Lesson Eight - How do I begin writing the body of my writing?
  The lesson will begin with students recording a Flipgrid of their essay introduction. The whole class mini lesson will be about how students will use their organized notes to write the body of their paper.
  Informational Writing Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing Lesson Eight Graphic Organizer: Body Paragraphs     

  Informational Writing - Lesson Nine - How can I write a conclusion to my informative essay?
  This mini lesson will show students how to use a summary to conclude their informational writing.
  Informational Writing Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Informational Writing - Lesson Ten - How can I edit my writing before sharing with my audience?
  This lesson will remind students what revising and editing means and will provide students an opportunity to fine tune their writing before publication day. Students will also be shown how to list resources that they have used and quoted in their writing. This lesson may take more than one day depending on students’ need for revising and editing.  
  Informational Writing Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay
  Framework Overview
  In this ten-lesson mini writing unit, students are taken through the necessary steps to write a convincing opinion essay.  Students will generate their own opinion about a topic, state their opinion, and supply two or more reasons to support the opinion.  Using linking words to connect their opinion and reasons writers will demonstrate their understanding of expressing their opinions in a way that is easy for the audience to understand. Synchronous students with access to technology may use Google Classroom or a similar school supported platform to complete their writing. Students who are asynchronous may complete their work online or have the option of paper and pencil journal writing.  Unplugged students will collect packets that will include necessary materials (paper, pencils, graphic organizers, texts, etc.) necessary for the ten-day unit.

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson One
  Fact v. Opinion
  The goal of this lesson is to get students excited about opinion writing and for students to understand facts and opinions. Students will also evaluate elements of opinion writing found in mentor texts or opinion exemplars.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Two
  Using Mentor Texts to Identify Opinions in Writing and Words Used to Persuade
  Writers will study the words authors use in texts to persuade their readers and express their opinions. Students will also identify how claims are supported by reasons and evidence, as well as analyzing visual elements of propaganda posters.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Three
  Write a Thesis Statement to State an Opinion
  Students will analyze thesis statements and craft their own thesis statement to support their opinion.  Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate statements and rewrite to make the statements stronger before creating their own.   
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Four
  Use Details to Support your Thesis Statement
  Students will identify a thesis statement found in a mentor text.  Using a chart, students will also provide details in the text that support the thesis statement. This exercise will prepare students to stay on topic when writing their supporting details paragraphs in the next few lessons.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Five
  Organize Ideas Into Paragraphs
  Students will organize their information using a graphic organizer to guide them in paragraph development.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Five How to Write an Opinion Essay Graphic Organizer
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Six
  Transition Words and Phrases
  In this lesson, students will learn how to incorporate transition words into their opinion essay draft in order to connect their thoughts and ideas.  Using transition words will promote flow and ease in the student’s writing.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Seven
  Drafting Strong Conclusions
  In this lesson, students will draft a conclusion that restates their opening thesis statement.  Students will choose to end their writing with a quote, call for action, or another catchy way to drive home their point to the reader.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Eight
  Revisiting Evidence to Build a Stronger Essay
  This optional lesson can be phased in at this point (or earlier depending on how you would like to use it); however, its rationale for this placement is explained in the engagement portion. In this lesson, students will use sources to strengthen their opinion.  Students will learn where to find sources and how to cite their sources.
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Nine
  Revise and Edit
  This lesson allows students one last time to revise their writing based on feedback from the teacher and peers. They will also edit their writing using a rubric to correct capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors.  
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Lesson Ten
  Sharing & Celebrating
  Student will showcase their final opinion writing piece with a predetermined audience. They will be able to proudly show what they have learned, and they will be able to both give and receive feedback about their creation!
  Opinion Writing: Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

   
  Accompanying Resources

  Informational Writing Teacher Presentation (PDF)
  Informational Writing Teacher Presentation (PowerPoint)
  Informational Writing Learning Target Rubric

  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Transition Words & Phrases
  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Sample Opinion Essay
  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Thesis Chart
  Opinion Writing: How to Write an Opinion Essay Citing Sources Presentation

  Other Learning Plans:

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about details and quotes in a story, figurative language and stories, comparing and contrasting stories, stories and language, writing about stories, details and quotes from the text, language and informational text, comparing and contrasting informational text, language and informational text, and writing about informational texts. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn the art of opinion writing. Click to download.

