Grade 6 English Language Arts

Course Description

In this course, students will build knowledge while fostering exploration of our world through literacy. Students will develop critical thinking skills through collaborative conversations, analytical writing, genre writing, and ownership of learning.

Reading Comprehension and Literary Analysis: In this course, students develop strong reading skills by identifying main ideas, making inferences, and analyzing literary elements like figurative language, dialogue, and tone. They use context clues, text features, and text structures to understand fiction, nonfiction, and biographies. Students explore how people face challenges and grow, deepening their understanding of human character and meaning in texts.

Writing: Writers will communicate their ideas effectively by purposefully planning, organizing, and revising their work across various genres, using clear structure, vivid language, correct grammar, and appropriate text features to enhance meaning and support their message.

Language Development (Vocabulary, Grammar, and Spelling): In this course, students learn how language works by studying word parts, grammar rules, and usage patterns. They explore prefixes, suffixes, root words (especially from Latin and Greek), and spelling patterns to understand and decode new words and improve spelling. Students also practice grammar skills like subject-verb agreement, correct pronoun use, and punctuation to strengthen their reading and writing.

Exploring Human Experience: In this course, students read literature, biographies, and informational texts to understand how people grow through challenges, make important choices, and work together toward common goals. They explore how history, culture, and innovation shape our world and how the past influences the present. Through reading and writing, students discover themes of resilience, responsibility, and human connection.

Course Big Ideas

Strong readers use evidence and inference to deepen understanding.
Text features and structures enhance comprehension.
Words carry meaning and power.
Language has rules that support clear communication.
Writers express ideas with purpose and craft.
Genre exploration builds perspective and appreciation.

Course Essential Questions

How do natural forces affect Earth?
How do new experiences offer new perspectives?
What factors influence how people use money?
How did democracy develop?
What was life like for people in ancient cultures?
What can the past teach us?
What kinds of challenges transform people?
What can people accomplish by working together?
What steps can people take to promote a healthier environment?
How do people meet personal challenges?
When are decisions hard to make?
How can we take responsibility?
How do people benefit from innovation?
How do people show inner strength?
How have tools used for exploration evolved over time?

Course Competencies

Readers cite evidence, make inferences, and identify main ideas, themes, and structural elements across genres.
Students read across genres—including poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction—develop students’ understanding of human experiences, voice, and literary techniques.
Students write effectively by planning, revising, and choosing the right form—whether narrative, informational, or argumentative—to communicate meaningfully.
Students have a knowledge of roots, prefixes, suffixes, and context clues to empower students to unlock word meanings, expand vocabulary, and understand nuance in language.
Students master grammar, sentence structure, and conventions to write and speak with clarity, precision, and style.
Students understand how authors use text features, sequence, and comparison helps readers navigate and analyze both fiction and nonfiction texts.

Course Assessments

Written responses in “Respond to Reading”
Weekly spelling tests (weeks 1-5)
Weekly grammar tests (weeks 1-5)
Selection tests (weeks 2, 4, 5)
Progress Monitoring Assessments (after Text Set 1 and Text Set 2)
Personal Narrative
Lyric Poem
Argumentative Writing
Informational/Expository Writing

Course Units

Unit 1: Wonders

Standards

PA Core ELA Standards:
Reading Literature / Informational

CC.1.2.6.A Determine the 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. (E06.B-K.1.1.2)
CC.1.2.6.B / CC.1.3.6.B Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text. (E06.B-K.1.1.1, E06.A-K.1.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.D Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. (E06.B-C.2.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.F / CC.1.3.6.F Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade-level reading and content, including interpretation of figurative language in context.
E06.A-V.4.1.2, E06.B-V.4.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Interpret figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) in context.
E06.B-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
CC.1.2.6.G Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CC.1.2.6.H Evaluate an author’s argument by examining claims and determining if they are supported by evidence.
E06.B-C.3.1.1 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not (e.g., fact/opinion, bias).
CC.1.2.6.I Examine how two authors present similar information in different types of text.
E06.B-C.3.1.2 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).
CC.1.2.6.J / CC.1.3.6.J Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
CC.1.2.6.K / CC.1.3.6.I Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.
E06.A-V.4.1.1, E06.B-V.4.1.1
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
CC.1.3.6.C Describe how a particular story 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. (E06.A-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.3.6.H Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics as well as their use of additional literary elements. (E06.A-C.3.1.1)
CC.1.3.6.K Read and comprehend literary fiction text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.

