Thornton Central School Writing Curriculum
6th Grade
Common Core
Standards
Performance
Indicators
Write arguments to support
claims with clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
-Introduce claim with clear
reasons and relevant
evidence, using credible
sources and demonstrating an
understanding of the topic or
text.
-Use words, phrases, and
clauses to clarify the
relationships among claims
and reasons.
-Establish and maintain a
formal style.
-Provide a concluding
statement or section that
follows from the argument
presented.
“ I can….
Write Informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the
selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.
-Introduce a topic, organize
ideas, concepts, and
information, using strategies
such as definition,
classification,
compare/contrast, and
cause/effect; include
formatting, graphics, and
multimedia when useful to aid
in comprehension
-Develop the topic with
relevant facts, definitions,
1. make a claim or write
an opinion statement
surrounding a
specific topic.
2. Gather reasons or
evidence using
relevant resources.
3. Clearly state a
connection or
relationship between
claim and opinion
and reasons and
evidence.
4. Follow the rules of
formal writing
5. Provide a summary
highlighting the
claim/opinion
statement and
important details.
“ I can…
1. Summarize the main
idea of an
informative/exposito
ry piece of writing.
2. Write a topic
sentence.
3. Use formatting and
multimedia features
to support the topic.
4. Support the topic
using facts and
quotations.
5. Use transition words
to organize text and
ideas.
Assessment Examples
concrete concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples.
-Use appropriate transitions to
clarify the relationships
among ideas and concepts.
-Use precise language and
domain specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the
topic.
-Establish and maintain a
formal style.
-Provide a concluding
statement or section that
follows from the information or
explanation presented.
6. Follow rules of
formal writing.
7. Summarize main idea
and important
details.
Write narratives to develop
real or imagined experiences
or events using effective
technique, relevant
descriptive details, and well
-structured event sequences.
-Engage and
orient the reader by
establishing a context and
introducing a narrator and/or
characters; organize an event
sequence that unfolds
naturally and logically.
-Use narrative techniques,
such as dialogue, pacing, and
description, to develop
experiences, events, and/or
characters.
-Use a variety of transition
words, phrases, and clauses
to convey sequence and
signal shifts from one time
frame or setting to
another.
-Use precise words and
phrases, relevant descriptive
details, and sensory language
to
convey experiences and
events.
-Provide a conclusion that
“ I can…
1. Use a plot diagram to
tell a fiction or non
fiction story.
2. Use characterization
to develop a
character.
3. Use first, second, and
third person
narrative, while also
including techniques
such as dialogue and
pacing.
4. Use Tier 2
Vocabulary to
enhance description
and transitions to
organize text.
follows from the narrated
experiences or events
Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the
development, organization,
and
style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations
for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3.)
“ I can… choose to write
using formal or informal
tone based on purpose and
audience.”
With some guidance and
support from peers and
adults, develop and
strengthen
writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new
approach. (Editing for
conventions should
demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3
up to and including grade 6.)
“ I can…use a resource to
follow an organized writing
process.”
Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and
publish writing and link to and
cite sources as well as to
interact and collaborate with
others, to type a minimum of
three pages in a single sitting.
“ I can…
1. Cite sources using
MLA guidelines.”
2. Use a laptop or I Pad
Software to publish a
final draft.”