Kindergarten ELA - Who Tells a Good Story?

Close Reading / Close Study

Kindergartners will become authors of their own stories. They will use their learning about story elements and how they work to tell an exciting story. Through close reading of interesting stories, students will be able to model their work after professional authors, leading to a real experience of authoring a book. Students will have access to revision and editing support from their peers and teacher, just like an author does through the editing process. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

W.K.3: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

W.K.5: With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed. Speaking and Listening:

SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups

SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.

SL.K.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.

SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to description as desired to provide additional detail Language:

L.K.2 (a) Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun

L.K.2 (b) Recognize and name end punctuation.

Kindergarten ELA - Community Workers

Performance Preparation

Kindergartners will become community resource experts. Students will research a community worker and create an oral presentation about this person and their daily tasks in their community. Students will share with their peers all the information they gathered about their community worker. They will show the class all that goes into being a community worker and how they impact the community as a whole. By giving an oral presentation students will develop their speaking and listening skills within the classroom. All unit texts will be used to gather information about the community workers. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

W.K.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them).

RL.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RI.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups

SL.K.6: Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Kindergarten ELA - Around the World

Project-Based Learning

Students will use their research, discussions, and independent writing throughout the unit to write about and illustrate an important family tradition. Each contribution will become a page in the class mini series “Our Collection of Traditions.” In creating the class set of mini books, students will continue to highlight similarities and differences in traditions that exist in our nation and beyond. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify character, settings, and major events in a story.

RL.K.9: With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.

RL.K.10: Actively engage in group reading, activities with purpose and understanding.

RI.K.3: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.

RI.K.9: With prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and difference between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).

RI.K.10: Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

W.K.3: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

W.K.5: With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

W.K.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

SL.K.4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

L.K.6: Use words and phrase acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.

Grade 1 ELA - I Am an Aeronautical Engineer

Project-Based Learning

In this Cornerstone, students will become aeronautical engineers as they engage in a unit of study on flight to learn about the invention and development of flight over the last 100 years. They will make predictions about where flight might take us over the next 100 years. Through reading and writing, students will explore the invention of flight and how it has developed over time, so that by the end of the unit, they can engage in this cornerstone and build their own airplane. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.1.1A: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

SL.1.1B: Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.

SL.1.1C: Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.

SL.1.3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.

W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

RI.1.5: Know and use various text features to locate key facts or information in a text.

Grade 1 ELA - Inspiring People

Project-Based Learning

First graders will become cartoonists. After working to create a narrative piece about a time they persevered, they will create a comic strip about this time. Students will see models of high quality texts during several close readings of texts that demonstrate how people and characters persevere. They will then create the comic strip to share with peers a time that they faced a struggle and they had to overcome said struggle. Students, as cartoonists, will ensure that their work is ready for publication by adhering to publishing guidelines. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.1.1A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

SL.1.1B Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.

SL.1.1C Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.

SL.1.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.

SL.1.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

W.1.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

RL.1.9 Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.

Grade 1 ELA - All About Money

Rich Academic Discussion

Was he smart to trade his money? Students will engage in a discussion about the poem "Smart" by Shel Silverstein as a culminating task from the unit of study on life lessons and money. Students have explored what it means to save, spend, and even donate money and why a person might do each. This poem from a popular author provides an opportunity for students to use their knowledge of save versus spend to discuss with their peers and, in the end, develop a plan that would be more economically sound that what the character in the poem did. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.1.1A: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

SL.1.1B: Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.

SL.1.1C: Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.

SL.1.3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.

W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

RL.1.2: Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

Grade 1 ELA - Out of this World Orbit

Project-Based Learning

Students will become astronomers as they engage in a unit of study on astronomy to learn about the characteristics of the Sun, Moon and stars. Students will create a paper model of the movement of the Sun, Earth and moon, demonstrate the relationship through a kinesthetic activity, and develop an understanding of the relationships and patterns between these bodies within outer space. Throughout the unit, students will engage in research, discussions, and independent writing about the Sun, Moon and stars. Students will have had explicit writing lessons about how to create a list and label book with the illustrations and text working together. They will also use a child-friendly checklist to self assess and reflect on their work. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards SL.1.1A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

SL.1.1B Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.

