Sixth Grade
Unit 3: Research-Based Information Writing
Session 1- Becoming
Engaged with a Topic
Objectives
CCGPS/GPS
TKES 1.1
2.2
Essential
Questions
TKES 3.3
3.4
5.2
5.4
Activator
TKES 3.1
3.2
Session 3- Preparing to Write
Informational Essays
Session 4: Structure Sets You
Free
See Common Core State Standard Aligning Document with Sixth Grade Unit 3, p. 161
(Includes Writing Standards, Reading Standards, Speaking and Listening Standards, and Language Standards)
Also, CCSS are listed on the first page of each lesson.
How does information writing
take its shape?
Connection (pg. 4-5)
Whole Group Instruction:
TKES 3.1
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.6
5.3
6.5
6.6
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.7
7.8
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.7
Session 2- Reading for a Wide
View of a Topic
Writing Focus: Information
What should writers do before
they write about any subject?
Connection (pg. 14)
Whole Group Instruction:
What are some strategies writers
use to become experts on the topic
on which they are writing?
Connection (pg. 23)
Whole Group Instruction:
What is a strategy that writers
can use to write an entire essay in
a flash??
Connection (pg. 33)
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Teaching point: pg. 5
Teaching point pg. 14
Teaching point: pg. 23
Teaching point: pg. 33
Teaching: pg. 5-6
Teaching: pg. 16
Teaching: pg. 23-24
Teaching/Active Engagement:
pg. 33-35
Active Engagement: pg. 6-7
Active Engagement: pg. 16-17
Active Engagement: pg. 25-26
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link: pg. 7-8
Link: pg. 18
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Compliment Conferences Can
Support Engagement (pg. 9-10)
Using a light torch to Keep
Researchers Learning (pg. 19)
(Meet with dynamic groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link: pg. 36
Link: pg. 26
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Coaching Students into Bare-Bones
Essay Writing (pg. 27-28)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Planning for Future Teaching
Using Student Work (pg. 37-38)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Differentiation
(small groups, conferencing,
progress monitoring)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Summarizer
TKES 5.2
6.7
7.5
7.7
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Pause Early to Organize Notes
(pg. 9)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Writing While Reading to Learn
(pg. 19)
Illustrating Patterns that Apply to
Many Cases in Point (pg. 27)
Workshop Share:
Workshop Share:
Workshop Share:
Workshop Share:
Following a Topic (pg. 11)
A Dual Learning Focus (pg. 20)
Using Partners as Resource for
Feedback (pg. 39)
Homework:
Homework:
Creating Parallel Key Points for a
Topic and Evidence to Go With It.
(pg. 29-31)
Continuing Your Research.
(pg. 12)
Focusing On How Topic Pieces
Fit Together To Create A Whole
(pg.21)
Homework:
Observation
Performance Task/Rubric
Assessment
Summative
TKES
5.4
6.3
6.5
6.6
Coach Writers to Refer to and
Cite Text Evidence (pg. 37)
Formative
Homework Assignment
Homework:
Continuing To Write and Research,
Locating Evidence To Develop Key
Points (pg. 31)
Turning Feedback Into Quick
Writing Goals (pg.40)
End of Bend I
Observation
Observation
Ob Observation
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/ Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Summative
Summative
Summative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Homework Assignment
Homework Assignment
Homework Assignment
Bend II
Session 5- The Trail of
Research
Objectives
CCGPS/GPS
TKES 1.1
2.2
Essential
Questions
TKES 3.3
3.4
5.2
5.4
Activator
TKES 3.1
3.2
TKES 3.1
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.6
5.3
6.5
6.6
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.7
7.8
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.7
Session 6- Envisioning
Structures to Plan an
Information Book
Session 7- Constructing Texts
with Solid Bricks of Information
Session 8: Research
See Common Core State Standard Aligning Document with Sixth Grade Unit 3, p. 161
(Includes Writing Standards, Reading Standards, Speaking and Listening Standards, and Language Standards)
Also, CCSS are listed on the first page of each lesson.
Why do writers need to ask
themselves questions about
their chosen topics?
What strategies do writers use to
come up with a plan for their
information books/essays?
What are “solid bricks of
information”?
Why do you need to write and
read as you research?
Connection (pg. 46)
Connection (pg. 55)
Connection (pg. 65)
Connection
Whole Group Instruction:
Whole Group Instruction:
Whole Group Instruction:
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Teaching point: pg. 45
Teaching point: pg. 55
Teaching point: pg. 65
Teaching point: pg. 74
Teaching: pg. 46
Teaching: pg. 55-56
Teaching: pg. 66-68
Teaching/Active Engagement:
pg. 74-75
Active Engagement: pg. 47
Active Engagement: pg. 57-59
Active Engagement: pg. 68-69
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link:
Independent Writing:
Link: pg. 47-48
Link: pg. 69
Link: pg. 59
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Channel Coalition Groups to
Pursue Trails of Inquiry (pg.
