Sixth Grade - ELA
1: Environment and Cycles
Unit 1: The Wanderer
Lesson 2
Preparations
Students are asked to write a Reflective Journal entry using the provided page that prompts them to describe what happened, their feelings, and what they learned, which practices composing a personal narrative. Students can choose Option 1 to write a Sailing Paragraph that requires composing a paragraph that uses all vocabulary words. The Parent Plan instructs an adult to check the paragraph for correct vocabulary use and invites the student to share the journal entry with a parent, indicating some adult review or support.
Lesson 3
Juggling
Students complete the "Your Voice" prompts by writing responses in their own words and are instructed to say each statement out loud as if talking to a friend before writing. Students are asked to read aloud the sentences they wrote and discuss with a parent how their voice does or does not come through. Parent guidance sections explicitly instruct parents to encourage reading the statements and to discuss the child's voice, providing adult support and feedback.
Lesson 8
Changes
Students are asked to research England or Ireland, plan and design a 4" x 6" postcard (locating information, using a template, and illustrating a scene) and write a message on the back, which engages them in planning and composing a piece of writing. Parents are asked to check that students added prepositional phrases and to help locate websites and mailing addresses, providing adult guidance and support. Students also complete sentence-modification activities (Option 1/2) and write two sentences with prepositional phrases about pictures, which requires composing and elaborating written sentences.
Lesson 9
Land Ho!
Students answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and complete graphic-organizer "Themes" pages that require writing evidence from the book. In Activity 2, Option 2 students are instructed to "write down a plan for how you would teach the skill or idea to your family" and then practice providing that instruction. Parent Plan sections ask parents to select options, arrange sharing times, and prompt discussion, which creates opportunities for adult involvement in students' work.
Lesson 10
Narrative Essay Writing and Voice
Students complete a Prewriting Narrative Organizer to plan their story and identify events, feelings, and what they learned. Students write a first draft, use a Narrative Essay Rubric to evaluate voice, word choice, and mechanics, and complete an Editing and Revision checklist to identify needed changes. Students meet with a parent to conference about their writing and then produce a typed final copy after editing and revising.
Final Project
Character Lapbook and Test
Students plan their work by choosing a character, organizing and arranging multiple mini books, and following lapbook layout and timeline directions. Students write targeted pieces (two descriptive sentences using adjectives/modifiers in the Character Tree, a quoted passage with an explanation, artifact explanations, beginning/middle/end descriptions, expanded sentences, and test writing items). Adult support is explicitly built in: Parent Plan prompts parents to discuss choices, check folding/design/content, verify quotes in context, and ask the child to correct any missed test problems, working together when the child cannot answer correctly.
Unit 2: The People of Sparks
Lesson 1
The City of Ember
Students are asked to write or perform a movie review that describes characters, setting, and plot, and are directed to read/watch other reviews to learn what to include. The activity instructs students to ask a parent to help locate reviews and to have a parent listen as they verbally use vocabulary words, recording sentences when used correctly. The vocabulary task requires students to look up definitions, draw illustrations, and produce sentences, with parents prompting retries if a sentence is incorrect.
Lesson 2
Sparks
Students practice revising a paragraph in Option 2 by crossing out noun phrases and writing replacement pronouns above them, producing an edited version of the passage. The image answer key and Option 2 description show specific edits (e.g., "The people of Ember" replaced with "They") that streamline language. Parents are prompted to have the child read the revised paragraph aloud and discuss how the substitutions improve the writing, providing adult guidance during revision.
Lesson 3
Discovery
Students keep a daily Learning Log in which they record discoveries, categorize entries, and decide how to group similar items, demonstrating organization of ideas. Students write sentences in response to comprehension questions and complete a writing task that asks for seven sentences using specified plural-noun rules. Parents are instructed to check categories, review sentences, and remind students to add to the log, providing guidance and support during writing tasks.
Lesson 4
The Disaster
Students are asked to read example ballads before composing their own ballad, which supports planning by modeling form and content. Students are instructed to write a ballad of specified stanza and rhyme patterns (drafting a multi-stanza poem). In the pronouns activity, students must circle pronouns, underline antecedents, and rewrite sentences that show disagreement, which practices editing and sentence-level revision. Parent Plan prompts adults to discuss choices for the monument and to encourage performance of the ballad, providing adult support.
Lesson 5
Roamers
Students are instructed to use the 'The Debate' activity page to organize and plan three arguments and supporting evidence. Students are asked to read their arguments aloud to a parent and to identify which statements are facts versus opinions and to discuss emotional appeals. Students create a descriptive paragraph to accompany a drawing and parents are prompted to provide feedback on the paragraph and artwork.
Lesson 6
Flags
Students are asked to correct incorrect sentences in Option 2, identifying the case and antecedent and providing corrections, which requires editing sentence-level writing. Students must answer reading-comprehension questions in complete sentences and add entries to Doon and Lina's learning log, involving written responses. Parent Plan directions ask a parent to choose the pronoun exercise option and to review and discuss student illustrations and the Venn diagram, indicating adult guidance during activities.
Lesson 7
Tomatoes
Students are asked to write a paragraph in their journal selecting a media outlet and explaining why it would benefit the people of Sparks and Ember (Activity 1). Students must add information to Lina and Doon's learning log and answer reading comprehension questions in complete sentences, providing multiple short writing tasks. The Student Activity Page explicitly tells students they can "plan on the back of the page," which indicates students are expected to plan their responses. The Parent Plan repeatedly encourages a parent to have the child read the paragraph aloud and to provide feedback on ideas.
