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ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM GUIDE

GRADE SIX

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2007-2008

2006 Revision Committee 2007 Revision Committee Freyja Bergthorson Laura Bolyard Jen Driggers Margie Emmert Karin Haddad Lisa Kenny Cheryl Hutchinson Lisa Kenny Jamie Lauterbach Jonathan Radow Edgar B. Hatrick Sharon D. Ackerman Superintendent Assistant Superintendent, Instruction Peter R. Hughes Michele Schmidt Moore Director, Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor, English/Language Arts

This document, based on the Virginia Department of Education’s English Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework (2003) provides extensions and additions to form the Loudoun County English Curriculum.

NOTES AND CLARIFICATIONS

1) Pacing Guide—This document contains benchmark checklists and testing windows. These are aligned with the VA DOE Standards. 2) VA DOE Standards and Strands with LCPS Extensions—This document contains the Virginia SOLs along with specific knowledge

and skills with LCPS extensions and essential knowledge. 3) Standardized Test Preparation—This section contains a vertical articulation, grades 6-11, of specific skills students should master to

prepare for the SAT and other standardized tests. 4) Appendices—This document contains the Reserved and Supplemental reading lists along with LCPS policies on plagiarism,

video/DVD usage, and reference material for the teaching of Shakespeare’s works and Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots. 5) Internet Safety—Please be certain that any web sites used by students under your instruction meet LCPS Acceptable Use Guidelines.

If you have any questions regarding a specific site, please see your Technology Resource Teacher. 7TH GRADE ONLY Shakespeare and Greek Mythology are encouraged, not required texts. 8th GRADE ONLY A full-length Shakespearean play is highly encouraged. ADDITIONAL FRAMEWORKS LCPS Writing Framework LCPS Research Framework LCPS Spelling Framework LCPS Vocabulary Framework

Grade Six, page 1

2007 LCPS PACING GUIDE

ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

The LCPS Pacing Guide contains SOL-related skills that will be assessed on the benchmark exams. That does not imply that teachers should confine instruction to those skills listed. Focus for instruction:

• Developmental spelling through word study is continued from prior years’ instruction. • Vocabulary instruction coordinates with word study and the study of prefixes, suffixes, and roots. • Instruction in reading strategies enables beginning, emerging, and independent readers to reach greater success. • Grammar study reviews parts of speech and their usage, analysis of the parts of a sentence, and introduction and review of phrases

and clauses in written works. • Oral language and communications skills are addressed throughout the year. • Literature study involves in-depth examination of multiple genres, including drama, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. • Literary terms are reviewed and mastered through application. • Writing study includes writing for a variety of purposes, with continued emphasis on composing, written expression and voice, and

usage and mechanics. 2007-2008 BMA Windows Writing (8th grade only) -- 11/07/07-11/12/07 Reading BMA 1 – 12/12/08-1/11/08 Reading BMA 2 – 3/26/08-4/08/08

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2007-2008 6TH GRADE – FIRST BENCHMARK PERIOD SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2007

ORAL LANGUAGE READING WRITING

The student will … 6.1 analyze oral participation in small group

activities. a. Communicate as leader and contributor. b. Evaluate own contributions to

discussions. 6.2 listen critically and express opinions in oral

presentations. a. Distinguish between fact and opinion. b. Compare and contrast viewpoints.

The student will … 6.3 read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar

words and phrases. b. Identify analogies and figurative

language. c. Use context and sentence structure to

determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.

d. Use word-reference materials. 6.4 read and demonstrate comprehension of a

variety of fiction, narrative nonfiction, and poetry.

a. Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme.

g. Explain how character and plot development are used in a selection to support a central conflict or story line.

h. Paraphrase and summarize the main points in the text.

6.5 read and demonstrate comprehension of a

variety of informational selections. a. Identify questions to be answered. c. Use context to determine meanings of

unfamiliar words and technical vocabulary.

e. Organize the main idea and details to form a summary.

g. Select informational sources appropriate for given purpose.

The student will … 6.6 write narratives, descriptions, and

explanations. a. Use a variety of planning strategies to

generate and organize ideas. b. Establish central idea, organization,

elaboration, and unity. c. Select vocabulary and information to

enhance the central idea, tone, and voice.

6.7 edit writing for correct grammar,

capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.

a. Use a variety of graphic organizers, including sentence diagrams, to analyze and improve sentence formation and paragraph structure.

b. Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses.

c. Use pronoun-antecedent agreement to include indefinite pronouns.

d. Maintain consistent tense inflections across paragraphs.

e. Use correct spelling for frequently used words.

