LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
CURRICULUM DOCUMENT FOR 6TH GRADE ELA 2014 – 2015
BECOMING A READER AND WRITER
Unit Title:
Time Frame:
Exploring Literary Texts
First Grading Period
Theme with Facilitation Questions:
Our Experiences Shape Us
Unit Foci:
Reading – Read and distinguish among autobiography, memoir, and
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How do our experiences shape us?
How has my life so far shaped who I am?
How do I tell my personal story through my writing
so that others will understand me?
personal narrative as nonfiction genres. Identify and analyze theme
characterization, plot, setting, and conflict in fiction and drama. Identify and
analyze figurative language in poetry. Compare and contrast across texts.
Writing – Six Traits Focus: ideas, voice, sentence fluency, & conventions.
Compose a personal narrative using first person pronouns, past or present
verb tense and sensory language. Compose a literary analysis using Claim
Evidence Commentary in poetry.
Curriculum:
Although components are listed here in separate strands, effective instruction mirrors the real and
necessary interdependence of reading and writing skills.
Enduring Understandings:
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Experiences are subjects in literature and are opportunities for learning.
Stories about people’s lives share certain narrative structures and features that distinguish them from other forms of nonfiction.
Making text-based inferences allows a reader to ‘find’ meanings and messages in a text.
Summarizing texts allows a reader to make meaning of a text.
Comparing and contrasting texts allow a reader/writer to better understand an author’s choice, meaning, and message.
The perspective or point of view of a story about a person’s life is determined by who the author is.
An author’s choices are purposeful, create meaning, and communicate messages in a text.
Making thoughtful choices as an author communicates my meaning and message more clearly.
Unit Title: Exploring Literary Texts
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Essential Questions:
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How do the author’s choices influence the meaning and message of the text?
What choices do I make as an author to better communicate my meaning and message?
How have authors’ lives influenced their writing?
How does reading about an author’s life experiences connect to me?
Spiraling TEKS:
 Fig.19 Reading/Comprehension Skills. Students use a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills in both assigned and independent
reading to understand an author’s message. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly
more complex texts as they become self-directed, critical readers. The student is expected to:
 Fig.19 (A) establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon own or others’ desired outcome to enhance comprehension
 Fig.19 (B) ask literal, interpretive, evaluative, and universal questions of text
 Fig.19 (C) monitor and adjust comprehension (e.g., using background knowledge; creating sensory images; rereading a portion aloud;
generating questions)
 Fig.19 (D) make inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding RS, SS
 Fig.19 (E) summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order within a text and across
texts RS, SS
 Fig.19 (F) make connections (e.g., thematic links, author analysis) between and across multiple texts of various genres, and provide
textual evidence RS
 6.2 (A) determine the meaning of grade-level academic English words derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and
Affixes RS
 6.2 (B) use context (e.g., cause and effect or compare and contrast organizational text structures) to determine or clarify the meaning
of unfamiliar or multiple meaning words RS
 6.2 (C) complete analogies that describe part to whole or whole to part (e.g., ink:pen as page:_____ or pen:ink as book:______)
 6.2 (D) explain the meaning of foreign words and phrases commonly used in written English (e.g., RSVP, que sera sera)
 6.2 (E) use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus (printed or electronic) to determine the meanings, syllabication, pronunciations,
alternate word choices, and parts of speech of words RS
 6.6 (C) describe different forms of point-of-view, including first- and third-person SS
 6.14 (A) plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate for conveying the intended meaning to an audience, determining
appropriate topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing
a thesis or controlling idea
 6.14 (B) develop drafts by choosing an appropriate organizational strategy (e.g., sequence of events, cause-effect, compare-contrast)
and building on ideas to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing
 6.14 (C) revise drafts to clarify meaning, enhance style, include simple and compound sentences, and improve transitions by adding,
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deleting, combining, and rearranging sentences or larger units of text after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and
genre have been addressed
6.14 (D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling
6.14 (E) revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences
6.17 (C) write responses to literary or expository texts and provide evidence from the text to demonstrate understanding
6.19 (A) use and understand the function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking:
 (i) verbs (irregular verbs and active and passive voice)
 (ii) non-count nouns (e.g., rice, paper)
 (iii) predicative adjectives (She is intelligent.) and their comparative and superlative forms (e.g., many, more, most)
 (iv) conjunctive adverbs (e.g., consequently, furthermore, indeed)
 (v) prepositions and prepositional phrases to convey location, time, direction, or to provide details
 (vi) indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, both, nothing, anything)
 (vii) subordinating conjunctions (e.g., while, because, although, if)