Lesson 8
Unfairness
Students are asked to brainstorm features of American city governments and the government of Sparks and to decide which system is more effective, which requires planning a written comparison. Students are asked to make a diagram of a proposed government for Ember and then describe the system to a parent, which requires organizing and producing a written or spoken product. Students complete a thesaurus activity where they record synonyms and the context clues that justify their choices, and parents are instructed to check these responses, providing adult guidance.
Lesson 9
Conflict
Students practice revising at the sentence level in the "Combining Sentences" activity where they combine pairs of sentences using conjunctions and commas, which requires editing and rephrasing given text. Students practice organizing and planning narrative order in the "Sequencing Events" activity by cutting, ordering, and pasting story events to reflect plot sequence. Parent prompts ask students to summarize important events and remind them to review comma rules as they write their own sentences, implying guided support during writing tasks.
Lesson 10
The Decision
Students are asked to brainstorm solutions, select the best option, and then write a 6–8 sentence speech for the town plaza (Activity 1), which shows planning and producing a written product. The Parent Plan instructs an adult to go over the child's ideas, discuss merits, and encourage the child to read the petition aloud and discuss tone and delivery, providing adult guidance and feedback. Activity 3 Option 2 asks students to write directions for an experiment with a materials list and step-by-step directions, which requires organized planning and an approach to technical writing. The unit review notes that some writing and grammar have been practiced in the unit, implying prior writing development activities to draw on.
Final Project
Wars and Plagues or A New Environment
Students are asked to produce rough drafts and final copies (e.g., the newspaper rough draft and final copy and the three-paragraph essay rough draft and final copy). Students are directed to edit and revise their essays using rubrics (New Environment Essay Rubric and Wars and Plagues Rubric) and to include revisions in their final copy. Parent conference prompts instruct an adult to help the student edit and revise the article/essay and to provide feedback, and organizers (research organizer, timeline, paragraph outlines) guide planning.
Unit 3: Short Stories
Lesson 1
The Good Deed
In Activity 2 (Eye Bouquet), students are asked to write a vivid description of an object on paper (at least 25 words) and then read it aloud to a sibling or parent who tries to guess the object. The activity then directs students to repeat the task with a second object and "see if you can make your description even better," implying improvement after oral feedback. The Parent Plan explicitly states the child "practices using descriptive language" and "strengthen[s] both his writing and oral communication skills" by reading descriptions to a listener.
Lesson 2
Short Story Genre
Students practice editing by identifying run-on sentences, naming the type of run-on, and revising them using periods, semicolons, or comma + conjunctions (Activity 1 and the Student Activity Page). Students are told they will write their own short story at the end of the unit and are asked to explore common writing errors and ways to avoid them, which supports preparation for composing. Students gather and record research about Mars in a journal and create an acrostic poem, showing students plan and develop ideas before writing. Students are prompted to discuss texts with adults (Parent Plan) and to record descriptive phrases from the readings to use in their writing and artwork.
Lesson 3
The Dog of Pompeii
Students are asked to develop a RAFT product (pretend to be a historian and write a poem or song) after researching Pompeii, which requires selecting a role, audience, format, and theme. Students write journal entries of three examples of irony and record descriptive language phrases from the story, then write sensory descriptions of their home and read them aloud to family. Parent plan notes that parents should check work, provide more examples if a child struggles with irony, and encourage reading descriptions aloud, indicating adult support during writing activities.
Lesson 4
Rip Van Winkle
Students practice revising sentences in Activity 3: Revising Run-Ons, where they are given five run-on sentences and specific strategies (separate sentences, comma + coordinating conjunction, semicolon, semicolon + conjunctive adverb, subordination) to correct them. Students rewrite part of the story in Activity 5 by converting Rip's return to the village into a script with characters, lines, and stage directions, which is an explicit rewriting into a new approach. The Skills and Parent Plan sections instruct parents/teachers to read aloud, hold conferences and small-group discussions, and involve family members in acting out scenes, providing suggested adult and peer support for the writing tasks.
Lesson 5
Zlateh the Goat
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and to correct sentence fragments (Activity 1), which requires them to edit and revise short pieces of writing. In Activity 2 (Option 2) students are asked to make up sentences for different points of view, which has them compose and try different narrative approaches. Parent Plan sections instruct parents to help and guide the child through activities, providing adult support for the writing tasks.
Lesson 6
Women in Short Stories
Students are instructed in Option 1 to highlight speakers and "rewrite the conversation in your journal. Follow the tips for writing dialogue and correct any mistakes," which requires editing and rewriting. An answer key with corrected dialogue is provided for students to use as a model when revising. Parent plan directions ask adults to read aloud, select options, and check student work, providing explicit adult guidance and support during writing tasks.
Lesson 7
Your Choice
Students complete graphic organizers (Elements of a Short Story, Plot Diagram, Story Conflict & Theme) that require planning and organizing story elements. Students are asked to design a writing-related activity on the "Your Own Activity" template, including directions and materials, which requires planning a written task. The lesson instructs students to think of ideas for a short story to write tomorrow and includes Parent Plan prompts for an adult to check work and discuss the student's activity idea.
