Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
Unit Title:
Environmental Biotechnology
Grade level:
6
Subject/Topic Areas: English/I-Search Essay
Key Words: Thesis Statement, factual questions, hypothetical and prediction questions.
Designed by: Melanie Cassar Time Frame: 2 days
School District: __Kalamazoo Public Schools _____ School: Milwood Magnet School
Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context):
The students will be focusing and narrowing the topic to develop a thesis statement.
After crafting a thesis statement, they will generate factual, hypothetical, and prediction
questions that will guide their research.
Unit design status:
(Review use)
□ Complete template pages – Stages 1, 2, and 3
□ Completed blueprint for each performance task
□ Completed rubrics
□ Directions to students and teachers
□ Materials and resources listed
□ Suggested accommodations
□ Suggested Extensions
Status: □ initial draft (date _______ )
□ Peer reviewed
Notes:
□ Content reviewed
□ Revised draft (date __________)
□ Field tested
□ Validated
□ Anchored
Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
6-Page Template, Page 2
Stage 1 – Identify Desired Results
Established Goals:
W.PR.06.01 set a purpose, consider audience, and replicate authors’ styles and patterns when writing a narrative or informational piece.
W.PR.06.02 apply a variety of pre-writing strategies for both narrative (e.g., graphic organizers designed to develop a plot that includes
major and minor characters, builds climax, and uses dialogue to enhance a theme) and informational writing (e.g., problem/solution or
sequence).
W.PR.06.03 revise drafts for clarity, coherence, and consistency in content, voice, and genre characteristics with audience and purpose in
mind.
W.PR.06.04 draft focused ideas for a specific purpose using multiple paragraphs, sentence variety, and voice to meet the needs of an
audience (e.g., word choice, level of formality, and use of example) when writing compositions.
W.PR.06.05 proofread and edit writing using grade-level checklists and other appropriate resources both individually and in groups.
W.SP.06.01 in the context of writing, correctly spell frequently encountered and frequently
W.GR.06.01 in the context of writing, correctly use style conventions (e.g., Modern Language Association Handbook) and a variety of
grammatical structures in writing including indefinite and predicate pronouns; transitive and intransitive verbs; adjective and adverbial
phrases; adjective and adverbial subordinate clauses; comparative adverbs and adjectives; superlatives, conjunctions; compound
sentences; appositives; independent and dependent clauses; introductory phrases;
What understandings are desired?
Students will understand that…
 Setting a purpose gives a person structures so that they may be successful in reaching
their target.
 Formulating thoughtful questions will help provide them with a starting point for their
research.
What essential questions will be considered?
Essential Question:
 How does research influence decision making?
Scaffolding Questions:
 What is a thesis statement?
 What are factual questions?
 What are hypothetical questions?
 What are prediction questions?

What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit?
Students will know…
 Key terms
 That developing a thesis statement will
provide them with purpose.
Students will be able to …
 Set a purpose for their research by
developing a thesis statement.
 Formulate research questions so that
they may have a starting point for their
research.
Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
6-Page Template, Page 3
Stage 2 – Determine Acceptable Evidence
What evidence will show that students understand?


The thesis statement will show that the students have set a purpose for their research.
The questions will show whether or not the students understand what factual,
hypothetical, and prediction questions are.
* Complete a Performance Task Blueprint for each task (see next page)
Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work samples):


Warm-ups
Notes
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection:


Stop Light Strategy (the students will rate how well they understand the task by using
green, yellow, and red magnets)
Thumbs up, middle, down strategy
Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
6-Page Template, Page 4
Performance Task Blueprint
Supplement to Stage 2 performance task
What understanding and goals will be assessed through this task?

W.GN.06.03: Formulate research questions
using multiple resources and perspectives
that allow them to organize, analyze, and
explore problems and pose solutions that
culminate in a final presented project using
the writing process.

W.PR.06.01: Set a purpose, consider
audience, and replicate authors’ styles and
patterns when writing a narrative or
informational piece.
What criteria are implied in the standards and understandings regardless of the task specifics?
What qualities must student work demonstrate to signify that standards were met?

The students will formulate questions
so that they may have a starting point
for their research. This will help to
build their confidence in researching
their topic.

The students will have developed a
purpose for their research by creating
a thesis statement.
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?
In order to create a purpose for your research, you are going to develop a thesis statement.
Along with the thesis statement, you will formulate factual, hypothetical, and prediction
questions.
 Factual questions:
o Who, what, where, when, and how?
 Hypothetical and Prediction questions:
o What would happen if…?
o I wonder how…
What student products and performances will provide evidence of desired understandings?

The list of questions.
By what criteria will student products and performances be evaluated?


Checklist
Pair and share
Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
6-Page Template, Page 5
Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Consider the WHERETO elements:
W – Where are they going? Why are they learning this? What is required?
Students will be researching information to support their thesis statement. The formulated
questions will provide focus and direction as students process the information available to
them. The formulated questions will provide them with a spring board or starting point for their
research.
H – How will you Hook the students? (through inquiry, research, problem-solving, and experimentation)
The students will be hooked by the idea of setting a purpose. They will also be hooked by
creating the questions. These will arouse their curiosity and further the motivation needed for
this research.
E – How will you provide opportunities for students to Explore and Experience the Big Ideas
and concept? How will you Equip them for required performances?
The students will explore and experience this concept through their own thoughts and
curiosities. They will be equipped for success because they will use the background
information that they acquired from the previous guides.
R – Provide opportunities for student to Rethink, Rehearse, Revise and Refine their work
based on feedback.
Students will pair/share their questions. This review will provide ideas for more questions, and
will allow them to revise, refine, and add to their list of questions.
E – How will students Evaluate their work and set future goals?
The students will use their checklist to make sure that they have all of the questions that are
necessary.
T – How is the lesson Tailored to address student interests and learning styles?
The lesson is tailored to address student interests because it is based on what the students want
to know.
O – How is it Organized to maximize engagement and effectiveness?
The guide is organized to maximize engagement because the students will be intent and
focused on setting their purpose for the future research.
Milwood Magnet School
Biotechnology Curriculum
ELA 6 – Unit 5, Guide 2
6-Page Template, Page 6
Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
*** Lessons are from Lucy Calkins curriculum book 3: breathing life into essays, additional bolded lessons are attached.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Library
(optional)
Lesson 15
Lesson 16introductions
Begin drafting
Lesson 16-conclusions
Final paragraphWhat did you learn?
Drafting
Drafting
½- reading
¾- writing
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Library
(optional)
(Editing Lesson, type)
WG-Proofreading
symbols
1-teacher directed editing
2-peer editing
3-typing
4-typing
*groups ½ will type first
2 rotations, groups ¾ will
practice editing
(Editing Lesson, type)
WG-Proofreading
symbols
1-practice editing
2-peer editing
3-typing
4-typing
*groups ½ will type
first 2 rotations, groups
¾ will practice editing
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
(Rubric lesson, final
changes)
WG-explain 4
components of rubric
1-using a rubric
2- practice grading
3-typing
4-typing
*groups ½ will type first
2 rotations, groups ¾
will practice editing
Day 14
Library
(optional)
Day 10
(Celebration)
WG- constructive
criticism
1-read essays- 3
positives
2- read essays- positive/
improvement/positive
3- read essays- 3
positives
4- write self reflection
on growth as a writer
Day 15