Language Arts - 6th Grade
Reading, writing, and discussions are guided by thematic questions and student choice. The curriculum over the three years of middle school includes diversity in gender, culture, race, and socio-economic perspectives.
Each year, students undertake an interdisciplinary research project that connects with their History curriculum, culminating in a written report, a visual display, and an oral presentation for the History Fair.
READING
Genres
- Fiction: historical fiction, short stories, poetry, vignettes, science fiction, realistic fiction, graphic novels
- Nonfiction: expository texts, essays, articles, websites,
- Independent reading
Reading Analysis Strategies
- Quote analysis
- Know Wonder Learn
- Integrated vocabulary building
- Blooms taxonomy questions
- On, Between, and Beyond the lines text analysis
Approaches to Learning
- Analytical discussions of literature
- Scaffolding
- Collaboration
- Describing context, making connections, and discovering personal response
- Student choice
- Previewing themes and questions
- Review writing
Listening and Speaking Strategies
- Socratic discussions
- Oral presentations
- Online discussions
- Student blogs
- Debate
- Think Pair Share
WRITING
Writing Conventions
- Integrated practice (grammar, punctuation, parts of speech, etc.)
- Vocabulary development
- Ideas
- Personal voice
- Structure
- Narrative techniques
Creative Writing Units of Study
- Personal narrative/memoir
- Short stories/elements of story
- Poetry/vignettes
Expository Writing Units of Study
- Literature response and analysis paragraphs
- Thesis based literature essays
- Personal response paragraphs
- Persuasive arguments
- Research reports
Approaches to Learning
- Brainstorming
- Research: media literacy, source evaluation and integration
- Planning
- Proofreading
- Peer-editing
- Revising
- Publishing
- Problem solving
- Note taking
- Summarizing
- Student choice
- Collaboration
- Projects
- Portfolios
Citations
- MLA citations for books, websites, encyclopedias, videos, first person interviews, images