   

  
• 6th Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will use text evidence to support analysis and inferences in literary works. Students will learn about plot elements through short stories, including “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan & “Names/Nombres” by Julia Alvarez. Click to download.

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to use poetry as a form of self-expression and social activism. Click to download.

  **NEW**Media Literacy Through Informational Writing Mini Unit

  Framework Overview
  This ten-lesson mini unit introduces students to critical analysis through informational writing. This unit emphasizes information literacy skills through the study of digital media and the analysis of information for accuracy and purpose. Students will actively engage with a variety of information media platforms, and they will write descriptions and analysis that demonstrate critical thinking skills. At the conclusion of the unit, students will use what they have learned to create an infographic, along with a detailed analysis of their own work.
   
  Lesson One: Identity & Assumptions
  In this introductory lesson, students will explore their own personal identities to prepare them to understand how identity and bias affects how individuals consume and respond to online information. Students will learn how limited information may affect opinions and assumptions.  They will also examine the role social media can play in presenting a persona. 
  Informational Writing:Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Two: Bias & Information
  In this lesson, students will learn about confirmation bias and how it affects what information individuals choose to consume and ultimately, believe. Students will produce written responses that show an understanding of the information that they have read and discussed.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Three: Facts Matter
  In this lesson, students will read an article about false reporting in the news. They will use a graphic organizer to identify the main idea of the article and supporting details. They will use this information to write a summary of the article.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lesson Three Fact v. Opinion Printout

  Lesson Four: Locating Information
  In this lesson, students will learn how to locate reliable resources that provide accurate information. Students will produce written responses that show an understanding  of what sources they should use for different needs.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout
  Lesson Four Handout: Web page guide and task

  Lesson Five: Evaluating Information
  In this lesson, students will learn how to evaluate a website to determine if it is a credible source for information through learning about and engaging in the strategy of lateral reading. They will compare and contrast websites to determine which one is best for their purposes.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout
  Lesson Five Handout: Website Evaluations
   
  Lesson Six: News Information
  In this lesson, students will learn the six purposes of news information and how to identify them in real-life examples through an interactive lesson. They will learn why it is important to know who creates news and why. They will read an article to learn more about how to determine a news article is not real, and they will consider their role in stopping the spread of false stories.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Lesson Seven: Image Analysis: The Art of “Fauxtography”
  In this lesson, students will examine how and why media can be manipulated through an examination of videos and photos (“fauxtography”). They will consider the potential ramifications that sharing false images can have, and they will evaluate a manipulated image to determine the purpose for its changes and its desired impact on an audience.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Eight: Propaganda & Disinformation
  In this lesson, students will learn four types of propaganda. Students will analyze a World War I propaganda film, and they will write a response that demonstrates an understanding of the four devices. They will analyze the role of propaganda and disinformation as methods for impacting public perception and opinion.  
  Informational Writing: Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Lesson Nine: Digital Citizenship: The Path to a Beneficial Infographic
  In this lesson, students will learn a bit more about digital citizenship and beneficial propaganda. Then, they will begin determining a topic, researching, evaluating sources, and experimenting with infographic templates to create the “Big Make” product.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lesson Nine Research Guide     
   
  Lesson Ten: Digital Citizenship: Making a Difference
  In the culminating lesson, students will complete their final infographic, creating a coherent design to share with a designated audience. If possible, try to create an opportunity for an authentic audience (by either arranging for the final products to be displayed in the school or community (see note in Reflection) or through an online gallery. As a final step, students will analyze their own performance/product, both through their portion of the Learning Targets rubric and a final Writer’s Notebook entry. They are making a difference with their informational writing!
  Informational Writing: Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Media Literacy Through Informational Writing: Accompanying Resources
   
  “Big Make” Summative Project Description/Exemplar
   
  Infographic “Big Make” Summative Project Rubric
   
   

   
   
   
   
   

  
• 7th Grade

  Big Idea/Topics: Students will learn to use text evidence to support analysis and inferences in literary works. Students will learn about plot elements through short stories, including “Thank You M’am” by Langston Hughes and “Amigo Brothers” by Piri Thomas. Click to download.

  
• 8th Grade

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn about plot elements through short stories, including “7th Grade” by Gary Soto, “The Scholarship Jacket” by Martha Salinas, and “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. Click to download.

