Common Core
Instructional Module
Grade 6 English
Module 1
TEACHER PACKET
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Common Core-Aligned Instructional Module
Grade 6
What makes someone a hero?
Overview
1) The recommended novel for this module is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Hatchet is a 1987 Newbery
Honor-winning young-adult wilderness survival novel. After a plane crash, 13 year old Brian spends
54 days surviving in the wilderness with only a hatchet. Through heroic perseverance and
determination, he learns to solve life-threatening problems. He calls upon his intelligence, memory,
and youth to overcome such experiences as creating fire, fighting off a moose, building shelter, and
finding food. Teachers may choose to have students read the entire novel, or select passages for
close reading that capture the essence of the story and support the essential question: What makes
someone a hero?
2) Prentice Hall selections were chosen that address the essential question with similar themes. For
example, in “Dragon Dragon,” PH engages students by asking: “Is conflict always bad?” The youngest
son “heroically” slays the dragon in this humorous tale written by John Gardner. “The King of Mazy
May” by Jack London is a story about a boy named Walt who goes to great lengths to protect his
friend’s goods from thieves. Students will identify the personal characteristics this main character
possesses that may qualify him as a hero. “Race to the End of the Earth” is a compare and contrast
article about Captain Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen and their heroic race to the South Pole.
3) Three Common Core-aligned ELA/Literacy instructional strategies have been identified for districtwide focus:
 Reading and writing informational text
 Academic conversation/discourse
 Formative assessment
These instructional strategies are at the heart of the modules as we prepare our students to be
college and career ready. The teacher packet includes support materials for each of these strategies.
4) At the conclusion of this module, students will be asked to analyze and synthesize information from
several sources which address the essential question in an SBAC-like informational writing
performance task. Please note this is NOT a summative assessment about the novel and/or the
Prentice Hall selections. Students will be expected to cite evidence from the sources provided in the
writing assessment to address the essential question “What makes someone a hero?”
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Text Selections and Other Resources
Prentice Hall Selections
Additional Selections
*ONLY in new CCSS Edition (TE); **BOTH new (TE) and Timeless Voices (SE);
No asterisk – ONLY in Timeless Voices (SE)
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

“Dragon Dragon”** (TE 206, SE 434)
“The King of Mazy May”**(TE 305 SE 50)
“Race to the End of the Earth”** (TE 335 SE 799)
“Jackie Robinson: Justice at Last” **(TE 420, SE 325)
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“Helping Miami Kids Choose ‘Guitars Over Guns’”
by Melissa Calhoun
Unsung Heroes – Engineers without Borders:
https://vimeo.com/57989383
Prentice Hall Common Core Companion (student workbook): includes graphic organizers for Common Core
literacy skills
District website http://www.wccusd.net: for additional resources select Instruction  English Language Arts
 Secondary
This module highlights the following College and Career Readiness Anchor
Standards (see grade level standards for additional specificity):
CCR.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific
textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCR.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas.
CCR.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
CCR.W.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
CCR.W.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
CCR.W.9: Draw evidence from literary and or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCR.SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCR.L.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective
choices for meaning or style and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
CCR.L.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
CCR.L.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
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Document for close Read/Text Dependent Questions/ Common Core Companion SE pp. 97 & 104
Helping Miami Kids Choose 'Guitars Over Guns'
By Marissa Calhoun, CNN
Updated 4:45 PM ET, Thu April 2, 2015
Miami (CNN) Despite the glitz and glamour Miami is known for, the odds for some children growing up
there are bleak.
Almost one of every three Miami-Dade County residents living in poverty is under 18, according to the
Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. Many schools face high dropout rates, after-school
programs are being eliminated and students are failing. Those at-risk children are ones that Chad Bernstein
is trying to help through his nonprofit, Guitars Over Guns.
"Music is the most important tool we have in reaching these kids," said Bernstein, 30, a professional
musician.
His program operates in two of Miami's poorest communities, North Miami and Allapattah. It pairs middleschool students with professional musicians, providing free instrument instruction and mentorship. Since
2008, Bernstein's organization has worked with more than 225 students in Miami-Dade County. He says his
group has seen more than a 90% increase in academic performance and school attendance of students in
the program.
Chad Bernstein's mentorship nonprofit has helped some Miami-area students increase academic performance, attendance.
Bernstein has been hooked on playing gigs since he was 16. He's gone on to play and record with such
musical greats as Shakira, Pharrell, Jennifer Hudson and Pitbull.
