Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (Lessons 8-9) | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G6:M4:U3:L8

Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (Lessons 8-9)

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.6.1, RI.6.3, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9b, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.6

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.6.10, W.6.10

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can write an argument essay about why my focus figure's accomplishments are remarkable. (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, RI.6.10, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9b, W.6.10, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lessons 8-9 (W.6.10)
  • Work Time A: Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (RI.6.1, RI.6.3 RI.6.10, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.9b, W.6.10, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.6)
  • Closing and Assessment A: Track Progress: Argument Writing (W.6.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.6.10 (10 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (65 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Track Progress - W.6.1 (15 minutes)

4. Homework

None for this lesson

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • Work Time A: Students write an argument essay based on their research about another hidden figure that argues why this person’s accomplishments are remarkable. Students use reasons and evidence from their research as well as reasoning to defend their position. Although Grade 6 is not required to address counterclaim, students acknowledge the existence of an opposing claim as part of their introduction and/or conclusion. (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, RI.6.10, W.6.1, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8, W.6.9b, W.6.10, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.6)

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Some students may not require the level of scaffolding provided in this unit. Prompt students toward deeper levels of understanding and increased rigor by becoming familiar with Levels 3 and 4 of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge, a framework developed by Norman Webb to plan and provide complex instruction and assessments.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the first half of this unit, students have analyzed a model, written collaboratively, and planned their own independent argument essay. This lesson assesses those skills as students use their plans to compose their argument essays about the focus figure they researched.

Support All Students

  • If students receive accommodations for assessments, communicate with the cooperating service providers regarding the practices of instruction in use during this study as well as the goals of the assessment.
  • Support ELLs in the mid-unit assessment by reminding them of the related tasks that they have already successfully completed. Make sure that all assessment instructions are expressed very clearly. Ask students to paraphrase the instructions as a way to gauge understanding and/or provide ELLs with simpler or additional input. ▲
  • Before the mid-unit assessment of Work Time A, review the criteria on the Track Progress: Argument Writing to help clarify the objectives. This will help students understand expectations as well as offer a way for students to review the learning that has taken place throughout the unit to prepare them for the assessment. This review may be especially beneficial for ELLs, who may feel nervous about independently producing an essay during the assessment. ▲
  • Before the mid-unit assessment of Work Time A, allow students to orally process their note-catchers and planners with a partner to help formulate their thoughts before beginning an extended period of writing.
  • Provide feedback on the assessment that emphasizes effort, improvement, and achieving a standard rather than on relative performance. Remind students that they are not competing against their peers; their measure of success should be how much they personally have improved in mastery of a standard.

Assessment Guidance

  • Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (student and teacher versions) are included in the Assessment Overview and Resources.
  • Decide in what format students will compose their essays. Provide lined paper or a computer with word-processing capabilities, depending on students’ needs and preferences.
  • If students feel nervous about the mid-unit assessment, remind them of all the work they have done to prepare (i.e., writing the narratives in Unit 2, analyzing a model, writing a collaborative essay on a similar topic). Encourage them to recognize all the hard work and learning that has led to the mid-unit assessment.
  • Save a copy of the scored essays to use as a continued assessment of progress in writing. These pieces can be used to measure the progress of individual students throughout the year, as well as to identify common instructional needs in a class.
  • When assessing and providing feedback to students on this assessment, use the Argument Writing Rubric (see the Tools Page) and the annotated sample essay to help complete the student Track Progress: Argument Writing. Make notes in the appropriate column for each criterion in a different color from student responses. There is also space provided to respond to student comments.
  • Using information from this assessment, students are tracking progress toward anchor standard:
    • W.1: By the end of Grade 12 I will be able to: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students orally present and delineate one another’s arguments about their focus figures and begin preparing for performance task by working with their crewmates on the details to include in their children’s book pages for the performance task.

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (see Assessment Overview and Resources)
    • Track Progress folders
  • Thoroughly review the directions and rubric for the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment, anticipating areas of challenge.
  • Review the student tasks and example answers to get familiar with what students will be required to do in the lesson (see Materials list).
  • Ensure End of Unit 2 Assessments with feedback are available for each student at desks as they enter.
  • Decide in what format students will compose their essays. Provide lined paper or a device with word-processing software, depending on the students' needs and preferences. Ensure that devices are in good working order, fully charged, and logged into before students begin composing their essays, to avoid wasting work time.
  • Prepare copies of handouts for students, including entrance ticket (see Materials list).
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Students could compose the essay using an online tool such as http://eled.org/0158.
  • Closing and Assessment A: Students may prefer to complete their Track Progress handouts in a word-processing document using speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or using an app or software such as http://eled.org/0103.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 6.I.C.10, 6.I.C.11, 6.I.C.12, 6.II.A.1, 6.II.A.2, 6.II.B.3, 6.II.B.4, 6.II.B.5, 6.II.B.6, and 6.II.B.7.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson invites students to complete assessment tasks that draw from past learning in the unit. After analyzing a model argument essay, and then working with a partner to write a collaborative argument, students now write an independent argument essay that addresses a similar prompt about the remarkable accomplishments of their focus figure. Devoting two lessons to students' completion of their essays ensures that ample time is available for students to develop their ideas.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to independently complete the mid-unit assessment without scaffolding. Point out the ways in which students have adequately prepared for the independent essay across past lessons. Remind students that they will have further opportunities to engage with the research about their focus figures; later in the unit, they will use their research to develop pages to contribute to a children's picture book about hidden figures in space science.