Writing

CC.1.4.6.M Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
CC.1.4.6.N Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters. (E06.C.1.3.1)
CC.1.4.6.O Use narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, and pacing to develop experiences, events, and/or characters; use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. (E06.C.1.3.2)
CC.1.4.6.P Organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically, using a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another; provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences and events. (E06.C.1.3.3, E06.C.1.3.5)
CC.1.4.6.Q Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition.
E06.C.1.3.4 Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
E06.D.2.1.1 Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
E06.D.2.1.2 Develop and maintain a consistent voice.
E06.D.2.1.3 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
E06.D.2.1.4 Use sentences of varying lengths and complexities.
E06.D.2.1.5 Choose words and phrases for effect.
CC.1.4.6.R Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
E06.D.1.1.6 Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-on sentences.
E06.D.1.2.1 Use punctuation (e.g., commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
E06.D.1.2.2 Spell correctly.
CC.1.4.6.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.
E06.E.1.1.1 Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which areas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
E06.E.1.1.2 Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrating an understanding of the text(s).
E06.E.1.1.3 Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
E06.E.1.1.4 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.
E06.E.1.1.5 Establish and maintain a formal style.
E06.E.1.1.6 Provide a concluding section that follows from the analysis presented.
CC.1.4.6.T With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CC.1.4.6.U Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.

Speaking/Listening

CC.1.5.6.A Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.6.B Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims by identifying specific reasons and evidence, and recognize arguments or claims not supported by factual evidence.
CC.1.5.6.E Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
CC.1.5.6.G Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 6 level and content.

Know

Building Knowledge

Natural forces affect the Earth.
New experiences offer new perspectives.
Many factors influence how people use money.

Word Work

Short-vowel sounds are often spelled with just one vowel: a for /a/, e for /e/, i for /i/, o for /o/, and u for /u/.
Short vowels can be spelled with other patterns, such as ea for /e/.
Long-vowel sounds are spelled with vowel-consonant-e (VCe).
Long-vowel sounds are spelled with two vowels (VV).
Words are frequently misspelled when they have irregular spelling patterns or get confused with similar-sounding words.
Different letter combinations can produce the same sound, such as the /er/ sounds.
A vowel followed by the letter r is called an r-controlled vowel.
Compound words are made up of two or more words. They can be closed, open, or hyphenated.

Comprehension

Use text evidence to support your ideas about the main idea of a text.
Use texts to make inferences and draw conclusions.
A simile compares two unlike things or ideas using the words like or as.
A metaphor compares two unlike things or ideas without using like or as.
Maps show the locations of places discussed in the text.
Models provide simple visual explanations of detailed factual information.
Use the descriptions of settings, characters, and events in a story to imagine what they look like.
Dialogue often reveals the thoughts and feelings of a character. It can also help you understand how a character solves a problem or what a character learns.
In fiction, changes to the setting often affect characters and shape events in the plot.
Writers use imagery when they describe ideas, actions, people, or things with words and phrases that create mental images in a reader’s mind.
Adding a prefix or a suffix to a word changes the word’s meaning.
An author can include facts or statements that can be proven to support the claim. Authors may also support a claim with examples or opinions.
The author supports his or her claims with reasons and may include text features such as graphs, sidebars, and headings.

Writing/Conventions

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence must have a subject and a predicate.
A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought.
There are several types of sentences that express variations in thoughts and use different punctuation.
A conjunction joins words or groups of words.
Use proper punctuation and conjunctions to separate compound sentences.
A compound subject has two or more subjects with the same predicate, and a compound predicate has two or more predicates with the same subject.
Sentences are made up of dependent and independent clauses; some are essential and some are non-essential.
To join independent and dependent clauses, use relative pronouns and adverbs correctly.
Use correct punctuation or conjunctions to separate clauses in a sentence.
A run-on sentence may be two main clauses separated by only a comma, two main clauses with no punctuation between them, or two main clauses with no comma before the coordinating conjunction.
A personal narrative is a piece of nonfiction writing that tells a story from the author’s life. A personal narrative is usually told from the first-person point of view and expresses the writer’s thoughts and feelings about an experience, follows a logical sequence of events, and uses vivid descriptions to help readers imagine the experience.
Authors of personal narratives choose their words carefully to help readers understand their emotions. They include precise verbs, vivid adjectives, and figurative language to express feelings and establish mood.

