6th Grade Readers and Writers

In sixth grade, students read grade-appropriate, complex literature and informational text and cite textual evidence to support analyses. They examine how authors use reasons to make their points and support arguments with evidence, separating unsupported ideas from those backed by evidence. Students analyze both the structure and content of complex, grade appropriate texts, determining how sentences and paragraphs within texts influence and contribute to the unfolding of a plot and the development and elaboration of events or ideas. Students share their findings in class discussions, practicing how logically to sequence ideas and highlight the themes and key details they find most persuasive. Students’ vocabularies expand as they become more attuned to using context, knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes, and word analysis to determine the meaning of academic words. Students are increasingly challenged to sharpen their ability to write and speak with more clarity and coherence, providing clear reasons and relevant evidence. Students learn how writers try to influence readers while discovering how they can do the same in their own prose. They know how to answer questions through writing and can use rewriting opportunities to refine their understanding of a text or topic. They also take a critical stance toward sources and apply criteria for identifying reliable information as opposed to mere conjecture.