GRADE 6 First Six Weeks
Analyzing Literature
Weeks 5-6
Character Analysis
Textbook Resources: Reading
Resources for Building Understanding of Language Arts:
Introduce concept of Character Analysis using Part 2: The People on the Page
Part 3: Analyze the Literature , (Holt McDougal pgs. 194-197)
Passages and Resources for Modeling Skills and Student Practice:
Eleven, (Holt McDougal pgs. 200-203)
The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, (Holt McDougal pgs. 269-271)
Additional Resources:
Dialect and Conversational Voice (Unit 2 Resource Manger, pg. 63)
Resources for Extension and Application:
On Turning Ten, (Holt McDougal pgs. 293-294)–Focus on Fluency and teach the students that characters traits are evident in poetry.
The Prince and the Pauper, (Holt McDougal pgs. 154-164)-Focus on Fluency and teach the students that characters traits are evident in drama.
Also teacher can compare and contrast a movie with a play using “The Prince and the Pooch” on YouTube
(Additional Resources listed are only recommendations. Teachers may make use of other available resources to support instruction of TEKS).
Textbook Resources: English
Reading and Writing Connection:
Most students tend to write in 1st person, and when they do shift to 3rd person, it is almost always a 3rd person omniscient perspective. But what is a student had to write in a 3 rd person limited perspective? Could they show the reader what
a character is thinking or feeling without just telling them? Challenge students to write a brief paper written from the 3 rd person limited perspective. Have the students read the paper aloud to class, and see if the class can tell what the
characters is thinking or feeling.
Example: “As Emma approached the old house her heart began to beat faster and she was visibly shaking. Her eyes were wide as she turned her head trying to see in all directions at once. Her breathing was heavy and her hands shook as
she reached out to touch the door knob”.
Have students write a Comparison / Contrast Essay, (Holt McDougal pgs. 296-304 TE). Have students show each step in the writing process from one day to the next. At the end of this two-week period, students should turn in all of their
work leading up to the final draft.
Time allowing: Teachers may opt to have students take the Texas Assessment Practice, Phoenix Farm & Ruby Haller, (Holt McDougal pgs. 308-313).
Vocabulary/Word Study
☼Tip for Teaching Vocabulary:
Play the synonym game with your students.
Divide the class into two teams. With each
round, the teacher introduces a character
trait with many synonyms (e.g., “happy”)
and each team must come up with as many
synonyms as they can in 3 minutes (e.g.,
glad, cheerful, delighted, elated, etc.). The
teacher keeps score, awarding 1 point for
each word a team thought of that the other
team did not think of (e.g., if both teams
think of “thrilled”, then neither team gets a
point, but if only one team thinks of that
word, they get a point for it). Don’t forget
to encourage students to use words from the
Reading
TEKS: 6.6A (Readiness) RC2
Summarize the elements of plot development (e.g., rising action, turning
point, climax, falling action, denouement) in various works of fiction.
Fig.19D (Readiness) RC2
Make inferences about text and use textual evidence to support
understanding.
Analyze the Literature , (Holt McDougal pgs. 194-197)
Unit 2
TEKS FOCUS
 First-Person Point of View
 Third-Person Point of View
 Methods of Characterization (physical appearance,
thoughts and actions, other characters, narrator’s
comments)
English
☼Tip for Creative Writing: If students are having a
difficult time writing creatively, help them find an
interesting picture on the internet that might stimulate
their thinking. A simple picture of a helicopter or a
group of horses (for example) can give a student focus
for writing a creative story.
This week, give students time to work on their writing
with a clear expectation that a very well written final
draft should be presented to the class (selected
students) at the end of the week.
Journal and Discussion ideas for responding to literature
word banks in the classroom.
Eleven by, Sandra Cisneros
TEKS: 2B
Use context to determine the meaning of
unfamiliar words
Vocabulary Study………………………………pg. 25
Self-Assessment of Word Meaning
Vocabulary Practice………………………....pg. 26
Academic Language
Vocabulary Strategy…………………………pg. 71
Find The Best Synonym
Grammar in Context…………………………pg. 74
Avoid Run-On Sentences
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………..pg. 07
Note Taking: METHODS OF CHARACTERIZATION...pg. 10
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 175
___________________________________________________
TEKS: 6.4 (Supporting) RC2
Understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and
elements of poetry and provide evidence from text.
Fig.19C
Monitor and adjust comprehension (creating sensory images).
Eleven by, Sandra Cisneros
Unit 1
TEKS FOCUS
 First-Point of View
 Connect
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 11
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….….pg. 12
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 15
Ideas for Extension………………………………………pg. 16
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 18
Big Question (CPQ): Is AGE more than a number?
Summary…………………………………………………pg. 19
Literary Analysis: FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW..pg. 21
Reading Strategy: CONNECT …………………………pg. 23
Reading Check…………………………………………...pg. 28
Question Support…………………………………………pg. 29
Reading Fluency………………………………………….pg. 30
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 175
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…..pg. 67
Selection Test B/C………………………………….........pg. 69
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 302
___________________________________________________
TEKS: 6.7A (Supporting) RC1
Identify the literary language and devices used in memoirs and personal
narratives and compare their characteristics with those of an
autobiography.