  Narrative Writing

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Framework Overview
  This ten lesson mini unit challenges students to discover the power of stories through reading, composing, and sharing narrative texts. Students will demonstrate what they have learned by performing an audio publication of the narrative they create, and students will engage in rounds of reflective feedback. Students with access to technology and internet may use Flipgrid to publish, share, and receive/give feedback for their narratives; students with limited access to the internet may publish, share, and receive/give feedback through voice recordings; students who are unplugged may publish, share stories, and receive feedback orally.
  PowerPoint Version & PDF Version

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson One: What is the Purpose of Narrative Writing?
  This first lesson is intended to establish the foundation for the unit. For students to compose their own narrative text, they must understand what narrative writing is, including purpose and audience. Reviewing relevant examples will also help to develop students’ thoughts about narrative writing.
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories? 
  Lesson Two: Exploring and Learning from Mentor Texts
  This second lesson will help students strengthen the foundation for narrative writing by exploring and examining a bank of mentor texts. Students will experience rounds of exploring and examining with super-short narrative examples (100-word memoirs) before moving to more developed short narrative examples.
  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Version
  Word Version & PDF Version

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Three: Using Life Maps to Mine Scenes and Moments Worth Writing About
  This third lesson is intended to help students brainstorm a bank of topics they may explore in this unit (or in later rounds of writing). Students will use a life map organizer and literary signposts to help mine their self-selected topics to help them determine a small moment of focus to be used in their final product.
  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout
  Lesson Three Document for Collaboration
  Lesson Three Life Map Presentation (Teacher Copy)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Four: Crafting Six- and 100-Word Memoirs from our Brainstorming
  This fourth lesson is intended to help students begin drafting short-short narratives (moving from six- 100 words). Students will experiment with incorporating narrative techniques and literary signposts during these “flash” rounds of practice. Students will use these rounds of practice to determine a small moment of focus to be used in their final product.
  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout
  Lesson Four Document for Collaboration

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Five: Experimenting with Narrative Techniques to STRETCH our Six and 100+ Word Memoirs
  This fifth lesson is intended to help students experiment with additional narrative techniques to stretch their short-short narratives (moving from six- 100+ words). Students will experiment with incorporating additional narrative techniques and literary signposts during these “flash” rounds of practice. Students will continue to use these rounds of practice to determine a small moment of focus to be used in their final product.
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Student Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Teacher Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Five Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Six: Experimenting with Narrative Techniques to STRETCH Flash Memoirs, Day II
  This sixth lesson is intended to help students continue drafting and allow for more rounds of experimenting with additional narrative techniques to stretch their short narratives (moving from 100+ words to Flash Memoirs). Students will experiment with incorporating additional narrative techniques and literary signposts during these “flash” rounds of practice. Students will continue to use these rounds of practice to determine a small moment of focus to be used in their final product.
  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Six Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Seven: Strategically Developing Introductions and Conclusions
  This seventh lesson is intended to help students use the body of the narrative to more strategically draft and/or revise their opening/ending. Students will experiment with incorporating narrative techniques and elements of literary signposts for their opening/ending lines. Students will use these rounds of practice to determine an effective opening/ending to be used in their final product.
  Lesson Seven Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Eight: Feedback Loop Day I
  This eighth lesson provides students with an opportunity to work with a collaborative writing partner for focused revision feedback, glow and grow feedback, and personal goal-setting using rounds of practice with the final product rubric. Students will also experiment with creating an audio recording and share of their narratives. Students will use these rounds of practice to revise their final product.
  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Nine: Feedback Loop Day II and Independent Writing/Publishing Time
  This ninth lesson provides students with an opportunity to focus on completing revisions from their peer-feedback and to create a final product (both written and audio) of their flash narrative to submit.
  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Classroom Community of REVISORS (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Classroom Community of EDITORS (Word Version & PDF Version)
  CRAM for Revision (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Editing Self-Assessment (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Narrative Writing: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Ten: Storyteller Showcase Celebration
  This tenth and final lesson provides students the opportunity to share their final product with the class, guests, family members, and friends. This lesson is designed as a storyteller celebration showcase. At the end of the lesson, students will contemplate our collective process, progress, and final products, and they will respond to the unit’s main question: What are our stories? How can we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around us when we share our stories?
  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Accompanying Resources
  “Big Make” Spoken Word Version of Narrative
  Flash Narrative Summative Rubric