 (viii) transitional words and phrases that demonstrate an understanding of the function of the transition related to the
organization of the writing (e.g., on the contrary, in addition to)
6.19 (B) differentiate between the active and passive voice and know how to use them both
6.19 (C) use complete simple and compound sentences with correct subject-verb agreement
6.21 (A) differentiate between commonly confused terms (e.g., its, it’s; affect, effect)
6.21 (B) know how to use the spell-check function in word processing while understanding its limitations
The student will know and be able to:
 Fig.19 Reading/Comprehension Skills. Students use a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills in both assigned and independent
reading to understand an author’s message. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly
more complex texts as they become self-directed, critical readers. The student is expected to:
 Fig.19 (A) establish purposes for reading selected texts based upon own or others’ desired outcome to enhance comprehension
 Fig.19 (B) ask literal, interpretive, evaluative, and universal questions of text
 Fig.19 (C) monitor and adjust comprehension (e.g., using background knowledge; creating sensory images; rereading a portion aloud;
generating questions)
 Fig.19 (D) make inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding RS, SS
 Fig.19 (E) summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order within a text and across texts
RS, SS
 Fig.19 (F) make connections (e.g., thematic links, author analysis) between and across multiple texts of various genres, and provide
textual evidence RS
 6.1 (A) adjust fluency when reading aloud grade-level text based on the reading purpose and the nature of the text
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 6.2 (A) determine the meaning of grade-level academic English words derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and Affixes
RS
 6.2 (B) use context (e.g., cause and effect or compare and contrast organizational text structures) to determine or clarify the meaning
of unfamiliar or multiple meaning words RS
 6.2 (C) complete analogies that describe part to whole or whole to part (e.g., ink:pen as page:_____ or pen:ink as book:______)
 6.2 (D) explain the meaning of foreign words and phrases commonly used in written English (e.g., RSVP, que sera sera)
 6.2 (E) use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus (printed or electronic) to determine the meanings, syllabication, pronunciations,
alternate word choices, and parts of speech of words RS
 6.3 (A) infer the implicit theme of a work of fiction, distinguishing theme from the topic SS
 6.3 (C) compare and contrast the historical and cultural settings of two literary works SS
 6.4 (A) explain how figurative language (e.g., personification, metaphors, similes, hyperbole) contributes to the meaning of a poem
SS
 6.5 understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from text
to support their understanding SS
 6.6 (A) recognize dialect and conversational voice and explain how authors use dialect to convey character RS
 6.6 (C) describe different forms of point-of-view, including first- and third-person SS
 6.7 (A) identify the literary language and devices used in memoirs and personal narratives and compare their characteristics with
those of an autobiography SS
 6.8 (A) explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements and figurative language emphasizing the use of
personification, hyperbole, and refrains RS
 6.14 (A) plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate for conveying the intended meaning to an audience, determining
appropriate topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing
a thesis or controlling idea
 6.14 (B) develop drafts by choosing an appropriate organizational strategy (e.g., sequence of events, cause-effect, compare-contrast)
and building on ideas to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing
 6.14 (C) revise drafts to clarify meaning, enhance style, include simple and compound sentences, and improve transitions by adding,
deleting, combining, and rearranging sentences or larger units of text after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and
genre have been addressed
 6.14 (D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling
 6.14 (E) revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences
 6.15 (A) write imaginative stories that include
 (iii) dialogue that develops the story
 6.16 (A) write a personal narrative that has a clearly defined focus and communicates the importance of or reasons for actions
and/or consequences
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 6.17 (C) write responses to literary or expository texts and provide evidence from the text to demonstrate understanding
 6.19 (A) (see Spiraling)
 (i) verbs (irregular verbs)
 (ii) non-count nouns (e.g., rice, paper)
 (iii) predicative adjectives (She is intelligent.) and their comparative and superlative forms (e.g., many, more, most)
 (vi) indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, both, nothing, anything)
 (viii) transitional words and phrases that demonstrate an understanding of the function of the transition related to the
organization of the writing (e.g., on the contrary, in addition to)
 6.19 (B) differentiate between the active and passive voice and know how to use them both
 6.19 (C) use complete simple and compound sentences with correct subject-verb agreement
 6.20 (A) use capitalization
 6.20 (B) recognize and use punctuation marks including
 (i) commas in compound sentences
 (ii) proper punctuation and spacing for quotations
 6.21 (A) differentiate between commonly confused terms (e.g., its, it’s; affect, effect)
 6.21 (B) use spelling patterns and rules and print and electronic resources to determine and check correct spellings
Student Understanding (student friendly TEKS):
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Fig.19 I will use all the reading skills I know, predicting, rereading, slowing down, questioning, to understand what I am reading.