49-50)
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Imagining the Evolution of Your
Teaching (pg. 60-61)
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Ways to Revise One Chapter and
Plan Another (pg.70-71)
(Meet with dynamic groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Using Transition Words (pg. 70)
Transferring Lesson Learned
Earlier to this New Research
(pg. 49)
Revising Chapters for Structure
(pg. 61-62)
pg. 77
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Mid-Workshop Teaching
Not All Sources Can Be Trusted
Equally (pg. 77-78)
Differentiation
(small groups, conferencing,
progress monitoring)
Workshop Share:
Summarizer
Charting a Research Trail (pg.
51)
TKES
Homework:
5.2
6.7
7.5
7.7
Workshop Share:
Sharing Compliments and
Suggestions for Revision (pg.
62).
Workshop Share:
Partners Teach Each Other Their
New Chapters (pg. 72)
Workshop Share:
Talking about the information
coalition groups have gathered
(pg. 78)
Homework:
Writing Up A Storm (pg. 71)
Continue Studying and Keep
Following The trail of
Research (pg. 52)
Homework:
Write A substantially Improved
Draft (pg.63)
Observation
Observation
Observation
Assessment
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/ Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
TKES
Summative
Summative
Summative
Summative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Homework
Homework
Homework
5.4
6.3
6.5
6.6
Session 9- Writing With Detail
Objectives
CCGPS/GPS
TKES 1.1
2.2
Essential
Questions
TKES 3.3
3.4
5.2
5.4
Activator
TKES 3.1
3.2
TKES 3.1
3.2
3.4
Session 10- Lifting the Level
of Complexity
Session 11- Using Text Features
to Strengthen Writing
Ob Observation
Homework
Session 12: Planning Ready-toGo Chapters
See Common Core State Standard Aligning Document with Sixth Grade Unit 3, p. 161
(Includes Writing Standards, Reading Standards, Speaking and Listening Standards, and Language Standards)
Also, CCSS are listed on the first page of each lesson.
What are some strategies writers
use to help readers understand
what they are trying to teach?
How can writers make texts
more authoritative and
academic?
What are the text features that
nonfiction writers include and what
is each one used for?
Connection (pg.80)
Connection (pg. 90)
Connection (pg. 100)
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
What can a writer do if he has to
write a ready to go chapter to
help him in the writing process?
Connection (pg. 111)
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Differentiation
(small groups, conferencing,
progress monitoring)
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.6
5.3
6.5
6.6
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.7
7.8
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.7
Teaching point: pg. 81
Teaching point. pg. 90
Teaching point: pg. 101
Teaching point: pg. 111
Teaching: pg. 81-82
Teaching: pg. 91-92
Teaching/Active Engagement: pg.
101-103
Teaching/Active Engagement:
pg. 111-113
Active Engagement: pg. 82-83
Active Engagement: pg.92
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link: pg. 103-105
Link: pg. 114
Link: pg. 83-84
Link: pg. 93
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Revising by Rereading through
Particular Lenses.(pg. 85-86)
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
A repertoire of Further, Related
Teaching Points (pg. 106-107)
Support Trying More Than One
Structure. (pg. 115-117)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategy and
skills that those writers need at
this particular time.)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
A Well-placed Text Feature Is
Worth a Thousand Words (pg. 106)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Crafting Introductions that Frame
Each Chapter (pg. 115-116)
Workshop Share:
Editing with Partners Using A
Checklist. (pg. 96)
Workshop Share:
A Text-Feature Gallery Walk (pg.
108)
Workshop Share:
Homework:
Finalizing Drafts (pg.97)
Homework:
Revise Text Features and Plan a
New Chapter (pg. 109)
(Meet with dynamic groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need
at this particular time.)
Varying Sentence Length (pg.