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6th Grade – 1st Benchmark Checklist September-December 2007

Testing Window 12/12/08-1/11/08 Oral Language _____ Classroom discussions (large and small groups) _____ Use checklist and/or rubric to evaluate participation of self and others _____ Formal and informal presentations Reading Focus on reading skills _____ Pre-reading skills _____ Main idea _____ Summarize and paraphrase _____ Context clues and multi-meaning words _____ Select the informational source for a given purpose (reference materials) Literature Exploration and Analysis May be read independently, as part of a small group, or whole class. Title

may come from supplemental or reserved reading lists. _____ Choose a minimum of 2 full-length fiction or nonfiction works read

independently (1 per quarter) _____ Choose a minimum of 1 full-length work from grade-level reading list

taught through direct instruction. _____ Introduce literary elements (setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme) _____ Introduce figurative language

Writing _____ Use LCPS Writing Framework _____ Writing process-introduce and practice steps _____ Journal writing _____ Note taking skills _____ Outlining, clustering, mapping, and webbing _____ Write to prompt (minimum of 2) _____ Narrative essay taken through the writing process Grammar _____ Use LCPS Writing Framework _____ See attached Middle School Grammar and Editing Checklist Vocabulary _____ Use LCPS Vocabulary Framework Spelling (Word Study) _____ See the LCPS Spelling Framework

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2007-2008 6TH GRADE – SECOND BENCHMARK PERIOD JANUARY-APRIL 2007

ORAL LANGUAGE READING WRITING

The student will … 6.1 analyze oral participation in small group

activities. c. Summarize and evaluate group

activities. d. Analyze the effectiveness of participant

interactions. 6.2 listen critically and express opinions in oral

presentations. c. Present a convincing argument. d. Paraphrase what is heard. e. Summarize what is heard. f. Use grammatically correct language and

vocabulary appropriate to audience, topic, and purpose.

The student will … 6.3 read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar

words and phrases. a. Identify word origins, derivations, and

inflections. 6.4 read and demonstrate comprehension of a

variety of fiction, narrative nonfiction, and poetry.

b. Use knowledge of narrative and poetic structures to aid comprehension and predict outcomes.

c. Describe the images created by language. d. Describe how word choice and imagery

contribute to the meaning of text. e. Describe cause-effect relationships and

their impact on plot. f. Use information stated explicitly in the

text to draw conclusions and make inferences.

6.5 read and demonstrate comprehension of a

variety of informational selections. b. Make, confirm, or revise predictions. d. Draw conclusions and make inferences

based on explicit and implied information.

f. Compare and contrast information about one topic contained in different selections.

The student will … 6.6 write narratives, descriptions, and

explanations. d. Expand and embed ideas by using

modifiers, standard coordination, and subordination in complete sentences.

e. Revise writing for clarity. 6.7 edit writing for correct grammar,

capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.

e. Choose adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

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6th Grade – 2nd Benchmark Checklist January-April 2008

Testing Window 3/26/08-4/08/08 Oral Language _____ Classroom discussions (large and small groups) _____ Use checklist and/or rubric to evaluate participation of self and others _____ Formal and informal presentations Reading Focus on reading skills _____ Cause-effect relationships _____ Compare and contrast ____ predict outcomes, draw conclusions, and make inferences _____ Imagery Literature Exploration and Analysis May be read independently, as part of a small group, or whole class. Title

may come from supplemental or reserved reading lists. _____ Choose a minimum of 2 full-length fiction or nonfiction works read

independently (1 per quarter) _____ Choose a minimum of 1 full-length work from grade-level reading list

taught through direct instruction. _____ Poetic structures _____ Introduce analogies

Writing _____ Use LCPS Writing Framework _____ Writing process-edit for clarity (grammar, capitalization, punctuation,

spelling and sentence structure) _____ Writing skill: varied sentence structure (complex and compound) _____ Journal writing and note taking _____ Write to prompt (minimum of 2) _____ Descriptive essay taken through the writing process _____ Explanatory essay taken through the writing process Grammar _____ Use LCPS Writing Framework _____ See attached Middle School Grammar and Editing Checklist Vocabulary _____ Use LCPS Vocabulary Framework Spelling (Word Study) _____ See the LCPS Spelling Framework

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2007-2008 Middle School Grammar and Editing Checklist – 6th grade Please address these SOL and LCPS required terms throughout the course of the year. When determining when to teach each set of terms, be sure to refer to the benchmark assessment schedule. REVIEW FROM PREVIOUS YEAR Parts of Speech NOUNS __ Compound & Collective VERBS __ Action __ Linking __ Tenses MODIFIERS (ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS) PREPOSITIONS __ Prepositions __ Object of the preposition CONJUNCTIONS __ Coordinating __ Correlative INTERJECTIONS __ Identification and punctuation Parts of Sentences SENTENCE TYPES __ Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative,

Exclamatory __ Simple sentences __ Simple subject __ Complete subject __ Complete predicate __ Compound sentences PHRASES AND CLAUSES __ Prepositional phrases Capitalization __ Titles of works __ Outlining format

REQUIRED FOR SOL Parts of Speech NOUNS — Common and Proper — Singular and Plural

— Subject/ verb agreement — Possessive

— Distinguish plural and possessive — Correct punctuation

PRONOUNS — Personal

— S/V agreement (sentence level) — Pronoun/ antecedent agreement (sentence

level) VERBS — Helping MODIFIERS (ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS) — Adjectives (including articles) — Adverbs — Degrees of comparison (for both adj. and adv.):

positive, comparative, superlative (good, better, best)

— Distinguish between adjectives and adverbs CONJUNCTIONS — Avoid beginning sentences with coordinating

conjunctions Parts of Sentences SENTENCE TYPES — Diagramming of simple sentences Editing Skills: Avoiding Problems in Sentence Construction and Usage — Use standard word order — Use knowledge of common spelling rules — Avoid run-on sentences and comma splices — Avoid sentence fragments — Avoid beginning sentences with coordinating

conjunctions

— Avoid double negatives — Avoid homophone/ homonym confusion (e.g. their/

they’re/ there) — Avoid dialect errors (e.g. “could of” for “could have”) Usage & Mechanics Formatting — Italics or underlining for certain titles — Indenting of paragraphs — Dialogue paragraphing Capitalization — Pronoun “I” — Proper nouns and adjectives — Capitalization of family names (e.g. “Hi, Mom” vs.