Understanding/Key Learning

Readers deepen comprehension by identifying main ideas, making inferences, and analyzing literary elements such as figurative language, dialogue, and tone, while using text features and evidence to support their thinking.
Writers clearly communicate ideas in narratives and opinion essays by organizing thoughts logically, using vivid language and sentence variety, and applying correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
Understanding word patterns—including short and long vowels, r-controlled vowels, roots, prefixes, suffixes, and compound words—helps students decode, spell, and determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
People’s behaviors, choices, and perspectives are shaped by natural forces, personal experiences, and economic factors, which can be explored and better understood through reading and writing.

Do

Genre Study 1 (Narrative Nonfiction)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify main idea and key details.
Identify and use text features such as maps and models.
Plan and draft a personal narrative.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Identify and explain metaphors and similes.
Identify different types of sentences, including sentence fragments.
Identify subjects and predicates.
Decode words with short vowels.
Decode words with long vowels.

Genre Study 2 (Realistic Fiction)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Compare and contrast characters, settings, and plot events.
Identify how the character responds or changes as a result of the events in the plot.
Identify narrator and dialogue.
Edit and revise a personal narrative.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of words using context clues.
Identify how to combine sentences.
Identify complex sentences, including clauses.
Write, edit, and rewrite a personal narrative with guidance and support from peers and adults.
Decode frequently misspelled words.
Decode words with r-controlled vowels.

Genre Study 3 (Argumentative Text)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify author’s point of view.
Identify and use text features, such as graphs and sidebars.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Use root words to define unfamiliar words.
Identify run-on sentences and comma splices.
Decode compound words.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

How can I use evidence from a text to support my thinking or opinion?
What clues in a text help me make inferences and draw conclusions?
How can I determine the main idea of a text, even when it isn’t directly stated?
How do text features like maps, graphs, and sidebars support my understanding of nonfiction?
How does an author’s point of view influence the message or meaning of a text?
How can I plan, write, and revise a personal narrative that expresses my thoughts clearly?
How do figurative language tools like similes and metaphors enhance meaning and imagery?
How do characters, settings, and plots compare across different stories?
What can dialogue and narration reveal about a character’s traits and growth?
How do I identify and fix sentence fragments, run-ons, and create more complex sentences?
How can understanding roots, prefixes, suffixes, and spelling patterns help me figure out unfamiliar words?
How can I improve my spelling and pronunciation using common patterns, including r-controlled and compound words?

Materials/Resources

Resource	Genre Study 1 (weeks 1-2)	Genre Study 2 (weeks 3-4)	Genre Study 3 (week 5)
Interactive Read Aloud	The Roar of Lava	Crossing the Creek	Let’s Talk Cents!
Shared Read	The Monster in the Mountain	Cow Music	Making Money: A Story of Change
Anchor Text	Into the Volcano	Little Blog on the Prairie	The Economic Roller Coaster
Paired Selection	Donna O’Meara: The Volcano Lady	The Writing on the Wall	Our Federal Reserve at Work
Leveled Readers	Exploring the Deep	Call Me Max	Money Changes
Games (Data Collected)	U1 Main Idea/Details and Similes/Metaphors	U1 Character, Setting, Plot: Compare and Contrast and Context Clues: Sentence Clues	U1 Author’s Point of View and Root Words
Other	Family Letter, Online Lesson Resources Presentation, Visual Vocabulary Cards, Spelling List, Weekly Printables, Differentiated Genre Passages, Reading Writing Companion, IXL

Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary
Weeks 1-2

cascaded
documentation
dynamic
exerts
plummeting
pulverize
scalding
shards

Weeks 3-4

consolation
glimmer
heinous
indispensable
perception
phobic
sarcastic
threshold

Week 5

available
basically
factors
fluctuate
formula
inventory
manufactured
salaries

ELA Academic Language
Grammar:

fragment
run-on
subjects
predicates
correlative
conjunctions
simple/compound/
complex Sentences
independent/
dependent clauses
inflectional endings

Reading:

main idea
key details
visualize
affect
effect
sidebar
graphs
numerical data
diagram
models
imagery
relevant
objective
bias
metaphors
similes

Genres:

narrative nonfiction
informational text
biography
realistic fiction
argumentative text

