K-2 Informational Writing Student Artifacts

os_literacy_logo-stackedBirds
Kindergarten. A graphical report about birds.

Big Leaf
Kindergarten. Three scientific observations about leaves, with drawings.

My Shell
Kindergarten. Several sentences, with drawings, describing a shell.

Pine Cone
Kindergarten. Sentences that use similes and drawings to describe a pine cone.

Foods Animals Like
Kindergarten. Questions and answers, with drawings, about the foods that animals eat.

Vacation
Kindergarten. A pattern story about a student’s vacation.

How to Play Basketball
Kindergarten. A series of instructions about playing basketball.

How to Ride a Bike
Kindergarten. A series of instructions about bicycle riding.

How to Make a Pigeon
Kindergarten. A series of instructions about drawing a pigeon.

All About Butterflies
Grade 1. A graphical book, with a table of contents, about butterflies.

Rhinoceros
Grade 1. A graphical book, with a table of contents, about a rhinoceros.

How to Feed a Hamster
Grade 1. A graphical set of instructions for feeding a hamster.

Sharks
Grade 2. A graphical report about sharks.

 

 

 

 

 

9-12 Argument Writing Student Artifacts

Money & Happiness
Grade 10. An essay arguing for the benefits and limitations of money. os_literacy_logo-stacked

The Great Gatsby: A Euphoric Fortune
Grade 10. An essay arguing that, according to Fitzgerald, money doesn’t make people happy.

My Sister’s Keeper
Grade 10. A film review exploring the issues of assisted suicide.

Detective Comics
Grade 12. A Prezi.com digital presentation, arguing the merits of a more recent portrayal of Batman.

Mentor Poetry Research Project
Grade 12. A three-part assessment, including literary analysis and research, focusing on the poet Anne Waldman.

Mentor Poetry Research Project
Grade 12. A three-part assessment, including literary analysis and research, focusing on the poet Edward Hirsch.

6-8 Argument Writing Student Artifacts

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Year-Round Calendar
Grade 6. Two paragraphs arguing against a year-round calendar. 

How Peter Neilsen Showed Bravery
Grade 6. A literary essay about Number the Stars, a novel.

Public School vs. Homeschool
Grade 7. A paragraph arguing in favor of public schooling. 

Exercise vs. Diet
Grade 7. A four-paragraph essay arguing in favor of a healthy diet; an advanced example. 

Schools Should Give Time to Get up and Move…
Grade 7. A paragraph advocating the benefits of exercise breaks in school; an on-target example.

The Outsiders
Grade 7. A literary essay about The Outsiders, a novel.

The Outsiders
Grade 7. A second literary essay about The Outsiders.

Nap Time
Grade 8. A paragraph arguing that naps would benefit students. 

Legalization of Marijuana
Grade 8. An op-ed arguing against the legalization of marijuana.

Concussions Turning into Further Disease
Grade 8. An op-ed arguing that concussions in the NFL are preventable. 

Baltimore Breakout
Grade 8. An op-ed arguing that police in Baltimore need to quell protests and riots.

Christina Lattimore’s Struggle with Innocence
Grade 8. A literary essay analyzing the protagonist of The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore.

Finding Life off the Path
Grade 8. A literary essay exploring the thematic connection between soccer and destiny, in the novel The Keeper.

Changed with Friendship
Grade 8. A literary essay analyzing the importance of confidence, in the novel The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian.

The War on Words
Grade 8. A literary essay looking at the nature of changing opinions in World War II Germany, in the novel The Boy who Dared.

The Choice of Life or Death
Grade 8. A literary essay about a character’s near-death experience, in the novel I Stay.

3-5 Opinion Writing Student Artifacts

Conversationos_literacy_logo-stackeds
Grade 3. A personal essay explaining the benefits of conversation. 

Sleepovers
Grade 4. A letter explaining why a student should be allowed at sleepovers. 

Be True to Yourself
Grade 4. A literary essay about The Second Life of Abigail Walker, a novel.

Two Against the Mississippi
Grade 5. A literary essay about Two Against the Mississippi, a book.

I Want a New Cabin
Grade 5. A letter persuading grandparents to buy a bigger cabin.

Curriculum

Common Core logoUNITS OF STUDY

MAISA ELA Common Core-aligned units of study were piloted and reviewed by teachers statewide. This multi-year project resulted in K-12 curriculum resources that are aligned to many of the state standards and organized across grade levels. These units are not scripts but are guidelines for teachers; we encourage educators to adapt them for their population and context, and supplement them with additional resources targeting areas of learning not represented within.

NOTE: These units of study do not represent a complete, comprehensive curriculum for English Language Arts. Users will need to supplement for English Language Arts standards not represented within, such as Foundational Skills K-5 and others across the grade levels.

Click on a grade level below to expand the accordian table and see links to specific units of study.

ELA Common Core-Aligned Units

Interdisciplinary Units

Dlogo_6uring the 2013-14 school year, the C4 (Common Core Cross Curricular Research Writing Project) brought eight teams of teachers from five schools together across the year to write interdisciplinary units aligned to the Common Core that focus on research writing.  All eight teams implemented their units and continue to refine them.  The three units described and linked to below reflect the completion of publishable units for use by other educators.  They include:

What Does it Take to Survive Civil War? – ELA and social studies (middle school)

What’s Eating You?: the Industrialization of Food – ELA, science, history (high school)

World War II: Barbarism & Conflict – ELA & history (high school)