6th Grade

The following novels, and resources are recommended for 6th grade ELA

Code Talker

Novel is aligned with StudySync Unit 4 Our Heroes 

What are the qualities of a hero? Bravery? Fearlessness? Super human powers? Can heroes only be people in positions of power or the characters we see in comics, in movies, and on TV?  Or can heroes also be ordinary citizens who do extraordinary things? People have different opinions about what qualities define a hero and who their heroes are.

Throughout this unit, students will read the stories of other heroes, like Doctor Benjamin Rush and Baron von Steuben, whose bravery, fearlessness, and strong-will inspired others.

The following resources are available to provide background knowledge on the Navajo and to assist with the teaching of the novel Code Talkers on the Reservation and Beyond.  The Opi Model Unit provides suggestions for teaching this novel.  The video clip can enhance instruction and provide additional support for students.  

Code Talker.pdf

The audio version is a effective way to model  proficient reading and navigate difficult text.  It also helps capture the essence of the story from a Navajo speaker.  

WarriorSpirit.pdf

Sweetgrass Basket

Novel is aligned with StudySync Unit 1 Turning Points

How much of what happens in our lives do we actually control? This is a question that has concerned philosophers and writers for thousands of years. We expect events to progress in a certain way, then suddenly unexpected circumstances cause us to hesitate and reconsider the choices that confront us. Sometimes we don’t have a choice at all.

Throughout this unit, students will explore how fictional characters and real people adapt and succeed when life suddenly changes direction.

This unit is designed to be completed in six to seven 45-minute class periods with the reading to be done as homework or during a silent in-class reading period (such as SSR), adapting as necessary to each school’s schedule and the instructor's homework expectations.  Sweetgrass Basket allows students to explore the identity of two Mohawk sisters as they experience the trauma of being separated from family to attend an Indian boarding school under a federal policy that mandated indigenous youth attend boarding schools. 

OPI Literature Guide

Sweetgrass Basket - 6-8.pdf

In The Footsteps of Crazy Horse

Materials and Curriculum coming soon. 

Jimmy McClean is a Lakota boy—though you would not guess it by his name: his father is a white man and his mother is Lakota. When he embarks on a journey with his grandfather, Nyles High Eagle, he learns more and more about his Lakota heritage—in particular, the story of Crazy Horse, one of the most important figures in Lakota history. Drawing inspiration from the oral stories of the Lakota tradition and the Lakota cultural mechanism of the “hero story,” Joseph Marshall provides readers with an insider’s perspective on the life of Tasunke Witko, better known as Crazy Horse. Through his grandfather’s tales about the famous warrior, Jimmy learns more about his Lakota heritage and, ultimately, himself. 

How I Became a Ghost

Materials and Curriculum coming soon. 

Told in the words of Isaac, a Choctaw boy who does not survive the Trail of Tears, HOW I BECAME A GHOST is a tale of innocence and resilience in the face of tragedy. From the book's opening line, "Maybe you have never read a book written by a ghost before," the reader is put on notice that this is no normal book. Isaac leads a remarkable foursome of Choctaw comrades: a tough-minded teenage girl, a shape-shifting panther boy, a lovable five-year-old ghost who only wants her mom and dad to be happy, and Isaac s talking dog, Jumper. The first in a trilogy, HOW I BECAME A GHOST thinly disguises an important and oft-overlooked piece of history.

Sitting Bull, His Life and Legacy 

Never before has the story of Sitting Bull been written and published by a lineal descendant. In Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy, Ernie LaPointe, a great-grandson of the famous Hunkpapa Lakota chief, presents the family tales and memories told to him about his great-grandfather.

LaPointe not only recounts the rich oral history of his family - the stories of Sitting Bull's childhood, his reputation as a fierce warrior, his growth into a sage and devoted leader of his people, and the betrayal that led to his murder - but also explains what it means to be Lakota in the time of Sitting Bull and now. In many ways, the oral history differs from what has become the standard and widely accepted biography of Sitting Bull. LaPointe explains the discrepancies, how they occurred, and why he wants to tell his story of Tatanka Iyotake. This book is powerful. It is a story of Native American history, told by a Native American, for all people to better understand a culture, a leader, and a man.

Additional Resources and Lessons

These resources are available for the Proficiency Scale: Comparing Text

Essential Understanding #3  Cultural Continuity

The ideologies of Native traditional beliefs and spirituality persist into modern day life as tribal cultures, traditions, and languages are still practiced by many American Indian people and are incorporated into how tribes govern and manage their affairs.

Additionally, each tribe has its own oral history beginning with their origins that are as valid as written histories. These histories pre-date the discovery of North America.


Oral Stories/Tradition

Written Oral Histories

Fox, Sandra J. Ed.D. Connecting Cultures and Classrooms: Indian Education K-12 Curriculum Guide: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies. Helena, MT: Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2006. There is a list of traditional stories on pages 16-17

Connecting Cultures-Classrooms.pdf

The following books are available in your libraries: