6th Grade RL Standards
RL 2 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
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Use the story map to summarize how the main character responds to the main problem in the selection and
how he changes as a result.
Students complete a list of story events in time order and use these lists to summarize the story.
Use a graphic organizer to record the central idea and the supporting details found throughout the text.
Remind students that the theme of a fiction selection is the central idea or message that the author wants
readers to understand. Readers must often infer, or figure out, the theme using text evidence such as plot
episodes and dialogue and actions of characters. Using the text evidence found in this selection, what is the
theme? (Consider using a graphic organizer to record details/text evidence that can lead to the inference of a
theme.)
What details does the author give about __? How does this contribute to the development of the theme?
How does _______respond to what _______says? Summarize what he/she says?
Summarize the text using a graphic organizer.
What is the most important idea in __________?
What is the theme of _____ (text title)? What details in the story/poem/drama help the reader determine this
theme?
How does the author of _____ (text title) help the reader understand the theme of the story? What details from
the story support your answer?
How does the author use the way Tyrone responds to his situation to develop the theme of the story?
Grade 6 RL 3 Describe how a particular stories’, or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
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Use a graphic organizer with the headings thoughts, words, actions, how character responds/ changes- collect
clues from the text to piece together what the character is like.
Authors often don’t say how characters feel in response to a story’s plot events. Instead, they give the reader
clues by telling what the character thinks, says, and does.
Summarize in your own words- what has just happened to _________.
How do __________ feelings about being ________ change throughout the story?
How does the character _________ respond to the challenge presented by ___________?
What do you learn about __________ when they say “ __________________” and then ______?
How would you describe the character ________ from the episodes in the passage so far?
In what ways did _________ change from the beginning to end of the story?
How do ________’s feelings change after listening to _________? What does this tell you about _____?What
internal conflict is _________ battling during ___________?
What text evidence would support the statement that ____________ is like _________?
Why would _______ be best suited to lead _________ ? What text evidence supports your thinking?
Compare how other characters talk to ___________ at the beginning of the story and later in the story. Have
they changed the way the think or feel about ______?
How has ________ change lately? What may have caused this change?
What does _________ realize at the end of the story?
Explain to students that they should look for text evidence that shows how characters respond and change as
the plot unfolds.
Why do you think _________( character) risked ________ to __________________?
What happens at __________( place) that makes ___________( character) __________ ( emotion)?
What does ____________( character) have in common with ____________(another character)?
How does ________ feel differently about __________? How can you tell?
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What does _______ do after ___________? What does this tell you about __________?
Ask students to continue to watch for clues about characters as they continue reading.
How does the ___________ react when ___________ happens?
What details show how ____________ feels about ________?
Point out an important character detail in the story. What inference can you make about _______?
Grade 6 RL 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.
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Remind students that a simile is often used by the author to point out a character’s emotions or thoughts in an
interesting way. Look at the simile ___ about the character _____.What two things are being compared? What
is the characteristic of ___? What does this tell you about how (character) is feeling?
What / who does the author compare __ to? How does this description show how ___ feels / acts?
As you read, identify similes used to convey characters’ thoughts and feelings. Explain what they mean.
What does the narrator mean when she/he says ___?
What does this simile tell you about ___?
What do the words __ and ___tell you about the poem’s tone and the speaker’s attitude?
Remind students that alliteration is often used by authors to create mood or emphasize ideas. How does the
repetitive consonant sound in the phrase ___help create the mood of the story?
What do you think the character ___ means by saying ______? How does the author’s choice of words affect the
meaning of the text?
Reread the sentence ______. What tone or mood does the author set by using this choice of words?
What does the phrase ___mean? Tell how the use of this phrase affects the tone of the passage.
What two things are being compared in the metaphor, ___________? What does the comparison tell you about
_____?
What image do you visualize from the metaphor,_____, used by the author on this page? What impact does this
have on your understanding of the text?
Look at the sentence/phrase _______ that is used to describe the character. Does this have a positive or
negative connotation? How can you tell?
Is ___ a positive or negative word? Is __ a positive or negative word? Does using these two words together
have a positive or negative connotation? Explain.
Why might the narrator have chosen this wording? Explain.
What words does the author use to show the shift in tone?
How has ___’s tone changed since the beginning of the story? Explain how you know this.
What words in this section create the tone of __(defiance, anger, fear, etc.)?
How do the words selected by the author in this section affect the story?
What does ___’s question about ___mean?
What figure of speech is the author using here? What does it mean?