Final Project
Writing a Short Story
Students are asked to brainstorm and use multiple planning tools (graphic organizers, a plot diagram, an 'Elements of a Short Story' sheet, and a 'Theme & Conflict' organizer) before writing (Activities 1–4). The Short Story Rubric is to be reviewed before writing, and the lesson provides tips for dialogue, run-ons, and fragments as well as a 'Handy Guide to Writing' for grammar and punctuation, and parent sections prompt adults to review plot diagrams and discuss point of view and character choices with the student.
2: Force and Power
Unit 1: Bull Run
Lesson 1
Background on the Civil War
Students plan research and organize information using color-coded note cards and assigned topics (Activity 5), which asks them to record topics and colors in a journal before research. Students are asked to put information in their own words when they list the steps for statehood in their journal (Activity 2), an act of rewriting/paraphrasing. Students write sentences about the Civil War and physically cut and rearrange subjects and predicates to form new sentences (Activity 6, Options 1 and 2), which has them try new approaches to composing sentences. Adult guidance is explicitly recommended throughout (parent plan notes to help select options, check sequencing, and assist reading primary sources).
Lesson 2
Pink and Say
Students are asked in Activity 2 to choose a short passage from Pink and Say and rewrite it from Pink's point of view or from an omniscient third-person narrator, which requires them to rewrite and try a new approach to the same text. Parent Plan instructions explicitly tell adults to encourage the child to imagine being Pink, include what Pink is seeing and thinking, and to explain omniscient narration, providing adult guidance and support. The Getting Started/Introducing the Lesson sections ask an adult to explain the task and context before reading, showing adult involvement during the writing activity.
Lesson 4
Ready for Battle
Students are asked to write three or five sentences about the Civil War (Option 1 or 2) and to circle the linking verbs, which requires them to produce written work. For the poster task, students are instructed to design their Civil War propaganda poster in pencil first and then trace over pictures/words with markers, which shows a planning/drafting step. Parents are prompted to help decide which option the child should complete and to help locate examples of propaganda posters and discuss themes, providing adult guidance and support.
Final Project
Argumentative Essay
Students plan their essays by brainstorming pros and cons and completing the detailed Argumentative Outline pages for the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Students write a first draft after an approved outline and mark verbs as directed, showing draft-stage work. Students revise and edit on Day 3 by focusing on ideas, organization, and grammar using the rubric and by conferencing with a parent to identify and correct errors. Students produce a final typed copy, apply spell-check, and reflect on the writing process.
Unit 2: Albert Einstein
Lesson 1
Who Is Albert Einstein?
Students are asked to research Isaac Newton and "take notes on note cards as you come across important information," which asks them to plan and gather material before writing. Students then "write a bio-poem about Isaac Newton" using their note cards, and they answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, producing written work. Parent Plan directions tell parents to encourage recording 6-10 facts on note cards and provide prompts and sample adjectives to help students craft the bio-poem.
Lesson 2
Einstein, The Boy
Students are asked to record answers in complete sentences for comprehension questions, which requires composing written responses. Students are instructed to create and add to a timeline, recording important events and organizing them chronologically, which involves planning and organizing content. Parent Plan prompts ask students to discuss with a parent how to determine important events and to continue adding information, indicating some adult guidance during the planning/recording process.
Lesson 3
University Days and Beyond
Students are asked to write a short paragraph in their journal about a time when conflict led to negative consequences (Activity 2). Students complete a Biography Web organizer by locating and placing events from Einstein's life, which requires planning and organizing ideas (Activity 1). Students answer reading questions in complete sentences and parents are instructed to have the child summarize chapters and check answers, indicating some adult-supported writing and summarizing practice (Reading and Questions; Parent Plan).
Lesson 4
Research and Discovery
Students are asked to write a summary of one of the videos they watched and to use notes taken while viewing, which supports planning and composing. Students must read chapters and answer questions in complete sentences and add events to a timeline or a Biography Web, which requires organizing ideas in writing. Parent Plan directions tell adults to discuss major topics with the child before writing and to check vocabulary use, providing adult guidance and support for the writing tasks.
Lesson 8
Peace
Students are asked to write a biography (Option 1) by recording characteristics, accomplishments, important moments, and to "add feelings and a personal touch," which prompts composing extended text. In Activity 2 (Curiosity) students are asked to think of two abstract questions, develop a plan for finding answers, and select one question to attempt to find an answer, which engages planning and research. Parent Plan notes instruct adults to help find answers and to ensure student responses are more than just facts, indicating some adult guidance is expected during the writing and research activities.
Final Project
Biography Scrapbook
Students are instructed to use their biography web and timeline to assist in finding information and deciding what to include, which supports planning. The Skills section explicitly lists "Use a variety of preliminary strategies to plan and organize the writing and speaking task considering purpose, audience, and timeline." The lesson refers students to the Handy Guide to Writing for letter format and asks parents to review the rubric and discuss assessment, which provides adult guidance and criteria for writing.
Unit 3: Number the Stars
Lesson 1
Background on Denmark and World War II
Students are asked to write an acrostic poem about Denmark after reading the provided e-book, using a lined activity page to produce their poem. Students also write each vocabulary word on its own note card as part of the Vocabulary Game activity. Parent-plan notes instruct an adult to play the vocabulary game with the child and to encourage the child to read the poem aloud after writing it.
Lesson 2
Soldiers on Every Corner
Students learn and apply standard proofreading symbols (caret for insertions, symbols for commas, apostrophes, and quotation marks) and are directed to rewrite a paragraph in their journal using those symbols. Students correct a second paragraph using the four symbols learned and are asked to draw the proofreading symbols to demonstrate understanding. Parent instructions tell adults to check corrections and to encourage the student to read her poem aloud or explain a completed chart, providing adult guidance and support.
