Water Skiing
Grade 3. A series of paragraphs giving instructions for water skiing.
Falcons
Grade 4. A report about falcons, including an introduction and a glossary.
Dogs
Grade 5. A report about dogs, including an introduction and a glossary.
K-2 Informational Writing Student Artifacts
Birds
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.
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
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
Conversations
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.
K-2 Opinion Writing Student Artifacts
Cookie’s Week
Kindergarten. A letter expressing an opinion about a book.
Little Red Hen
Kindergarten. A letter expressing an opinion about a book.
Bigger Lockers
Grade 1. A letter requesting bigger lockers.
Pictures
Grade 1. A letter requesting more pictures in the hallway.
Pine Knob
Grade 2. A five-paragraph review of a ski resort.
Curriculum
UNITS 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
Kindergarten Units
Frequently Asked Questions About the Units
READING
Launching the Reading Workshop
Readers Use Strategies to Read
Readers Get To Know Characters
WRITING
Oral Language: Building a Talking Community
Launching the Writing Workshop
Label and List in a Content Area
Growing as Small Moment Writers
First Grade Units
Frequently Asked Questions About the Units
READING
Launching the Reading Workshop
Readers Use Strategies to Solve Words
Readers Learn From Informational Reading
Building a Repertoire of Strategies Mixed Genre
Series Reading: Re-enacting Character Clubs
WRITING
Launching the Writing Workshop
Writing a Sequence of Instructions: How-To Books
Apprenticeship Writing: Studying Craft
Opinion Writing: Letters for Social Action
Second Grade Units
Frequently Asked Questions About the Units
READING
Launching the Reading Workshop
Readers Learn from Informational Reading
Series Reading Cross Genre Book Clubs
Reading Fiction and Traditional Literature
WRITING
Lifting Level Narrative Writing: Studying Craft
Opinion: Using the Power of Reviews
Informational Writing: Personal Expertise
Shared Research & Informational Writing: Descriptive Reports
Third Grade Units
Fourth Grade Units
Fifth Grade Units
Sixth Grade Units
Please read this document prior to beginning all units.
Launching the Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook and Independent Reading
Informational Reading and Writing
Seventh Grade Units
Please read this document prior to beginning all units.
Launching the Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook and Independent Reading
Informational Reading and Writing
Eighth Grade Units
Please read this document prior to beginning all units.
Launching the Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook and Independent Reading
Informational Reading and Writing
Interdisciplinary Units
D
uring 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:
- a unit overview
- scope and sequence
- five lessons from each subject area
- additional unit resources
- sample student work
- links to the Oakland Schools Teaching Research Writing site
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)