What does _____mean? What clues in the text help you understand the meaning of this phrase?
What examples of personification does the poet use in this poem? What affect do these have on images that
the reader creates?
How does the author’s use of the word ___in the title impact the tone of the poem?
Which sense does the author appeal to by using the words ____? What is the significance of this?
Guide students to analyze the phrase ____. What word describes ___? What does it tell you about__?
Identify the example of personification found on p. __. Analyze what it means.
How is the title of this selection a play on words? What impact does this have on the meaning of the selection?
What does the word __ tell you about what may be happening to the character?
What clues in the text help you understand what ___ means?
Remind students that hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration. What is the meaning of
this example of hyperbole, _____?
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Find another example of hyperbole on this page and explain why the author has chosen to include it in the text.
What text clues help you understand what it means?
What word choices does the author make that influence the way you think about the text?
Grade 6 Standard RL 5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene or stanza fits into the overall structure of a
text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
 Use a graphic organizer with sections labeled setting, characters, and plot. Have students collect information to
fill in each box as they read. Tell students that they can use their filled in story map to analyze how a particular
event or section of the text fits in the overall structure of the story.
 Reread paragraph _______ on page ______ How does the last sentence of this paragraph contribute to the
development of the story’s plot?
 How does the scene where ___________ discovers ___________ fit into the story?
 How does the _________ sentence in paragraph ______ onpage ______ contribute to the setting of this scene?
 How does the sentence describing _____________’s experience as he ___________ add to your understanding
of the setting?
 Explain that good readers analyze specific episodes from a story to see how these episodes, or scenes, fit into
the overall structure of the story and contribute to the development of the plot.
 Explain that individual scenes or episodes in a story can contain important details that contribute to the
development of the theme of the story. Ask students how this particular scene helps develop the theme.
 Reread the scene on page _______. How does this scene contribute to the development of the theme?
 Guide students to use a story map to record the events in a story that lead the main character to solve the
problem. How did a particular scene or event contribute to the plot development?
 Why do you think the author chose to describe the ______________ scene in such detail? How might this
scene fit into the structure of the story?
 How does scene____ contribute to the development of th plot and setting?
 How does scene _____ contribute to the overall structure of the play?
 How does the sentence “__________________________” contribute to the plot of the story?
 Why is the scene where ________ _____________ important to the plot of the story?
 How does the section titled “__________________” contribute to the development of the topic?
 What setting details do you see in the __________ sentence of paragraph _______?
 Why is the paragraph that tells about _______(character) ______________( action) important to the story?
 How does this scene fit into the structure of the plot?
 How does the sentence describing ____________________________ contribute to the theme of the story?
 How does the ______ stanza contribute to the development of the poem’s theme?
 How does scene ______ fit in the overall structure of the play?
 How does the scene where __________ (character) _____________ help the play’s plot to unfold?
 How do __________’s words help develop the setting?
 How does chapter 4 contribute to the rising action of the novel? Use information from the novel to support your
analysis.
 How does the author use scene 2 to begin to develop the theme of the play? Use information from the scene to
support your analysis.
 How does the description in the first stanza establish the setting of the poem? Use information from the poem
to support your analysis.
 Analyze how chapter 3 contributes to the development of the theme/setting/plot of the book. Use information
from the text to support your analysis.
 Analyze how scene 1 contributes to the overall structure of the drama. Use information from the text to
support your analysis.
Grade 6 Standard RL 6 Explain how the author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
 How does ____________’s point of view of __________ change throughout the story?
 From whose point of view is this story told? What does the reader know as a result?
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How would the story be different if it were told from ___________’s point of view?
How does telling the story from ______’s point of view affect what the reader learns about characters and
events?
How does the author develop the point of view of the narrator in this story?
What is the narrator’s point of view on ____________? Explain how this point of view is expressed in the
passage.
Explain how Gary Paulsen develops the point of view of the narrator in ______ (text title). Use examples from
the story in your explanation.
What is the most likely reason why the author decided to tell the story from Mike’s point of view? Is it
effective? Why or why not? Use examples from the story in your explanation.
How does telling the story from Tonya’s point of view influence the story? Use examples from the story in your
answer
Grade 6 RL 7 compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia
version. Analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g. lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and
angles in a film).
 He students select a scene from a story to make into a short video. Have students compare and contrast the
experiences of reading, listening to, and viewing the same scene from the story. How is viewing the acted out
scene different from reading or hearing all of the author’s words?