“My mom”) — Academic subjects and classes (English vs. social

studies) Punctuation — Periods — Question marks — Exclamation points — Periods in abbreviations — Contractions — Possessive nouns — In certain titles — In dialogue — In addresses — In appositives — With coordinating conjunction in compound sentence — In dates — In letters — In a series — With nouns of direct address — With interrupters and introductory elements COLONS — In a business letter — In times

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POST-BENCHMARK GUIDELINES

While students should be familiar with all the material covered in the checklists by the time the April benchmark test arrives, continued review will be necessary to reinforce these concepts. All of the elements in the checklists should continue to be covered during the months of April, May, and June. Teachers should use their best judgment to determine, over the course of the school year, how much time to dedicate to each item before the benchmark test, and how much time to devote to instruction after the benchmark test has passed.

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FOCUS STRAND: ORAL LANGUAGE GRADE LEVEL 6 At the sixth-grade level, students will participate in small group and classroom discussions. They will express personal opinions and come to understand not only differing points of view but also the differences between facts and opinions. Small-group analysis and self-analysis of the effectiveness of communication will be introduced. When students speak formally and informally in small groups or individual presentations, grammatically correct English will be the expectation.

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STANDARD 6.1 STRAND: ORAL LANGUAGE GRADE LEVEL 6 6.1 The student will analyze oral participation in small-group activities. a) Communicate as leader and contributor. b) Evaluate own contributions to discussions. c) Summarize and evaluate group activities. d) Analyze the effectiveness of participant interactions.

UNDERSTANDING THE STANDARD

ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDING ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND PROCESSES

• The intent of this standard is that students will use oral language effectively

• Students will be evaluating the effectiveness of

the contributions of participants in a variety of roles in a discussion group.

All students should • interact as both group leader and member. • use verbal and nonverbal feedback from

the audience to evaluate their own contributions.

• process and verbalize the content and

impact of each participant’s contribution to a discussion.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • ensure that all group members participate in the exchange of

information. • use strategies that contribute to the discussion. • receive and understand feedback from the others. • respond to questions. • relate and retell information. • restate briefly and critically the main idea(s) or theme(s)

discussed within a group. • focus on what is said and what is implied. • summarize what is heard. • retain and rethink what is heard. • infer and assimilate new ideas. • use a checklist and/or rubric to evaluate participation of self

and others.

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STANDARD 6.2 STRAND: ORAL LANGUAGE GRADE LEVEL 6 6.2 The student will listen critically and express opinions in oral presentations. a) Distinguish between fact and opinion. b) Compare and contrast viewpoints. c) Present a convincing argument. d) Paraphrase what is heard. e) Summarize what is heard. f) Use grammatically correct language and vocabulary appropriate to audience, topic, and purpose.



• The intent of this standard is that students will refine and apply critical listening skills while participating in oral presentations as both the speakers and members of the audience.

• Students will put forth convincing arguments and

compare and contrast viewpoints. • Students will paraphrase and summarize what

they have heard, using grammatically correct language and appropriate vocabulary.

All students should • recognize that facts can be verified and

that opinions cannot. • recognize that each member brings to the

group a viewpoint reflective of his or her background.

• paraphrase by putting into their own

words what has been said by others. • summarize by restating the main points

more succinctly than the original presentation.

• organize a presentation.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • take two-column notes when listening, to record facts/opinions

or two differing viewpoints. • organize convincing arguments to include

o facts o statistics o examples o expert authority o logical reasoning

• restate what others have said. • plan and deliver an oral presentation, using the following steps:

o determine topic and purpose o identify the intended audience o gather information o organize the information with outlines, file cards, or

graphic organizers o create visual aids o choose vocabulary appropriate to purpose and audience o phrase with grammatically correct language o practice delivery

• use rules and strategies for summarizing, such as the following:

o delete trivia and redundancy o substitute a general term for a list o find or create a main idea statement

• explore different forms of oral presentation (H)

o Reader’s Theater o skits o debates

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FOCUS STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 At the sixty-grade level, students will expand the study of roots and affixes as well as the context to develop independence in vocabulary acquisition. Analogies and figurative language will be introduced. Students will read independently and in groups for appreciation and comprehension of a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Both classic and recent works will be included. Students will apply critical reading and reasoning skills across the content areas, including history and social science, science, and mathematics.

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STANDARD 6.3 STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.3 The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases. a) Identify word origins, derivations, and inflections. b) Identify analogies and figurative language. c) Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. d) Use word-reference materials.