Lesson 3
The Button Shop
Students practice editing by copying a paragraph into their journal and applying five proofreading symbols (add a period, delete, transpose, add a space, close a space). Students mark a second paragraph with those symbols to show where corrections are needed and review the symbols from yesterday and today. Students plan and compose a propaganda poster by deciding the message, images, and text to influence attitudes and then explain the poster to their family. The Parent Plan directs adults to ask questions, discuss chosen passages, and review students' poster explanations, indicating adult involvement.
Lesson 4
In Hiding
Students are asked to write four discussion questions about Chapters 5 and 6, then go over the questions with a parent and discuss answers and why. Students complete written activities: filling in a menorah graphic organizer about Jewish religion and recording three problem/solution situations from the chapters. The parent plan instructs a parent to evaluate the child's questions based on how well they cover big ideas, implying adult feedback on student writing.
Lesson 5
In the Country
Students are taught proofreading symbols and editing abbreviations and then instructed to rewrite and correct a provided paragraph in their journals using those marks, which requires revising and editing writing. Students choose between creating a postcard or composing a coded message and key, which requires planning and trying a new approach to composition. Parent-plan notes ask parents to check answers, discuss mistakes, and have students share work with a parent, providing adult guidance and support during revision and finalization.
Lesson 6
Aunt Birte is Dead
Students are taught four proofreading abbreviations (Sp, -s, s/v, T) and are instructed in Activity 1 to rewrite a given paragraph in their journal making the corrections indicated and then to edit a second paragraph marking mistakes with those abbreviations. The Student Activity Page explicitly directs students to perform a paragraph editing task and an editing practice paragraph, and the Parent Plan asks parents to check answers and discuss any errors. The reading task also asks students to choose passages, read them aloud, and explain reasons for selecting them, which engages reflection on text choices.
Lesson 7
Run!
Students are taught and use specific proofreading abbreviations (Wdy, Ww, Pron) and are asked to rewrite a provided paragraph in their journals applying those editing marks. The Skills section explicitly directs students to "Edit final products for grammar, language conventions, and format." Parent Plan directions ask an adult to check the child's answers, discuss corrections, and encourage the child to explain his illustration and Venn diagram, providing adult support during revision and explanation.
Lesson 8
Little Red Riding Hood
Students are asked to record connections in a journal after reading Chapters 14–17, which requires composing written responses. Students complete a Character Sketch page in which they write two character traits, provide text-based evidence, and describe a problem and how traits helped solve it. Students use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast Annemarie's story and Little Red Riding Hood, producing organized written comparisons.
Lesson 9
A Magazine Article
Students plan their writing using the Bubble Map organizer that asks them to identify a central topic, three subtopics, and supporting details. Students write a rough draft using transition examples and a formal magazine style, then revise by checking organization and support. Students edit using proofreading symbols, conference with a parent for feedback, and produce a final copy incorporating suggested corrections and images, guided by the Expository Rubric and Editing Symbols pages.
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are assigned multiple writing tasks (essays, newspaper articles, letters, a book jacket summary, skits) in the Think-Tac-Toe choices that require composing text. The Number the Stars test explicitly checks whether students know editing symbols and abbreviations. Parent guidance sections instruct adults to check work, encourage sharing, and make suggestions for improvement on selected products.
3: Change
Unit 1: Tuck Everlasting
Lesson 3
Winnie
Students are asked to write original sentences that personify objects (Option 1) and to take objects the author personified and write new, different personifications (Option 2), which asks them to try a different approach to expression. Parent Plan directions tell an adult to select the appropriate option, check the student's personified sentences, and discuss examples, providing adult guidance and support. The Parts of Speech activity includes hints (for example, identifying "was crouching" as a verb) and a parent-directed modification, which gives students guided practice with drafting sentence analyses.
Lesson 5
At Home with the Tucks
Students are asked to write short paragraphs that describe the Fosters' home and the Tucks' home, citing the author's words and placing quotations around any direct phrases. Students are given an Option 2 prewriting task to locate and record words and phrases from the text on folded paper and then illustrate the homes, which functions as planning. Parents are instructed to choose an option, prompt discussion, and help the child think through examples, providing adult guidance and support during the writing tasks.
Lesson 7
Fishing
Students are asked to write a summary of the chapters that includes six vocabulary words, which requires producing a piece of writing. Students create their own similes and a metaphor (or revise examples) on provided activity pages, and they are directed to ask a parent which option to complete, indicating adult guidance in choosing tasks. Parent Plan instructions ask parents to check correct use of vocabulary and to provide simpler examples of similes/metaphors for support.
Lesson 8
The Gallows
Students are asked to plan and create a print ad or a 30-second commercial, including writing a script, selecting images and text, deciding on set and props, and assembling a two-page magazine layout. The directions tell students to analyze existing ads, practice and memorize lines with a cast, record the commercial, and watch the recording to evaluate its effectiveness. Parent guidance is explicitly requested for selecting the option, helping film and edit the commercial, and assisting with technology or layout decisions.
Lesson 9
The Plan
Students are asked to fill out a graphic organizer and use it as an outline to write a cause-and-effect paragraph in their journal, and a sample paragraph is provided as a model. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly includes "Develop drafts following the cause-and-effect organizational strategy." Parents are instructed to review the child's examples before he begins and to read through the paragraph with him after he finishes, providing adult guidance and support.