 Have groups of students select a poem on a given topic. Have each group make an audio recording of the poem.
Compare and contrast the experiences of reading and listening to the same poem. Ask students to recall what
they “saw” and “heard” in their minds when they read the text. What were some differences and similarities in
the experiences?
 Compare and contrast reading the play to viewing a live performance of it. Prompt students to compare and
contrast what they visualized when they read the script to what they actually saw and heard when they watched
the play. Use a 3 circle Venn diagram( reading) (both) (watching or listening)
 After watching a live performance of a play you read in class- lead a class discussion in which student note how
multimedia elements, such as music, and different types of speech affected their interpretations of the story.
 As a culminating event for a unit of study on folk tales – have students write an original folk tale. Lead students
in a discussion about how to present their tale in diverse formats: a written story, accompanied by visuals, a
concrete object, and an audio recording of the tale.
 In addition to reading a selection ask students to prepare a story board depicting the key events. Ask students
to compare and contrast the experience of listening to the oral explanation of the events with viewing and
reading a story board.
 How is listening to an audiotape of “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe alike and different from reading the poem?
Use specific examples from both versions in your answer.
 How is watching the filmed version of Holes alike and different from reading the book? Use specific examples
from both versions in your answer.
 How is watching a performance of ____ (title of a play) alike and different from reading the play? Use specific
examples in your explanation.
 Which did you prefer, listening to the audiotape version of “The Raven” or reading the poem? Why?
 Which did you prefer, watching the filmed version of Holes or reading the book? Why?
Grade 6 RL 9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g.,. stories and poems; historical novels and
fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.
 Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two poems on a similar topic.
 Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast how the two text are similar and different. Be sure to include
genre comparisons in addition to comparing the text’s approaches to the same topic.
 When using a Venn diagram to compare two texts ask students to consider, setting, and themes are similar
and different.
 Have students use Venn diagrams to help them compare and contrast how the two texts approach the
theme of _________. Include specific examples from each text.
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Discuss how the authors use different tools in a long article, a folktale, and a poem to explain
____________. Why does each author use these specific techniques? What are the benefits of each
technique?
Compare and contrast how the two poems are structured. What similar information do the
______________ and _________________ convey about ____________? What unique information does
each of them contain?
What reasons does the author of ___________ give for the practice of _______?
The author of _______________ gives examples of how ______________. What are these examples?
How are the ________# poems similar? How is each poem different from the others?
Grade 6 RI standards
Grade 6 RI standard 2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
 Summarize the process described in the text.
 Prompt students to summarize the information in the text using their sequence of events graphic organizer for
support.
 Explain that good readers avoid adding their own personal opinion or judgments into their summaries. They
focus on retelling the author’s most important points in their own words.
 What is the section mostly about? Have students write a short summary of the section using text evidence.
 What is most important about __________? Have students write or orally tell about the most important details
in the text.
 Summarize the reasons people should think (worry) about ___________( an issue).
 Use a Sequence of events graphic organizer to assist students in focusing on the most important events in a
selection. This can be used to support oral summarizing of the text or a written summary.
 Summarize by year the events presented in this selection up to this point.
 What is the central idea presented on these two pages?
 What is the central idea of this passage? Summarize the passage briefly, without including personal opinions or
judgments.
 What central idea does the author introduce in this paragraph?
 What are some examples of supporting details found in captions or illustrations?
 How would you summarize the first paragraph on page _____?
 How would you summarize the section titled “_________”?
 What is the introduction’s main idea?
 Consider using a main idea and detail graphic organizer to have students focus on the most important details
and ideas in a text. Have them use the filled out graphic organizer to support either oral summarizing or a
writing assignment.
 Good readers stop occasionally and summarize as they read to ck to ensure they are understanding what they
are reading.
Grade 6 RI 3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text.(
e.g. through examples or anecdotes)
 What anecdotes lead up to ________________( event in the story)
 What event does the author introduce in this paragraph? How does he introduce it?
 How does the _______ paragraph of the article elaborate on the main topic of _______?
 What details does the author use to illustrate the effect of the ______________?
 How does the author introduce and elaborate on the role of ____________________?
 Remind students that authors often introduce an elaborate event in a text in time order.
 What examples does the author provide to elaborate on the events that occurred between _____ and ____?
 What examples, anecdotes, and other details does the author use to describe _______?
 How does the author elaborate on the ____________( an invent)?
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How does the author introduce the idea that the____________ is going to happen?
How does the author introduce reader to __________? Why do you think the author chos this way? Cote
evidence from the text in your answer.