• The intent of this standard is that students will become independent learners of vocabulary.

• Students will be exposed to prefixes, suffixes,

roots, derivations, and inflections of polysyllabic words and understand that words with similar parts may be related to each other in meaning and origin.

• Figurative language and analogies will be

introduced and the use of context to help determine the meaning of unfamiliar words will be continued.

• Students will develop independence with

reference books to determine meaning, pronunciation, and origin of words.

All students should • use word structure to analyze and show

relationships among words. • identify internal and external inflections

which may alter meaning and pronunciation.

• recognize the relationships commonly

used to create analogies. • recognize that many words have multiple

meanings and that context and dictionaries are both supportive in determining which meaning is most appropriate.

• recognize that figurative language

enriches text.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • separate and recombine known word parts to predict the

meaning of unfamiliar words, such as separating poly from polygon and phone from telephone to predict the meaning of polyphony

• notice relationships among inflected words, such as proceed

and procession or internal and internalization. • recognize relationships common to analogy construction

o synonyms – small: little o antonyms – up: down o object/action – ear: hear o source/product – tree: lumber o part/whole – paw: dog o animal/habitat – bee: hive

• use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words

in text, such as o examples o restatements o contrast

• identify figurative language in text, including

o simile – figures of speech that use the words like or as to make comparisons

o hyperbole – intentionally exaggerated figures of speech CONTINUED

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STANDARD 6.3 STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.3 The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases. a) Identify word origins, derivations, and inflections. b) Identify analogies and figurative language. c) Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. d) Use word-reference materials.



CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • use word reference materials, including

o dictionaries o thesauruses o glossaries o online sources

Grade Six, page 14

STANDARD 6.4 STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.4 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fiction, narrative nonfiction, and poetry a) Identify the elements and narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme. b) Use knowledge of narrative and poetic structures to aid comprehension and predict outcomes. c) Describe the images created by language. d) Describe how word choice and imagery contribute to the meaning of a text. e) Describe cause-effect relationships and their impact on plot. f) Use information stated explicitly in the text to draw conclusions and make inferences. g) Explain how character and plot development are used in a selection to support a central conflict or story line. h) Paraphrase and summarize the main points in the text.



• The intent of this standard is that students will read at and beyond the literal level in a variety of genres, including fiction, narrative nonfiction, and poetry and understand the structures and characteristics of stories and poems.

• Students will become independent readers of age-

appropriate text and will activate background knowledge and summarize or paraphrase text to demonstrate understanding.

• Imagery is the use of words to recreate sensory

impressions. Verbal imagery is most often visual, but imagery may also be words that recreate sound, smell, taste, or touch impressions.

All students should • recognize an author’s choice of words and

images. • identify and define the elements of

narrative structure. • understand that fiction includes a variety

of genres, including short story, novel, folk literature, and drama.

• understand that narrative nonfiction

includes biography, autobiography, personal, persuasive, descriptive, expository, and narrative essay.

• understand that poetry can be rhymed,

unrhymed, and/or patterned. • differentiate between narrative and poetic

forms. • understand that imagery and figurative

language enrich texts. CONTINUED

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • understand setting as time, place, and duration in a story. • understand plot as

o the development of the central conflict and resolution o the sequence of events in the story:

- exposition - initiating event - rising action - climax - falling action - resolution

o the writer’s map for what happens, how it happens, to

whom it happens, and when it happens • understand elements of drama (H):

o act o aside o comedy o farce o monologue o scene

CONTINUED

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE All students should • recognize an author’s craft as the

purposeful choice of vocabulary, sentence formation, voice, and tone.

• recognize and author’s theme(s) • recognize poetic forms, including

o haiku—a 17-syllable, delicate, unrhymed Japanese verse, usually about nature

o limerick—a 5-line, rhymed, rhythmic verse, usually humorous

o ballad—a songlike narrative poem, usually featuring rhyme, rhythm, and refrain

o free verse—poetry with neither regular meter nor rhyme scheme

o lyric

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • understand that character traits are revealed by

o what a character says o what a character thinks o what a character does o how other characters respond to the character

• understand internal and external conflicts in stories,

including o internal conflicts within characters o external conflicts between characters o changes in characters as a result of conflicts and

resolutions in the plot • understand characteristics of literature

o flashback o motivation o foreshadowing o dialogue o antagonist o protagonist

CONTINUED

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To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • distinguish between first and third person point of view • notice an author’s craft, including use of

o language o sentence variety o vocabulary o imagery o figurative language o sensory words o slang o word choice o tone, voice

• recognize an author’s use of

o simile—figures of speech that use the words like or as to make comparisons

o hyperbole—intentionally exaggerated figures of speech o metaphor—figures of speech that makes direct

comparisons CONTINUED

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To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • recognize poetic elements in prose and poetry, including

o rhyme—recurring identical or similar final word sounds within or at the ends of lines of verse, e.g., farm/harm

o rhythm—the recurring pattern of strong and weak syllabic stresses

o repetition—repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis

o alliteration—repetition of initial sounds, e.g., picked a peck of pickled peppers

o onomatopoeia—the use of a word whose sound suggests its meaning, e.g., buzz

o line o personification o symbolism o couplet o quatrain o speaker

• recognize poetic elements in prose and poetry, including

o imagery o repetition o stanza o theme o mood/atmosphere

CONTINUED

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To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • use strategies for summarizing, such as

o story maps o Somebody … Wanted … But … So

• use graphic organizers, such as flow charts or story maps, to

record plot elements that illustrate cause-and-effect relationships and plot development

• use graphic organizers, such as two-column notes and Venn

diagrams, to record changes in characters as a result of incidents in the plot

• use graphic organizers, such as “It says … I say,” to record

clues in the text and inferences or conclusions made by the reader as a result of those clues.

