Mala Panday, Principal 150-91 87th Road

Jennifer Pineda, Assistant Principal Queens, NY 11432

Stephanie Witt, Assistant Principal Phone: (718) 725-0402
Fax: (718) 725-0390
www.tywlsqueens.org

TYWLS Course Outline for Students and Families 2016- 2017

Course Name: 6th Grade ELA Credit Value:
Prerequisite: N/A Department: English
Teacher: Horn Date: Term 1 2016-2017 (Revised 11-14-2016)
*All courses assess student performance based on the TYWLS School-Wide Grading Policy for grades 6-12.

Course Description: In 6th Grade ELA, students become independent readers, writers, and thinkers. TYWLS of
Queens uses Expeditionary Learning as its ELA curriculum in grades 6-8.

Overview: Expeditionary Learning Module 1: Myths: Not Just Long Ago (September- January)
What is the heros journey? How does knowledge of the heros journey help to more deeply understand character?
The first unit is designed to build students background understanding of the archetype of the heros journey and its
continuing significance in modern literature. Students will practice reading closely as they analyze the highly
popular novel The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (780L). While some students may have previously read this text;
this unit pushes them to read differently: reading closely (with a focus on vocabulary, character analysis, and
Percy Jackson as an archetypical hero).

In the second unit of Module 1, students will delve deeply into mythology: its purpose, elements, and themes that
align with themes in The Lightning Thief. While they continue to read The Lightning Thief (more independently),
students will closely read multiple myths. In the first half of the unit, they will use the informational text Key
Elements of Mythology to better understand the elements and themes of the myths they read. In the second half of
the unit, students will read, think, talk, and write the myths alluded to in The Lightning Thief. They will determine the
themes of myths and how they align with themes in the novel.

Module 1 Resources/ Materials for Differentiation: Anchor Text: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

*Students may also listen to the audio version of the novel while practicing close reading. This can be found on YouTube.
Module 1 Supplemental Texts: Shrouded in Myth, The Heros Journey, The Key Elements of Mythology, The
Myth of Cronus, The Myth of Prometheus

*Expeditionary Learning Module Workbooks contain supplemental reading materials

Module 1 Assessments and Project-based Learning Opportunities:

These types of learning opportunities will allow students to show that they understand the material and have the
ability to utilize their critical thinking skills. There will be two tests and two essays for Module 1 of the 6th Grade
LEADERSHIP STEM COLLEGE BOUND HEALTH &
WELLNESS
 ELA Curriculum.

Mid-Unit 1 Assessment- Inferring about the Main Character in The Lightning Thief (October 2016):
Students will read an excerpt from Chapter 4 in The Lightning Thief. Through a graphic organizer and multiple short
constructed responses, students will describe how Percy responds to a challenge he faces in this excerpt, and then
what they, as readers, can infer about his strengths and weaknesses based on his response.

End of Unit 1 Assessment- Drawing Evidence from Text: Written Analysis of How Percys Experiences Align
with The Heros Journey (November 2016): How do Percys experiences in Chapter 8 align with the heros
journey? After reading Chapter 8 of The Lightning Thief, students will complete a graphic organizer and write a
short analytical response that answers the question and supports their position with evidence from the novel and
from the informational text The Heros Journey.

Mid-Unit 2 Assessment- Analytical Mini-Essay about Elements and Theme of the Myth of Prometheus
(December 2016): For this assessment, students will write an analytical mini-essay responding to the following
prompts:
What are significant elements of mythology in the story of Prometheus?
Explain how elements of mythology contained in the plot make Prometheus a classic myth.
What is an important theme in the myth of Prometheus?
What key details from the myth contribute to this theme?
Students will have read and discussed the myth Prometheus in class as well as an informational text about the
Key Elements of Mythology. They will use graphic organizers to collect important details. Their mini-essay will
contain two body paragraphs (one about the elements of myth that they see in Prometheus and one a theme of
the myth) plus a one-sentence introduction and a brief conclusion to explain how an element of mythology connects
to a theme of the myth.

End of Unit 2 Assessment- Literary AnalysisConnecting Themes in Cronus and The Lightning Thief:
Students will write a literary analysis responding to the following prompt: What is a theme that connects the myth of
Cronus and The Lightning Thief? After reading the myth of Cronus and the novel The Lightning Thief, students
will write a literary analysis in which they do the following:
Summarize the myth and present a theme that connects the myth and the novel;
Describe how the theme is communicated in the myth;
Describe how the theme is communicated in The Lightning Thief;
Explain why myths still matter and why the author may have chosen to include this myth in the novel.
Students will have the opportunity to discuss their reading and their thinking with their partners before writing
independently.

Communication:
Primary communication will be through email: dhorn@tywlsqueens.org and PupilPath messages/anecdotals. The
6th grade team has targeted parent outreach each week and in-person parent meetings one Tuesday per month for
at-risk students.

Extra Help:
Students will be able to attend tutoring on Tuesdays from 2:20-2:55 on an as needed basis. Students will be invited
based on current class performance and/or need for skills development. Test preparation tutoring will begin 8 weeks
prior to the NYS ELA exam.
Updated on 11-14-2016
LEADERSHIP STEM COLLEGE BOUND HEALTH &
WELLNESS