SL.1.1C Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.

SL.1.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.

W.1.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions in a text

RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.

Grade 2 ELA - Take Action!

Project-Based Learning

Second graders will become activists. They will study character traits of well-known activists from around the world and dig deep within themselves to reflect on their values to identify what is important to them in their school and neighborhood communities. Students will conduct research on character traits of great leaders analyzing their motivations to bring about change for people in the world. Students will synthesize information from multiple sources, then identify a problem in their school or neighborhood community and take action to solve it. Click here to access the Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.2.3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; report science observations.)

W.2.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Grade 2 ELA - Investigating Landforms

Project-Based Learning

In this Cornerstone, second graders will become geologists, studying earth's geography, landforms, and their formation process. Students will conduct research on landforms, investigating their formation process, changes, and how landforms affect living things in their environment. Synthesizing information from multiples sources students will create a model landform using various text features that provide information on a landform, its formation process, possible changes to it, and how the landform affect living things in their environment. Click here to access the Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.2.3: Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

RI.2.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.

W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

W.2.5: With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.

W.2.6: With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).

W.2.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Grade 2 ELA - Spoken Words

Close Reading / Close Study

Second graders will become oral storytellers by taking a classic in literature and transforming it into a modern day story. After reading and analyzing a variety of Cinderella stories, students will create their own modern day Cinderella story that represents a particular culture and time. Students will retell and pass on their modern day Cinderella story by creating an audio recording in order to apply their knowledge of the process of oral traditions and storytelling. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.2.3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

SL.2.4: Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.

SL.2.5: Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

L.2.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 2 ELA - I Am a Meteorologist

Project-Based Learning

A survival kit is a great way to prepare for any storm. In this Cornerstone, second graders will be tasked with the job of preparing for an extreme weather condition. They will have to prepare a checklist of useful items and create a public service announcement. They will inform their community of how to stay safe and proactive in a storm. Students will have to make their list for the specific storm that they are assigned. In their PSA, each student will have to give a material that is necessary for the specific storm they are given. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.2.2: Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

SL.2.5: Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

SL.2.6: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 2 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)

W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

W.2.5: With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.

W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).

W.2.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

RI.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

RI.2.2: Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

RI.2.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.

L.2.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.2.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.2.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe.

Grade 3 ELA - Habitat Heroes

Project - Based Learning

Third graders will become zoologists, understanding the various habitats where animals live. They will research a specific habitat and identify necessary environmental factors for the survival of a chosen animal. Analyzing and synthesizing information from multiple sources, students will create a triorama that represents the animal's habitat and perform a public service announcement advocating for the habitat's preservation. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.3.6 With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

W.3.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

W.3.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Grade 3 ELA - A Right and a Responsibility

Project - Based Learning

Students will become advocates after furthering their study of democracy by delving into barriers of voting for various social groups in the United States of America past and/or present. The cornerstone provides an opportunity for students to use their knowledge about voting rights to impact voter turnout in their communities. Evaluating information from multiple sources, students will create a poster encouraging adults to take an active role in government by voting. These posters will become school decor, helping the school community keep their civic duties front of mind, despite it not being an election year. A standard of excellence for viewership will be employed to ensure high quality posters. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Grade 3 ELA - Washington, D.C. It's Right Outside My Door!

Project - Based Learning Third graders will become historians through the specialized study of Washington D.C.’s monuments, historical and cultural landmarks, and neighborhoods. This Cornerstone provides students the opportunity to use their research skills to learn about the historical underpinnings of the neighborhood or ward where they live and the role that its historical heritage and figures have played in shaping its present. Utilizing text features and informational text writing, they will create a travel guide or webpage to encourage people to visit their community. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas

Standards

RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

RI.3.5: Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.3.2(a): Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.

W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

S.L.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade 4 ELA - Rock On!