Phonics/Fluency:

expression
phrasing
intonation
rate

Writing:

personal narrative
impact
sequence
logical
vivid
constructive feedback
claim
key details
cause/effect
expert quotations

CC.1.2.6.A Determine the 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. (E06.B-K.1.1.2)
CC.1.2.6.B / CC.1.3.6.B Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text. (E06.B-K.1.1.1, E06.A-K.1.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.C Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text. (E06.B-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.2.6.E Analyze the author’s structure through the use of paragraphs, chapters, or sections.
E06.B-C.2.1.2 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, section, or text feature fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
CC.1.2.6.F / CC.1.3.6.F Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade-level reading and content, including interpretation of figurative language in context.
E06.A-V.4.1.2, E06.B-V.4.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Interpret figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) in context.
- Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
E06.A-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
E06.B-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text.
CC.1.2.6.G Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CC.1.2.6.I Examine how two authors present similar information in different types of text.
E06.B-C.3.1.2 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).
CC.1.2.6.J / CC.1.3.6.J Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
CC.1.2.6.K / CC.1.3.6.I Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.
E06.A-V.4.1.1, E06.B-V.4.1.1
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
CC.1.2.6.L Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
CC.1.3.6.A 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. (E06.A-K.1.1.2)
CC.1.3.6.D Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.1 Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text; explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text; describe the effectiveness of the point of view used by the author.
CC.1.3.6.E Analyze how the structure of a text contributes to the development of theme, setting, and plot. (E06.A-C.2.1.2)
CC.1.3.6.G Compare and contrast the experiences of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what is “seen” and “heard” when reading the text to what is perceived when listening or watching.

Writing

CC.1.4.6.Q Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition.
E06.1.3.4 Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
E06.D.2.1.1 Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
E06.D.2.1.2 Develop and maintain a consistent voice.
E06.D.2.1.3 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
E06.D.2.1.4 Use sentences of varying lengths and complexities.
E06.D.2.1.5 Choose words and phrases for effect.
CC.1.4.6.R Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
E06.D.1.2.2 Spell correctly.
E06.D.1.2.3 Use punctuation to separate items in a series.
CC.1.4.6.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.
E06.E.1.1.1 Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which areas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
E06.E.1.1.2 Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrate an understanding of the text(s).
E06.E.1.1.3 Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
E06.E.1.1.4 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.
E06.E.1.1.5 Establish and maintain a formal style.
E06.E.1.1.6 Provide a concluding section that follows from the analysis presented.
CC.1.4.6.T With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CC.1.4.6.U Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
CC.1.4.6.X Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking/Listening

CC.1.5.6.A Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.6.E Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
CC.1.5.6.G Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 6 level and content.

Know

Building Knowledge

Democracy developed over time.
Life was different for people in ancient cultures.
The past can teach us.

Word Work

To form the plural of nouns ending in a consonant followed by o, add -s or -es.
In words that end in -f or -fe, change it to -v plus -es to form the plural. For words ending in -ff, add -s.
Some nouns have no spelling change when they are in the plural form.
A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.
A plural noun names more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Most plural nouns are formed by adding -s or -es to a singular noun.
If a word ends in y and the letter in front of the y is a vowel, then add -s.
If the letter in front of the y is a consonant, then drop the y and add -ies.
To form the plural of some nouns ending in f or fe, change f to v and add -es or -s.
To form the plural of a noun that ends in a vowel followed by o, add -s.
To form the plural of a noun that ends in a consonant followed by o, add -s or -es.
A collective noun names a group. It can be singular or plural.
A possessive noun names who or what owns something, singular when it names one owner, and can be common or proper.
Add an apostrophe and -s to make a singular noun possessive, even when the noun ends in s.
An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed next to a noun or pronoun to identify it.
An appositive phrase includes the appositive and the words that modify the appositive.