Fig.19 (A) I will decide on a purpose for my reading a specific text so that I can comprehend it better.
Fig.19 (B) I will ask text-based questions while I read.
Fig.19 (C) I will use background knowledge create images, reread aloud, and generate questions.
Fig.19 (D) I will make inferences and use textual evidence to support my understanding.
Fig.19 (E) I will summarize and put text into my own words in ways that keep the same order so that the meaning is not
changed.
Fig.19 (F) I will make connections between texts about things like theme text structure, author’s purpose, author’s craft, etc. and
provide textual evidence to support my understanding.
6.1 (A) I will slow down or speed up my reading depending on what I am reading and why I am reading it.
6.2 (A) I will look at the root, the prefixes, and suffixes to figure out the meaning of words I don't know.
6.2 (B) I will be able to use appropriate context clues to determine what unfamiliar words mean and how to use them.
6.2 (C) I will complete analogies by looking for relationships between words.
6.2 (D) I will recognize commonly used foreign words or parts of words.
6.2 (E) I will use the dictionary or glossary when I cannot figure out the meaning of a word or use a thesaurus when I want to find a
synonym.
6.3 (A) I will infer the author’s message or theme and distinguish the difference between theme and topic. SS 6.3 (C) I will be able to
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compare and contrast the historical and cultural settings of the different selections.
6.3 (C) I will be able to compare and contrast the historical and cultural settings of the different selections.
6.4 (A) I will be able to explain how poets create meaning through figurative language such as personification, metaphors, similes,
and hyperboles, etc.
6.5 I will read between the lines and use text evidence to understand drama.
6.6 (A) I will be able to explain the plot development of a selection.
6.6 (C) I will be able to describe 1st and 3rd person points of view.
6.7 (A) I will be able to tell the kind of story a person has written about his/her life.
6.8 (A) I will be able to explain how authors create meaning through stylistic elements and figurative language such as
personification, hyperbole, and refrains.
6.14 (A) I will plan a first draft for a piece of writing by first determining audience and purpose.
6.14 (B) I will develop my drafts by choosing an appropriate organizational pattern and building on ideas.
6.14 (C) I will revise my piece of writing to be more precise in word choice, make sure my sentences are varied in structure and are in
an order that makes sense.
6.14 (D) I will edit my writing to be sure my words are spelled correctly and my punctuation is correct.
6.14 (E) I will revise one more time after getting feedback and then publish my writing for an audience that is appropriate for the
written piece.
6.15 (A) I will write imaginative stories.
 (iii) I will be able to write a believable story with characters who talk to each other.
6.16 (A) I will write a personal story that has a clear focus and includes thoughts about the decisions, actions, and/or consequences.
6.17 (C) I will write a response to something I read and have proof from the text to show that I understand what I read.
6.19 (A) I will use and understand the function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking.
 (i) I will be able to identify and use verbs (irregular verbs and active and passive voice).
 (ii) I will be able to identify and use non-count nouns (e.g., rice, paper)
 (iii) I will be able to identify and use predicative adjectives (She is intelligent.) and their comparative and superlative forms
(e.g., many, more, most).
 (vi) I will be able to identify and use indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, both, nothing, anything).
 (viii) I will be able to identify and use transitional words and phrases that demonstrate an understanding of the function of the
transition related to the organization of the writing (e.g., on the contrary, in addition to).
6.19 (B) I will be able to tell the difference between active and passive voice and use both in my writing.
6.19 (C) I will be able to write compound sentences with correct subject-verb agreement.
6.20 (A) I will be able to use capitalization.
6.20 (B) I will recognize and use punctuation marks.
