Middle School English Language Arts Instructional Guide

District-Wide Benchmark Assessment

RISE Benchmark: Informative I

Testing Reason: Fall

RISE Benchmark or CFA Determined by Site Based PLC

9/15/25 - 10/27/25

End of Unit Writing Competency Example Sample On-Demand Informative Writing Prompt, Text Sets, Student Samples, and Rubric: Review the following text/s on the Great Depression and write a multi-paragraph response that explains the effects the Great Depression had on the people who lived through it. Be sure to use evidence from the text/s to support and develop your response. ●​ Full Prompt and Sample Text Sets ●​ Vertically Aligned and Annotated Informative Student Writing Samples (Grades 6-12) ●​ Informative Writing Rubric Scaffolds General ●​ CSD Middle School ELA Resource Hub and Community

●​ On-Demand Writing Progression for an Extended Response ●​ Mini-Moves for Writers: Moves to Summarize ●​ NCTE Position Statement - Understanding and Teaching Writing: Guiding Principles ●​ Learning Through Writing Strategies (Avid)

Writing

●​ Text Annotation (Avid) ●​ Guiding Questioning ●​ Close Reading Route ●​ The Three Phases of the Critical Reading Process (Avid) ●​ Think-Alouds and Structured Dialogue (Avid) ●​ Structured Academic Discussions ●​ The Big List of Discussion Strategies (Cult of Pedagogy)

Reading

Speaking and Listening

●​ This I Believe essay ●​ Create an infographic, podcast, profile, turning point essay, proposal, or photo essay ●​ Write an OpEd and submit to the local newspaper/media outlet ●​ Submit for publication: learn how to write a query letter , research publications for submissions, submit essay or narrative for publication ​ ​ Multilingual Learners will construct informational texts in language arts that: ●​ Introduce and define topic and/or entity for audience ○​ Opening statements to identify type of information (describing, comparing/contrasting, classifying) ●​ Establish objective or neutral stance ○​ Declarative statements to provide objective, factual information ○​ Technical word choices to add precise and descriptive information without evaluative language (the effects versus devastating effects)

Extensions

Language Expectations for Multilingual Learners

Source: WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition

Last Updated May 22nd, 2025 Middle School ELA, Page 52