Planning Middle School Expository Units: Similarities and Differences in the Common Core State Standards

If you’re swimming in confusing standards as a result of changing grade levels or content areas, you may wish you had a quick-reference cheat sheet that just laid it all out for you in one place.

Introducing the Expository Reading & Writing Unit Cheat Sheet for our dynamic 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade crews! It’s like preparing a gourmet dish – each grade level adds its unique flavor profile to the one before. Think of it as crafting a recipe for literary success that evolves with our students’ tastes and talents.

So, for those of us juggling multiple Middle School ELA grades or hopping between them like caffeinated bunnies (‘cuz that’s what teaching can feel like when you teach all the grade levels),, here’s a handy ‘cheat sheet’ to savor the differences in typical Expository Reading & Writing Units across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades:

While the overarching goals of expository reading and writing units in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades may align with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), there are differences in the complexity of skills and content expectations for each grade level.

Here are the same objectives I referred to and used again and again to create my own Middle School Expository Units in case you’re looking for full multi-week units to use right away. 🚀💡

For more of a DIY unit cheat sheet, I’m sharing a general overview of the distinctions you might find in expository reading and writing units for each grade:

6th Grade:

Focus on building foundational skills in expository reading and writing.
Emphasis on understanding the structure and organization of expository texts.
Introduction to analyzing author’s purpose, main ideas, and supporting details.
Practice with writing informative/explanatory essays with clear thesis statements and supporting evidence.
Common Core Standards emphasize reading and comprehending a range of complex texts, including informational texts across content areas.

Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI.6):

RI.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.6.5: Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.

Writing Standards (W.6):

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

7th Grade:

Progression towards deeper analysis of expository texts.
Increased focus on identifying and evaluating author’s tone, bias, and credibility.
Introduction to more sophisticated rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos.
Practice with synthesizing information from multiple sources and citing evidence to support arguments.
Common Core Standards emphasize analyzing the structure and purpose of different types of texts and writing informative/explanatory essays that convey complex ideas and information.

Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI.7):

RI.7.6: 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.
RI.7.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

Writing Standards (W.7):

W.7.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.7.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

8th Grade:

Mastery of analytical skills in expository reading and writing.
Emphasis on critically evaluating arguments and identifying logical fallacies.
Practice with conducting research, evaluating sources, and integrating information from diverse texts.
Introduction to crafting persuasive essays that utilize rhetorical appeals and counterarguments.
Common Core Standards focus on analyzing how authors develop claims and using evidence to support analysis, as well as writing arguments to support claims with clear reasoning and relevant evidence.

Reading Standards for Informational Text (RI.8):

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.
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.

Writing Standards (W.8):

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

Overall, while the general objectives of expository reading and writing units remain consistent across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, the complexity of skills and depth of analysis expected of students increase as they progress through middle school in alignment with the Common Core State Standards.

For creative ideas with organizing your units, planning your year, and engaging students in your Middle School ELA Classroom, get your ticket to the MSELA Summit which is the annual back-to-school virtual conference specifically designed for Middle School ELA Teachers.