Language Arts
Grade 6: Writing |
Planning: Term # Tracking: Ach. Level |
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Overall Expectations |
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1.
generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended
purpose and audience; |
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2.
draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary,
and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and
audience; |
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3.
use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge
of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present
their work effectively; |
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4.
reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement,
and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing
process. |
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Specific Expectations
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1.
Developing and Organizing |
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Purpose
and Audience: 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of
writing forms (e.g., an original poem, with an invented structure or based on
a model such as a haiku, about a topic of personal interest, to share with
the class; a persuasive letter asking the school principal to look at a
specific issue from a new point of view; a description of the procedure for
constructing a three-dimensional model, to share with Grade 3 students; a
script on a topic of current interest for a mock television broadcast for a
general audience) |
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Developing
Ideas: 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic and identify those most
appropriate for the purpose |
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Research:
1.3 gather information to support ideas for writing, using a variety of
strategies and a range of print and electronic resources (e.g., identify the
steps required to gather information; interview people with knowledge of the
topic; identify and use graphic and multimedia resources; record sources used
and information gathered in a form that makes it easy to understand and
retrieve) |
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Classifying
Ideas: 1.4 sort and classify information for their writing in a variety of
ways that allow them to view information from different perspectives and make
connections between ideas (e.g., by underlining or highlighting key words or
phrases; by using a graphic organizer such as a fishbone chart, a T-chart, or
an "Agree/Disagree"chart) |
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Organizing
Ideas: 1.5 identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group
them into units that could be used to develop a structured, multi-paragraph
piece of writing, using a variety of strategies (e.g., making outlines,
writing notes, filling in a ranking grid) and organizational patterns (e.g.,
order of importance) |
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Review:
1.6 determine whether the ideas and information they have gathered are
relevant, appropriate, and adequate for the purpose, and do more research if
necessary (e.g., review information critically with a friend using a concept
map, checklist, or flowchart) |
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2.
Using Knowledge of Form and Style in Writing |
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Form:
2.1 write longer and more complex texts using a wide range of forms (e.g., an
"autobiography" in the role of a historical or contemporary person,
based on research; a journalist's report on a real or imagined event for a
newspaper or a television news broadcast; an explanation of the principles of
flight; an argument in support of one point of view on a current global issue
affecting Canadians; a made-up legend or fantasy, based on themes from their
reading, to entertain younger children) |
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Voice:
2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject
and audience (e.g., use punctuation, dialogue, and vivid language to create a
particular mood or tone) |
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Word
Choice: 2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative language and innovative
expressions to enhance interest (e.g., strong verbs; concrete, specific
nouns; unusual adjectives; unexpected word order). Teacher prompt:
"Identify three language choices you have made and explain the effect
they will have on a reader." |
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Sentence
Fluency: 2.4 create complex sentences by combining phrases, clauses, and/or
simple sentences (e.g., combine several simple sentences - "Nora left
the house. She was heading for the market. She didn't want to be late."
- to create a complex sentence - "Not wanting to be late, Nora left the
house and headed for the market.") |
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Point
of View: 2.5 identify their point of view and other possible points of view;
determine, when appropriate, if their own view is balanced and supported by
the evidence; and adjust their thinking and expression if appropriate (e.g.,
revise writing focusing on the use of inclusive language, such as police
officer instead of policeman) |
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Preparing
for Revision: 2.6 identify elements in their writing that need improvement,
selectively using feedback from the teacher and peers, with a focus on
supporting details and precise language (e.g., identify one main idea that is
poorly supported; identify three sentences that would be clarified by adding
an adjective or adverb). Teacher prompt: "How can you determine which
parts of your work need further clarification?” |
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Revision:
2.7 make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their
written work, using a variety of strategies (e.g., use arrows or make notes
to identify text that needs to be moved; use sticky notes to indicate insertions;
use underlining to focus on overworked words; add or substitute words and
phrases that would make their writing more vivid; use figurative language
such as similes and personification and rhetorical devices such as
exaggeration to achieve particular effects; adjust sentence length, type, and
complexity to suit the audience and purpose; check that language is inclusive
and non-discriminatory). Teacher prompt: "Can you use short, abrupt
sentences to add drama to your writing?" |
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Producing
Drafts: 2.8 produce revised draft pieces of writing to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequate development of information
and ideas, logical organization, appropriate use of form and style, appropriate
use of conventions) |
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3.
Applying Knowledge of Language Conventions and Presenting Written Work
Effectively |
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Spelling
Familiar Words: 3.1 spell familiar words correctly (e.g., words from their
oral vocabulary, anchor charts, and shared-, guided-, and independent-
reading texts; words used regularly in instruction across the curriculum) |
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Spelling
Unfamiliar Words: 3.2 spell unfamiliar words using a variety of strategies
that involve understanding sound-symbol relationships, word structures, word
meanings, and generalizations about spelling (e.g., orally emphasize
hard-to-hear sounds in difficult, complex words: Feb-ru-ar-y; leave unknown
letters/letter clusters blank to solve after having spelled the familiar
parts of a word; visualize a known word that is like the
"problem"word; apply rules for forming plurals to unfamiliar words) |
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Vocabulary:
3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings or word choice using a variety of
resources appropriate for the purpose (e.g., locate entry words, multiple
meanings, pronunciation guides, charts of spellings of sounds, inflected forms,
suffixes and prefixes, primary and secondary stresses, different
pronunciations, idioms, and homographs in online and print dictionaries; use
thematic dictionaries such as a word game dictionary or a homonym dictionary;
use a thesaurus to explore alternative word choices) |
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Punctuation:
3.4 use punctuation appropriately to communicate their intended meaning in
longer and more complex sentences, with a focus on the use of: commas to
separate words in a list or after an introductory word or phrase; quotation
marks in dialogue; and some uses of the colon, semi-colon, and brackets |
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Grammar:
3.5 use parts of speech correctly to communicate their meaning clearly, with
a focus on the use of: personal subject and object pronouns (e.g., I, me)
indefinite pronouns (e.g., someone, nobody); conjunctions; subordinate
clauses; adverb phrases; and present, past, and future verb tenses |
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Proofreading:
3.6 proofread and correct their writing using guidelines developed with peers
and the teacher (e.g., an editing checklist specific to the writing task) |
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Publishing:
3.7 use a range of appropriate elements of effective presentation in the
finished product, including print, script, different fonts, graphics, and
layout (e.g., use legible printing and cursive writing; include photographs
or magazine pictures and a map in a travel brochure; include an index to help
the reader find specific information in a report; supply a table of contents) |
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Producing
Finished Works: 3.8 produce pieces of published work to meet identified
criteria based on the expectations (e.g., adequacy of information and ideas,
logic and effectiveness of organization, effective use of form and stylistic
elements, appropriate use of conventions, effective presentation) |
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4.
Reflecting on Writing Skills and Strategies |
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Metacognition:
4.1 identify a variety of strategies they used before, during, and after
writing, explain which ones were most helpful, and suggest further steps they
can take to improve as writers. Teacher prompts: "How did the sources
you used allow you to generate a balanced selection of ideas?" "How
do you use your writer's notebook to help you during the writing process?" |
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Interconnected
Skills: 4.2 describe how their skills in listening, speaking, reading,
viewing, and representing help in their development as writers. Teacher
prompts: "What do you know about different media texts that might help
when you are writing?" "In what way do you think that the reading
you do helps you as a writer? Can you give an example?" |
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Portfolio:
4.3 select pieces of writing that they think reflect their growth and
competence as writers and explain the reasons for their choices |
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Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006. Format: Copyright B.Phillips, 1998.