Beginning the Journey
The complete Language Arts 6 curriculum guide is located at the link below, as well as the assessments that connect to each learning topic. Additional information about Language Arts 6 is located throughout the page.
Writing Genre Focus: NarrativeIn each year of the seven-year progression through Secondary Literacy, a specific genre of writing is focused upon in both practice and assessment. In sixth grade, that focus is narrative writing.
Complex Texts: Grade-level Materials for All Text complexity is a measure of multiple intersections of Lexile, language features, themes, and knowledge demands. Every text used for whole group instruction should be carefully considered for how it will serve grade-level access to standards based instruction. Supplemental texts can be used to support individual students build content vocabulary but all students should have access to grade-level materials every day. Please consider the following rubrics when discussing text complexity with your PLC. 6th Graders should be exceeding 900L by the end of the year to be on track for proficiency.
No Red Ink (IN PROGRESS, check back soon...)
All ELA teachers now have a premium account through NoRedInk.com. Please see the attached pacing guide that identifies activities and assessments in NRI that connect with each learning target from your curriculum guide. This tool is an incredible resource for grammar instruction but should not take the place of strong in-person lessons from you, their teacher. Students should have opportunities to engage in authentic practice through writing. Log-in Info: Teachers Students |
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Additional Resources
Language Arts 6 is primarily supported by the 2012 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt JOURNEYS textbook and supplemented by the 2012 Prentice Hall Writing Coach Grade 6 textbook. Additional resources, as compiled by DMPS teachers, are listed below.
Useful Links (provided by teachers)
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Curriculum Changes for 2020-2021
In an effort to create a more cohesive experience for our students district wide, new curriculum will be implemented in the Fall of 2020 for grades 6-8. All DMPS elementary schools will be implementing EL materials beginning in the Fall of 2019, creating a full ELA curriculum scope and sequence K-8!
Why EL? Why Now?
What changes will occur?
When will changes occur?
In an effort to create a more cohesive experience for our students district wide, new curriculum will be implemented in the Fall of 2020 for grades 6-8. All DMPS elementary schools will be implementing EL materials beginning in the Fall of 2019, creating a full ELA curriculum scope and sequence K-8!
Why EL? Why Now?
- Expeditionary Learning, or EL provides comprehensive curriculum K-8 that aligns Common Core Standards with engaging, relevant, and cross-curricular performance assessments that will engage every student in grade-level complex texts.
- Common guiding questions and anchor texts will create a cohesive student experience that will better serve our feeder patterns and mobile student population.
- Vertical articulation will more clearly outline the nuances in how the standards develop over the student’s K-12 educational experience.
- The materials provide ready-to-use resources and connections for students needing language supports or for Gifted and Talented.
What changes will occur?
- Scales will re-order to better serve the reporting of the new units and the Shifts in the Core.
- Required texts will be purchased for every classroom in classroom sets. These materials will not need to be returned to Central Stores.
- Optional or Supporting texts will be available for purchase by buildings in service of the guiding questions.
- Teachers will have the flexibility to follow the daily lesson plans or adjust instruction around the guiding questions and required texts. ALL students will be expected to complete the Common Performance Assessments for each topic as part of the BOE.
- DMPS is cultivating these resources to meet our district's needs. On-going evaluation of required texts and assessments will occur to ensure the best possible student experience.
When will changes occur?
- EL has its current format available online now and can provide a baseline for the structure of materials. They are in active revision and 75% of the texts are changing in the new draft. This is set to release for preview in January 2020.
- District Wide implementation will shift in 2020-2021
- I am looking for classrooms to pilot units and performance assessments next Spring! Please reach out if you are interested! This request will be made multiple times throughout the year.
- District PD days 2019/2020
- PLC norming around on-grade level text complexity and acceptable student evidence
- Grade-level task force – monthly meeting?
- Topics/Scale prioritization and alignment for reporting
- Required text selection and on-going evaluation for effectiveness
- Expectations for performance assessments
- Prioritization of supporting materials