Comprehension

Knowing the meanings of prefixes that come from Greek and Latin, such as en- (“in,” “into”), pro- (“in front”), and re- (“back,” “again”) can help you define unfamiliar words.
Asking and answering questions about key details in an expository text can help you monitor, or check, your comprehension and better understand the information.
Charts often summarize information or compare related details from the text.
Diagrams illustrate specific ideas from the text in a more visual way.
Authors of expository texts sometimes organize their ideas by comparing and contrasting them. A text about history often presents differing views that people had about a topic.
Denotation is a word's literal meaning as explained in a dictionary. Connotation is the feeling or idea associated with a word. This can be identified by looking at the context in which a word appears.
Pausing occasionally to predict what will happen next in a text can improve a reader's understanding of the plot and keep the reader involved in the story.
Historical Setting: The setting places the plot in a real place from the past.
Foreign Language Words: The characters use ancient words from another language.
In fiction, a narrator tells the story. When one of the story's characters is the narrator, the story has a first-person point of view. When the narrator is someone outside the story, that story has a third-person point of view. In a third-person limited point of view, the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character. In third-person omniscient, or all-knowing, the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of every character.
Personification is figurative language that gives human qualities to nonhuman objects, animals, or ideas. Personification can make a poem more vivid by creating an image in the reader’s mind.
Poets often use sound patterns to write a poem's stanzas, or groups of lines. This can give a poem a musical quality. One sound pattern, rhyme scheme, is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line. Another pattern, meter, is the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. A stressed syllable is the accented, or emphasized, syllable in a word. In the word apple, the first syllable is stressed and the second is unstressed.
Lyric poetry expresses a speaker’s personal thoughts and feelings. Although it has a musical quality, it does not always rhyme.
A sonnet is a type of lyric poem with fourteen lines and a pattern to its end rhymes. It often contains pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables.
The theme of a poem is the overall idea or message that the poet wants to communicate to readers. Sometimes a poem can have more than one theme. To determine the theme of a poem, look for key details that provide clues about the message the poet wants to convey.

Writing/Conventions

A common noun names any person, place, thing, or idea and is not capitalized unless it begins a sentence.
A proper noun names a specific person, place, thing, or idea and is always capitalized.
In the opening of a business letter, capitalize the salutation, the person’s name, and his or her abbreviated title.
Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter. Use a comma after the closing.
Most plural nouns are formed by adding -s or -es to a singular noun.
If a word ends in a vowel and y, add -s. If the word ends in a consonant and y, drop the y and add -ies.
If a noun ends in -f, sometimes add -s, but sometimes change the f to a v and add -es. If a noun ends in -lf, change the f to a v and add -es. For most nouns ending in -fe, change the f to a v and add -s.
Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. Use a comma after each element except the last one of the series.
In a business letter, follow the salutation with a colon. Follow the closing with a comma.
To form the plural of some nouns ending in f or fe, change f to v and add -es or -s.
To form the plural of a noun that ends in a vowel followed by o, add -s.
To form the plural of a noun that ends in a consonant followed by o, add -s or -es.
A collective noun names a group. It can be singular or plural.
Some nouns have irregular plural forms. These plurals do not end in -s.
Some nouns stay the same whether singular or plural.
A possessive noun names who or what owns something. A possessive noun can be common or proper.
A singular possessive noun names one owner. A plural possessive noun names more than one owner.
If a plural noun is regular and ends in -s, add an apostrophe to make it a possessive noun.
If a plural noun is irregular and does not end in -s, add an apostrophe and -s to make it possessive.
An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed next to a noun or pronoun to identify it.
An appositive phrase includes the appositive and the words that modify the appositive.
An essential or restrictive appositive defines a noun so the sentence is easier to understand.
A nonessential or nonrestrictive appositive is not necessary to understand the sentence. Use commas to set off nonessential appositives.
Lyric poetry expresses a speaker’s thoughts and personal feelings about a topic.
A lyric poem can include rhyme, meter, and other sound devices; uses sensory language, or words and phrases that appeal to a reader's senses, to help readers visualize the content of the poem; includes carefully chosen words that convey a certain mood.

Understanding/Key Learning

The past influences the present. Understanding how democracy, culture, and historical events evolved helps students make sense of modern society and current global perspectives.
Reading deeply helps us discover meaning. Strong readers analyze text structures, literary elements, and context clues to make inferences, identify themes, and interpret both fiction and nonfiction effectively.
Clear writing is a process of purpose and precision. Writers express their ideas through planning, revising, and using structure, grammar, and style intentionally across a variety of genres.
Language has rules and patterns that support understanding. Recognizing word parts, grammar conventions, and usage patterns enables clearer communication and helps readers and writers make sense of unfamiliar words and sentence structures.

Do

Genre Study 1 (Expository Text)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Compare and contrast ideas and concepts.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Use Greek and Latin prefixes to define unfamiliar words.
Identify different kinds of nouns, including common, proper, concrete, and abstract.
Identify singular and plural nouns.