Vocabulary

  • N/A

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Characteristics of Effective Argument Writing anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Characteristics of Effective Argument Writing anchor chart (one for display; from Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Independent Argument Writing Plan graphic organizer (example for teacher reference) (optional; from Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 7, Work Time A)
  • Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 14 Work Time A)
  • Argument Writing checklist (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 2, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Work Time A)
  • Annotated Collaborative Argument Essays (example for teacher reference; from Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 3 Work Time B)
  • Module 4 End of Unit 2 Assessment with feedback (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 13, Work Time A)
  • Argument Writing Planner: Independent (optional; one per student; from Module 4, Unit 3, Lesson 7, Work Time A)
  • Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher (one per student; from Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 14, Work Time A)
  • Argument Writing checklist (one per student; from Module 3, Unit 3, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Track Progress folder (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lessons 15-16, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Writing Record (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 12, Closing and Assessment A)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Grade 6 Argument Writing Rubric (see the Tools Page)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lessons 8-9 (one per student)
  • Lined paper or device with word-processing software (one per student)
  • Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (one per student and one for display; see Assessment Overview and Resources)
  • Track Progress: Argument Writing (one per student)
  • Sticky notes (three per student)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.6.10 (10 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as in previous lessons to distribute and review Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lessons 8-9. Students will also need their End of Unit 2 Assessment with feedback.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as in previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as previous lessons.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay (65 minutes)

  • Distribute devices with word-processing capabilities or lined paper on which students will compose their essay. Display the Characteristics of an Effective Argument Writing anchor chart. Refer to Characteristics of Effective Argument Writing anchor chart (example for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to retrieve the following materials. Refer to the example for teacher reference of each as needed while students work:
    • Argument Writing Planner: Independent (optional)
    • Independent Argument Evidence note-catcher
    • Argument Writing checklist
  • Display and distribute the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay.
  • Read the assessment directions aloud as students read along silently. Ensure students understand the assessment directions; paraphrase some instructions, if needed. ▲
  • Remind students that because this is an assessment, they should complete it independently in silence. Focus students on the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart; review perseverance and what this looks and sounds like. Remind students that as they will be writing independently for the assessment, they may need to practice perseverance.
  • Remind students that they planned this essay in the previous lessons.
  • Invite students to begin the assessment.
  • While students are taking the assessment, circulate to monitor and document their test-taking skills. Remind students that they may refer to any of the Unit 3 materials as necessary during the assessment.
  • Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target, using a checking for understanding technique. Scan student responses, and make note of students who might need support. Check in with them moving forward.
  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess how well they persevered in this lesson.
  • Refer to the Annotated Collaborative Argument Essays (example for teacher reference) and the Grade 6 Argument Writing rubric to assess.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

  • It may be challenging for students who need heavier support to adequately gauge their own speed and progress as they write their independent essays. If productive, incorporate a classroom "pause" halfway through the allotted time, and invite the class to take a stretch break or have a drink of water. Use this time to check in with students who need heavier support and help them celebrate their progress, adjust their goals, implement new writing strategies, and/or move past roadblocks.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Track Progress - W.6.1 (15 minutes)

  • Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Write an Argument Essay.
  • Distribute Track Progress folders, Track Progress: Argument Writing, and sticky notes.
  • Guide students through completing the recording form.
  • Direct students to retrieve their Writing Record. Explain that this form is to help students keep track of all of the writing they complete this year. Direct students to fill in the next row of the Writing Record about the argument essay they just wrote for the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.
  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

For Lighter Support

  • If feasible, arrange small group conferences with students to revisit their answers to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lessons 8-9. Invite students who need lighter support to reflect aloud on their achievements and set further writing goals.

For Heavier Support

  • If If feasible, arrange one-on-one conferences with students to revisit their answers to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lessons 8-9. Provide simple sentence frames to students who need heavier support to help them reflect aloud on their performance on the mid-unit assessment. These frames may include the following:
    • One star I wanted to continue to show in today's assessment was __________________________.
    • One step that I wanted to work toward in today's assessment was __________________________.
    • After the assessment, I feel that I __________________________.
    • I am proud of myself because __________________________.

Homework

Homework
  • None for this lesson

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