 (i) I will know the correct placement of commas in compound sentences, and I will use them in my writing.
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 (ii) I will know where to place and how to punctuate quotations and I will use them in my writing.
 6.21 (A) I will spell correctly, relying on my resources to make sure I am right.
 6.21 (B) I will use spelling patterns and rules, and print and electronic resources to determine and check correct spellings.
Targeted College Readiness Standards: Click here to access CCRS document in full.
Targeted ELPs: Click here to access ELPS TEA web document in full.
Language of Instruction(instructional goals):
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author’s purpose
plot
setting
characters
conflict
theme
characterization
narrative
autobiography
dialogue
point of view (first person)
simile
metaphor
personification
refrain
Six Traits – focus on bolded terms
o ideas
o organization
o voice
o word choice
o sentence fluency
o conventions
o presentation
first person personal pronouns
verb tense (present and past)
subject-verb agreement
Unit Title: Exploring Literary Texts
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Academic Vocabulary (for mastery):
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Reading
o analogy
o genre
 literary texts
 fiction
 nonfiction
o memoir
 poetry
 drama
o convey
o theme
o plot
 rising action
 turning point
 falling action
 climax
 denouement
o figurative language
 hyperbole
 personification
 simile
 metaphor
o refrain
English
o personal narrative
o monitor
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o generate
o text-based evidence
o conventions
controlling idea
prepositions
Instruction:
These materials and instructional experiences offer workable components which necessitate the
addition of other choices to construct a sequence of learning experiences in which reading and writing blend.
Reading Skill Focus:
Written Composition and Grammar:
Reading:
Composition/Essay:
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Fig 19
Vocabulary development (spiral throughout year)
o dictionary skills
 guide words
 forms of words
 choosing a meaning based on context
o context clues
o roots and affixes
o analogies (part to whole and whole to part)
genres of nonfiction-structures and features of
memoir, autobiography, personal narrative
impact of identity of author/narrator on multiple
elements of a text
compare/contrast historical and cultural settings of
two literary works
identify point of view and recognize its effect on
meaning
using graphic organizers/Thinking Maps: Venn
diagram, double bubble, T-chart
understand and make inferences about poems
plot development/summarize plot (Text Book p.21)
Unit Title: Exploring Literary Texts
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Instructional focus
o brainstorming and pre-writing
o writer’s voice
o chronological organization
o Claim-Evidence-Commentary (C-E-C)
 Three ingredients are necessary in a paragraph or
essay- the claim, the evidence, the commentary. This
method provides a structure to answer questions or
write an essay and provide textual evidence to support
your thoughts.
 Claim – states your position on the issue and
must have a singular or overarching claim that
dictates your position/argument.
 Evidence – material from the text which
supports the claim. Without any evidence, the
claim is just an assertion.
 Commentary – explains why and how your
evidence supports your claim; it states the
relationship between your claim and evidence.
Composition focus
o personal poem (“I Am” poems)
o personal narrative
 Suggested Prompt: Write a personal narrative about an
event that taught you a lesson or helped you to grow or
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change.
o C-E-C – Use with Simile: Willow and Ginkgo, p. 588
 Suggested Prompt: Using evidence from the text,
explain the poet’s use of figurative language to describe
the difference between the willow and ginkgo trees. Be
sure to answer in the form of a claim-evidencecommentary paragraph and edit for grammar,
mechanics, and spelling.
Grammar and Conventions:
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nouns, non-count nouns
verbs
o active voice
o passive voice
o irregular verbs
o consistent verb tense
 pronouns
 sentence types (simple/compound)
 capitalization
 punctuation
o sentence types (simple/compound)
o dialogue
 correct spacing and
 use of commas and
 use of quotation marks
 spelling – commonly confused terms (ex. their, they’re, there)
 first person personal pronoun forms and usage
 commas in compound sentences / conjunctions
Core Text Experiences – Teachers choose a representative selection of literary texts including nonfiction, fiction, poetry and drama
Suggested texts (excerpts or full text):
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Prentice Hall Language and Literacy:
o Nonfiction
 “Letter to Scottie,” Fitzgerald, p. 522
 “Jackie Robinson: Justice at Last,” Ward and Burns, p. 422
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 “Excerpt from The Pigman and Me,” Zindel, p. 498
o Nonfiction speech—Jane Yolen—“My Heart is in the Highlands,” p. 17
o Personal narrative—Avi—“Super Patriot,” p. 82
o Autobiography
 Julia Alvarez—“from Something to Declare,” p. 446
 Gary Soto—“the Drive-In Movies,” p. 46
o Memoir
 Sasha Cohen—“Fire and Ice,” p.74.
o Poetry
 The Benets—“Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright,” p.566.