Role-Playing and Discovery
by, Jerry Pinkney from
The Life and Adventures of Nat Love
Role-Playing and Discovery by, Jerry Pinkney from
The Life and Adventures of Nat Love
from learner.org
TEKS:
6.14-Writing/Writing Process
6.17- Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts
6.19-Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions
6.20- Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting,
Capitalization, and Punctuation
6.21-Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling
Responding to Texts – (Texas Write Source pg.296)
Eleven, (Holt McDougal pgs. 200-203)
TEKS: 2A
Determine the meaning of grade-level
academic English words derived from
Latin, Greek, or other linguistic works.
Vocabulary Study……………………………pg. 123
Self-Assessment of Word Meaning
Vocabulary Practice………………………..pg. 124
Academic Language
Vocabulary Strategy………………………pg. 125
The Latin Word cooperire
Unit 2
TEKS FOCUS
 Narrative Nonfiction
 Identify Language and Tone
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 109
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….….pg. 110
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 111
Ideas for Extension………………………………………pg. 114
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 116
Big Question (CPQ): What makes a MEMORY last?
Summary…………………………………………………pg. 117
Literary Analysis: NARRATIVE NONFICTION……...pg. 119
Reading Strategy: IDENTIFY LANGUAGE AND TONE……...pg. 121
Reading Check…………………………………………...pg. 126
Question Support………………………………………...pg. 127
Reading Fluency…………………………………………pg. 128
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 182
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…..pg. 83
Selection Test B/C………………………………….........pg. 85
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 311
___________________________________________________
TEKS: 6.4 (Supporting) RC1
Identify the literary language and devices used in memoirs and personal
narratives and compare their characteristics with those of an
autobiography.
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by, Maya Angelou
On Turning Ten by, Billy Collins
Unit 2
TEKS FOCUS
 Speaker
 Reading Poetry
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 149
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….….pg. 150
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 153
Ideas for Extension………………………………………pg. 154
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 156
Big Question (CPQ): Life Doesn’t Frighten Me?
Literary Analysis: SPEAKER…………………...……...pg. 157
Reading Strategy: READING POETRY………..……...pg. 159
Question Support………………………………………...pg. 161
Reading Fluency…………………………………………pg. 162
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 185
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…..pg. 91
Selection Test B/C………………………………….........pg. 93
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 314
___________________________________________________
TEKS: 2A
Determine the meaning of grade-level
academic English words derived from
Latin, Greek, or other linguistic works.
The PRINCE and the PAUPER
by, Mark Twain
Dramatized by, Joellen Bland
Vocabulary Study……………………………pg. 211
Story Predictions
Vocabulary Practice………………………..pg. 124
Academic Language
Vocabulary Strategy………………………pg. 125
The Latin Word cooperire
TEKS: 6.5 (Supporting) RC2
Understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and
elements of drama and provide evidence from text.
The PRINCE and the PAUPER by, Mark Twain
Dramatized by, Joellen Bland
Unit 1
TEKS FOCUS
 Conflict in Drama
 Reading a Play
Lesson Contents
Lesson at a Glance ………………………………………pg. 197
Lesson Plan and Resource Guide…………………….….pg. 198
Additional Selection Questions………………………….pg. 200
Ideas for Extension………………………………………pg. 201
Teacher Notes……………………………………………pg. 203
Big Question (CPQ): Who Would You Be If You Could?
Summary…………………………………………………pg. 205
Literary Analysis: CONFILICT IN DRAMA…………..pg. 207
Reading Strategy: READING A PLAY..………..……...pg. 209
Reading Check…………………………………………..pg. 212
Question Support………………………………………...pg. 213
Reading Fluency…………………………………………pg. 214
Answer Key………………………………………….…..pg. 253
ASSESSMENT
Selection Test A ……………………………………..…..pg. 59
Selection Test B/C………………………………….........pg. 61
Answer Key……………………………………………...pg. 298
Strategies for Student Engagement:
Activating prior knowledge: Students’ days are really quite hectic. They move from class to class, teacher to teacher, subject to subject. When they enter your class, odds are, their minds are
still dealing with a previous class or some other issue. They usually have a hard time remembering what they learned in your class the previous day (or previous week!).
Before a new unit, before a new text, or just at the beginning of the class, take a few minutes to get students’ minds back in language arts. For example, try starting every class with an opennote, collaborative quiz over the big ideas discussed in your class the previous day. This isn’t a test-students should work together to complete the quiz. The goal is to have students remember
what they’ve already learned before adding a new information in today’s lesson.
Best Practices (ELPS, GT, Differentiation):
Point of view and perspective can be very challenging for second language learners who have difficulty with different pronouns and verb tenses that go along with perspective changes. Give
your ELL students a “cheat sheet” with examples of different changes that occur when the perspective changes or when the voice (passive vs. active) changes.
Example: IAM talking, she IS talking, they ARE talking.
Fluency:
Have students practice in small groups reading, (On Turning Ten, Holt McDougal pgs. 293-294) until they are able to read it with great fluency and expression. Then discuss the feelings of the
character and the changes the character undergoes in the poem.
Similarly, teachers may have small groups of students practice the play, The Prince and the Pauper, (Holt McDougal pgs. 154-164) until they are fairly fluent with their parts. Then talk to the
students about literary elements included in the play and the changes the characters undergo in the story.
Anchors of Support:
Students can create T-Charts (with the support from the teacher) drawing connections between the way characters are described and the inferences that the reader makes as a result. The
students should also focus on things the character says, and other clue words that the author gives the reader to figure out what the character is thinking or feeling or what kind of person the
character is.