How is ___________ introduced? How does the author elaborate on the events of ____________?
How does the author elaborate on _________? What does the author say about them?
How does the author illustrate the relationship between _______ and ______?
How does the author use an anecdote to introduce ________?
How does the author introduce the topic of this article?
How does the author introduce and illustrate the _________( character) who _________?
What details or examples did the author include to show why she admired ___________?
How does the author help the reader understand what kind of person Harriet Tubman was? Use examples from
the article in your analysis.
How does the author help the reader understand the role trade played in the development of the United States?
Use examples from the article in your analysis.
Analyze how the author helps the reader understand how the idea of independence in America impacted the
nations of Europe. Use examples from the article in your analysis.
How does the author introduce, illustrate, and elaborate his/her portrait of Rosa Parks? Use examples from the
article in your analysis.
Analyze how the author introduces, illustrates, and elaborates his/her depiction of the Boston Tea Party so
readers can understand the reasons behind it. Use examples from the article in your analysis.
Grade 6 RI 4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative,
and technical meanings. (See grade 6 language standards 4-6 for additional expectations.) CA
 Tell students that an idiom is a figure of speech that means something different than its literal meaning.
Students should look for clues to its meaning in the text.
 What is the idiom used on page _______?
 Tell students onomatopoetic words are a type of figurative language in which a word imitates a sound.
 Point out the onomatopoetic word on page _______. How does the sound of this word help you understand its
meaning?
 What words in the text help explain the meaning of the word _______?
 What clued do you see in the text about the meaning of the word _________?What do you think _____ means?
 Why does the author refer to _______ as _______________(figurative language) if they are ______?
 What does it mean when _________ says ______________________( figurative language)?
 Personification is a figure of speech that describes something that is not human using human-like actions or
qualities.
 What clues tell you what ” ___________” means?
 What words does the author use to describe what a ___________ is?
 What does the word _____ mean in paragraph 2?
 Which words help the reader understand the meaning of _____ in paragraph 5?
 Which definition of ____ is used in paragraph 6?
 What does the author’s word choice reveal about his/her attitude towards the topic? Use examples from the
text to support your answer.
 What does the phrase _____ (figurative language) mean in paragraph 3? How does the use of that phrase
enhance the reader’s understanding of the text?
 What is the connotation of ____ as it is used in the text? How does the use of that word enhance the reader’s
understanding of the text? Use examples from the text to support your answer.
Grade 6 RI 5 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter or section fits in to the overall structure of a text
and contributes to the development of the ideas. A. Analyze the use of text features (e.g. graphics, headers, and
captions) in popular media. CA
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How does the author begin this section? How does this section fit into the overall structure of the text?
Why did the author choose the topic of _______ to begin this article?
Are the connotations of ___________,_________________,___________ positive or negative?
Why does ___________(character) describe the ___________(noun) as a ______________?
Make a flow chart labeling it event 1 –event 2-event 3- and so on to record important events in the selection.
Explain to students this will help them understand how each event fits into the text’s overall structure.
How does the information on this page fit into the overall structure of this text?
How does the section “________” fit into the overall structure of the article?
How do the two quotes contribute to the ideas in the text?
What does the phrase ___________ mean?
Tell students that identifying causes and effects can also help readers understand how sentence, paragraph, or
section of text fits into the overall structure of the text.
How do these pages fit into the overall structure of the text?
How did the author structure the text on this page?
Why do you think the author choose to go back in time to reveal details about ______?
How does this section fit into the overall structure of the text?
What is the central idea on this page? How does this fit into the overall structure of the text?
How does the section titled “______”fit into the overall structure of this article?
Grade 6 RI 6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
 Remind students that to determine the author’s purpose for writing, they need to gather text evidence from
their reading. An author may write to entertain, persuade, or inform.
 What clues show that the story is written from a ___________’s point of view?
 Consider using a graphic organizer with the headings of Details, details, details –author’s purpose. Collect
evidence as you read to uncover the author’s purpose.
 What is the author’s view point on ______?
 How does the author feel about ________ and _______? Use text evidence to support your answer.
 Why does the author give us information about __________? What is their purpose for writing this section?
 What words and phrases in the text let you know the author’s perspective on ______?
 Why do you think the author began this informational text in this way? Use the text to support your answer.
 What is the author’s point of view about ________?
 What is the author’s point of view on page _____? Explain how the author conveys that point of view.
 Point out to students that knowing an author’s purpose for writing as well as their point of view helps
readers think critically about what they are reading.