Genre Study 2 (Historic Fiction)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify point of view.
Identify literary elements, such as setting and foreign language words.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the connotation and denotation of words.
Identify more plural nouns, including irregular plural forms.
Identify possessive nouns.

Genre Study 3 (Poetry)

Cite relevant evidence from the text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Use key details to determine the theme.
Identify and understand the structure of lyric poetry and sonnets.
Plan and draft a lyric poem.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Identify and evaluate the poet’s use of personification.
Identify appositives, including essential and nonessential.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

How does citing evidence from a text support our understanding and ideas?
What strategies help us make accurate inferences when information isn’t directly stated?
How do key details help us identify themes and deeper meanings in texts?
In what ways does the point of view influence how a story is told and understood?
How can we analyze literary elements, like setting and figurative language, to better understand a text?
What are the characteristics of different forms of poetry, such as lyric poems and sonnets?
How do poets use literary devices like personification to convey mood or meaning?
How do we revise and edit our writing to improve clarity, organization, and style?
What is the purpose of appositives, and how do essential and nonessential appositives affect sentence meaning?

Materials/Resources

Resource	Genre Study 1 (weeks 1-2)	Genre Study 2 (weeks 3-4)	Genre Study 3 (week 5)
Interactive Read Aloud	The Road to Democracy	The Special Guest	My Friend Fred
Shared Read	The Democracy Debate	Yaskul’s Mighty Trade	Ozymandias and Lifelong Friends
Anchor Text	Who Created Democracy?	Roman Diary	Majestic, Mummy, and Clay
Paired Selection	How Ideas Become Laws	The Genius of Roman Aqueducts	Maestro and Tradition
Leveled Readers	Everybody Counts	The Tool Maker The Ambassador	Just Like Pizarro Nat’s Treasure Digging In
Games (Data Collected)	U2 Text Structure: Compare and Contrast and Greek and Latin Prefixes	U2 Point of View and Connotations and Denotations	U2 Theme and Personification
Other	Family Letter, Online Lesson Resources Presentation, Visual Vocabulary Cards, Spelling List, Weekly Printables, Differentiated Genre Passages, Reading Writing Companion

Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary
Weeks 1-2

aspiring
foundation
preceded
principal
promote
restrict
speculation
withstood

Weeks 3-4

alcove
commerce
domestic
exotic
fluent
stifling
upheaval
utmost

Week 5

lyric poetry
sonnet
rhyme scheme
meter
commemorate
contemplate
forlorn
majestic

Skill Vocabulary
Grammar:

prefix and root
abstract nouns
common/proper nouns
abbreviations
colons
singular/plural nouns
irregular nouns
possessive nouns
connotation/ denotation

Reading:

ask and answer questions
purpose
sources
charts
diagrams
compare/contrast
sequential order
credible
focus
persuade
inform
make predictions
confirm
revise
setting
narrator
point of view
first person
illustration
dialogue
advance
convey
compare
theme
author’s craft
speaker
stanza
line
personification

Genres:

expository text
historical Fiction
journal
poem
sonnet
lyric
rhyme scheme
meter

Phonics/Fluency:

accuracy
rate
syllable
phrasing
expression
syllable
intonation

Writing

organize
development
purpose
audience
inform
focus
site
source
relevant
transition
sequence
compare/contrast
connection
feedback
clarify
elaborate
musical quality
sensory language

CC.1.2.6.A/CC.1.3.6.A 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. (E06.B-K.1.1.2, E06.A-K.1.1.2)
CC.1.2.6.C Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text. (E06.B-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.2.6.E Analyze the author’s structure through the use of paragraphs, chapters, or sections.
E06.B-C.2.1.2 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, section, or text feature fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
CC.1.2.6.F / CC.1.3.6.F Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade-level reading and content, including interpretation of figurative language in context.
E06.B-V.4.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category, synonym/antonym) to better understand each of the words.
E06.A-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
E06.B-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text.
CC.1.2.6.G Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CC.1.2.6.H Evaluate an author’s argument by examining claims and determining if they are supported by evidence.
E06.B-C.3.1.1 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not (e.g., fact/opinion, bias).
CC.1.2.6.I Examine how two authors present similar information in different types of text.
E06.B-C.3.1.2 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).
CC.1.2.6.K / CC.1.3.6.I Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.
E06.A-V.4.1.1/E06.B-V.4.1.1
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
CC.1.3.6.B Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text. (E06.A-K.1.1.1)
CC.1.3.6.D Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.1 Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text; explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text; describe the effectiveness of the point of view used by the author.
CC.1.3.6.E Analyze how the structure of a text contributes to the development of theme, setting, and plot. (E06.A-C.2.1.2)
CC.1.3.6.K Read and comprehend literary fiction text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.

