Syllogisms, deductive validity, and the principles of inductive probability for evaluating evidence-based claims. Targets common logical fallacies and the construction of sound, persuasive arguments.
A 12-lesson comprehension mastery program focused on metacognition, reasoning, and evidence-based thinking. Students progress from basic thinking awareness to complex deductive reasoning and synthesis. Inspired by Reading Detective and Comprehension Connections.
A 5-week research unit that scaffolds the process paragraph-by-paragraph. Students define significance, analyze the 'Four Days in October' case study, and turn in each paragraph separately, focusing on historical context, systemic barriers, and societal impact with a dedicated lesson on counterarguments.
A comprehensive novel study for Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, focusing on Brian Robeson's survival journey. This sequence covers the entire book through five logical chapter groupings, providing recall and analysis questions to deepen student understanding of character development and survival themes.
A series of lessons focused on mastering high-frequency academic action verbs like explain, compare, and justify to help students succeed in academic tasks and assessments.
A collection of lessons and practice materials designed to prepare middle school students for ELA MCAS assessments, focusing on high-priority standards like central idea, evidence, and comparison.
A comprehensive introduction to evidence-based writing using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) model, specifically designed for 6th grade students to develop strong argumentative writing skills.
A comprehensive English Language Arts unit that uses a mystery-investigation theme to develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Students act as detectives to analyze evidence, interview witnesses, and present their final case.
A 6th-grade math unit focused on standard 6.EE.A.2. Students will learn to write, read, and evaluate algebraic expressions using proper mathematical terminology and the order of operations.
A comprehensive 5-day introductory unit on speech and debate, covering public speaking, argumentation, logic, research, and competitive formats.
A multi-day literacy unit that transforms students into 'Information Detectives' to master complex comprehension skills like making inferences, distinguishing vital details, and identifying key ideas.
A comprehensive NYS ELA test preparation sequence for grades 6-8, focusing on main idea, text structure, and argumentative writing through a 'detective case file' theme.
A 5-lesson sequence designed for 6th-grade students in academic support, focusing on building inference skills through visual media, silent films, comics, and photography before transitioning to text. This approach removes decoding barriers to strengthen cognitive critical thinking.
An immersive, gamified mystery sequence where 6th-grade students act as detectives to master predictions and inferences. By analyzing physical clues, witness statements, and found documents, students apply deductive reasoning to solve the 'Case of the Missing Golden Whistle.'
A forensic-themed reading comprehension unit where students act as investigators to master predictions and inferences. Through case studies and evidence tracking, students learn to bridge literal text with deep narrative meaning.
Students investigate how authors build persuasive arguments in nonfiction texts. They learn to trace claims, distinguish between facts and opinions, evaluate the sufficiency of evidence, and detect bias to determine the credibility of a text.
A comprehensive 7th-grade unit that guides students through the cognitive process of making inferences to uncover deep literary themes, moving from visual analysis to evidence-based writing.
This sequence immerses students in the genre of mystery and suspense to develop critical inferencing skills, starting from visual observations and moving to complex textual analysis of dialogue, motivation, and reliability.
A workshop-style sequence designed for 6th graders to improve their argumentative writing by identifying and eliminating logical fallacies. Students transition from building strong claims to peer-reviewing work for Hasty Generalizations and Circular Reasoning, culminating in a logically sound persuasive paragraph.
A workshop-style series designed to help 7th grade students strengthen their persuasive writing and speaking by identifying and eliminating logical fallacies. Students learn the Claim-Evidence-Warrant model and focus on avoiding Hasty Generalizations, Red Herrings, and Circular Reasoning.
An inquiry-based exploration of topic sentences in nonfiction, where students reverse-engineer journalism and essays to understand how writers unify details into coherent thoughts.