Project-Based Learning

In this Cornerstone, students will use what they know about rocks and minerals to create a pamphlet that presents research on a rock or mineral. On the cover of the pamphlet, students will include a poem about the rock. Inside the pamphlet, students will create a timeline to demonstrate how their chosen rock is formed. In addition to displaying the actual rock (from a rock set), the students will present their pamphlet to their classmates. Teachers should consider facilitating either a gallery walk or a classroom discussion to allow students to share their pamphlet. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SL.4.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI.4.5: Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Grade 4 ELA - Portraying the Early American Experience

Project - Based Learning

Fourth graders will become historians. Through this project based learning Cornerstone, students will discover the various aspects of life for early Americans. They will complete an interactive research project that depicts life experience of an early American group (multimedia encouraged). As the goal is to encourage others to use their project to ascertain more information, small groups or individuals must ensure that the work is engaging, interesting, and relevant. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.4.2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SL.4.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

SL.4.6: Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussion); use formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.4.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

W.4.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.

W.4.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

L.4.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.4.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 4 ELA - What is a Hero?

Rich Academic Discussion

Fourth graders will participate in a classroom discussion about heroes, showcasing their understanding of a variety of texts they have read. Students engaged in a socratic seminar will use annotated texts to discuss with their classmates. Knowledge will have been built through close reading of complex texts and the seminar will be facilitated by the classroom teacher. Students will come to the discussion prepared, with notes from a culmination of the work done throughout the unit. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI.4.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

RI.4.9: Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.4.1.a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion

SL.4.1.b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

SL.4.1.c: Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.

SL.4.1.d: Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

SL.4.2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

W.4.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Language

L.4.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 5 ELA - Become a Museum Curator

Project-Based Learning

Fifth grade students will become museum curators! This cornerstone will allow students to deepen their thinking around the significant people and events from the Civil War and Reconstruction. They will activate their background knowledge from the unit, synthesizing and analyzing information from multiple sources to support their newly created museum exhibit. This Cornerstone will provide students the exciting opportunity to curate their very own exhibit. A select amount of the district’s Cornerstone projects will be chosen to be on temporary display at the newly opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize text.

RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

RI.5.7: Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

RI.5.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

W.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.5.4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SL.5.5: Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

SL.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.

L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.5.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition and other logical relationships.

Grade 5 ELA - Civil Rights and Social Media

Project-Based Learning

Fifth grade students will engage in today’s civil rights movement through social media. A new movement of activism has evolved today. It’s a world where Instagram speaks a thousand words, a Twitter hashtag defines a revolution, and a Facebook post organizes massive protests. This Cornerstone will allow students to deepen their thinking about the tactics of the Civil Rights Movement (circa 1950’s and 1960’s), combined with their knowledge of today’s injustices. They will activate their learning from the unit of study, synthesizing and analyzing information from multiple sources to support their social media innovation. This Cornerstone provides students an exciting opportunity to originate a movement. Students will share their social media creation with their classmates and school community. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize text.

RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

RI.5.8: Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

W.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.5.4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SL.5.5: Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

SL.5.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

SL.5.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.

L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.5.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition and other logical relationships.

Grade 5 ELA - Inventions and the Process of Discovery

Project-Based Learning

As inventors, students will identify a practical or abstract problem to solve. Then, they will use research and evidence collected from the unit to design a plan for an invention or innovation that solves the problem. This project based approach gives students ample time to understand the process of invention and discover how many inventions happened. Students will organize their plan and the development of the invention on a presentation board and create a model of their invention for display. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.7: Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

SL.5.2: Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SL.5.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

L.5.1 (c): Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (c) Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.

L.5.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition and other logical relationships.

Grade 6 ELA - From the Eyes of the Monster

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will learn that stories take on new life when reimagined from a different point of view. In this Cornerstone experience, they will use their knowledge of plot, point of view, and character development to rewrite a story as a narrative poem, from the villain’s point of view. Students will use The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs as an exemplar text, outline their own stories based on a story they have read in class, and write a narrative poem that they will read in front of their classmates. Excellent narrative poems and performative readings will include details of the original story, effectively tell a coherent story, and use literary techniques to engage the reader. Using exemplar stories and a rubric, students will identify quality indicators, draft their poems, engage in peer review against the indicators, and revise their stories appropriately. Students have the opportunity to share their narrative poems with a wider audience at a District-wide Cornerstone showcase in the spring. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

W.6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.6.3.A 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.

W.6.3.B Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

W.6.3.C Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

W.6.3.D Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.

W.6.3.E Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Grade 6 ELA - Humans of DCPS

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will be given the opportunity to explore the concept of “growing up” and “coming of age” from real-life adults that they encounter daily. Students will interview adults within the District of Columbia family about community social justice issues that individual cares strongly about. They will then do research on the social justice issues they learn about. Students will then write and perform Project Soapbox speeches about the community issues they have learned about. DCPS will be working in conjunction with Mikva Challenge (mikvachallenge.org) in order to bring this experience to 6th graders. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

W.6.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

SL.6.4: Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

SL.6.5: Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.

Grade 6 ELA - America's Promise

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will learn the tenets of academic conversation and argumentation and participate in seminar conversations for which they must craft an argument. Students will read the poem “A New Colossus,” which is enshrined on the base of the Statue of Liberty, and evaluate whether or not America lives up to the promise that is made at the end of it. Students prepare and participate in a fishbowl discussion during which they make and support a claim using textual evidence from multiple sources. After the discussion, students craft a written argument on the same topic. Students will perform a close reading of the poem, practice using formal debate language, engage in a seminar discussion, and craft their arguments using a specific, written format. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

W6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

SL6.4: Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

W6.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Grade 7 ELA - My Vivid Life

Close Reading / Close Study

Students come to see themselves as skilled writers who are able to edit their writing to include sensory imagery and dialogue skillfully. Students will reread sections of Boy as amateur writers who are investigating the work of a professional in order to mimic his techniques. They will produce two short personal narratives, which they will publish on a student-friendly, public blog space. Their written work will demonstrate mastery of the writing techniques they have learned. The vignettes that students write during this Cornerstone may become seed ideas for unit one’s summative writing assignment. Because students will publish this writing for their DCPS peers to interact with on a blog platform, students need the skills and knowledge to produce highly engaging, logical narratives. When students effectively utilize the skills and knowledge gained during this Cornerstone, they will publish writing that will connect with others in a positive way in a public blog space. This positive reinforcement in the blog space will develop and/or support a positive self-concept as authors and thinkers for students, which will produce lifelong writers and bloggers. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL7.6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

RI7.6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. *While this is a narrative text students will be digging into author’s purpose in a text and how authors develop emotions in their readers.

W7.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sentences. (Particularly W7.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters and W7.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events).

Grade 7 ELA - Real World Warriors

*Performance Preparation

Students will deliver a prepared presentation, in which they will analyze how the struggles and challenges of a “Real World Warrior” compare to Melba’s in Warriors Don’t Cry. Students will develop criteria for what makes someone a “Real World Warrior,” interview someone who meets that criteria, analyze how their warrior overcame obstacles and challenges as well as the impact s/he had on his/her respective community, identify a theme song for their warrior and explain why it is the perfect song for them, create visual aids for their presentations, and then present their work to their classmates and/or their communities. By examining exemplar work and sharing their own work with their peers, students will come to an understanding that high-quality presentations will deeply dive into the lives of their warriors and draw profound connections between their warriors’ lives and Melba Patillo’s. Students will be able to publish their completed work on their English blogs. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

R.I. 7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

R.I. 7.2: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

R.I 7.3: Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

S.L 7.2: Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text or issue under study.

S.L. 7.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, detail, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

S.L 7.5: Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points

Grade 7 ELA - The Journey of a Hero

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will craft an original story that follows the hero’s journey narrative pattern and present their original work using media of their own selection. While reading The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, students will learn the narrative pattern described by American scholar Joseph Campbell, which describes the typical path of the archetype known as The Hero, who leaves home to accomplish great feats, encounters specific types of characters and conflicts along the way, and then returns home a new person. Students will be able to harness their own strengths to construct their stories. Some students will be able to take advantage of high-end audio recording equipment that has been sent to all middle school ELA classrooms to record a podcast. Visual artists might choose to highlight their artistic prowess by putting together a graphic novel. Wordsmiths may choose to write a more conventional narrative. Students will use a tuning protocol to provide consistent feedback to one another throughout the project.

Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).