Lesson 10
The Water and the Toad
Students are asked to produce written responses in a journal for several activities (predicting the ending, writing three interview questions or answering interview prompts, recording three movie/book differences and three changes they would make). Students also create symbolic similes in writing and select/memorize a ten-word quote to write under an illustration. Parent Plan notes ask adults to check answers, ask follow-up questions, and encourage the child to share or recite work, providing opportunities for adult support.
Final Project
A Debate
Students prepare a two-minute opening argument and a one- or two-sentence closing statement, using note cards to organize main points, which shows planning and drafting of written ideas. Students record three quotes/actions, pros and cons, and their own thoughts on a graphic organizer, demonstrating gathering evidence and composing written responses. Students write three questions for an opponent and prepare written answers on note cards, then practice the arguments with a parent/sibling and a facilitator, showing guided practice and supported development of their arguments.
Unit 2: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Lesson 2
A Visitor
Students are asked to revise dependent clauses by adding independent clauses on the "Recognizing Independent & Dependent Clauses" page, which requires modifying and improving given sentences. The lesson asks students to produce a "Mississippi Facts" sheet or a tri-fold brochure that requires organizing information and composing written text (planning and composing). The Parent Plan and answer key note that students should have added independent clauses to specific items and that parents may review sentence correctness.
Lesson 3
The Bus
Students are asked to compose a 6–10 sentence formal letter to the school board, using a provided formal letter template that guides planning and organization. Students practice sentence-level composing by completing the "Combining Clauses" activity, writing sentences and a paragraph that require specific clause structures. Parent Plan directions ask adults to check the student's sentences and letters and to ask the student questions, indicating adult support during composition.
Lesson 4
T.J.
The lesson instructs students to read their first draft and "see where you can combine shorter sentences or join together related sentences," and provides a "Combining Sentences, Part I" activity where students rewrite short, choppy sentences into longer, more interesting ones. The Parent Plan tells adults to have the child practice combining 2–3 sentences, to keep the same meaning, and to encourage varying the ways sentences are combined. The lesson also suggests reading papers out loud to identify revision opportunities.
Lesson 5
The Market
Students are asked in Activity 1 to draw conjunction and noun cards and create sentences that use coordinating or subordinating conjunctions, which requires combining and rearranging sentence parts. The Parent Plan and Skills list explicitly state that students will "Combine and rearrange sentences" and "Use simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences," indicating guided practice in changing sentence structure. Option 1 has students and a parent/peer take turns forming sentences from the same cards, and Option 2 asks students to write five sentences in a journal, providing opportunities to try different sentence approaches with adult support.
Lesson 6
Uncle Hammer
Students practice revising and strengthening sentences in the "Expanding Sentences" activity by adding adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and descriptive verbs to existing simple sentences. The Parent Plan directs an adult to check that students add at least four descriptive items to each sentence, providing adult guidance and feedback. In Activity 2 students plan and create a poster with a slogan and images, which requires planning and trying a new communicative approach; the Skills section also lists writing responses to texts as an expected activity.
Lesson 8
Taking a Stand
The Parent Plan lists the skill "Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences." Activity 1 "Don't Forget the Commas" asks students to insert commas where needed and to delete commas that don't belong, giving students practice editing punctuation. Multiple Parent Plan prompts ask parents to discuss student choices and explanations (e.g., explain why you selected suggestions, describe relationships), which provides adult guidance during activities.
Lesson 9
Papa's Accident
Students are instructed to revise and edit passages in Activity 2, including combining short sentences, correcting sentence fragments and run-ons, and adding details to improve paragraphs. The Student Activity Pages provide specific passages for students to rewrite and correct, with explicit examples of fragments and run-ons to fix. Parent Plan notes instruct parents to help select options and support revision, showing adult guidance during the editing process.
Lesson 10
Revival
Students are guided to plan their writing using the "Organizing Ideas" graphic organizer that prompts paragraph-by-paragraph content. Students begin drafting by writing the first two paragraphs of the five-paragraph report in their journal. Students are provided a detailed Book Report Rubric that prompts review of sentence structure, voice, and word choice, and parents are instructed to review the rubric and students' recorded ideas before writing.
Lesson 11
Trouble
Students are asked to finish the rough draft of a book report, demonstrating planning and drafting. Students read through their rough draft and make changes to correct mistakes, combine sentences, add details, and address fragments, run-ons, and comma errors, using the provided proofreading symbols. Students are instructed to ask a parent to read the draft and discuss possible corrections and changes, and to read their revised and edited report aloud to a sibling or friend for feedback.
Final Project
Unit Test and Presentation for Change
Students are asked to use the "PowerPoint Organizer" pages to plan and record the ideas they will include on each slide/poster, which shows explicit planning. Students are instructed to review the "Presentation Rubric" before beginning and to make note cards and practice the speech, during which parents are asked to provide suggestions and feedback. Students are directed to discuss their ideas with a parent before beginning and to present to family members who will use the rubric to assess and give thoughts, providing adult guidance and support.
Unit 3: The Giver
Lesson 1
The Community
Students are asked to "Write responses to literary or expository texts" and to "Write about personal experiences," which appear in the skills list. Students complete specific writing tasks: making a journal list of three things to prepare for an Assignment (Option 1) and writing 3–4 sentences explaining why an Assignment fits them (Option 2). Parents are instructed to encourage sharing, check the Character Timeline entries after each reading, and play the Vocabulary Cube game with the student, providing adult involvement and support.