Grade Six, page 19

STANDARD 6.5 STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational selections. a) Identify questions to be answered. b) Make, confirm, or revise predictions. c) Use context to determine meanings of unfamiliar words and technical vocabulary. d) Draw conclusions and make inferences based on explicit and implied information. e) Organize the main idea and details to form a summary. f) Compare and contrast information about one topic contained in different selections. g) Select informational sources appropriate for a given purpose.



• The intent of this standard is that students will read and comprehend at and beyond the literal level in a variety of informational texts.

• Teachers will model higher-order thinking

processes with materials at or below the students’ instructional reading level and move students gradually to collaborative and independent comprehension of age-appropriate materials at the independent reading level.

• Students will become independent and

knowledgeable about the use of libraries and technology for doing research.

• Specific and helpful clues in the context include

o Definitions, which define words within the text

o Signal words, which alert readers that explanations or examples follow

o Direct explanations, which explain terms as they are introduced

o Synonyms, which provide a more commonly used term

o Antonyms, which contrast words with their opposites

o Inferences, which imply meaning and help readers deduce meaning

CONTINUED

All students should • activate prior knowledge before reading. • be strategic before, during and after

reading. • recognize an author’s patterns of

organization. • recognize an author’s use and clarification

of technical vocabulary. • use graphic organizers to organize and

summarize text. • read beyond the printed text to understand

the message stated or implied by an author.

• select appropriate sources of information

based on the purpose for reading. • use a variety of strategies, including

context, structural analysis, and reference sources, for determining the meaning of unfamiliar and technical vocabulary.

CONTINUED

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • activate prior knowledge before reading by use of

o small-group or whole-class discussion o anticipation guides o preview of key vocabulary

• pose questions prior to and during the reading process based

on text features such as o boldface and/or italics type o type set in color o vocabulary o graphics or photographs o headings and subheadings o underlining o indentations

• predict and then read to validate or revise the prediction(s). • comprehend, record, and remember details and/or facts in

order to arrive at a conclusion or generalization. • Recognize common patterns of organizing text

o chronological or sequential o comparison/contrast o cause-and-effect o problem-solution o generalization or principle o explanation/argument

CONTINUED

Grade Six, page 20

STANDARD 6.5 STRAND: READING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational selections. a) Identify questions to be answered. b) Make, confirm, or revise predictions. c) Use context to determine meanings of unfamiliar words and technical vocabulary. d) Draw conclusions and make inferences based on explicit and implied information. e) Organize the main idea and details to form a summary. f) Compare and contrast information about one topic contained in different selections. g) Select informational sources appropriate for a given purpose.



• Teachers will collaborate to help students apply reading skills in a variety of content texts.

All students should • read in order to gather, organize, and

restate information for written and oral presentations.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • use graphic organizers to show similarities and differences in

the information found in several sources about the same topic.

• use strategies and rules for summarizing, such as the

following: o delete trivia and redundancy o substitute a general term for a list o find or create a main idea statement

• identify clue words and phrases that help unlock meaning of

unfamiliar and technical terms. • understand and use the references available in the classroom,

school, and public libraries, including o general and specialized dictionaries o thesauruses o atlases and globes o general and specialized encyclopedias o directories o general and specialized (or subject-specific) databases o internet resources, as appropriate for school use

Grade Six, page 21

FOCUS STRAND: WRITING GRADE LEVEL 6 At the sixth-grade level, students will plan, draft, revise, and edit narratives, descriptions, and explanations with attention to composition and written expression as well as sentence formation, usage, and mechanics. They will use writing as a tool for learning academic concepts as well as for expressive purposes. They will use technology as available and appropriate. The LCPS Information Literacy Framework specifies that 6th grade students will write two 1-page research reports that summarize what has been learned.

Grade Six, page 22

STANDARD 6.6 STRAND: WRITING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.6 The student will write narratives, descriptions, and explanations. a) Use a variety of planning strategies to generate and organize ideas. b) Establish central idea, organization, elaboration, and unity. c) Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice. d) Expand and embed ideas by suing modifiers, standard coordination, and subordination in complete sentences. e) Revise writing for clarity.



• The intent of this standard is that students will demonstrate an awareness of audience and use a process for writing as they produce narrative, descriptive, and explanatory pieces.

• Teachers will focus direct instruction on all three

domains of writing: o composing—the structuring and elaborating

a writer does to construct an effective message for readers;

o written expression—those features that show the writer purposefully shaping and controlling language to affect readers;

o usage/mechanics—the features that cause written language to be acceptable and effective for standard discourse.

