Staffordtownshipschool District

StaffordTownshipSchool District

Manahawkin, NJ

Author Studies

Sixth Grade

September 2010

STAFFORDTOWNSHIPSCHOOL DISTRICT
LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM
Content Area: Language Arts
Course Title: Author Studies / Grade Level: 6
Author 1 / September/October
Author 2 / November/December
Author 3 / January
Author 4 / February
Author 5: / March
TEST PREP / April
TEST PREP
Author 6: / May/June
Date Created: / September 2010
Board Approved on:

6th Grade

Author Studies

Essential Questions

What recurring themes and attributes does the author utilize?

How will studying the techniques of this author help students as writers?

Enduring Understanding

Demonstrate comprehension skills they have learned by studying the author's work

Students will examine the writer’s craft in depth and identify and categorize a variety of elements of style (e.g.: imagery, metaphor, hyperbole, connotation, alliteration, understatement)

Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, infer, evaluate, and appreciate texts written by author

Reading Instruction: Daily

Essential Questions

How do good readers construct meaning from text?

How does fluency affect comprehension?

What do good readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?

Enduring Understanding

Good readers compare, infer, synthesize, and make connections (text to text, text to world, text to self) to make text personally relevant and useful

Good readers employ strategies to help them understand text. Strategic readers can develop, select, and apply strategies to enhance their comprehension

Fluent readers group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read

CPIs

Adjust reading speed appropriately for different purposes and audiences.

Read aloud in ways that reflect understanding of proper phrasing and intonation.

Read silently for the purpose of increasing speed, accuracy, and reading fluency.

Apply self-correcting strategies to decode and gain meaning from print, both orally and silently.

Activate prior knowledge and anticipate what will be read or heard.

Vary reading strategies according to their purpose for reading and the nature of the text.

Make revisions to text predictions during and after reading.

Use reference aids for word meanings when reading.

Indentify genre by their distinctive elements (e.g. tall tale-exaggeration)

Use cause and effect and sequence of events to gain meaning.

Construct meaning from text by making conscious connections to self, an author, and others.

Recognize persuasive and propaganda techniques used to influence readers.

Recognize and understand historical and cultural biases and different points of view.

Identify and analyze features of themes conveyed through characters, actions, and images.

Distinguish between major and minor details.

Recognize common organizational patterns in text that support comprehension (e.g. headings captions)

Identify and analyze text types, formats, and elements in nonfiction.

Identify and respond to the elements of sound and structure in poetry.

Analyze drama as a source of information, entertainment, persuasion, or transmitter of culture.

Identify and analyze elements of setting, plot, and characterization in plays that are read, written, or performed.

Interpret idiomatic expressions.

Materials

Novels by author
Short stories
Storytown
Leveled readers

Activities

Teacher will group students according to reading level and meet daily to review reading strategies to increase comprehension. (see attached list of strategies to review as needed)

Teacher will introduce different novels/works by author.

Teacher will read excerpt from author to class in order to familiarize students and build interest.

Assessment

Teacher Student Discussion

Student Journals

Conferencing

Teacher Observation

Reading Practice: Daily (Independent Reading)

Essential Questions

How does fluency affect comprehension?

How does asking questions before, during, and after reading strengthen comprehension?

What do good readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?

Enduring Understanding

Fluent readers group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read

Good readers employ strategies to help them understand text. Strategic readers can develop, select, and apply strategies to enhance their comprehension

Good readers compare, infer, synthesize, and make connections (text to text, text to world, text to self) to make text personally relevant and useful

CPIs

Adjust reading speed appropriately

Read silently for the purpose of increasing speed, accuracy, and reading fluency

Apply self-correcting strategies to decode and gain meaning from print, both orally and silently

 Reread to make sense of difficult paragraphs or sections of text

Make revisions to text predictions during and after reading

 Use reference aids for word meanings when reading

Apply graphic organizers to illustrate key concepts and relationships in a text

Respond critically to an author’s purpose, ideas, views, and beliefs

Use cause and effect and sequence of events to gain meaning

Materials

Novel
Storytown Leveled Readers
Author excerpts
Reading journal
Story elements
Graphic organizers

Activities

Independent reading

Reading journal kept- predictions made and revised accordingly, connections made, characters analyzed, etc.