Lesson 2
Baby Gabriel
Students are asked to plan a written piece by choosing between writing a poem or creating a collage and by considering guiding questions about setting, governance, jobs, and how citizens live. The poem prompt explicitly asks students to decide what techniques (similes, metaphors, descriptive language, irony) they will apply, and the collage prompt asks students to consider artistic techniques (color, depth, texture) before beginning. Parent Plan notes instruct parents to encourage choice, discuss the meaning after completion, and ask the child to explain techniques used, providing adult support during the task.
Lesson 3
The Ceremony of Twelve
Students are asked to summarize chapters and answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which requires composing written responses. In the Community Rules & Laws activity, students record positive and negative effects and write a sentence to explain whether a rule should exist, producing argumentative/ explanatory writing. The Parent Plan instructs adults to remind children about summary conventions and to ask the child to defend decisions, providing some adult guidance and support for writing and reasoning.
Lesson 5
Memories
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences after reading Chapters 9 and 10, producing written responses. Students complete vocabulary webs that require them to write definitions and original sentences for each word. Students complete a "History: To Be Forgotten or Remembered?" activity in which they write three brief (three- to four-sentence) descriptions of historical events and explain how each memory could help Jonas's community. Parent Plan prompts instruct an adult to check vocabulary webs and ask the child to explain their historical choices, implying adult review.
Lesson 6
Color
Students are instructed to use a five-senses chart to brainstorm sensory words and phrases before writing a descriptive paragraph, which shows planning prior to drafting. Students create an art piece and then write a descriptive paragraph based on the sensory organizer, demonstrating a drafting activity. Parent suggestions ask the child to read the paragraph aloud while an adult listens and draws what they hear, providing a form of adult-supported feedback.
Lesson 7
Pain
Students are asked to write (Part 3) either two sentences containing adjective clauses or a descriptive paragraph with at least three adjective clauses, and the parent plan instructs a parent to choose which option the child completes. Students must answer comprehension questions in complete sentences and discuss Questions 2–4 with a parent. The materials include editing-style exercises (adding commas around nonessential adjective clauses) and an answer key for checking student responses.
Lesson 8
Love
Students are asked to produce written work: a short persuasive letter to Jonas' community (with an example paragraph provided) or three poems (before-and-after, acrostic, and a bio-poem) using provided templates and framed prompts. Students are given structured templates and activity pages (bio-poem columns, 'Before/After' lines, and an acrostic FREEDOM layout) that support planning what to write. Students practice conventions through explicit capitalization rules pages and sentence-editing exercises and are instructed to share their letter or poems with their family, implying adult involvement.
Lesson 9
Rosemary
Students are asked to answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, practicing written response. In Activity 1 students circle subjects, underline verbs, and label sentences as active or passive, which engages them in editing grammar and verb choice. Activity 2 directs students to write descriptive feelings using "interesting words," encouraging more precise word choice and expressive writing.
Lesson 10
The Plan
Students practice converting passive sentences to active voice on the "Get Active" page, identifying actors and rearranging sentences into active constructions. Students write descriptive pieces for the Music Collage or Musical Selection, explaining choices and using descriptive language. Adult guidance is prompted in the Parent Plan: adults are asked to listen to explanations, to read over the student's paragraph, and to make sure sentences are in active voice.
Final Project
The Final Chapter
Students plan their writing using provided organizers such as the Plot Flowchart for the final chapter and storyboard Draft frames for the memory project. Students produce drafts and create final copies: storyboard rough-draft frames lead to Final Copy Frames, and the final chapter requires 3–5 pages following a plotted plan. Students revise and edit their work using an Editing Symbols reference, an explicit "Editing and Revising" step (Option 1), and meet with a parent for a writing conference and rubric-based assessment; students also read their work aloud to family for feedback.
4: Systems and Interaction
Unit 1: Esperanza Rising
Lesson 1
Tragedy in Mexico
Students are assigned multiple written tasks: they answer comprehension questions in writing about the Great Depression, create a photo journal by selecting two first‑hand accounts, pasting pages, adding images, and creating a cover, and keep a Cultural Commentator journal recording cultural details from chapters. The Parent Plan instructs an adult to check the photo journal and to ask the child to share the Cultural Commentator entries, providing adult interaction and feedback opportunities.
Lesson 2
Escape
Students are asked to produce original writing in Option 1 (describe the phoenix as a symbol and illustrate) or Option 2 (write a free-verse poem about the phoenix) and to share their ideas or poetry with a parent. The parent plan instructs an adult to help the child choose an option and to encourage her to share and discuss her work. Students also compose two original sentences using quotation marks on the Student Activity Page, demonstrating independent sentence-level writing.
Lesson 3
Train Ride
Students rewrite a passage with missing quotation marks, question marks, and commas to produce correct punctuation (Part 2), demonstrating editing and rewriting. Students choose between punctuating existing dialogue (Option 1) or composing original dialogue (Option 2) and produce written dialogue that they check for correct paragraph formation and punctuation. Students read their discussion questions or dialogue aloud and have a parent review and discuss problems with paragraph formation or punctuation, providing adult guidance for revision.
Lesson 4
Los Angeles
Students practice revising word choice in Activity 1 by underlining each instance of the word "said" and writing a more descriptive verb above it, directly engaging in editing and revision. In Option 2 students draft new dialogue in their journals without using "said," which requires them to try a new approach and produce a rewritten draft. Parent checks and directions for the activity provide adult guidance and support as students share and receive feedback on their revisions.