• Students will apply a process of writing, including

planning, drafting, revising, proofreading, editing, and publishing.

• Good writing includes elaboration, i.e., use of

descriptive details and examples, within sentences to give detail and depth to an idea and across paragraphs to continue the flow of an idea throughout a piece.

CONTINUED

All students should • use prewriting strategies to select and

narrow topics. • compose with attention to

o central idea o unity o elaboration o organization

• craft writing purposefully with attention

to o deliberate word choice o precise information and vocabulary o sentence variety o tone and voice

• elaborate writing to continue the flow

from idea to idea without interruption. • select vocabulary and tone with

awareness of audience and purpose. • revise drafts for improvement, using

teacher assistance, peer collaboration, and growing independence.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • use selected prewriting techniques, such as

o brainstorming o webbing o mapping o clustering o listing o organizing graphically o questioning o outlining

• elaborate to

o give detail o add depth o continue the flow of an idea

• write two 1-page research reports that summarize what has

been learned. • incorporate variety into sentences, using appropriate

o coordination—joining words, phrases, clauses, or sentences by using appropriate coordinating conjunctions

o subordination—establishing the relationship between an independent and a dependent clause by using appropriate subordinate conjunctions.

o continue the flow of an idea CONTINUED

Grade Six, page 23

STANDARD 6.6 STRAND: WRITING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.6 The student will write narratives, descriptions, and explanations. a) Use a variety of planning strategies to generate and organize ideas. b) Establish central idea, organization, elaboration, and unity. c) Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice. d) Expand and embed ideas by suing modifiers, standard coordination, and subordination in complete sentences. e) Revise writing for clarity.



• A writing process is nonlinear. Returning to prewriting strategies or drafting at any point in the process may help the writer clarify and elaborate a drafted piece.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • write two 1-page research reports that summarize what has

been learned. • incorporate variety into sentences, using appropriate

o coordination—joining words, phrases, clauses, or sentences by using appropriate coordinating conjunctions.

o subordination—establishing the relationship between an independent and a dependent clause by using appropriate subordinate conjunctions.

• understand that revising to improve a draft includes

o rereading o reflecting o rethinking o rewriting

Grade Six, page 24

STANDARD 6.7 STRAND: WRITING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.7 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure. a) Use a variety of graphic organizers, including sentence diagrams, to analyze and improve sentence formation and

paragraph structure. b) Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses. c) Use pronoun-antecedent agreement to include indefinite pronouns. d) Maintain consistent tense inflections across paragraphs. e) Choose adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. f) Use correct spelling for frequently used words.



• The intent of this standard is that students will understand and apply all the conventions of language learned at the elementary school level.

• Students will maintain correct use of language to

enhance writing and to avoid confusing or distracting the reader.

• Students will understand that the conventions of

correct language are an integral part of the writing process and their proper use is a courtesy to the reader.

• Indefinite pronouns refer to a person(s) or

thing(s) not specifically named and include all, any, anyone, both, each, either, everybody, many, none, nothing.

• A diagram of a sentence is a tool used to increase

the understanding of the structure of a sentence.

All students should • proofread and edit drafts with teacher

assistance, peer collaboration, and growing independence.

• differentiate between subjects and objects

when choosing pronouns. • understand that pronouns need to have

recognizable antecedents that agree in number and gender.

• use reference sources to differentiate

among homophones and easily confused words, e.g., a lot/allot, effect/affect, bored/board.

• replace colloquial expressions, e.g., I

could of rode my bike., with correct usage, e.g., I could have ridden my bike.

To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • use complete sentences with appropriate punctuation. • avoid comma splices and fused sentences. • avoid using coordinating conjunctions at the beginning of a

sentence, e.g., and, so. • diagram simple sentences with prepositional phrases. • use singular verbs with singular subjects and plural verbs

with plural subjects, e.g., The driver of the bus full of children drives very carefully. The students in the class discuss many topics.

• use reference sources to select the correct spelling and usage

of such words as their, there, and they’re. • use first person pronouns appropriately in compound

subjects and objects, e.g., John and I went to the store. Mother gave presents to Jim and me.

• choose adjectives and adverbs appropriately, e.g., He is a

good student. He does really well in all his studies. CONTINUED

Grade Six, page 25

STANDARD 6.7 STRAND: WRITING GRADE LEVEL 6 6.7 The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure. a) Use a variety of graphic organizers, including sentence diagrams, to analyze and improve sentence formation and

paragraph structure. b) Use subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses. c) Use pronoun-antecedent agreement to include indefinite pronouns. d) Maintain consistent tense inflections across paragraphs. e) Choose adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. f) Use correct spelling for frequently used words.



To be successful with this standard, students are expected to • capitalize language classes or classes followed by a number,

e.g., French, Algebra II. • capitalize mom and dad only when those titles replace names

or are used as proper nouns, e.g., My mom told me to g to bed, and I replied, “No, Mom, I don’t want to.”

• punctuate and format dialogue. • hyphenate words between syllables when they must be split

at the ends of lines. • understand the use of the apostrophe for contractions and

possessives. • maintain a consistent verb tense within sentences and

throughout and across paragraphs.