  Argumentative Writing

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Framework Overview
  This ten-lesson mini unit immerses students in rounds of increasingly more complex practice with argument skills, including multiple rounds of practice analyzing, evaluations and developing claims, evidence, reasoning, and counterclaims. Students will demonstrate what they have learned by producing a recorded public service announcement (PSA) of the argument they create, and students will engage in rounds of reflective feedback in order to polish and refine their writing. Students with access to technology and internet may use Flipgrid to publish, share, and receive/give feedback for their arguments; students with limited access to the internet may publish, share, and receive/give feedback through voice recordings; students who are unplugged may publish, share arguments, and receive feedback orally. (Word Version & PDF Version) 

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson One: What are the features and purposes of argumentative writing?
  This first lesson is intended to establish the foundation for the unit. For students to compose their own argumentative text, they must understand what argumentative writing is, including purpose and audience. Reviewing relevant examples will also help to develop students’ thoughts about argumentative writing.  
  Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Two: Exploring and Learning from Mentor Texts
  This second lesson will help students strengthen the foundation for argument writing by exploring and examining a bank of mentor texts. Students will experience rounds of exploring and examining with super-accessible argument examples (images, videos, and relatable/accessible topics) before moving to more developed short argument examples.   
  Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Two Document for Collaboration: Spending Time with Mentor Texts (Word Version & PDF Version)
   

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Three: Using Argument Brainstorming to Mine Topics and Issues Worth Writing About
  This third lesson is intended to help students brainstorm a bank of topics they may explore in this unit (or in later rounds of writing). Students will use the Class Argument Text Bank Padlet and nonfiction signposts to help mine their self-selected topics to help them determine topics/issues to be used in their final product. 
  Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Three Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Three Argument Brainstorming Presentation (Teacher Copy) (PowerPoint Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Four: Crafting Argument Paragraphs from our Brainstorming
  This fourth lesson is intended to help students begin to use the evidence they’ve gathered from reading/analyzing texts/topics of choice from the Class Argument Text Bank Padlet to begin rounds of practice drafting short-short arguments (using the claim, evidence, and reasoning [CER] as a body paragraph frame). Students will experiment with incorporating argument techniques and nonfiction signposts during these short rounds of practice. Students will use these rounds of practice to determine a topic/issue of focus to be used in their final product.  
  Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Four Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Four CER Introduction & Samples (PowerPoint Version & PDF Version) 

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Five: Experimenting with Argument Techniques to Sophisticate Our CER Argument Paragraphs
  This fifth lesson is intended to help students experiment with additional argument techniques to sophisticate and stretch their CER argument paragraphs. Students will experiment with incorporating additional argument techniques and nonfiction signposts during these rounds of practice. Students will continue to use these rounds of practice to determine a topic/issue of focus to be used in their final product. 
  Lesson Five [Unplugged] Student Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Five Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing? 
  Lesson Six: Experimenting with Nonfiction Techniques to Sophisticate and Stretch Claims and Counterclaims 
  This sixth lesson is intended to help students continue drafting and allow for more rounds of experimenting with additional argument and nonfiction signpost techniques to stretch their short argument paragraphs and to give some initial experiences using those techniques to acknowledge and distinguish counterclaims. Students will experiment with incorporating additional argument techniques and nonfiction signposts during these rounds of practice. Students will use these same techniques to develop a short counterclaim paragraph. 
  Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Lesson Six Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Seven: Strategically Developing Introductions and Conclusions
  This seventh lesson is intended to help students use the body of the argument to more strategically draft and/or revise their opening/ending. Students will experiment with incorporating argument techniques and elements of nonfiction signposts for their opening/ending lines. Students will use these rounds of practice to determine an effective opening/ending to be used in their final product. 
  Lesson Seven Document for Collaboration (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Eight: Feedback Loop Day I
  This eighth lesson provides students with an opportunity to work with a collaborative writing partner for focused revision feedback, glow and grow feedback, and personal goal-setting using rounds of practice with the final product rubric. Students will also experiment with creating an audio recording and share of their arguments.  Students will use these rounds of practice to revise their final product. 
  Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Peer Conference Form & Argument Checklist & Rubric (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Nine: Feedback Loop Day II and Independent Writing/Publishing Time
  This ninth lesson provides students with an opportunity to focus on completing revisions from their peer-feedback and to create a final product (both written and audio) of their flash narrative to submit.
  Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Classroom Community of REVISORS (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Classroom Community of EDITORS (Word Version & PDF Version)
  CRAM for Revision (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Editing Self-Assessment (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Argumentative Writing: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing?
  Lesson Ten: Argument Showcase Celebration
  This tenth and final lesson provides students the opportunity to share their final product with the class, guests, family members, and friends. This lesson is designed as an argument celebration showcase. At the end of the lesson, students will contemplate our collective process, progress, and final products, and they will respond to the unit’s main question: What’s your point? How can we change ourselves, others, and the world around us when we develop and share strong argumentative writing? 
  Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout (Word Version & PDF Version)

