SpringBoard Contents ELA Grade 6
Unit 1: Stories of Change – (34 class periods)
Suggested Texts and Materials:
 Activity 1.4 – The Lion King directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
 Activity 1.9 – Picture book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg, 1984 (760L)
1.1 Previewing the Unit
1.2 Understanding Change
1.3 Planning for Independent Reading
1.4 What Makes a Good Narrative?
1.5 Personal Narrative/Response/Reflection
1.6 He Said, She Said: Characterization
1.7 Analyzing Narratives
1.8 Creating a Narrative
1.9 Creating a Narrative: Prewriting and Drafting
1.10 Creating a Narrative: Revising
Embedded Assessment 1: Writing a Personal Narrative
1.11 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2 and Preparing to Write a Short Story
1.12 What’s in a Short Story?
1.13 Revisiting Simba’s Story
1.14 Thinking Figuratively
1.15 In the Beginning
1.16 A Day of Change: Developing the Story
1.17 In the End
1.18 Analyzing a Story
1.19 Sparking Ideas
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing a Short Story
Unit 2: The Power to Change – (36 class periods)
Suggested Texts and Materials:
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2.4 – Novel Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
2.2, 2.6, 2.10 – DVD Up, directed by Pete Docter, 2009
2.12, 2.15 – copies of fairy tales
2.20 – DVD Temple Grandin, directed by Mick Jackson 2010
2.1 Previewing the Unit
2.2 Forces of Change
2.3 Looking Inside Out
2.4 Beginning the Journey
2.5 Planting the Seeds of Character Analysis
2.6 Mapping the Journey
2.7 A Tree of One’s Own: Setting
2.8 Questions and Discussions
2.9 Diction Detectives and “Evidence”
2.10 Reporting from Paradise Falls
2.11 Making Connections and Visualizing Art
2.12 Stepping into the Literature Circle
2.13 Circling the Moon: Literature Circle Discussion
Embedded Assessment 1: Responding to Literature
2.14 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2 and Expository Writing
2.15 Changing Genres: Transforming the Tale
2.16 Explaining and Interpreting Change
2.17 Writing and Changing Together
2.18 Traveling with Charley: Literary Nonfiction
2.19 Reflecting on Marley: Textual Evidence
2.20 Making Connections Through Researc2.21 Synthesizing Temple’s Story
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing an Expository Essay
Unit 3: Changing Perspectives – (28 class periods)
Suggested Texts and Materials:
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3.3 – example of an opinion page/editorials from newspaper or online
3.3 – picture or video clip of the following sports to use as visual prompts: dodgeball, competitive cheerleading,
and football
3.6 – picture of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and/or something relating to the Declaration of Independence
for visual prompt
3.7 – video clip of a speech that uses visual displays or print examples of a visual display
3.13 – various print ads from magazines
3.1 Previewing the Unit
3.2 It is Time to Argue and Convince
3.3 Peanuts and Pennies: Identifying Claims in an Argument
3.4 Support the Sport? Creating Support with Reasons and Evidence
3.5 Do Your Research: Sources, Citation, and Credibility
3.6 The Formality of It All: Style and Tone
3.7 A Graphic is Worth a Thousand Words
3.8 Debate It: Organizing and Communicating an Argument
Embedded Assessment 1: Researching and Debating a Controversy
3.9 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2: Preparing for Argumentative Writing
3.10 Looking at a Model Argumentative Letter
3.11 Facts and Feelings: Rhetorical Appeals in Argumentative Writing
3.12 Citing Evidence
3.13 Playing with Persuasive Diction: Appealing to Pathos
3.14 From Start to Finish: Writing an Introduction and Conclusion
3.15 Saying Too Much or Too Little? Introducing the Strategy: Deleting
3.16 Preparing to Write an Argument
Embedded Assessment 2: Writing an Argumentative Letter
Unit 4: The Final Act - (29 class periods)
Suggested Texts and Materials:
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4.2 – examples of cartoon versions of Shakespearean plays (optional)
4.10 – additional limerick poetry
4.13 – Shakespeare glossaries
4.15 – DVD of The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Burton Zeffirelli, 1967
4.1 Previewing the Unit
4.2 Shakespeare in School
4.3 Shakespeare and His Society
4.4 Researching to Deepen My Understanding
4.5 Planning to Present My Knowledge and Ideas
4.6 Understanding Shakespeare’s Language
Embedded Assessment 1: Researching and Presenting Shakespeare
4.7 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2: Preparing for a Performance
4.8 Play Ball: Analyzing a Game of Life
4.9 Drama Games: Connecting the Mind and Body
4.10 Lear’s Limericks: Playing with Rhythm and Rhyme
4.11 Planning and Presenting a Reader’s Theatre
4.12 A Poetic Performance
4.13 Previewing the Play
4.14 Guided Reading of The Taming of the Shrew
4.15 One Text, Two Perspectives
Embedded Assessment 2: Presenting Shakespeare