Standard: 6.W.2a – Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
Grade level: Grade 6
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Writing
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on helping students learn to introduce topics and organize their ideas, concepts, and information effectively. It emphasizes the use of various organizational strategies and the inclusion of formatting, graphics, and multimedia to aid comprehension. Mastering this standard is crucial as it lays the foundation for more advanced writing skills that students will need in higher grades and real-world scenarios. Before tackling this standard, students should have a basic understanding of paragraph structure, including topic sentences and supporting details, and some experience with basic research and information gathering techniques.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to write more complex and well-organized essays and reports, effectively use multimedia and graphics to enhance their writing, and apply advanced organizational strategies in various writing tasks.
Common Misconception 1
A common misconception is that all information must be presented in a single format, such as text only. This is incorrect because different types of information can be communicated more effectively through various formats, such as charts, tables, and multimedia.
Intervention 1
To address this misconception, provide students with examples of well-organized texts that use a variety of formats. Encourage them to experiment with different formats in their own writing and discuss how each format can enhance understanding.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that organizing ideas is only necessary for long pieces of writing. This is incorrect because even short pieces of writing benefit from clear organization, which helps improve clarity and comprehension.
Intervention 2
To remediate this misconception, provide students with examples of well-organized short texts. Engage them in activities that require organizing ideas in shorter pieces of writing, emphasizing the importance of organization in all types of writing.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of paragraph structure, including topic sentences and supporting details, as well as experience with basic research and information gathering techniques.
Subsequent Knowledge
After mastering this standard, students will be able to write more complex and well-organized essays and reports, effectively use multimedia and graphics to enhance their writing, and apply advanced organizational strategies in various writing tasks.
Instructional Activities
- Create a research paper with headings, subheadings, and supporting graphics
- Design a multimedia presentation on a given topic, organizing content logically
- Write a blog post with clear sections and embedded images or videos
- Develop an infographic that uses comparison/contrast to explain a concept
- Compose an essay that includes formatted text and visual aids to support arguments
