Grade 6 Content Reading
UNIT 1: Facing Challenges
ANCHOR TEXT: Tom Sawyer
Essential Questions:
How do I face challenges
Enduring Understandings:
Facing challenges and accepting responsibilities
Guiding Questions:
What is a challenge?
What is figurative language?
How do writers use figurative language to convey feelings and ideas?
How can we use our creativity to face challenges?
Why is it important to be honest with yourself? With others?
How do you help others overcome obstacles?
How do we draw inferences from the text?
How do we site textual evidence when responding to literature?
How do we use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words?
What are my strengths and struggles as a reader?
What are my goals and expectations for 7th grade?
Standards:
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text.
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific
word choice on meaning and tone.
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Teacher Designed Standards Assessed:
Differentiating between literal and figurative language.
Identifying types of figurative language.
Finding poems that “connect” with us personally.
Memorization strategies: repetition, writing, recording/listening.
Speaking in front of a group.
Identifying and summarizing theme.
Citing textual evidence.
Finding figurative language within a text.
Drawing good inferences using textual evidence.
Determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues.
Setting goals and expectations for 7th grade.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
[1]
Performance Task(s):
Alignment to NYS Common Core
Standards:
Students will read and discuss the poem Mother to
Son, by Langston Hughes, which illustrates the
theme of challenges. Students will explain how
the poet uses figurative language to convey the
theme or the theme of the poem. Students will
cite specific language from the text in their
explanation.
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze
the impact of a specific word choice
on meaning and tone.
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Students will read and discuss Tom Sawyer.
Students will state three obstacles Tom Sawyer
had to overcome and the strategies he used to
face these challenges. Students will cite
specific evidence from the text in their
explanation.
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Students will respond to literature by describing
challenges they have met in life and the strategies that
were used to tackle these challenges. They will make
connections to the texts we have read this
marking period, using specific evidence from
Tom Sawyer and other biographical and
nonfiction texts. Special emphasis will be placed
on using figurative language.
Diagnostic and Pre/Post Assessments:
Students will complete learning tasks detailed below.
[2]
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Formative Assessments:
Students will complete performance tasks 1 and 2.
Summative Assessment:
Students will respond to literature by describing a challenge they have faced in life and the
strategies that were used to tackle this challenges. They will make connections to the texts
we have read this marking period, using specific evidence from Tom Sawyer and
other biographical and nonfiction texts. Special emphasis will be placed on using
figurative language.
TEACHING AND LEARNING PLAN
Teaching and Learning Activities:
Read the text The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.
Reading biographical short texts: Jim Abbot, Michael Jordan, Helen Keller, Curtis
Jackson.
What challenges did the men and women in the biographical short texts face? How did
they overcome them?
What is figurative language? How do we differentiate between figurative and literal
language?
What makes a poem “connect” with us personally? What resources can we use to find poems that
connect?
Memorization strategies: repetition, writing, recording/listening.
Students will write and memorize a poem and present to the class, or alternately, find a
poem that is meaningful to them, memorize and present to the class.
Read the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. Explore how the poet uses figurative language to
convey his feelings and ideas about life.
Write a poem using figurative language. Topics may include unit themes such as overcoming
challenges and facing obstacles.
Written responses to Tom Sawyer 1-20: have you ever gotten out something you didn’t
want to do? How?
Written response: What is the theme of the poem “If”?
Discussion: How can we face challenges creatively? How did Tom Sawyer face challenges
creatively?
Written response: how did Tom Sawyer face challenges creatively?
[3]
Read the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes.
Discuss: is being honest as simple as always telling the truth? Why or why not?
Discuss: is Tom Sawyer an honest person? What evidence can you find in the text to
support your view?
Written response: do you consider yourself an honest person? Why or why not?
Discuss: what are some of the obstacles we face? Who can help us overcome them?
Graphic organizer: What figurative language is used in this week’s reading? (“A whole
hour drifted past” [64], “He racked his brain [64], “Tom was trembling from head to toe”
[65].
Students will use a graphic organizer to cite textual evidence, answering the question: “What
are three obstacles Tom Sawyer has faced?”
What does it mean to draw an inference? What makes a good inference?
Read-aloud: what inferences can we make as we read the scene in which Tom enters the
haunted house?
Written response: what inference can you make about what will happen in the next
chapter? Will Tom and Huck find Injun Joe?
How can we determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues?
Active reading: students will identify unfamiliar words in the week’s reading, and use
context clues to determine their meaning.
Written Response: what would you do if you found a bag of gold like Tom and Huck?
Written response: what are my goals and expectations for 7th grade? (Responses to be
saved and presented to students at the end of 7th grade)
Resources Needed:
Poetry:
Harriet Tubman, Eloise Greenfield
If, Rudyard Kipling
Books Fall Open, David McCord
Annabell Lee, Edgar Allen Poe
The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe
Cradle Song, Alfred Lord Tennyson
Alone in the Nets, Arnold Adoff
[4]
Simple Songs, Marge Piercy
Another Mountain, Abiodun Oyewole
Mother to Son, Langston Hughes
Biographies:
Helen Keller
Michael Jordan
Jim Abbott
My Papa, Mark Twain
Curtis Jackson 50 cent
Short Stories from:
Sandra Cisneros
Sharon Flake
[5]
UNIT 4: Tom Sawyer
Week
1
Standards
Assessed:
Week
2
WEEKLY CALENDAR
Guiding Questions
Topics/Lessons
Assessments
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
What is a challenge?
Challenge, obstacle
 Reading
 Discussion: how the
biographical short
men and women in
texts: Jim Abbot,
the texts overcome
Michael Jordan,
challenges (students
Helen Keller,
will be informally
Curtis Jackson
assessed during this
week through
 What challenges
classroom discussion,
did these men and
as they will be taking
women face? How
state tests during the
did they overcome
same week).
them?
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
Guiding Questions
What is figurative
language?
Topics/Lessons