  Accompanying Resources 
  “Big Make” Argument Task (Word Version & PDF Version)
  Argument “Big Make” Rubric (Word Version & PDF Version) 

  
• 9th/10th Grades - Informational Writing

  Informational Writing: What is social media, and how does it affect young people? 

  Framework Overview
   This ten lesson mini unit challenges students to think critically about a topic of their choice by reading and composing a multi-genre informational texts. Students will demonstrate what they have learned by creating a magazine article or ‘zine’ article and incorporating at least one additional informational genre of their choice in order to best communicate their research topic related to social media. Students with access to technology may use Canva or a similar digital tool to create their zine article; offline students may use a variety of physical materials to create their final product.
   
  Lesson One: What is the purpose of informational writing?
  This first lesson is intended to establish the foundation for the unit. For students to compose their own informational text, they must understand what informational writing is, including purpose and audience. Reviewing relevant examples will also help to develop students’ thoughts about informational writing.
  Informational Writing: Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout
    
  Lesson Two: Spending Time with Mentor Texts
  This second lesson continues to establish the foundation for informational writing by reviewing and engaging with a variety of mentor texts. Students can explore various genres, and then as a class, you can help make meaning with all the distinctive features. 
  Informational Writing: Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lesson Two Guidance Document (for synchronous/asynchronous learners)

  Lesson Three: Brainstorm/Conduct Preliminary Research on Topics (Facts Only)
  This third lesson affirms students’ conceptions of fact and opinion and offers insight into the complex way that media an weave them. Students engage in preliminary research/brainstorming on self-selected topics to determine a minimum number of facts they can use in their final product.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lesson Three Guidance Document (for synchronous/asynchronous learners)
   
  Lesson Four: Select, Explore, and Develop Topic/Fact Check 
  (read/annotate/take notes)
  This fourth lesson continues students’ exploration of credible sources and consideration of the various (and scary) ways facts can be manipulated. Students select a topic and use their sleuthing skills to learn more about their selected topic; they complete a credibility checklist to formatively check the veracity of their sources in preparation of the continued process.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Five: Informational Writing: Organize Information & Connect Ideas
  Drafting Day One
  This fifth lesson focuses on students taking all the facts discovered during the research phase, organizing them in a coherent way, and beginning the process of composition. It includes a mini lesson on selecting and incorporating relevant quotations as supports in their informational text.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lessons Five & Six Success Criteria (for synchronous/asynchronous learners)
   
  Lesson Six: Informational Writing: Organize Information & Connect Ideas 
  Drafting Day Two
   This sixth lesson engages students in an exploration of various graphic design elements as they consider their final product and composition of their second text genre. Following a review of potential resources, students will be allowed time to work on finalizing their main magazine article drafts and working on their second informational genre. Students will continue to refer to the drafting success criteria checklist to remain on track with their work.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Lesson Seven: Informational Writing: Writing Partner Day
  This seventh lesson allows students an opportunity to review one another’s magazine article draft and second genre draft. They will focus on providing commendations of and recommendations for precise language and active voice in their review. Trends will be identified through the ticket-out-the-door about strengths and challenges, and this information can be used to help cater the next lesson in the series.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout
  Informational Writing: Lesson Seven Writing Partner Checklist (for synchronous/asynchronous learners)
   
