NNPS Curriculum Pacing Guide – English 6
NNPS Curriculum Pacing Guide
English
Grade 6
Course Description
The sixth-grade student will be an active participant in classroom discussions. The student will present personal opinions, understand differing viewpoints, distinguish between fact and opinion, and analyze the effectiveness of group communication. The student will continue in the study of the elements of media literacy as introduced in earlier grades. The student will begin the study of word origins and continue vocabulary development. The student will read independently a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts, including a significant number of classic works, for appreciation and comprehension. The student will also plan, draft, revise, and edit narratives, descriptions, and explanations, with attention to composition and style as well as sentence formation, usage, and mechanics. The student will also demonstrate correct use of language, spelling, and mechanics by applying grammatical conventions in writing and speaking. In addition, technology will be used as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information. As in earlier grades, the meaning and consequences of plagiarism will be stressed.
VDOE English Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools—January 2010
1st Marking Period
Estimated Time / Enduring Understandings / Essential Questions / Topics / Standards /Introductory Unit – Unit 1
3 Weeks / Students will understand that…
Reading and writing will help me achieve my goals.
Knowing the ground rules and expectations in a new place is important.
All media messages are purposefully constructed to impact the audience. / Students will consider the following…
How well do I read?
How well do I write?
How can I be successful in middle school?
How do authors craft media messages to convey information and influence their audience?
Who is the author of the message?
Who is the audience?
What is the purpose? / PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
· Portfolio Reflection, goal-setting for writing. Must be stored in students’ writing portfolios.
Introductory Unit
· Rules and Expectations: Prioritize establishing relationships as well as rules.
· Baseline Writing – Narrative prompt provided in unit plan to be scored using the NNPS Writing Rubric and used in determining supplemental mini-lessons for both grammar and writing.
· Diagnostic Grammar Assessment.
· i-Ready diagnostic online reading assessment to be followed by individual student conferences.
· Summer Reading Assessment: See unit plan for discussion/reflection questions.
· Introduction to REV It Up! and language awareness.
· Introduction to media literacy and the idea that all media messages are constructed and that to understand the whole meaning of the message it must be deconstructed.
WRITING INSTRUCTION:
· Students will complete Writing Territories and an optional Interest Inventory (see unit plan).
· Introduce the PDREP (prewrite, draft, revise, edit, publish) writing process.
· Explain the NNPS Writing Rubric.
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION:
· REV It Up! units 1-3 are required for 1st quarter.
· Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. / Communication
6.1 a-b
6.3 a-b
Reading
Word Analysis
6.4 c
Writing
6.7 a-j
6.8 b-h
Estimated Time / Enduring Understandings / Essential Questions / Topics / Standards /
The Study of Nonfiction: Through a Reporter’s Eyes – Unit 2
4 Weeks –
Nonfiction
2Weeks – Expository
Writing (Informative/ Explanatory) / Students will understand that…
Nonfiction is a major source of information in our world today.
Understanding a text’s purpose and structure helps a reader better understand its meaning.
Readers make judgments about our world based on what they read. / Students will keep considering…
Why is it important to read nonfiction?
How is nonfiction unique, and how do I read and write nonfiction differently than fiction?
How do I make decisions about what is going on in our world today? / PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
· Portfolio Reflection. Must be stored in students’ writing portfolios.
Study of Nonfiction
· Teacher selected nonfiction texts. See unit plan for suggested texts and media literacy pairings.
· Active Reading Strategies.
· Text structures (boldface and/or italics type, type set in color, vocabulary, graphics or photographs, headings and subheadings).
· Organizational patterns (chronological or sequential, comparison/contrast, cause and effect, problem-solution, generalization or principle).
· Identify questions to be answered; make confirm, and revise predictions; draw conclusions and make inferences; fact and opinion; main idea; summarization; compare and contrast; cause and effect, author’s purpose.
· Author’s craft (language patterns, sentence variety, vocabulary, use of imagery and figurative language).
· Compare and contrast information across several texts.
· Use text-dependent question stems to generate questions for discussion and critical thinking.
· Media literacy to complement the study of nonfiction.
WRITING INSTRUCTION: Direct instruction on expository writing (informative/explanatory) to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information.
· Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
· Compose a topic sentence or a thesis statement.
· Compose with attention to: central idea, unity, elaboration, and organization.
· Elaborate writing to give detail, add depth, and to continue the flow from idea to idea without interruption.
· Maintain consistent point of view
GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION:
· Use complete sentences with appropriate punctuation and edit for fragments and run-ons.
· Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses.
· Maintain consistent verb tense.
· Avoid using coordinating conjunctions at the beginning of a sentence.
· Other grammar needs as indicated by students’ writing.
ROOTS INSTRUCTION:
ROOT
mon/o (one, singular)
du/o (two, twice)
tri (three, third)
ann/enn (year)
mater/matr/i (mother)
pater/patr/i (father)
PREFIX
di-
poly-
SUFFIX
-able
-arch
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION:
· REV It Up! Continue with Units 1-3 for 1st quarter.