What is
figurative
language? How
do we
differentiate
between
figurative and
literal language?

What
makes a poem
“connect” with
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
 Students will write and
memorize a poem and present
to the class, or alternately,
find a poem that is
meaningful to them,
memorize and present to the
class.
[6]
Key Vocabulary
figurative, literal,
imagery
Standards
Assessed:
us personally?
What resources
can we use to find
poems that
connect?

Memorizati
on strategies:
repetition,
writing,
recording/liste
ning
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Week
Guiding Questions
3
How do writers use
figurative language
to convey feelings
and ideas?
Topics/Lessons
 Read pages 120
 Read the poem
“If” by Rudyard
Kipling.
Explore how
the poet uses
figurative
language to
convey his
feelings and
ideas about
life.
 Write a poem
using figurative
language.
[7]
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
 Reading
comprehension
questions: students
will demonstrate their
knowledge of the main
characters, setting, and
key ideas introduced in
chapters 1 and 2.
 Written responses
to Tom Sawyer 120: have you ever
gotten out
something you
didn’t want to do?
How?
 Written response:
Key Vocabulary
Idiom, triumph,
imposter, virtue,
metaphor,
simile
Topics may
What is the theme
include unit
of the poem “If”?
themes such as
overcoming
challenges and
facing
obstacles.
Standards RL6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
Assessed: connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Week
4
Guiding Questions
How can we use our
creativity to face
challenges?
Topics/Lessons
 Read pages 21-40
 Discussion: How
can we face
challenges
creatively? How
did Tom Sawyer
face challenges
creatively?
 Read the poem
“Mother to Son”
by Langston
Hughes
 Performance task
#1
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
 Performance task #1
 Written response:
how did Tom Sawyer
face challenges
creatively?
Key Vocabulary
Sternly, drifter,
dandy
Standards
Assessed:
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
Week
Guiding Questions
Topics/Lessons
[8]
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
Key Vocabulary
summative, interim)
 Written response: do you
consider yourself an honest
person? Why or why not?
 Vocabulary weeks 1-4 review
and assessment
Standards
Assessed:
Integrity, ethical,
 Read pages 41candid,
60
scuffling
 Discuss: is
being honest
as simple as
How do we site textual
always telling
evidence when
the truth? Why
responding to
or why not?
literature?
 Discuss: is
Tom Sawyer an
honest person?
What evidence
can you find in
the text to
support your
view?
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
Week
Guiding Questions
Topics/Lessons
6
How do you help
others overcome
obstacles?
 Read pages 6180
 Discuss: what
are some of the
obstacles we
face? Who can
help us
overcome them?
5
Why is it important to
be honest with
yourself? With
others?
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)

Students will use a
graphic organizer to cite textual
evidence, answering the question:
“What are three obstacles Tom
Sawyer has faced?”

Performance task #2

Graphic organizer: What
figurative language is used in
this week’s reading? (“A whole
hour drifted past” [64], “He
[9]
Key Vocabulary
Engraved, denial,
folly
racked his brain [64], “Tom was
trembling from head to toe” [65].
Standards
Assessed:
RL6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Week
Guiding Questions
7
Inference, reckon,

Read pages 81disguise
106

What does it
mean to draw an
inference? What
makes a good
inference?

