Lesson
3
:

Writing an Informative Text about Gratitude

Grade

Grade 6

UNIT

3

Gratitude

Last Updated:

June 10, 2025

In Unit 3, Lesson 3, “Writing an Informative Text about Gratitude,” students will write an informative text about one of the two people covered earlier in this unit: (1) Juana Maria, the woman who inspired the novel Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, or (2) Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the subject of the book The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix. Students will focus one paragraph of their text on how this person demonstrated gratitude. This informative text will examine the subject and convey information clearly.

SUGGESTED TIME:

50 minutes

RELATED SUBJECT:

English Language Arts

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Conduct a short research project on one of the two people we learned about earlier in this unit, either: 
  • Locate three sources on the chosen subject. 
  • Write an informative text that examines a topic and conveys ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
  • Include one paragraph that focuses on how the person you chose demonstrated gratitude.
  • Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
  • Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
  • Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
  • Establish and maintain a formal style.
  • Provide a list of 3 sources.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Prohuman Grade 6 Unit 3 Worksheet 3: Writing an Informative Text about Gratitude

ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.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.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.A

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.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.B

Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.C

Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.D

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.E

Establish and maintain a formal style.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.F

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.4

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

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7

Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.8

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.10

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

Performance Character A6

Describe a role model who demonstrates a positive attitude, effort, and grit

Social-Awareness A1

Experience and demonstrate empathy

Social-Awareness A3

Demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives

Social-Awareness A4

Analyze the impact of stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice (at school, in the community and beyond)

Social-Awareness A5

Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others

Social-Awareness A6

Demonstrate awareness and understanding that despite differences, all people have similar needs, feelings and wants

Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3

Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience

LESSON PROCEDURE

Today we will write an informative text about one of the two people we learned about earlier in this unit: 

Find three different articles about your person and read them. Then write your informative text. The informative text you write should do the following:

  1. Be 2-3 pages. 
  2. Include 3 sources. 
  3. Establish and maintain a formal style.
  4. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow.
  5. Include one paragraph that focuses on how the person you chose demonstrated gratitude.
  6. Organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories.
  7. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
  8. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
  9. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
  10. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Explain what their gratitude helped them to accomplish and what you learned from them.
  11. Include a list of 3 sources at the end.

NOTE: Tell students their informative texts will be shared with 3 classmates for peer review.

GRADE 6 UNIT 3 WORKSHEET 3: WRITING AN INFORMATIVE TEXT ABOUT GRATITUDE

  1. Be 2-3 pages in length.
  2. Include 3 sources.
  3. Establish and maintain a formal style.
  4. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow. 
  5. Include one paragraph that focuses on how the person you chose demonstrated gratitude.
  6. Organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories.
  7. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
  8. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
  9. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
  10. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. Explain what their gratitude helped them to accomplish and what you learned from them.
  11. Include a list of 3 sources at the end. 

Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

unlock all lessons:

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.