Lesson 5
Home Sweet Home
Students are asked to use a graphic organizer titled "Problem-Solution Paragraph" to organize their topic sentence, explanation, solution, and concluding sentence, which provides explicit planning support. Students are instructed to write a problem-solution paragraph using that organizer, showing a clear planning-to-draft sequence. Parents are directed to discuss the structure with the child before writing and to review the completed paragraph afterward, providing adult guidance and support. Students also read selected passages aloud to a parent and explain their choices, engaging in adult-supported oral reflection on text choices.
Lesson 6
Papa's Roses
Students are asked to draw a shrine and "explain the elements of the shrine, what they represent about your life, and why they are an important part of who you are," which requires composing written explanation on the provided lines. Parents are prompted to ask the child to share the illustration and describe each element, providing adult guidance and verbal feedback. The Illustrator activity and vocabulary tasks require students to produce labeled work and short written or matched responses, which involve initial composition and organization of ideas.
Lesson 7
Dust Storm
Students practice composing connected sentences in the "Using Transition Words" activity by combining sentence fragments and choosing appropriate transition words from a provided chart. Students are given an "I Am" poem template and prompted to write and read a poem about Esperanza, producing original writing. An answer key and parent notes point out common punctuation errors and ask adults to check that students' new sentences make sense, which provides targeted editing guidance.
Lesson 8
Christmas
Students are asked to rewrite topic sentences on the "Transitioning Between Paragraphs" activity to include transition words and vary wording, which requires revising and rewriting. The answer key and examples of common paragraph transitions give direct guidance for revision choices. Parent Plan directions ask an adult to check the revised topic sentences and to have the student read aloud and explain Chavez quotes, providing adult support during the revision and explanation process. The Line Locator and Cesar Chavez quote activities require students to write explanations and connections, engaging students in composing and refining written responses.
Lesson 9
The Strike
Students are asked to write a four- or five-sentence summary of the chapters in their journal, which requires composing an initial written draft. Parent Plan directions explicitly tell an adult to "Read over your child's chapter summary" and to check that sentences use commonly confused words correctly, implying adult review. The sentence-creation activity (Activity 1) asks students to produce original sentences using target words and includes an answer key and parent guidance to confirm correct usage, which can prompt corrective feedback.
Lesson 10
Together
Students are asked to pick a scene and "rewrite the scene in your own words so that it involves mostly dialogue," providing direct practice in rewriting. Students are instructed to "read it aloud" to hear whether dialogue sounds genuine, which supports revising. The lesson lists specific punctuation and dialogue rules and refers students to the Handy Guide for punctuating dialogue, supporting editing. Parent Plan directions ask an adult to check quotation marks and commas and to discuss tone and voice, providing adult support for strengthening writing.
Final Project
A Dramatization
Students are asked to plan and write multiple texts: a movie trailer script (Activity 3) and an original readers' theatre script of 12–15 lines (Activity 4). Students are instructed to find family members or friends to act out and practice their scripts (Activity 5), and parent guidance prompts adults to listen, discuss common elements of trailers, and critique the script and performance. Parent notes also ask adults to discuss how a dramatic interpretation is similar to or different from the book, which involves adult feedback on student writing choices.
Unit 2: The Tree That Time Built
Lesson 1
Fields
Students are asked to write original poems in Activity 2, with explicit planning prompts (topic, desired emotion/tone, word/phrase choices, and title) that guide initial drafting. The unit asks students to keep their poems for a final project and to develop many poems over the course of the unit, implying ongoing work on their writing. Parent guidance language instructs adults to have the child read poems aloud, discuss them, and check form (stanza count and end rhyme), providing adult support and feedback.
Lesson 2
The Sea
Students brainstorm in a journal about ways living things depend on the sea, which supports planning content for writing. Students compose a poem about the sea using either a provided structure or an original structure, and Option 1 explicitly directs them to "rewrite the poem on lined paper," indicating an act of rewriting. Parents are asked to decide options, check the child's work, and encourage the child, providing adult guidance and support during the writing activities.
Lesson 3
Prehistoric
Students are directed to reread the model poem "Obituary for a Clam" and to read examples of obituaries, which supports planning and using mentor texts. Students are asked to research their chosen prehistoric animal's habitat and life, which supports gathering information for writing. Students write an obituary on the provided activity page and are instructed to copy it neatly on lined paper, which requires producing a final draft. Parents are encouraged to have the child read the obituary aloud, providing some adult involvement during the writing process.
Lesson 4
Plants
Students are directed to plan a shape poem by selecting a leaf, studying how it is attached, tracing its exact shape, and using that observation as inspiration for writing (Activity 3). Students brainstorm and record interdependent relationships between plants and animals/humans in a journal (Activity 2) and are prompted to discuss their responses with a parent, providing adult support. Parent Plan sections instruct adults to read through the child's descriptions, discuss examples, and encourage the child to read her poem aloud, which supplies guided feedback and support.
Lesson 5
Amphibians and Reptiles
Students are asked to create a found poem by selecting text from other sources and rearranging, adding, or subtracting words to make a new poem, which requires rewriting and trying a new approach. Students practice editing by reading sentences and inserting correct dashes, rewriting sentences with correct punctuation, and explaining dash usage. Parents are prompted to encourage reading the found poem aloud, discuss editing decisions, and assist the child, which provides adult guidance and support. The found poem is to be saved for a final project, indicating some planning of writing work.