W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.7.5 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, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Grade 8 ELA - Dreaming in America

Performance Preparation

Students will learn that writers use their life experiences and beliefs to create powerful commentaries about the world around them. Students will craft and perform a TEDx-style speech or spoken word poem that both describes and questions their individual versions of the American Dream. In 6 rigorous lessons, students will view, analyze, and evaluate 3 TEDx Talks in order to identify the key components of a high-quality speech or spoken word poem as well as engage in both formative and summative writing and feedback processes. These learning experiences will ensure the production of a strong writing product that meets the highest indicators on the Quality Indicator Rubric. Resources for accomplishing this task include product exemplars, accommodations for special populations, and technological tools to draw out the voice and creativity of all students. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL/RI 8.1: Cite textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

SL.8.2: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

RL 8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

RL/RI.8.5: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.

RI 8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

W 8.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.8.5: 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, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

SL 8.4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Grade 8 ELA - Unheard Voices

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will apply the critical reading skills gained during unit 2 to transform into historians who contribute to an inclusive telling of history. Students will refine-tune their research skills in order to create an artifact that portrays a voice or perspective missing from the historical narrative. Students research and discover the voices and perspectives of many individuals and groups who have shaped history. This Cornerstone specifically notes both the contributions and missing voices of women, African-Americans, Native Americans, the LGBT community and Southern Unionists as an avenue for students to continue developing into critical readers of history. Finally, classrooms will be transformed into museums to display these artifacts that reveal the stories and narratives of the unheard voices. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.8.9: Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

SL.8.4.A-D: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

SL.8.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

W.8.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Grade 8 ELA - Messages of Social Justice

Paideia Seminar

Students dive deeply into all forms of text - written, oral and visual - with an aim to analyze and evaluate the power and impact of an author’s or artist’s social message conveyed in their chosen text or media form. The first days of this Cornerstone focuses on a series of types of text, requiring students to read and closely study the text/media and the author’s message, and compile their ideas and analyses to create and defend a claim of which textual medium is most effective for conveying a social message. On the final day, students engage in a Paideia Seminar, presenting their claim and defending it using evidence. An optional extension of this Cornerstone involves students creating their own text with a social message, based on individual research of a topic and their analysis from the prior learning days and seminar. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

CCSS.ELA.RL.8.1/RI 8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA.RI.8.7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

CCSS.ELA.W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence

CCSS.ELA.SL.8.2: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

CCSS.ELA.SL.8.3: Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

HS English I - Most Important Line

Close Reading / Close Study

In this Cornerstone, students will analyze how August Wilson builds tension and orchestrates surprises in his play, Fences, then identify and rank important lines in the play. They will discuss rationales for their rankings, respond to each other's rationales, and write rationale statements to defend their ranking. Students will then select one line to perform. This culminates in students performing their lines in a collective performance, and writing reflective short essays to describe the impact off the performance on their comprehension of the play. This deeper comprehension will then be used to finalize the essay responding to the prompt, "How does August Wilson use stories within the story to build mystery, tension, and surprise in the play, Fences?" Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.9.4 Analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.

RL.9.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within in, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

RL.9.3. Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

HS English I - Storytelling: Gettysburg

Close Reading / Close Study

As part of analyzing how authors use the words and actions of historical figures to create powerful characters within literature, students will write an original narrative describing a moment or event during the Battle of Gettysburg that shows a contrast between honorable and dishonorable actions, thoughts, and words. The scene should also build tension. This narrative will draw upon facts from the battle, while using creative license to make the reader feel a sense of what it was like to be there. For example, one could imagine being one of the solider in the charge down the hill at the Battle of Little Round Top; one of the southern soldiers, shocked and frightened into running away; an imagined moment of hand to hand fighting; or simply the act of reloading and firing a gun. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.9.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.9.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

W.9.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

SL.9.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.9.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

HS English I - A Depiction of Juxtaposition

Close Reading / Close Study

In an analysis of how Toni Morrison uses contrasts to introduce and develop central ideas about truth and beauty in the novel The Bluest Eye, students will identify focal scenes that present juxtaposition and write rationale statements to explain how the use of juxtaposition develops ideas about truth and beauty. Students will then explore how beauty is viewed in modern society by selecting an image that illustrates the juxtaposition discussed in their essay. By transferring their understanding of juxtaposition between text and media, students will be better prepared to respond to the final essay prompt: How does Morrison use contrasts to introduce and develop central ideas about truth and beauty in the novel The Bluest Eye? Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.9.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.9.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.