  Lesson Eight: Informational Writing: Genre Integration
  This eighth lesson engages students in an exploration of various graphic design elements as they consider their final product and composition of their second text genre. Following a review of potential resources, students will be allowed time to work on finalizing their main magazine article drafts and working on their second informational genre. Students will continue to refer to the drafting success criteria checklist to remain on track with their work.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Nine: Final Draft & Design Independent Workday
  This ninth lesson allows students the opportunity to have a final designated workday to complete the revisions based on peer feedback and to develop a final product in line with their personal aesthetic. Students will use the success criteria/rubric to self-evaluate and make final tweaks to their product.
  Informational Writing: Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout
   
  Lesson Ten: Showtime!
  This tenth and final lesson provides students the opportunity to present their final product to the class. This lesson is designed as a showcase, but the display could also done utilizing a virtual whiteboard tour (when virtual) or a “show-and-tell" format. At the end of the lesson (and possibly an awards ceremony), students will contemplate the unit’s main question: What is social media, and how does it affect young people?
  Informational Writing: Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

  Accompanying Resources:

  “Big Make” Summative Project Description

  “Big Make” Summative Project Rubric

  Organizational Tree Chart

   

  
• 11th/12th Grades - Reading Power

  Reading Power Framework

   This ten-lesson mini unit introduces students to the concept of reading power, a practice they can draw on throughout the remainder of the school year and in myriad aspects of their lives. Grounded in the critical assumption that all texts, writers, and readers wield power, this lesson sequence incorporates multiple text genres for a deep analysis of the way power operates. Students will practice what they learn by engaging in 1) teacher-led mini lessons, 2) active collaboration with peers, 3) reading independently selected texts, and 4) composing original texts. 

  Reading Power - Lesson One

  Big Idea/Topic: Reading power in our lives - How does power operate? The class participates in a discussion about power that begins generally and moves into the specifics of how power operates in different situations, working to build a theory of power. During the work session, they write about a situation they experienced and think about how power operated. Reading Power Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Two

  Big Idea/Topic: Reading power in a children’s book - How does power operate?  As a whole group, students analyze how power operates in the picture book Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee. They then conduct this analysis on the texts they are reading independently. Reading Power Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Three 

  Big Idea/Topic: Shifting power in a children’s boo - In what other ways could power operate? In the mini lesson, students rewrite or redraw pages of Please, Baby, Please to illustrate how power might operate differently. Next, they try this technique out in their own independent texts. Reading Power Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Four

  Big Idea/Topic: Analyzing power in social media - How is power operating here? Students will work together to come up with a collaborative list of questions to shrewdly examine how power operates in various social media posts or memes. They will then analyze and redesign an example social media post or one of their choice. Finally, students will apply the same techniques to their independently selected text in examining the layers of power that the writer creates by using allusion. Reading Power Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Five

  Big Idea/Topic: How is power operating here? Students will spend this lesson largely immersed in the work of actively reading their self-selected independent text in considering how power operates within the text. After reflection, they will create advice for students their age who might just be beginning the journey of reading power. Reading Power Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Six

  Big Idea/Topic: How is power operating in spoken word poetry? In the mini lesson, students will examine how power operates in spoken word poetry, a genre known for its propensity for discussing power dynamics. They will then take this information and apply it to their independent texts. Reading Power Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Seven

  Big Idea/Topic: Inserting power differently - What might a spoken word artist say in the middle of your text? In the mini lesson, students will experiment with composing short spoken word texts and integrating those with news articles based on thematic connections. They will then experiment utilizing the same procedure with their self-selected independent texts. Reading Power Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Eight

  Big Idea/Topic: Internal Negotiations of Power - How does this speaker negotiate internal shifts of power? In this mini-lesson, students will analyze a poem to discern how a speaker negotiates an internal shift of power. The student will read a poem, consider a list of questions, and make notes about the impact of the shift. The student will then apply that same technique to their independently selected text. Also, this lesson contains some time for the “Big Make” PSA Project. Reading Power Lesson Eight  [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Nine 

  Big Idea/Topic: Internal negotiations of power -  How do I negotiate power issues in my own internal dialogue?  In this lesson, students will consider the role of power in difficult or uncomfortable situations in their lives. Please pay close attention to your students as they process this lesson as it may affect some students more strongly than others. Students will then spend the rest of the time working on their “Big Make,” by composing their draft, sharing, revising, and recording. Reading Power Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout 