· Identify word origins and derivations.
· Use roots, cognates, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to expand vocabulary.
· Use context and sentence structure to determine meaning and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
· Use word reference materials.
1ST QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT / Communication
6.1 a-d
6.2 a-e
6.3 a-b
Reading
Word Analysis
6.4 a-e, f
Narrative Nonfiction
6.5 a-l
Nonfiction
6.6 a-l
Writing
6.7 a-j
6.8 a-h
2nd Marking Period
Estimated Time / Enduring Understandings / Essential Questions / Topics / Standards /Short Passages – Unit 3
6 Weeks – Short Passages
3 Weeks – Narrative Writing / Students will understand that…
Extensive reading expands our worlds by showing us new people, places, cultures, and experiences.
Authors purposefully craft the plot, characters, and setting to create memorable stories.
Authors purposefully craft informational texts to convey meaning and to impact the reader. / Students will keep considering…
How does extensive reading influence the way we think, act, and view the world?
To what extent are plot, characters, and setting significant to the overall impact of the short story?
How do authors craft nonfiction to convey meaning and to impact the reader?
How do comparing and contrasting texts add meaning and deepen understanding for the reader? / PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
· *Performance Product, Readers’ Theater
· Portfolio Reflection. Must be stored in students’ writing portfolios
Short Passages
· Teacher selected nonfiction and fiction from the textbook and other sources. See unit plan for suggested paired passages including media literacy suggestions.
· Elements of Narrative Structure (characterization, setting, theme, with an emphasis on plot).
· Text structures (boldface and/or italics type, type set in color, vocabulary, graphics or photographs, headings and subheadings).
· Organizational patterns (chronological or sequential, comparison/contrast, cause and effect, problem-solution, generalization or principle).
· Author’s craft (language patterns, sentence variety, vocabulary, use of imagery and figurative language, tone).
· Compare and contrast information about one topic, which may be contained in different selections.
· Active Reading Strategies.
· Use text-dependent question stems to generate questions for discussion and critical thinking.
· Media literacy to complement the study of short passages.
WRITING INSTRUCTION: Direct instruction on narrative writing. After conferencing, revising, and editing, baseline writing will be re-evaluated using the NNPS Writing Rubric.
· Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
· Compose a topic sentence or a thesis statement.
· Compose with attention to: central idea, unity, elaboration, and organization.
· Elaborate writing to give detail, add depth, and to continue the flow from idea to idea without interruption.
· Maintain consistent point of view
GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION:
· Use pronoun-antecedent agreement to include indefinite pronouns.
· Differentiate between subjects and objects when choosing pronouns.
· Use first person pronouns appropriately in compound subjects and objects.
· Recognize and correct vague pronouns.
· Avoid comma splices and fused sentences.
· Use commas in a series and commas to indicate interrupters.
· Other grammar needs as indicated by the students’ writing.
ROOTS INSTRUCTION:
ROOT
quad/quart (four, fourth)
pent/a; quin/t (five; fifth)
astro/aster (stars, outer space)
helio (sun)
geo (earth, soil, global)
PREFIX
ex-
inter-
SUFFIX
-er, -or
- nomy
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION:
· REV It Up! units 4-6 are required for 2nd quarter.
· Identify word origins and derivations.
· Use roots, cognates, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to expand vocabulary.
· Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
· Identify and analyze figurative language.
2ND QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT / Communication
6.1 a-d
6.2 a-e
6.3 a-b
Reading,
Word Analysis
6.4 a-d, f
Fiction
6.5 a-l
Nonfiction
6.6 a-l
Writing,
6.7 a-j
6.8 a-h
*Content teams should review all three performance assessments and select one that will be done during the course of the school year.
Writing Portfolio Reflection performance assessment is required.
3rd Marking Period
Estimated Time / Enduring Understandings / Essential Questions / Topics / Standards /Pairing Passages with Poetry – Unit 4
6 Weeks –
Poetry Paired with Short Passages
3 Weeks –
Narrative Writing
and Descriptive Writing / Students will understand that…
Prose and poetry are both able to impact the reader; however, they are fundamentally different.
Authors use poetic elements purposefully to elicit emotions, bring to mind sensory images, and to create tone and mood.
Understanding poetic form impacts a reader’s ability to analyze poetry. / Students will keep considering…
How does poetry help us express our innermost thoughts differently from prose?
How do poets purposely affect their readers?
How does the form of a poem impact its meaning? / PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
· *Source/Comparative Analysis, Analyzing a Narrative Poem
· Portfolio Reflection. Must be stored in students’ writing portfolios
Study of Poetry
· Emphasis on the beauty and pleasure of poetry – understanding and comprehension of language before an analysis.
· Teacher selected poetry from the textbook and other sources.
· Teacher selected nonfiction and fiction from the textbook and other sources to augment the study of poetry. See unit plan for suggested pairings of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and media literacy.