 Why did the author choose to write about real people and events in a story form? Using text evidence what
do you think is the author’s point of view about ____?
 What is the author’s view on ________? How do you know?
 What is the author’s purpose for telling us ___________?
 Why did the author include the section “_______”?
 What is the author’s purpose for writing this article? How can you tell?
 What does the author seem to think about _________? How do the authors communicate this perspective?
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What is the author’s purpose for writing?
Grade 6 RI 7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats( e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as
words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
 How do the arrows in the diagram aid you in understanding the information presented?
 How does the graph support the statement that _____________?
 How does the graphic feature on page ___ go with the text on the page?
 Why are the diagrams on page _____ helpful? Give specific reasons in your answer.
 How does the chart add to your understanding of the text?
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Remind students that text and graphic features can assist readers in understanding the text they are reading
and identifying key ideas and information.
Have students complete a two column chart labeled Text features / Graphic features as they read – noting what
information each feature provides.
How does the photo and caption add to this selection?
How do the photo and the caption on page ____ add to your understanding of what a ______ is?
How does the map on page ______ along with the text give you a better understanding of __________?
How do the picture on page _______ and the caption help explain __________?
How do the image and the caption contribute to the text?
What is the connection between the photo, illustration, caption, and text on page ____?
How does the map work with the text to help you understand the text on this page?
How do the map and the photo ( illustration) on this page go together?
Use the map on page _____- to help you determine why __________ happened?
By studying the map what can you say about ________?
How does the photo( illustration) work with the text to give you a better understanding of _______________?
How does the photo on page _____ compare with the illustration on page ______? How are they alike? How
are they different?
What details from the text does the photograph on page _____ help you better understand?
How do the photo and the caption support the information on the text?
Point out that one strategy for understanding text and graphic features is to identify the features purpose and
the facts it gives.
As you read identify the text and graphic features and show how they work together to give a better
understanding of the topic.
Grade 6 RI 8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by
reason and evidence from claims that are not.
 Understanding the differences between fact and opinion assists the reader in evaluating the author’s argument.
 What reasons and evidence does the author provide to support the claim that _______?
 After reading Ask students to record the reasons or evidence an author provides for a claim. Ask them to use
the frame the author’s claim is convincing ( or unconvincing) because ________.
 Have students examine advertisements to identify the argument in each.
 Have partners search magazines and newspaper articles to find examples of overgeneralization or unreliable
evidence as non examples of supported reasoning.
 What claim did __________ make? What evidence did they provide to support their argument?
 Ask students to select a letter to the editor or an editorial from the newspaper. What claims are made? What
evidence is provided? Summarize the argument and decide if it is convincing or not.
 Based on this evidence ____________ why was _____________going to happen?
 What text evidence supports the claim that _________________?
 What final argument does the author make about _________?
 Have students create a T Chart labeled fact and opinion- Ask students to record on the chart as they read. This
will assist them in evaluating the argument the author is making.
 What claim is supported by the detail that ______________?
 Which of the author’s claims are not supported with facts?
 Which of the author’s claims are supported with opinions?
 Is the author’s claim that ___________ supported in the text? Why? Or Why not?
 Do you think that ____________ is true? What evidence in the text supports your answer?
 After reading two pieces of text on a similar topic – Ask students if there was any contradictory information
contained in the text they read.
Grade 6 RI 9 Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g. a memoir written
by and a biography on the same person).
 When comparing text be sure to include text features and how they impact your understanding of the text.
 Help students identify similarities and differences between the two texts have them use a Venn diagram to
compare and contrast the author’s presentation of events. Remind them to include text evidence to support
their responses.
 As students compare 2 pieces of text on the same topic ask them to consider how the author’s purpose affects
their approach to similar topics.
 How are these two passages alike and how are they different? Use details from the passages to support your
response.
 Consider using a Venn diagram with students to assist them in comparing and contrasting how the two texts
approach and present similar events. Students should cite text evidence for each of their observations
 Use a three column chart to record information from both sources. List key ideas presented in each piece of
text.
 How are the events depicted in ________ (a memoir) and ______ (a biography about the same person) alike and
different? Use examples from the texts in your comparison.
 Explain why the events depicted in ____ (a memoir) and ____ (a biography about the same person) are alike and
different. Use examples from the texts in your comparison.
 Which depiction of events do you think is more reliable, the one in ______ (a memoir) or ____ (a biography
about the same person)? Why? Use examples from the texts in your comparison.