  Reading Power - Lesson Ten 

  Big Idea/Topic: Finale - Reading power in our lives and in our reading. In this culminating lesson, students will reflect upon their learning of how power operates based on everything they have done during this unit. They will also present their final PSA projects, evaluate themselves utilizing the rubric, and share commentary with fellow students. Finally, they will contemplate how they have changed as humans because of reading power. Reading Power Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout 

  Other Resources:

  Reading Power Summative Assessment PSA Project Description 

  Reading Power PSA Rubric 

  Free Online Text Sources to Accompany Reading Power Unit 

  
• 11th/12th Grades - Power of Argument

  Power of Argument Framework

  This is a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” These lessons work to introduce the color-coded writing technique and ensuring a solid understanding of the building blocks/essential elements of argument writing. The lesson culminates in students composing a final essay following direct instruction on every individual element to demonstrate their understanding of the basic principles of organization and content in argument writing. Essential Questions: How can I empower myself through my writing? How can I show growth in my argumentative writing proficiency this year? What is the “Color Coded Writing Technique” and how does it work? How can I make it work for me?

  Power of Argument | Lesson One: Getting the Baseline

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the first lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argumentative Writing: How to Build Confidence Using the Color-Coded Writing Technique.” This lesson primarily works to introduce the topic, and it results in students writing a baseline argumentative essay which will be used to aid in growth comparisons with the final essay. Power of Argument Lesson One [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Two: Scoring and Calibrating the Baseline

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the second lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argumentative Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce the topic, and it results in students writing a baseline argumentative essay which will be used to aid in growth comparisons with the final essay. Power of Argument Lesson Two [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Three: Introducing the Color-Coded Writing (CCW) Technique 

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the third lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce the color-coded writing technique after reviewing the building blocks/essential elements of argument writing. The lesson culminates in students color-coding a sample essay based on the guidance to demonstrate their understanding of the basic principles of organization and content in argument writing. Power of Argument Lesson Three [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Four: Collaborative Writing: Selecting a Topic and Ideation

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the fourth lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to utilize the color-coded writing technique after reviewing the building blocks/essential elements of argument writing. The students work to identify a debatable topic through engaging in a pro/con discussion. Power of Argument Lesson Four [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Five: Introductions and the Importance of the Thesis Statement

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the fifth lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to how to compose a thesis statement, which will serve as the anchor of the paper. Power of Argument Lesson Five [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Six: Collaborative Writing: Introductions and How to Hook Your Reader

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the sixth lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to various methods/strategies they can use to craft a hook when writing introductions. Power of Argument Lesson Six [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Seven: Collaborative Writing: Introductions – Why Do They Take So Much Effort?

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the seventh lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to various methods/strategies they can use when writing introductions, focusing on the role of transitions. Power of Argument Lesson Seven [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Eight: Collaborative Writing: Body Paragraphs – Let’s Get to the Body of the Things

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the eighth lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to various methods/strategies they can use when writing body paragraphs, focusing on gathering evidence and constructing a counterclaim. Power of Argument Lesson Eight [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Nine - Collaborative Writing: Coming to a Conclusion

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the ninth lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to various methods/strategies they can use to craft a conclusion. Power of Argument Lesson Nine [Unplugged] Handout

  Power of Argument | Lesson Ten: Time to Show Some Growth

  Big Idea/Topic: Students will learn how to build confidence using CCW technique. This is the tenth and final lesson of a 10-segment lesson series on the “Power of Argument Writing.” This lesson primarily works to introduce students to various methods/strategies they can use to revise their final product and submit their final copy. It will also ask students to reflect upon their learning during the course of the unit and how they have improved. Power of Argument Lesson Ten [Unplugged] Handout

   

  Accompanying Resources:

  Power of Argument: Rubric

  This rubric accompanies activities for both self-assessment and summative assessment for the Power of Argument Writing: How to Build Confidence Using CCW Technique unit.

  Power of Argument: Color-Coded Writing (CCW) Technique Guide

  This resource accompanies the Power of Argument Writing: How to Build Confidence Using CCW Technique unit; it can be utilized with students at all levels of proficiency.     

  Power of Argument: Slide Deck

  This slide deck accompanies multiple lessons in the Power of Argument Writing: How to Build Confidence Using CCW Technique unit.