Grade Six, page 26

Standardized Test Preparation

LCPS K-12 SAT Prep Task Force SY 2006-2007

Jeffrey Bohn Louise Mann

Melanie Buckley Sarah Terribile Jennifer Driggers Timothy Yorke

LCPS K-12 SAT Prep Committee Summer 2007

Lisa Fiorilli Sarah Sturtz Karin Haddad Timothy Yorke Louise Mann

Grade Six, page 27

Standardized Test Preparation Philosophy LCPS recognizes a need to integrate and vertically align the skills tested in high stakes tests, in addition to the SOL, that students will experience. Rationale The committee examined both the SAT essay and multiple-choice sections to derive a list of essential reading and writing skills. Those skills have been aligned with SOL standards. While most skills are already being taught, a new focus has been placed on non-fiction readings, persuasive writing, and critical thinking, which are emphasized in standardized tests. The committee recognized a need for these areas to be strengthened in the LCPS curriculum. Implementation The following charts pertain to standardized test preparation for reading and writing. As symbiotic concepts, the skills are cross-referenced in each chart. Teachers are encouraged, therefore, to reinforce the interrelatedness of reading and writing in their curricular units. The charts illustrate how essential skills are introduced and developed from 6th through 11th grade. Teachers are also encouraged to reinforce skills taught in previous grades when introducing new concepts.

Grade Six, page 28

Standardized Test Preparation—WRITING

GOALS as assessed on standardized tests

The student will

• develop a clear point of view. • demonstrate analysis of prompts. • provide valid evidence. • organize essays logically and coherently. • use appropriate and varied vocabulary. • vary sentence structure. • use error-free grammar, usage, and mechanics.

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT

SOL standards are indicated in parentheses CONCEPTS/TERMINOLOGY SUGGESTED

STRATEGIES 6th, 7th, 8th Introduction

The student will

• develop critical thinking skills through the discussion of writing prompts. (6.1, 7.2, 8.2)

• begin to analyze prompts to clarify the essential question. (6.5, 7.8, 8.7)

• generate ideas in response to writing prompts. (6.1, 6.5, 7.1, 8.7) • discuss current events to generate ideas for writing prompts.

(8.7) • use classroom readings to reflect upon effective writing

with an emphasis on persuasive non-fiction. (8.6)

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Thesis statement • Essay • Synthesis • RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

9th

Guided Practice

The student will

• use classroom readings to reflect upon effective writing with an emphasis on persuasive non-fiction. (9.4)

• formulate effective thesis statements. (9.6) • identify the parts of the Rhetorical Triangle. (9.6) • develop a variety of introductions. • produce different kinds of writing for different needs

(Writing to Learn, Writing for Product, SOL, PSAT, SAT, AP).

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Rhetoric • Rhetorical Triangle (Audience, Writer, Purpose)

• Blogs • E-pals • Debates • Small group discussions • Discussions of current events • Ideas to analyze • Modeling thinking through the prompt—teacher models • Analysis of advertising to teach the appeals • Utilize cross-curricular opportunities • RAFT ((Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

Grade Six, page 29

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT SOL standards are indicated in parentheses

CONCEPTS/TERMINOLOGY SUGGESTED STRATEGIES

10th

Practice

The student will

• recognize and develop a variety of modes of writing. (10.7, 10.9)

• use classroom readings to reflect upon effective writing with an emphasis on persuasive non-fiction. (10.9)

• determine credibility of evidence. (10.11) • continue to use the Rhetorical Triangle as an organizational

tool. • learn strategies for writing under time constraints. • continue to produce different kinds of writing for different

types of standardized writing (SOL, PSAT, SAT, AP).

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Appeals—ethical, emotional, logical • Modes: Definition, Example, Compare/ Contrast, Cause and Effect, Process Analysis, Persuasion/Argumentation

11th

Mastery

The student will

• consider what constitutes valid and appropriate evidence. (11.2)

• analyze released essays to consider stylistic effectiveness. (11.3)

• identify the difference between argument and persuasion. (11.7)

• develop style and voice. (11.7) • employ rhetorical devices and strategies ascertained from

readings. • refine writing skills through the analysis of persuasive non-

fiction.

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Ethos, pathos, logos • Style • Voice • Syntax • Diction • Tone

See strategies listed on previous page.

TYPES OF SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONS ON THE SAT

Sentences Containing Errors in Grammar or Usage Sentences Containing Errors in Style or Expression

Sentences Containing Errors in Standard English Usage

• Sentence fragments • Run-on sentences • Double negatives • Semicolon errors • Comma splices • Mismatched sentence parts (Faulty coordination and subordination; Faulty parallelism) • Mixed construction (Shifts: in grammatical subject, in verb tense, in active and passive voice, and in misplaced and dangling modifiers) • Misused adjectives and adverbs • Confusion of infinitives and gerunds

• Wordiness • Awkwardness • Faulty word choice • Faulty idiom

• Subject-verb agreement • Faulty verb forms and tenses • Use of pronouns (Faulty: case, shifts in person, pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun reference, comparisons

Grade Six, page 30

Standardized Test Preparation—CRITICAL READING

GOALS as assessed on standardized tests

The student will

• demonstrate a sophisticated grasp of vocabulary. • determine the author’s purpose at both the whole text and sentence level. • recognize shifts in tone and transitions in argument at the paragraph level. • identify the main idea in a range of challenging texts. • draw inferences from readings. • summarize concepts and arguments. • analyze both fiction and nonfiction.