 “Adventures of Isabel” p. 564-5 (hyperbole)
 “The Sidewalk Racer” p. 625 (metaphor)
 “Fame is a Bee” p. 590 (metaphor)
 “Willow and Gingko” p. 588 (simile)
 “The World is not a Pleasant Place to be” p. 595 (personification)
 “Ankylosaurus” p. 568 (onomatopoeia)
o Fiction
 “Aaron’s Gift” Levoy, p.318
 “Letter from a Concentration Camp,” Uchida, p. 518
 “Eleven,” Cisneros, p. 149
 “Circuit” Jimenez, p.274
 “The All-American Slurp” Namioka p.285
 “Zlateh the Goat,” Singer, p. 222
 “The Old Woman who Lived with the Wolves,” Chief Standing Bear, p. 234
o Drama
 Phantom Tollbooth, Nanus p.708 (excerpt or whole)
Other Sources
o Memoir—Roald Dahl—Boy
o Memoir – Dean Koontz – A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog
o Poem—
 Maya Angelou—“Still I Rise”
 “Stereo Hearts” Gym Class Heroes(metaphor, simile, persuasive)
 “I’m Nobody,” Dickinson (http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prhMID/15392)
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o Novel (Excerpts noted for use with literature groups.)
 Tuck Everlasting, Chapters 12-14
 Bridge to Terabithia, Chapters 4 and 5
 See campus novel inventory
o Fiction – Diane Gonzales Bertrand - Trino’s Choice – p. 46-48
o Drama –
 Queen of the Playground, by Eric Alter (Plays, the Drama Magazine for Young People, Jan.-Feb. 2009)
 Great Expectations – adapted play from Scholastic
Resources:
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Prentice Hall Language and Literacy unit resources for instruction and assessment ideas
Prentice Hall Writing Coach unit resources
Technology: As teachers use this document, we will add here
Career Connections/Real Life Application: As teachers use this
their ideas about ways to use technology in this unit.
 TA: 6.2.B – communicate effectively with multiple
audiences using a variety of media and formats.
 TA: 6.5.C – Practice safe and appropriate online behavior,
personal security guidelines, digital identity, digital
etiquette, and acceptable use of technology.
 TA: 6.5D – understand the negative impact of
inappropriate technology use, including online bullying
and harassment, hacking, intentional virus setting,
invasion of privacy, and piracy such as software, music,
video, and other media (AUP)
document, we will add here their ideas about ways to make career and
real life applications in this unit.
Exemplar Lessons: As teachers use this document, we will
Research Based Instructional Strategies: As teachers use this
add exemplar lessons here.
 Pre-writing lesson to inspire idea generation and
document, we will add representative research-based instructional
strategies here.
result in creative autobiographical poem:
“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyons.
http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html
 Using autobiographical poetry that originated in
sensory memories (“The Story of Lava,” by David
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Allan Evans) to stimulate personal sensory
memories and capture them in short writings.
http://davidallanevans.com/poems/lava.html
Assessment:
Modify or supplement the suggested assessments below to complement unit activities and ensure
varied assessments throughout the year.
Student self-assessment & reflection:
Acceptable evidence or artifacts:
Assess approximate reading level and determine reading skills to
target for improvement.
Unit Title: Exploring Literary Texts
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Common Assessment in both Reading and English
Administer SRI
Evidence from Academic Vocabulary Instruction
Reading assessment (see Students Will Know and Be Able To)
Where I’m From poem
Personal narrative
Claim – Evidence – Commentary Structure for Composition
 Three ingredients are necessary in a paragraph or essay, the
claim, the evidence, the commentary. This method provides a
structure to answer questions or write an essay and provide
textual evidence to support your thoughts.
o Claim – states your position on the issue and must have a
singular or overarching claim that dictates your
position/argument.
o Evidence – material from the text which supports the
claim. Without any evidence, the claim is just an
assertion.
o Commentary – explains why and how your evidence
supports your claim; it states the relationship between
your claim and evidence.
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