Writing

CC.1.4.6.G Write arguments to support claims.
CC.1.4.6.H Introduce and state an opinion on a topic. (E06.C.1.1.1)
CC.1.4.6.I Use clear reasons and relevant evidence to support claims, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic. (E06.C.1.1.2)
CC.1.4.6.J Organize the claim(s) with clear reasons and evidence clearly; clarify relationships among claim(s) and reasons by using words, phrases, and clauses; provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. (E06.C.1.1.3, E06.C.1.1.5)
CC.1.4.6.K Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Use sentences of varying lengths and complexities. Develop and maintain a consistent voice. Establish and maintain a formal style. (E06.C.1.1.4)
CC.1.4.6.L Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
E06.D.1.1.5 Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
CC.1.4.6.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.
E06.E.1.1.1 Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which areas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
E06.E.1.1.2 Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrating an understanding of the text(s).
E06.E.1.1.3 Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
E06.E.1.1.4 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.
E06.E.1.1.5 Establish and maintain a formal style.
E06.E.1.1.6 Provide a concluding section that follows from the analysis presented.
CC.1.4.6.T With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CC.1.4.6.U Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
CC.1.4.6.X Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences.

Speaking/Listening

CC.1.5.6.A Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.6.B Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims by identifying specific reasons and evidence, and recognize arguments or claims not supported by factual evidence.
CC.1.5.6.D Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
CC.1.5.6.E Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
CC.1.5.6.G Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 6 level and content.

Know

Building Knowledge

Challenges transform people.
People can accomplish things by working together.
People can take steps to promote a healthier environment.

Word Work

When a vowel sound is spelled with more than one letter, the syllable is called a vowel team syllable.
Two letters that form one sound, such as ou in around, are called digraphs.
When a vowel is followed by the letter r, the two combine to form a special vowel sound. Both the vowel and the r must remain in the same syllable.
Many words are frequently misspelled because they contain consonants or vowels that do not follow regular spelling patterns. To help you read and write frequently misspelled words, look for familiar spelling patterns, make sure each syllable has a vowel or vowel team, or use memory devices to help you remember how to spell the word.
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word that changes the word’s meaning.

Comprehension

Words in a story can have more than one possible meaning. To figure out which meaning is correct, look for context clues within the paragraph that contains the multiple-meaning word.
When reading realistic fiction, use what you know about the ways the characters act to predict what they might do next. Then use text evidence to confirm or revise your predictions as you read on.
Third-Person Limited Point of View: The narrator presents events mainly through one character’s point of view.
Strong verbs give the reader a more vivid picture of the events.
Authors often use a central plot event to focus the reader’s attention on a theme or message in a story. To identify a story’s theme, use what you learn about the characters, conflicts, and events in the plot to consider what message or idea the author is trying to convey. Remember that stories may have multiple themes.
Knowing the meanings of prefixes and suffixes can help you define unknown words. Common prefixes include re- (“back,” “again”) and un- (“not,” “opposite of"). Common suffixes include -ity (“quality or state of”) and -ful (“full of,” “having”). Prefixes and suffixes often come from ancient Greek or Latin.
Summarizing a nonfiction narrative text helps you monitor your comprehension and remember what you have learned. Pause after reading each section to identify the main idea for each set of related details. If you are having trouble summarizing the content, reread the text.
Voice and Tone: The author’s voice and tone show how he or she feels about the topic. The tone may be expressed in headings as well as the main text.
In a nonfiction narrative, the author may organize the text by explaining a sequence of actions or events that occur over time. Identifying each action or event in sequence can help you understand how the outcome came to pass and what the author’s message is.
Synonyms are words with the same or similar meanings. Antonyms have opposite meanings. You can use the relationship between synonyms and antonyms in the same sentence or paragraph as clues to help you find the meaning of one or both words.
When you reread an argumentative text, you can pause to ask yourself questions about sections that were unclear to you the first time you read them. Looking in the text for the answers to your questions can help you understand the information.
Flowcharts show the steps in a process.
A sidebar can be used to give additional arguments in support of a claim. It can support claims by presenting specific solutions to problems raised by opposing opinions.
The main, or central, idea is the overall point the author makes about a topic, but it may not be stated directly. If no sentence in the text states the idea that ties all the key details together, use what the details have in common to identify the main idea.