94-95)
(Meet with dynamic groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Bringing Out the Words That
People Say. (pg. 86)
Workshop Share:
Summarizer
TKES
5.2
6.7
7.5
7.7
Assessment
TKES
5.4
6.3
6.5
6.6
Writers Hold Themselves to
High Standards as They SelfAssess. (pg. 87)
Pronoun Agreement (pg. 94)
Homework:
Make Decisions About Writing
and Revising.(pg. 88)
Writing an Introduction to the
Whole Book (pg. 118)
Homework:
Finish Introductions and Do
More Research For a Ready-ToGo Draft
Observation
Observation
Observation
Ob Observation
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/ Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Summative
Summative
Summative
Summative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Homework
Homework
Homework
Homework
Session 13: Quoting with a
Purpose In Mind
Objectives
CCGPS/GPS
TKES 1.1
2.2
Essential
Questions
TKES 3.3
3.4
5.2
5.4
Activator
TKES 3.1
3.2
TKES 3.1
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.6
5.3
6.5
6.6
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.7
7.8
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.7
Session 14: Celebrating With
A Book Exhibit Tour
Session 15: Studying Digital
Mentor Texts
Session 16: Revising to Fit
Digital Formats
See Common Core State Standard Aligning Document with Sixth Grade Unit 3, p. 161
(Includes Writing Standards, Reading Standards, Speaking and Listening Standards, and Language Standards)
Also, CCSS are listed on the first page of each lesson.
What are some reasons writers
use meaningful quotations in
their texts?
Why is it important to give
writers precise, concrete
feedback?
Connection (pg.121)
Connection (pg. 130)
Whole Group Instruction:
Whole Group Instruction:
How do writers get insights for new
writing projects?
Connection: (pg. 136)
Whole Group Instruction:
What changes does a writer
make when presenting his
work within the constraints of
digital formats?
Connection: (pg. 145)
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Teaching point: pg. 121
Teaching point
Teaching point pg. 136
Teaching point pg. 145
Teaching: pg. 122-123
Teaching/Active Engagement:
pg. 129-131
Teaching: pg. 136-138
Teaching: pg. 145-148
Active Engagement: pg. 138
Active Engagement: pg. 148
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link: pg. 139
Link: pg. 149
Active Engagement: pg. 123124
Independent Writing:
Independent Writing:
Link:
Link: pg. 124
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
(pg. 131)
Weaving Quotations into
Writing with Transitional
Phrases (pg. 125-126)
(Meet with temporary groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
(Meet with temporary groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
Coaching Writers to Glean More
from Mentor Texts (pg. 140-141)
Meet with temporary groups of
writers to teach strategies and
skills that those writers need at this
particular time.)
Conferring
and
Group Work:
Small
Coaching Students to Tackle
Planning Challenges (pg. 149)
Differentiation
(small groups, conferencing,
progress monitoring)
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Not Just Leading into
quotations: Leading out of
Quotations (pg. 125)
Workshop Share:
Summarizer
TKES
5.2
6.7
7.5
7.7
Introducing the Source and
Explaining the Tie-In (pg.127128)
Workshop Share:
(pg. 131-132)
Mid-Workshop teaching:
Planning for Websites and Digital
Slide Show Presentations (pg. 140)
Creating Plans that Have a
Logical Flow (pg. 150)
Workshop Share:
Workshop Share:
Putting Extra Information into
Presentation Notes. (pg. 151)
Relying on Partnerships to
Strengthen Prototypes ( pg. 142)
Homework:
End of Bend II
Homework:
Polishing Writing As A Way
To Go Public
Observation
Mid-Workshop Teaching:
Homework:
Finish Revising Planning
Pages. (pg. 151)
Deciding On A Digital Project and
Completing A Prototype (pg. 143)
Observation
Observation
Observation
Assessment
TKES
5.4
6.3
6.5
6.6
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/Rubric
Performance Task/ Rubric
Summative
Summative
Summative
Summative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Formative
Homework
Homework
Homework
Homework
Session 17: Pouring into
Digital Forms… and
Publishing
Objectives
CCGPS/GPS
TKES 1.1
2.2
Essential
Questions
TKES 3.3
3.4
5.2
5.4
Activator
TKES 3.1
3.2
TKES 3.1
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.5
4.6
5.3
6.5
6.6
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.7
7.8
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.7
Summarizer
TKES 5.2
6.7
7.5
7.7
Session 18: Celebration
See Common Core State Standard Aligning Document with Sixth Grade Unit 3, p. 161
(Includes Writing Standards, Reading Standards, Speaking and Listening Standards, and Language Standards)
Also, CCSS are listed on the first page of each lesson.
What are some reason to
publish your work online?
What are the protocols for
today’s formal presentations?
Whole Group Instruction:
Whole Group Instruction:
Writing Mini Lesson:
Writing Mini Lesson: (pg. 157)
Teaching point:
Teaching point:
Teaching: pg.
Teaching: pg.
Active Engagement: pg. 153
Active Engagement:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
Conferring and Small Group
Work:
pg. 157
(Meet with temporary groups
of writers to teach strategies
and skills that those writers
need at this particular time.)
Workshop Share:
(pg. 157)
End of Bend III
Observation
Assessment
Performance Task/Rubric
TKES
5.4
6.3
6.5
6.6
Summative
Formative
Final Formative Writing
Piece- Information