Lesson 6
Insects
Students are prompted to plan a narrative poem by answering specific prewriting questions (choose a main character, decide events for beginning/middle/end, identify a conflict) and then to start writing. Students write a haiku and are asked to record it and keep it for a final project, which implies an ongoing writing task. Parents are instructed to check syllable counts and to talk through planning questions with the student, and students are encouraged to read their narrative poem aloud when finished.
Lesson 7
Birds
Students are given an explicit prompt in Activity 3 to 'select a poem from the book or write your own poem about birds' and to place that poem on the shoebox lid, which requires composition. The Student Activity Page asks students to list words/phrases from the poem and draw imagery, which can serve as prewriting or idea-gathering for composing a poem. Parent Plan notes encourage adults to 'read over your child's analysis' and to 'encourage him to discuss his ideas with you,' implying some adult support for the student's thinking about the poem.
Lesson 8
Mammals
Students are asked to write their own lyric poem, applying poetic devices (metaphor, alliteration, end rhyme, imagery, personification) and to save it for a final project, which shows an opportunity to produce original writing. Students are explicitly asked to "rewrite the poem" using the author's structure in Activity 3 Option 2, which requires them to substitute words and create a revised version (a clear rewriting task). Parent-plan prompts instruct adults to encourage sharing, to ask the student to read original and rewritten versions, and to discuss similarities and differences, providing some guidance and support from adults.
Final Project
Poetry Lapbook
Students are instructed to read through all their poems once the lapbook is assembled, review the rubric, and add any finishing touches. The rubric asks students to evaluate neatness, use of figurative language, creativity, and organization, which gives students criteria to improve their work. Parent Plan sections direct adults to review the rubric, check assembly, and encourage or explain things to the student, indicating adult support is available as students finalize their poems.
Unit 3: Secret of the Andes
Lesson 1
The Andes Mountains
Students are asked to cross out incorrect verbs in sentences and write the correct verb above, which requires them to edit and correct written sentences. Students must create a three-sentence subject-verb agreement quiz (writing questions and an answer key) and give it to a friend or sibling, which involves planning a written product and sharing it with a peer. Students design a vocabulary crossword by looking up words, writing definitions as clues, and arranging words in a grid, which requires planning and composing written clues; parents are instructed to check the quiz and answer key, providing adult support.
Lesson 3
People Below
Students are instructed to use the "Writing a Lyric Poem for a Minstrel" page, which asks them to divide a story into 3–4 events and to jot down ideas and details in four labeled boxes, providing an explicit graphic organizer for planning. The activity directs students to use that page to get started on a 3–4 verse lyric poem and to choose a personal or historical event to retell, showing concrete planning steps. The lesson also prompts students to share their lyric poem with family and includes Parent Plan prompts for adults to ask why the student chose the subject and to encourage reading or singing the poem, providing some adult support.
Lesson 5
New Sights
Students write five sentences in a journal using verbal phrases from a provided list and are instructed to record personification descriptions in complete sentences. Parents are asked to check that the sentences make sense and that phrases are used as verbals, and to read over student descriptions and ask the student to identify the words and phrases that personify the animals and objects. Students practice identifying and using verbal and participial phrases in context and produce written responses to reading questions.
Lesson 6
Llama Training
Students practice rewriting sentences by using participial phrases on the "Combining Sentences" activity page, turning pairs of short sentences into a single, more complex sentence. Students are asked to create a "Guide to Incan Landmarks" booklet, locate and use web sources, and write descriptive entries for each site, which requires composing and synthesizing research. The Parent Plan prompts an adult to choose between two activity options and provides an answer key, indicating adult guidance during the sentence-combining and writing tasks.
Lesson 8
The City
Students are asked to write a short book review using transition words and phrases, with a provided chart of transition types and explicit directions to link paragraphs and provide examples. Students are asked to brainstorm cultural aspects in a journal (planning) in Option 1 and to write a poem focused on the Spanish conquest in Option 2 (composition practice). Parent Plan notes ask adults to look for transitions, make suggestions for adding or rewording transitions, and to read poems for accuracy and figurative language, indicating adult feedback on student writing.
Lesson 9
Belonging
Students are directed to take a list of facts about Ann Nolan Clark and turn them into an informative paragraph, with guidance to vary sentence beginnings and reword details as needed. The activity explicitly models revision by showing a choppy paragraph and a revised version that combines sentences, adds transitions, and changes sentence openings. The Skills section lists editing and revising manuscripts (adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences) and focusing revision on target elements by rearranging text. Parent Plan instructions tell adults to prompt and help students during the revision process and to assist with slideshow tools, indicating adult support.
Lesson 10
Painting Sentences
Students begin with a basic sentence (the "canvas") and then expand it step-by-step by painting the predicate and subject, adding details (how, when, where, which, what kind), and selecting a word to emphasize. Students are instructed to "put on the finishing touches" by working with words or phrases, refining wording, and checking spelling and punctuation. Parent plan directions tell an adult to check each step, discuss mistakes with the child, and ask her to rewrite parts of the sentence when needed, indicating adult guidance for revision.
Final Project
Narrative Essay
Students plan their essays using the provided "Organizing Your Writing" graphic organizers that prompt a hook, thesis, and three chronological events. Students write an introductory paragraph and body paragraphs, finish drafts, and produce a final copy. Students revise and edit using the Narrative Essay Rubric and an editing symbols chart, use the "Painting a Sentence" technique to rework weaker sentences, and conference with a parent to get feedback before writing the final copy.