Hommocks Middle School
Grade 6
September
Writer’s Notebook
Writers use the notebook to record important
ideas from their reading
October
Character Study
Writers develop ideas about characters in their
independent reading books and in the whole
class novel, Maniac Magee, attending to how
they grow/change/learn a lesson, or not
Reading Reflection
Student reflect on independent reading habits
and understandings in a quarterly reading
reflection with personal goal setting
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Argument Writing: Claim and Evidence
Writers use powerful evidence and experiment
with persuasive techniques to focus and
strengthen writing
Literary Writing: From Book Club to Notebook
Writers analyze literature, developing written
responses to extend ideas from book club books
Information/Explanatory Project: Turning
Information Into Knowledge
Writers learn to use curiosity and wonder to
drive research, then work to gather relevant
information, develop a focused topic, and
synthesize information
Narrative Writing: Personal Narrative
Writers draw upon knowledge of story to create
a powerful personal narrative with voice and
craft
June
Portfolio Reflection and Celebration
Writing Units of Study Overview
2014-2015 Draft
Grade 7
Grade 8
Writer’s Notebook
Writers determine writing territories and use those to
launch a writing life in the writer’s notebook
Writer’s Notebook
Writers continue using notebooks to generate entries
about important topics and issues, increasing writing
volume and fluidity
Narrative Writing: Memoir

Writers use mentor texts as models for writer’s
craft to develop personal narratives/memoirs
Argument Writing: Literary Response
Writers develop literary responses to Of Mice and Men
with a focus on ideas, student-generated claims, and
strong evidence

Writers learn and try different methods for
sustaining focus and developing story arc in
narratives/memoirs
Argument Writing
Writers develop and support self-selected themes,
extending ideas from notebooks in a literary essay for
the whole class novel, The Outsiders
Information/Explanatory Writing: Feature Article
The Story of Nonfiction: Writers weave information
and story to inform and to provoke ideas in a feature
article
Argument Writing: Writing and Delivering a Speech
Writers develop a research-based persuasive speech
with attention to powerful and varied evidence, as well
as persuasive techniques driven by meaning
Poetry
Choice Words: Writers craft poetry with focus and
imagery
Portfolio Reflection and Writing Celebration
Information/Explanatory Writing: Research Based
Feature Article
Writers study nonfiction articles as mentors, noticing how
authors develop meaning through word choice, sentence
structure, organization of information (structure), weave
information with narration (or other modes), and craft
moves to develop research-based feature articles.
Argument Writing: Literary Essay
Writers use character analysis, themes, or social issues to
craft literary essays with ample and relevant
evidence/support
On-Demand Writing
Writers compare/contrast and synthesize ideas within
and across literary and information texts in response to
literary prompts
Narrative Writing
Writers use mentor texts to study writer’s craft, structure,
use of literary devices to drive meaning, and story arc
development in narrative writing to create focused
narratives with ample development and thoughtful use
of writing techniques
Portfolio Reflection and Writing Celebration