Standards and Curriculum

Sixth Grade Language Arts Standards and Curriculum

In our classroom, we do language. We read, write, think, speak, listen and learn with each other. Our work is guided by Common Core State Standards for 6th Grade . (These are standards for writing. Links to reading, language, and listening and speaking standards are listed on the right side of the page.) While these standards serve as a guide, our curriculum (all that we learn and do each day) is infused with effective, tried-and-true practices as well as current, innovative approaches in language arts education.

Reading

We read to cultivate literary lives. This means, our reading is not so much about school, or 6th grade, or “because we have to”. Rather, we read because our lives depend on it. Our reading is fueled by choice, which drives engagement, which invites us to fall in love with books. We learn to read rigorously, responsively and responsibly. We become readers who pay attention, who think and wonder, imagine and question, empathize and are moved to take action. We develop skills and strategies for tackling increasingly complex texts, across a variety of genres, fiction and nonfiction. Most importantly, we strive to become thoughtful readers who will read for the rest of our lives.

Core Practices embedded in our readers’ workshop model:

Time to independently read, daily
Choice reading, core class texts, and book clubs
Sharing books through book talks, book commercials, and online forums
Teacher conferring with students
Mini-lessons
Reading strategy lessons and practice
Learning new ways of interacting with and thinking about text.
Annotating text
Analyzing and interpreting text
Responding to reading through discussion, writing, drama and art
Reading for enjoyment
Reading for information
Reading to understand other perspectives
Questioning what we read
Noticing when our thinking is challenged, changed or confirmed by our reading.
Reflection and self-assessment

Writing

We write to express ourselves, to consider our lives, and to work them out on the page. As with reading, our writing purpose stretches beyond the walls of our classroom and school to become a way of seeing, thinking and being in the world. Through all our writing, we tell the true stories of our lives, contemplating anything and everything that stirs in our hearts and minds. We write narratives to bear witness to each other’s lives. We write arguments to be a part of essential conversations happening in our communities and the world. We write informational pieces to share our expertise and to teach others. We write outside and in-between the lines of genre. We question form and content. We write everyday.

Core Practices embedded in our writers’ workshop:

Quick Writes
Mini-lessons
Reading and thinking like writers
Studying mentor texts
Noticing and analyzing the craft, structure, and voice in texts
Noticing how punctuation drives meaning
Grammar and sentence structure work
Expanding capacity with words.
Conferring with the teacher
Workshop time to work on pieces
Writing as process
Choice-writing about what matters to the writer
Genre study
Teacher as model
Peer Feedback
Emphasis on feedback over grading
Reflection and self-assessment
Rereading and revision
Taking our words public
Friday Open Mic

Speaking and Listening

While talking comes naturally for most, the art of speaking well and listening deeply requires attention, intention, and practice. Everyday in our classroom, conversation engages us in our reading, writing, and our thinking about ideas and issues in each other's lives and in the world. We voice our perspectives and opinions as we learn how to listen deeply, respond thoughtfully and disagree respectfully. Here, we develop our ability to understand and connect with others, even within differences and challenging conversations. From this foundation, we build skills and confidence as effective speakers, presenters and performers. Most importantly, we learn that our voices matter in the conversations of our communities and the world, and that we must find the courage to listen and to speak up to make the world a better place for all.

Core Practices embedded in our classroom:

Valuing and inviting student voice
Daily opportunities to be in conversation with partners, small groups and whole class sharing writing, reading, thinking
Deep listening to understand
Learning ways to engage in conversation and to push thinking
Using protocols to safely and respectfully engage in challenging conversations
Socratic Seminar
Interviewing
Public speaking and presentation
Performance
Open Mic
Responding to peer writing, presentation, performance
Using online forums for expression (Flipgrid, Kidblog)

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