I sat down with Bernstein to learn more about the motivation behind his work. Below is an edited version
of our conversation.
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Marissa Calhoun: You're a pretty cool guy — some might be surprised to hear that you were once bullied.
What did you experience and how did you overcome it?
Chad Bernstein: When I was a kid, I had ears that stuck out the side of my head and really big green glasses.
And I was tall and lanky and definitely looked a little different than other kids. I think part of the thing that
really stuck with me was this feeling of wanting to belong to something, because I just didn't feel like I fit in
with the other kids.
When I started playing music it really gave me a sense of identity, something that I belonged to, something
that I was good at, something that people would watch me do and say, "Oh wow, that's really cool or he's
really good at that." I think in that way music really gave me an anchor in my social experience.
Calhoun: What can students expect when they join your program?
Bernstein: As a new ‘GOGO’ (Guns Over Guitars Organization) student you'll get to try out all the
instruments. You'll choose an instrument to learn. You'll be paired with a mentor. And then you'll go
throughout that year learning how to play the instrument and music fundamentals and songwriting. And by
the end of the year, you'll be performing on stage, recording in a studio and will have a very close
relationship with that mentor.
Our mentors are amazing musicians that are active in the community playing and performing. And some of
these mentors are actually from the neighborhoods and the schools that these kids are at currently. We're
not policemen. We're not teachers. We're not parents. We're in a unique position to really talk to these
kids about the issues that matter most to them.
By the end of the year students in the program will be performing on stage and recording in a studio, says Bernstein.
Calhoun: Why do you focus on middle schoolers?
Bernstein: It's the time of their life to reach them not only musically, but also as young individuals that are
starting to form opinions about who they are and what their world is going to look like.
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As professional musicians, most of us know what kind of power music has in terms of dealing with the
things that are going on in your life. And the reasons that we target the neighborhoods that we have the
program in are because these kids are facing the most challenges with being successful in and out of
school. A lot of times, these kids only see to the end of their block and back. We like to bring them to
studios and also to other places in Miami because we want them to experience something outside of their
own neighborhood.
We also provide them with opportunities to get tutoring and have social services, making sure that they're
really successful in and outside of school.
Calhoun: I've heard you play — you're pretty mean on the trombone. How has that passion translated into
your work with these kids?
Bernstein: I've built my life on how important the feeling I get from playing music is. And I thought that that
was the end-all, be-all feeling, that being on stage and performing was the thing for me. Then I saw a kid
have that experience through our program, and it changed everything.
There's an amazing sense of pride when I see a kid experience that feeling on stage, where they've
connected with an audience or they get a round of applause because they've worked really hard and have a
great performance. It's an incredible feeling. I was really fortunate to have the opportunities that I did to
learn music. And part of me feels very responsible to provide those opportunities for other people, because
there were people along the way in my path and my musical journey that helped me.
My hopes for the children that we work with are that their vision of the world and their vision of
themselves is changed in some way, that they hold themselves to more than other people might, and that
they realize there's a whole world out there that they could very much be a part of that isn't necessarily the
one right outside their doorstep.
I know music has changed my life in a really dramatic way. And I think it's going to change the lives of these
students in a really dramatic way.
Calhoun, Marissa. "CNN Hero Helps Miami Kids Choose 'Guitars Over Guns' - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 10
July 2015. http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/02/living/cnnheroes-bernstein/index.html
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Reading & Writing Informational Text Strategies
Because the ELA classroom must focus on literature (stories, drams, and poetry) as well as literary
nonfiction, a great deal of informational reading in grades 6-12 must take place both in English classes as
well as other content areas. To ensure students’ growth toward college and career readiness, the
distribution of informational reading and writing should correlate with the National Assessment of
Educational Progress’s Reading and Writing Frameworks which follow.
Distribution of Literary and Informational Passages by Grade in the 2009 NAEP Reading Framework
Grade
Literary
Information
4
50%
50%
8
45%
55%
12
30%
70%
(2008). Reading framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Distribution of Communicative Purposes by Grade in the 2011 NAEP Writing Framework
Grade
To Persuade
To Explain
To Convey Experience
4
30%
35%
35%
8
35%
35%
30%
12
40%
40%
20%
Source: National Assessment Governing Board. (2007). Writing framework for the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Writing Standard 9 for grades 4th - 12th grade requires students to be able to write about what they read. They must
draw evidence from literary and or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Students must be provided ample opportunities to build comprehension through independent annotation exercises
and collaborative conversations. The following graphic organizers can assist in providing that kind of needed
support. Additional resources can be found on the district website (Departments  English Language Arts 
Secondary).
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Name
#
Per.
Date
Citing Evidence
CCR.RI.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Directions: Complete an initial close read of the text with a partner, or whole class. After reading the text, use the table to record data as you complete a
second read of the text independently. Select and write down specific phrases or sentences from the text and explain the significance of each.
Specific Phrase or Sentence (Evidence)
Analysis or Inference
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Reading & Writing Informational Text Strategies: Close Reading
A significant body of research links the close reading of complex text—whether the student is a struggling
reader or advanced—to significant gains in reading proficiency and finds close reading to be a key
component of college and career readiness.
(Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, 2011, p. 7)
What Is Close Reading?
Essentially, close reading means reading to uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep comprehension.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers supplies clarification useful for
teaching with Common Core standards in mind:
Close, analytic reading stresses engaging with a text of sufficient complexity directly and examining
meaning thoroughly and methodically, encouraging students to read and reread deliberately. Directing
student attention on the text itself empowers students to understand the central ideas and key supporting
details. It also enables students to reflect on the meanings of individual words and sentences; the order in
which sentences unfold; and the development of ideas over the course of the text, which ultimately leads
students to arrive at an understanding of the text as a whole.
The Prentice Hall Common Core Companion Teacher’s Edition provides many examples of close reading.
For each selection, they delineate specific passages (bracketed lines) that support students’ understanding
of the selection and directly tie them to the Big Question which often relates to the ELA module’s essential
question.
There is a great video of high school students demonstrating close reading that teachers have successfully
shared with their students. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adXdTXEzmzE
Annotation is a powerful tool to aid students in deconstructing complex text. Cornell Notes have been
around for many years and continue to be useful. Asking students to annotate what they are reading is
also a highly recommended research based strategy. Included in this packet is a Metacognitive Marker
chart that you can use with your students.
Additional support materials for Close Reading can be found at the district website (Departm ents  English
Language Arts  Secondary)
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METACOGNITIVE MARKERS
Use the following symbols for making notations and
marking the text.
 I agree with this. This makes sense to me.
 I am confused by this. This doesn’t make sense to me.
 I have a question about this. This makes me want to
know more.
!! Wow! This is important. I have strong feelings about
this.
 This is true for me. I can relate this to my own
experience.
Adapted from Summarization in Any Subject, Rick Wormeli
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Collaborative Conversation Strategies
Collaborative conversations are characterized by purposeful talk focused around topics and texts appropriate to the
grade level and discipline. They are sustained discussions between students in which ideas are presented, defended,
elaborated upon, and responded to. Collaborative conversations encourage exchange of ideas, based on evidence,
that generate critical thinking and stronger understanding and comprehension. Doug Fisher (2012) describes
collaborative conversations as discussions in which student “argue without being argumentative and disagree
without being disagreeable.”
Provide academic language support as needed: Examples include sentence starters such as:
o
o
o
o
o
I disagree with ______________ because _____________.
The reason I believe ____________ is ________________.
The facts that support my idea are ___________________.
In my opinion ________________.
One difference between my idea and yours is __________________.
The list below is a small sampling of strategies. Additional resources for collaborative conversations can be found on
the district website (Departments  ELA  Secondary)
 Conversation Roundtable: Students fold piece of paper into fourths, then
fold over the center corner into a small triangle. When opened, the paper is
divided into sections as shown. Students record their own notes in the
upper left quadrant. Four students then participate in a discussion. As
students listen to what the others are saying, they record notes in each of the
other three quadrants. One use of the conversation rountable is as a video
reflection tool.
 Carousel: Small groups of students rotate to posters around the classroom. Students respond to, discuss
and post answers to images/prompts/questions on the posters and reflect on other students’ comments.
 Collaborative poster: Small groups of students collaborate to create posters with specific visual
information (drawings and text). Each student uses an assigned colored marker. Each student is
accountable for creating and presenting their contribution to the poster. Students discuss critically, explain,
and make decisions to complete this task.
 Fishbowl Discussion: Fishbowls involve a small group of students seated in circle having a conversation
(fish). They are surrounded by a larger group of observers seated in an outer circle (bowl). The facilitator
gives a short input of 5-10 minutes which sets out the general outline of the discussion. After that the inner
circle starts to discuss while the outer circle listens and observes. Students are moved between the inner
and outer circles so that all have an opportunity to participate in both roles.