· Poetic elements (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, alliteration, onomatopoeia)and poetic forms (haiku, limerick, ballad, free verse).
· Figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole).
· Author’s craft (language patterns, sentence variety, use of imagery and figurative language).
· Active Reading Strategies .
· Modeling of the reading and analysis of poetry.
· Use text-dependent question stems to generate questions for discussion and critical thinking.
WRITING INSTRUCTION: Direct instruction on narrative techniques (dialogue, description, etc.) and descriptive writing.
· Identify audience and purpose.
· Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice.
· Use transition words effectively.
· Incorporate sentence variety using appropriate modifiers, coordination, and subordination.
GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION:
· Choose adjectives and adverbs appropriately.
· Punctuate and format dialogue.
· Use reference resources to differentiate among homophones and easily confused words.
· Other grammar needs as indicated by the students’ writing.
ROOTS INSTRUCTION:
ROOT
hex/a (six)
sept/i (seven, seventh)
auto (self, same, one)
scrib, script (write, written)
graph (draw, record)
PREFIX
in-
de-
pre-
SUFFIX
-tion
-ic
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION:
· REV It Up! units 7-9 are required for 3rd quarter.
· Identify word origins and derivations.
· Use roots, cognates, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to expand vocabulary.
· Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
Identify and analyze figurative language.
3RD QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT / Communication
6.1 a-d
6.2 a-e
6.3 a-b
Reading,
Word Analysis
6.4 a-d, f
Fiction
6.5 a-l
Nonfiction
6.6 a-l
Writing
6.7 a-j
6.8 a-h
Research
6.9 a-e
*Content teams should review all three performance assessments and select one that will be done during the course of the school year.
Writing Portfolio Reflection performance assessment is required.
4th Marking Period
Content teams will select Unit 5A OR Unit 5B.
Estimated Time / Enduring Understandings / Essential Questions / Topics / Standards /Bringing the Past to Life – Unit 5A
3 Weeks – Building Background Knowledge
3 Weeks – Novel Study
3 Weeks – Persuasive Writing / Students will understand that…
Historical fiction is a combination of research and creative writing.
A text’s purpose and structure help a reader better understand its meaning.
An author’s style impacts the reader.
The way we respond to conflict reveals our character. / Students will keep considering…
How can historical facts enrich fiction?
How is nonfiction unique, and how do I read nonfiction differently than fiction?
How does an author’s style bring a story to life?
How do individuals change as a result of conflict?
How do comparing and contrasting texts add meaning and deepen understanding for the reader? / PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
· *Debate, Novel
· Portfolio Reflection, self-evaluation of writing this year with a review of the goals set in the first quarter.
Study of Historical Fiction
with Related Nonfiction and Poetry
Choices include:
Bud, Not Buddy
Fever 1793
Number the Stars
See reading specialist for approval process for alternate titles.
· Nonfiction and Poetry (Tied to the theme of the novel – see Unit Activities folder for suggested paired passages including media literacy suggestions.)
· Research Skills to Build Background Knowledge.
· Internet Searches.
· Internal Citations.
· Elements of Narrative Structure (characterization, setting, theme, with an emphasis on plot) .
· Features of Nonfiction: text structures (boldface and/or italics type, type set in color, vocabulary, graphics or photographs, headings and subheadings)
· Organizational patterns (chronological or sequential, comparison/contrast, cause and effect, problem-solution, generalization or principle) .
· Author’s craft (language patterns, sentence variety, use of imagery and figurative language).
· Use text-dependent question stems to generate questions for discussion and critical thinking.
WRITING INSTRUCTION:
Direct instruction on persuasive writing.
· Identifying audience and purpose and selecting vocabulary and tone accordingly.
· Selecting vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice
· Using appropriate transitions to clarify the relationship among ideas and concepts.
· Incorporating variety into sentences by expanding and embedding ideas by using modifiers, standard coordination, and subordination in complete sentences.
GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION:
· Eliminate double negatives.
· Capitalize language classes or classes followed by a number, and mom and dad only when those titles replace names or are used as proper nouns.
· Use the apostrophe for contractions and possessives.
· Other grammar needs as indicated by the students’ writing.
ROOTS INSTRUCTION:
ROOT
oct/a/o (eighth)
bene (good, well)
mal/e (bad, ill, wrong)
phob/ia (fear)
cent/i (hundred, hundredth)
PREFIX
non-
dis-
SUFFIX
-cial
-ent
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION:
· REV It Up! units 10-12 are required for 4th quarter.
· Identify word origins and derivations.
· Use roots, cognates, affixes, synonyms, and antonyms to expand vocabulary.
· Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
· Identify and analyze figurative language. / Communication
6.1 a-d
6.2 a-e
6.3 a-b
Reading,
Word Analysis
6.4 a-d
Fiction
6.5 a-l
Nonfiction
6.6 a-l
Writing
6.7 a-j
6.8 a-h
Research
6.9 a-e
*Content teams should review all three performance assessments and select one that will be done during the course of the school year.