Read-aloud:
what inferences
can we make as
we read the scene
in which Tom
enters the
haunted house?
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Standards
Assessed:
Week
Topics/Lessons
How do we draw
inferences from
the text?
Guiding Questions
Topics/Lessons
[10]
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
 Written response: what
inference can you make
about what will happen in
the next chapter? Will
Tom and Huck find Injun
Joe?
Key Vocabulary
Assessments
(diagnostic, formative,
Key Vocabulary
summative, interim)
 Summative performance
task
 Active reading: students
will identify unfamiliar
words in the week’s
reading, and use context
clues to determine their
meaning.
Standards
Assessed:
Presently, throng,
 Read pages
laden, hollow,
107-128
swarmed,
 How can
straggled,
we
procession,
determine
filing
the
meaning
of
unfamiliar
words using
context
clues?
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Week
Guiding Questions
8
9
Standards
Assessed:
How do we use
context clues to
determine the
meaning of
unfamiliar words?
Topics/Lessons
Assessments
Key Vocabulary
(diagnostic, formative,
summative, interim)
What are my
expectations

Read pages
 Written response: what
strengths and
129-145
would you do if you
struggles as a reader?
found a bag of gold like

ReadTom and Huck?
discuss-write:
What are my goals
what would
 Written response: what
and expectations for
you do if you
are my goals and
7th grade?
found a bag of
expectations for 7th
gold like Tom
grade? (Responses to
and Huck?
be saved and
presented to students
at the end of 7th grade)
W.6.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
[11]
Rationale
As the end of the school year is slowly approaching, our sixth graders will be facing a
multitude of challenges such as the onset of adolescence, physical and emotional
changes, and the emergence of multiple types of social relationships. A reading
curriculum was selected to enable to students to navigate the difficulties of what lies
ahead.
This unit primarily deals with overcoming challenges and thus will give students the
skills necessary to face obstacles that they may encounter later in their academic career
and in life. This unit also provides students with the tools necessary to deal with the
transition from childhood to adulthood. In addition, social relationships such as
friendship, love, and honesty will be addressed to encourage students to make
connections between the texts and their lives.
The focus of this unit will be on select common core standards, where students are
required to cite textual evidence, make inferences from the text, delineate the meaning
of words and phrases, interpret figurative and literal meanings, and draw evidence from
the text for reflection. These standards were selected to enhance students’
comprehension of the text as well as to interpret the language and idiomatic expressions
used by previous generations.
The skills covered in this unit will serve as a stepping stone in preparation for the
remainder of middle school, high school, and college. In differentiating between literal
and figurative language, interpreting poetry, improving their ability to memorize a text
and speak in front of a group, analyzing themes, and citing textual evidence, students
are practicing skills that build upon content presented in previous units. These skills will
be reinforced in the culmination of the unit and the end of the school year.
“Life’s challenges are not meant to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover
who you are.” ~Bernice Johnson Reagon
[12]
Syllabus
Course: 6th Grade Reading
Unit 4: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Overview:
In this unit, students will read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain as
well as a variety of supplementary texts including articles, poems, and short stories.
Students will interpret, analyze, and evaluate these texts through discussion and
written work. Proof of academic growth will be demonstrated by two formative
performance assessments and one summative performance assessment. In the first
performance assessment students will read and discuss the poem Mother to Son, by
Langston Hughes, which illustrates the theme of challenges. Students will cite
specific language from the text in their explanation.
The second performance assessment will ask students to read and discuss
Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Students will state three obstacles Tom Sawyer had to
overcome and the strategies he used to face these challenges. Students will cite
specific evidence from the text in their explanation.
The unit will culminate in a summative assessment, which will build upon the skills
learned throughout the unit and practiced in the formative assessments. Students will
respond to literature by describing challenges they have met in life and the strategies
that were used to tackle these challenges. They will make connections to the texts we
have read this marking period, using specific evidence from Tom Sawyer and other
biographical and nonfiction texts. Special emphasis will be placed on using figurative
language.
Background information:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy
growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the Town of "St.
Petersburg", inspired by Hannibal, Missouri, where Mark Twain lived. Students will
explore lives of children in a provincial American town and compare it with their
own lives. They will discuss how reading about the challenges the characters face can
motivate or inspire us to overcome our own trials and tribulations.
[13]