Graphic organizers can be used to assist in summarizing events.

Assessment

Teacher Student Discussion

Student Journals

Conferencing

Teacher Observation

Assignments

Projects

Question/Answer

Test/Quiz

Word Work: Daily

Essential Questions

Why do readers need to pay attention to a writer’s word choice?

How do readers figure out words they do not know or know how to spell?

Enduring Understanding

Readers use context clues and structures to identify the intended meaning

Words powerfully affect meaning

CPIs

Infer word meaning from learned roots, prefixes, and suffixes

Infer specific meaning

Use context clues or knowledge of phonics, syllabication, prefixes and suffixes

Use grade level appropriate dictionary

Materials

Rebecca Sitton
Robust Vocabulary
Grade Level Academic Vocabulary

Activities

Matching

Vocabulary Maps

Classification of Words

Assessment

Slate Boards

Homework

Assignments

Teacher Observation

Test/Quiz

Read Aloud: Daily

Essential Question

Why is it important to summarize and paraphrase text as a means of self-review and understanding?

Enduring Understanding

Good readers are able to paraphrase and summarize text as a means of gathering information.

Good readers are able to take notes form text and distinguish between major and minor details

CPIs

Read aloud in ways to reflect understanding

Materials

Core Books

Activities

Teacher will choose one of the Core Books to read aloud to the class on a daily basis. Think-alouds will provide the students with a model as to how good reader’s think about text as they read. Whole group discussion should follow up each session.

Assessment

Teacher Student Discussion

Student Journals

Writing Instruction: (Daily)

Essential Question

How do good writers express themselves? How does process shape the writer’s product?

How do writers develop a well-written product?

How do rules of language affect communication?

Why does a writer choose a particular form of writing?

Enduring Understandings

Good Writers select a form based on audience and purpose.

Good writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and context.

Good writers recognize pieces that should be taken through the writing process.

CPIs

Generate ideas for writing through reading, making connections, and life experiences.

Use strategies such as; graphic organizes and outlines to elaborate and organize ideas.

Write utilizing grade appropriate conventions, varying sentence structure, and precise language.

Revise, edit and reflect to enhance writing. (Self and Peer)

Expand knowledge about form, structure, and voice in a variety of genres.

Engage the reader from beginning to end with an interesting opening, logical sequence, and satisfying conclusion.

Materials

6+1 Rubrics and Binder
Nancy Atwell
Storytown
Rebecca Sitton
Exemplars from
Write Source

Activities

Provide students with exemplars. Score using 6+1 writing rubrics

Round Robin Editing: In groups of 4 or 5, each student is given a different color pen and is assigned a specific editing skill to correct on each writing task.

Quick Writes

Journaling

Response to literature and quotes

Open-Ended Questions

Assessment

Teacher Observation

Writing Tasks

Conferencing

Journal Writing

Portfolios

Question / Answer

Author Study – Gary Paulsen

Novel Partners

Author Study – Gary Soto

Novel Partners

Author Study – Jane Yolen

Novel Partners

Author Study – Jerry Spinelli

Novel Partners

Author Study – Lois Lowery

Novel Partners

Author Study – Dan Gutman

Novel Partners

Author Study – Bruce Coville

Novel Partners

Author Study – Avi

Novel Partners

Author Study – Gordon Korman

Novel Partners

READING RESPONSE PROMPTS

FOR WRITING AND DISCUSSION

Section One – Making Connections

Have you had any similar experiences to those you read about today? Discuss.
Does this book remind you of another book? What book and why? (Explain: similar characters? setting? problems?)
Do any of the characters remind you of someone in your life? Explain in detail. Compare the person you know with the character in the book.
What does this story make you think about or wonder about?
Do you have anything in common with one of the characters in your book?
How are your feelings and the feelings of a character in the book alike? (compare) How are they different? (contrast) You may use a Venn to organize your thoughts.
Quote a passage that you read today. How did it make you feel?

