Sixth Grade Language Arts
Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, sixth graders will be asking the question, "Where am I going with my life?"
View materials at Ms. Garcia's Dropbox folder: Sixth Grade
Purpose: To recognize the importance of taking a stand in society, even when it doesn't seem like anyone is on your side.
As a summer reading book, The City of Ember introduces sixth graders to science fiction, two strong male and female protagonists, and a thrilling mystery that gradually unravels while posing hard questions about family, authority, and courage.
Unit Time: August-September
Literary Terms: theme, character, protagonist, antagonist, climax, rising action, falling action, resolution
Formative Assessment: summary, chapter questions, paragraphs, summer reading packet
Summative Assessment: Test, Essay
As a summer reading book, The City of Ember introduces sixth graders to science fiction, two strong male and female protagonists, and a thrilling mystery that gradually unravels while posing hard questions about family, authority, and courage.
Unit Time: August-September
Literary Terms: theme, character, protagonist, antagonist, climax, rising action, falling action, resolution
Formative Assessment: summary, chapter questions, paragraphs, summer reading packet
Summative Assessment: Test, Essay
Purpose: To use language to express emotions, ideals, and beliefs.
As the first major project in middle school proper, students create a individual "poetry book" that combines "mentor poems" by famous poets, thoughtful analysis of the poems, and their own poetic creations in a thematically unified booklet.
Unit Time: September-October
Literary Terms: metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, theme, rhyme scheme, rhythm, sensory details, sonnet, haiku, syllable
Formative Assessment: In-class free writes, class analysis of poems, figurative language pre- and post-test
Summative Assessment: Final draft of poetry book
As the first major project in middle school proper, students create a individual "poetry book" that combines "mentor poems" by famous poets, thoughtful analysis of the poems, and their own poetic creations in a thematically unified booklet.
Unit Time: September-October
Literary Terms: metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, theme, rhyme scheme, rhythm, sensory details, sonnet, haiku, syllable
Formative Assessment: In-class free writes, class analysis of poems, figurative language pre- and post-test
Summative Assessment: Final draft of poetry book
Purpose: To recognize the importance of choices in life and in literature.
To begin analyzing author's purpose and craft, sixth graders read Jacobs' suspenseful short story "The Monkey's Paw" and learn how suspense is created through setting & dialogue and how events sequence logically in a story.
Unit Dates: October
Literary terms: mood, setting, cliffhanger, suspense, withholding information, sensory details, irony
Formative Assessment: comprehension questions, cause & effect tracking
Summative Assessment: Selection Test
To begin analyzing author's purpose and craft, sixth graders read Jacobs' suspenseful short story "The Monkey's Paw" and learn how suspense is created through setting & dialogue and how events sequence logically in a story.
Unit Dates: October
Literary terms: mood, setting, cliffhanger, suspense, withholding information, sensory details, irony
Formative Assessment: comprehension questions, cause & effect tracking
Summative Assessment: Selection Test
Purpose: To use the written word to make a meaningful point you believe in.
Students complete entries for the BIC "Quality In Writing" essay contest, moving through the brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, redrafting, and editing process.
Unit Date: October-November
Literary Terms: introduction, thesis, conclusion, anecdote
Formative Assessments: Brainstorming, outlining, rough draft 1, and rough draft 2
Summative Assessments: Final Draft submitted to Quality In Writing BIC Essay Contest
Students complete entries for the BIC "Quality In Writing" essay contest, moving through the brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, redrafting, and editing process.
Unit Date: October-November
Literary Terms: introduction, thesis, conclusion, anecdote
Formative Assessments: Brainstorming, outlining, rough draft 1, and rough draft 2
Summative Assessments: Final Draft submitted to Quality In Writing BIC Essay Contest
Purpose: To recognize the importance of education and language, and to appreciate drama.
In what is often one of the most challenging and enjoyable units of the year, students read and discuss William Gibson's play The Miracle Worker about the early life of Helen Keller and her stormy relationship with her first teacher. While reading, students are analyzing character decisions throughout for the dual purpose of writing an essay at the end and delivering thoughtful, motivated performances of specific scenes.
Unit Dates: November-December-January
Literary terms: playwright, stage direction, motivation, objective, obstacle, thesis, MEAL paragraph, inference
Formative Assessment: ongoing performances, act questions, act quizzes, journals from character perspectives, beat analyses
Summative Assessment: Test, Essay, Performance
In what is often one of the most challenging and enjoyable units of the year, students read and discuss William Gibson's play The Miracle Worker about the early life of Helen Keller and her stormy relationship with her first teacher. While reading, students are analyzing character decisions throughout for the dual purpose of writing an essay at the end and delivering thoughtful, motivated performances of specific scenes.
Unit Dates: November-December-January
Literary terms: playwright, stage direction, motivation, objective, obstacle, thesis, MEAL paragraph, inference
Formative Assessment: ongoing performances, act questions, act quizzes, journals from character perspectives, beat analyses
Summative Assessment: Test, Essay, Performance
Purpose: To understand if, and how, someone can really change.
Unit Dates: January-February
Literary Terms: Mood, tone, symbolism, close reading, setting, dramatic irony
Formative Assessments: Chapter questions, Chapter quizzes, related nonfiction articles, poetry practice with literary terms
Summative Assessment: Test, Close-Reading Essay
Unit Dates: January-February
Literary Terms: Mood, tone, symbolism, close reading, setting, dramatic irony
Formative Assessments: Chapter questions, Chapter quizzes, related nonfiction articles, poetry practice with literary terms
Summative Assessment: Test, Close-Reading Essay
Grammar & Vocabulary
Unit Date: Throughout Year
Texts: Vocabulary For Success, Grammar For Writing
Formative Assessments: Workbook pages, vocabulary short stories, sentence diagramming & exit slips for grammar
Summative Assessments: Multiple-choice meaning quizzes, Written usage quizzes, Grammar Quizzes
Unit Date: Throughout Year
Texts: Vocabulary For Success, Grammar For Writing
Formative Assessments: Workbook pages, vocabulary short stories, sentence diagramming & exit slips for grammar
Summative Assessments: Multiple-choice meaning quizzes, Written usage quizzes, Grammar Quizzes