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT

SOL standards are indicated in parentheses CONCEPTS/TERMINOLOGY SUGGESTED

STRATEGIES 6th, 7th, 8th Introduction

The student will

• be introduced to Greek and Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes. (6.3, 7.4, 8.4)

• identify main ideas in readings with an emphasis on non-fiction. (6.4, 7.5, 8.5)

• draw inferences from cross-curricular and persuasive non-fiction selections. (6.5, 7.6, 8.6)

• summarize and paraphrase a variety of writings. (8.6)

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Summarize • Inference • Paraphrase • Main idea • Prefixes • Critique • Suffixes • Synthesis • Roots • RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

9th

Guided Practice

The student will

• analyze the effect of rhetorical devices (including figurative language). (9.3)

• summarize and paraphrase cross-curricular and persuasive non-fiction selections. (9.4)

• use the Rhetorical Triangle as an analytical reading tool to identify writer, audience, and purpose. (9.6)

• identify and differentiate between sentence types. (9.7)

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Main idea • Support—types of • Sentence types: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex, declarative, imperative, exclamatory, and interrogative • RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) • Inference

• Practice PSAT and SAT tests—break down into sections—individual and group practice • SOAPSTONE (11th grade) • DIDLS (10th grade) • RAFT (9th grade and middle school)

Grade Six, page 31

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT SOL standards are indicated in parentheses

CONCEPTS/TERMINOLOGY SUGGESTED STRATEGIES

10th

Practice

The student will

• reflect on how choice of mode affects purpose. (10.3) • summarize and paraphrase cross-curricular and persuasive

non-fiction selections. (10.3) • analyze the effect of various sentence types. • use the Rhetorical Triangle as an analytical reading tool to

identify writer, audience, and purpose. • analyze tone using DIDLS strategy.

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • DIDLS (Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, Syntax) • Modes: Definition, Example, Compare/Contrast, Cause and Effect, Process Analysis, Persuasion

11th

Mastery

The student will

• demonstrate a strong understanding of how the Rhetorical Triangle affects text both on the whole text and sentence level. (11.3)

• use the SOAPSTONE strategy to analyze texts. (11.3) • consider how specific use of rhetorical devices contributes

to tone and purpose. (11.3) • identify the difference between argumentative and

persuasive modes in cross-curricular and non-fiction texts. (11.3, 11.4)

• analyze the effect of various sentence types to recognize stylistic errors in usage.

The student will define and utilize the following concepts and terms: • Rhetorical devices • Modes: Definition, Example, Compare/Contrast, Cause and Effect, Process Analysis, Persuasion/Argumentation, Narrative • SOAPSTONE (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, TONE)

See strategies listed on previous page.

Grade Six, page 32

Writing and Critical Reading Resources The following is a compilation of reference materials for possible use in the classroom to reinforce writing and critical reading skills. Bernabei, Gretchen. Reviving the Essay: How to Teach Structure Without Formula. Vermont: Discover Writing Press, 2005.

Ehrenhaft, George. Writing Workbook for the New SAT. New York: Barron’s, 2005.

Gere, Anne Ruggles, Leila Chritenbury, and Kelly Sassi. Writing on Demand: Best Practices and Strategies for Success. New

Hampshire: Heinemann, 2005.

Green, Sharon Weiner. Critical Reading Workbook for the SAT. New York: Barron’s, 2006.

Killgallon, Don, and Jenny Killgallon. Grammar for High School: A Sentence Composing Approach. New Hampshire: Heinemann,

2007.

Killgallon, Don, and Jenny Killgallon. Grammar for Middle School: A Sentence Composing Approach. New Hampshire: Heinemann,

2006.

LeCount, David E., Dream Writing Assignments: 600+ Prompts for Creative Writing. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2004.

Lee, Martin E., Grammar & Writing for Standardized Tests: Timed Essay and Multiple Choice. New York: Sadlier-Oxford, 2005.

Learning Express, 501 Critical Reading Questions. New York: Learning Express, 2004.

Learning Express, 501 Grammar and Writing Questions. New York: Learning Express, 2002.

Learning Express, 501 Writing Prompt Questions. New York: Learning Express, 2003.

McCann, Thomas M., et al. Talking in Class: Using Discussion to Enhance Teaching and Learning. Illinois: NCTE, 2006.

Moeller, Victor, and Marc V. Moeller. High School English Teacher’s Guide to Active Learning. New York: Eye on Education, 2000.

Moeller, Victor, and Marc V. Moeller. Middle School English Teacher’s Guide to Active Learning. New York: Eye on Education,

2000.

Moeller, Victor, and Marc V. Moeller. Socratic Seminars and Literature Circles. New York: Eye on Education, 2002.

Strong, William. Sentence Combining: A Composing Book. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994

Strong, William. Writer’s Toolbox: A Sentence Combining Workshop. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.

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