• The sixth grade writing curriculum is intended to help students...
    ...see themselves as writers.
    ...feel valued as members of a writing community where individuals give and receive meaningful feedback.
    ...view the world with a writer's eye, using their experiences and environment to gather ideas.
    ...thoughtfully consider a purpose for writing.
    ...develop stamina for writing. This includes staying focused on the purpose of writing and revisitng a work in progress.
    ...read and listen to texts like a writer. This includes noticing author's craft, genre, and form in writing.
    ...prepare writing pieces to be shared with a wider audience by focusing on the conventions of written language.
    ...explore the characteristics of various genres of writing.
    ...independently navigate the writing process.
    ...understand and employ the domains of writing: focus, content, organization, style, and conventions.
    ...engage in effective research practices.
    ...practice essential literacy and communication skills in a workshop environment.

    What types of writing do sixth graders do?
    Narrative, Argument, Informative, Fiction/Memoir, and Poetry

    How do sixth graders learn to write effectively?
    The sixth grade writing curriculum is organized into nine genre study/focus units. At the beginning of the year, students learn how to generate ideas for writing and participate in the routines of a writing workshop. Tapping into students' intrinsic motivation for writing is a key component of this portion of the curriculum. In subsequent units, students follow a typical pattern as they begin to explore various genres of writing. The first part of each unit involves immersion in the genre. Students inquire about the characteristics of a particular genre and then read and listen to exemplary texts to identify components of the author's craft. This phase also involves generating ideas for writing, engaging in quick writes, and drafting various pieces. During the second part of the unit, students learn to select a draft to prepare for publication. Throughout this phase, they are composing and conferring with the teacher or their peers. At the end of each genre study, students learn specific techniques for revising and editing their writing. They learn to feel a sense of pride as the prepare their work to be shared with a wider audience through various forms of publishing.

    What is the daily routine for writing instruction?
    Sixth grade students engage in a daily block identified as the Writing Workshop. The Writing Workshop includes a mini-lesson, writing time (where students are fully engaged in composing and conferring with the teacher), and a sharing session. Mini-lessons are organized into focus units of study throughout the year. Instruction in grammar, mechanics, and usage is also incorporated into the workshop time through focused mini-lessons, individual and small group conferences, and modeled/shared writing.

    What are the new grammar skills sixth graders learn?
    - Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves). 
    - Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person
    - Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
    - Identify and commonly misused verbs (lie/lay, sit/set, rise/raise).
    - Use punctuation (e.g., commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
    - Use colons and semicolons to correct common sentence errors (run-ons, fragments).

     
    How do I learn more about a Writer's Notebook?