Section Two – Setting

Where does the story take place? ( in the last section you read) How do you know? Use details from the book to support your answer.
When does the story take place? ( a specific time such as winter, 1943, or general such the 1800s or the 1960s) Use details from the book to support your answer.
Where else could the story take place and still make sense? Explain.
Is the setting a realistic place that could exist in our time? Use details from the book to support your answer.
Is the setting important to the story? Why or why not? (Could this story have taken place nearly anywhere and still make sense?)
What specific words did the author use to describe the place? (quote and explain)
How much time passes in the story? ( in the latest section or the entire book so far) Use details for support.
How is the setting like another place you know?
Does the season or time period affect the characters or plot of the story? Explain.

Section Three – Characters

Who is (are) the most important character(s) so far? How do you know?
What are two major emotions has the main character has felt? What made the main character feel that way?
Is there a brave character in the story? If so, who is it and what makes you think they are brave?
List 3 or more main characters and use one precise word to describe each one’s personality.
Are there words a character spoke and/or actions a character took that helped you learn what kind of a person he or she is? Discuss using details from the book.
Are the characters believable? Examine one or two and explain why or why not.
Analyze how two or more characters feel about one another.
Who is a character who plays a smaller role, but is still important to the story? Explain their importance.
*What character do you like the most and why? Did any of the characters change? Pick and discuss how an event, person, and decision changed that character.
*Describe a conflict between two characters. Was it resolved? If so how? If not, do you predict it will be resolved and how?
*If you could meet one of the characters who would it be and why? (you don’t have to like the character) What 3 questions would you ask them?
*Were there any problems the characters couldn’t solve? Identify one or two and explain why they weren’t resolved.

Sections Four - Language and Structure

What is the genre of the book? Give examples from the story to prove this is true.
Find three examples of figurative language and copy them in your response journal. (metaphors, similes, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, hyperbole)
Did the author create different moods? Find passages that reveal two different moods, and share. Point out the words, phrases and actions that helped create the mood. Did the book change your moods at all?
Does the author use foreshadowing or flashbacks? Describe it or them.
Copy a quote from what you are reading that has meaning for you. Explain the quote and why you chose it.
What are some interesting new words or phrases that the author has used so far? List and define at least 3 very vivid verbs used by the author.

Section Five – Plot

How did the author begin to engage the reader? (QASD)
What is the major problem in the story so far? How do you predict it will be solved?
What challenges have the characters encountered so far and how have they solved them?
What was the most important or pivotal part of the story so far?
What is the order of the event sin the story so far? (sequential, letter, diary, flashback)
Predict what will happen next in the story? Defend your prediction.
Were you able to predict the story ending? How did the story end? Was the conflict resolved? Explain.
Write a two or three sentence summary of what you read today.
*Write a three or four sentence summary of the book when you have completed it.
*Do you have any other unanswered questions about the story?
*If you were the author would you have ended the story in a different way? How?

Section Six – Theme

*Explain the author’s message. What is this story really about?
*Evaluate whether the title is appropriate for the story.
*Describe how the story would be different if told from another character’s point of view.
*Is there a passage in the story that describes how you want to live your life? Analyze it.
*Describe an object that had a special meaning or focus in the book so far. (symbol) Why is it important?

BOOK PROJECT

Choose 1

Keep the following in mind while completing your Book Project:

Do your vey BEST work!
Artwork and lettering MUST always be in COLOR.
Follow all project guidelines below as well as your rubric.
ALWAYS include the author and title of the book in a prominent place on the project.
Grade your project using the project rubric.

PROJECT CHOICES

COLLAGE: Use magazine photos to make a collage about the book. On the back of the collage you must write a detailed explanation about the importance of each of the photos. You must include at least 10 pictures with at least 3 for characters and 3 for setting.

GRAFFITI WALL: Make a brick wall out of paper. Cut and paste words that are important to the story on the wall. They may be names of characters, places, thoughts, quotes, etc. Include a brief explanation of each of the words on the back. You must include at least 15 words including 3 for characters, 3 for setting, 3 referring to the plot and 3 new vocabulary words, defined.

TEST: You become the teacher. Make up a test for your book. It should include 20 questions. It must include 3 questions about characters, 3 about plot, 3 about setting and 5 new vocabulary words.