 Socratic Seminar: Students engage in a formal discussion, based on a text, in which the leader asks openended questions. Within the context of the discussion, students listen closely to the comments of others,
thinking critically for themselves, and articulate their own thoughts and their responses to the thoughts of
others. They learn to work cooperatively and to question intelligently and civilly.
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Name: _________________________________
Period: _______
Date: ________________
Collaborative Conversation
Topic for discussion: __________________________________
My Thoughts…
My Partner’s Thoughts…
Now write a one paragraph summary about today’s topic. Use valid reasoning and relevant evidence to support your claim. Include ideas that came from
your conversation with your partner in your analysis.
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Formative Assessment Strategies
The purpose of assessment tasks and activities is to provide the teacher with a window into students’
cognitive processes. Formative assessments allow students to show their thinking and allow teachers a
way to see and gauge students’ understanding and adjust instruction accordingly. As James Popham states,
“Formative assessment looks at ends (or outcomes) as a way of deciding whether means (inputs) need to
be changed.” [From “Formative Assessment: Its Aristotelian Essence”:
http://www.amplify.com/assets/regional/Popham_FA_Essence.pdf]
Formative assessment can take the form of checklists, written or oral responses, graphic organizers,
Socratic questioning, etc. They can also be more informal, such as teacher observations of student
performance or collaborative conversations. The list below is a small sampling of strategies. Additional
resources for formative assessment:
- District website  Departments  ELA  Secondary
- http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/ExamplesofFormativeAssessment.html.
 Small group close reading and collaborative conversations: Students work in small groups to
identify key understandings and academic vocabulary from short text selections. Teacher
observation of group work informs next steps of instruction (extend, mitigate, reteach...)
 Graphic Organizers: Students complete word/idea webs or concept maps, flowcharts, cause/effect
charts, sequence charts, Venn diagrams…to show their understanding of ideas and concepts.
Teacher review of these determines adjustments to instruction.
 Think-Pair-Share or Write-Pair-Share: Students considers their own response to a prompt, text,
lecture, etc., followed by sharing their reflections with a partner. Teacher circulates and listens in
to gauge student understanding.
 Entry/Exit Cards: As students enter or exit class, they respond to a prompt displayed on the board
related to the topic of that day’s lesson. For example, after a lesson on tone and word choice,
sample prompts might be: “Identify details that reveal the tone of the text that you are reading.
Explain your ideas.” Or “Identify words or phrases that stood out to you while you were reading.
How does the author’s word choice add to the text?”
Low-tech – sticky notes; high-tech – cell phone responses (e.g. www.padlet.com )
 3-Minute Papers: Students complete 1- to 3-minute quick writes on a topic or big idea. This
provides the teacher with insights into the reasoning processes that students are using to inform
next steps of instruction.
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Three “3-Minute Papers”
(Adapted from Bay Area Writing Project)
Step One: Solo Reading Task. Students read for the big ideas and highlight quotes that strike them as important or
make them think.
Step Two: 3-Minute Papers. Students write three “3-minute” papers in their notebooks summarizing the reading
selection being discussed.
3-Minute Paper # 1: Students write a brief statement for each sentence starter.
The author explains__________. The author describes __________. The author questions __________.
(Ask students to skip a few lines)
3-Minute Paper # 2: Students review what they highlighted and thought was important and pick one quote
that really makes them think. Then students write about “why this quote makes you think”.
The author’s statement “_______________,” makes me think about/wonder _______________.
The author’s point, “_______________,” suggests that _______________.
(Ask students to skip a few lines)
3-Minute Paper # 3: Students finish the statement:
The author probably believes that _______________ because_______________.
Step Three: Notebook Exchange.
1. Students exchange notebooks and read each other’s 3-minute papers.
2. Students highlight one line they found interesting and/or helped them add to their understanding of the
text. The line can come from any of the three papers.
3. Students write a sticky-note response, explaining why he/she found that particular line to be of interest.
Dear _______________,
Your statement/thoughts about _______________ are interesting because _______________. Your
statement/thoughts added to my thinking because _______________.
Step Four: Students participate in academic conversations to share their learning.
This activity addresses the following Common Core Anchor Standards:

CCR.Reading Standard 1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence
when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCR.Speaking & Listening Standard 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCR.Language Standard 6: Acquire and use a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level…
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