SL.9.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

W.9.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

HS English II - The Quest For Human Rights

Research Simulation

During this Cornerstone, students will learn more about human rights violations that occur in our world. Students will select a country and research a human rights issue that is reflected by their reading of Night. Students will then create an essay explaining the violation, its impact, and propose possible solutions. Next, students will propose three-five possible solutions that directly address the issues and impact that arise from the human rights violation. Each possible solution should address one specific issue or impact, include compelling reasoning for its recommendation, and be considered a logical response within the context of the country or region in which it is occurring. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

W.10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

W.10.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.10.8: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

W.10.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

HS English II - What's Worth Fighting For?

Close Reading / Close Study

Students will learn about the historical context of the Vietnam War through close viewing and close reading. First, students will participate in a close viewing of provocative Vietnam War images. Next, students will read poetry from Vietnamese authors and American authors who experienced the Vietnam War. Then, students will select a poem they have read during the Cornerstone experience to recite in small groups, reflecting on tone and meaning. Finally, students will analyze how the authors' use of diction, imagery, and tone conveys point of view in a written response. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.9-10.7: Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

RI.9-10.9: Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance, including how they address related themes and concepts.

RI.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

RL.9-10.6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

W.10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

HS English III - #askEmerson

Close Reading / Close Study

Students read letters asking for advice from fictional “fans” of Emerson. Students will respond to their letters, pretending they are Emerson, in the form of a podcast show or recorded audio visual production titled, "#askEmerson." Students may choose to work independently and compose a written letter to provide this Emerson-styled advice, or they may choose to work with a small team of 2-3 students and compose an audio broadcast script. Students advise the writer on courses of actions and next steps by referencing ideas and citing evidence from “Self-Reliance” at least two times in the recorded audio visual product. Students will use an electronic device, audio recorder, or smartphone to complete the audio product.

Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.11-12.9 Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

RI.11.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI.11.2 Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.11.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

W.11.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

W.11.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.11.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

W.11.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection.

SL.11.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.11.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.11.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

L.11.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.11.3 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.

HS English III - The Role of the Artist

Close Reading / Close Study

Students analyze either "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” by Langston Hughes or James Baldwin's "The Creative Process." Both essays describe the role and responsibility of artists: Hughes focuses on black artists, while Baldwin focuses on all artists. Students will engage in a close reading, write an essay about either text, and reflect on their own roles and responsibilities in society. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RI.11.3: Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

RI.11.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

RI.11.2: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.11.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

W.11.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

HS English IV - College Bound

Close Reading / Close Study

In this Cornerstone, students are preparing for college and beyond! The first step is learning how to write a personal essay that captures the attention of its readers and reveals the uniqueness of the student. Through this Cornerstone, students will brainstorm ideas for their personal essays, participate in conversations with their peers to generate topics, and begin writing their personal essays.

Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards

RL.12.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama

W.12.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters

W.12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is more significant for a specific purpose and audience

HS English IV - Debate the Future

Rich Academic Discussion

In this unit, students read Brave New World and 1984, two novels which present dystopias ruled by surveillance and governmental control. In this Cornerstone, students debate the following question: Should parents and school administrators have access to students' social media accounts? Informed by their research and collaboration with their peers, students deepen their understanding of the present and future ramifications of governing the internet. Preparation for the Cornerstone debate will occur in three thirty minute mini-lessons and one research workshop over a period of five days. Students will use their reading in the unit to support their claims and counterclaims with evidence from the texts. Student will learn the format of a debate, how to collect research, and how to organize their argument for an oral debate. Teachers will evaluate students with a rubric encompassing their research, the formulation and support of their claims, and their presentation skills. Resources include a text set complementing their reading. Click here to access the full Cornerstone on Canvas.

Standards RL.12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RL.12.3: Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

RI.12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI.12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

SL.12.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.