Writing/Conventions

An action verb is a word that expresses action. It tells what the subject does or did.
A direct object tells whom or what is affected by the verb’s action. An indirect object appears before the direct object and tells to whom or for whom the action is done.
Use quotation marks before and after someone’s exact words.
Begin a quotation with a capital letter.
Commas and periods always appear inside quotation marks.
If a quotation comes at the end of a sentence, use a period, question mark, or exclamation point to end it. If the sentence continues after a quotation is given, use a comma, question mark, or exclamation point to close the quotation.
The present tense of a verb tells what a subject is doing now. The past tense tells what has already happened. Add -d or -ed to most verbs to show past tense. The future tense tells what is going to happen. Add the helping verb will to show future tense.
A present-tense verb must agree with its subject. Present-tense verbs with a single subject add -s to the base. Present-tense verbs with a plural subject do not add -s.
Treat a compound subject like a plural subject and do not add -s to the verb.
A collective noun is considered singular if it names the group as a whole. It is considered plural if it refers to the group’s members acting individually.
A main verb shows the main action or state of being. A helping verb helps the main verb show tense. Helping verbs include forms of be, do, and have, as well as will, can, may, should, and must. A verb phrase consists of a main verb and one or more helping verbs.
Main and helping verbs form different verb tenses. Avoid shifting verb tenses in a sentence unless the actions occur at different times.
A linking verb links the subject of a sentence with an adjective or a noun. Common linking verbs include seem, appear, look, sound, taste, feel, and forms of be.
A predicate noun is a noun that follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject. A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the subject.
Italicize or underline titles of long works, such as novels, plays, films, newspapers, magazines, artworks, and albums. Use quotation marks around titles of short works, such as short stories, essays, magazine articles, songs, and poems.
Capitalize all the important words in titles, along with the first and last words of the title. Capitalize all linking verbs in a title.
The past tense and past participle of a regular verb are formed by adding the letters -ed.
The past tense and past participle of some irregular verbs are formed by changes in spelling.
A contraction is a single word formed by combining two words and leaving out some letters. An apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
A contraction can be formed with a pronoun and a helping verb.
A persuasive article is a form of argumentative text. It presents a viewpoint, or opinion, about a topic and tries to convince the reader of that viewpoint. A persuasive article clearly introduces the author’s claim about the issue or topic; supports the argument with clear reasons and relevant evidence, such as facts, details, statistics, and quotes; ends with a strong conclusion that aims to convince the audience to agree with the claim.
A persuasive text needs to give reasons for the claim. In order to be convincing, the reasons must be supported by evidence. A reason explains why the writer is making the claim. Evidence includes facts, statistics, and examples that support the claim. The evidence should come from reliable sources.
Focusing on sentence structure can help the writer make ideas clearer and more engaging. Combining sentences that repeat information eliminates wordiness. Adding transition words such as however, similarly, although, and therefore helps readers recognize relationships among claims, reasons, and evidence.

Understanding/Key Learning

When people face difficult situations, they can change and grow stronger. Working together makes it easier to solve problems and reach shared goals, such as caring for the environment.
Understanding vowel teams, prefixes, suffixes, and how vowel and consonant sounds change helps us figure out the meanings of words and avoid common spelling mistakes.
Writers organize information with tools like flowcharts, sidebars, and a sequence of events. They also choose strong verbs, use tone and voice, and add context clues to explain meaning and support their messages.
Proper verb tense, subject-verb agreement, quotation punctuation, and knowledge of collective nouns and verb types help writers communicate ideas clearly and keep their readers engaged.

Do

Genre Study 1 (Realistic Fiction)

Cite relevant evidence from the text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Use key details to determine the theme.
Identify and use literary elements, including point of view.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of words by using context clues.
Identify action verbs and direct and indirect objects.
Identify verb tenses and subject-verb agreement.

Genre Study 2 (Narrative Nonfiction)

Cite relevant evidence from the text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify sequence text structure.
Identify and understand literary elements, such as voice and tone.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of prefixes and suffixes.
Identify main and helping verbs, including perfect tenses and progressive forms.
Identify linking verbs, including predicate nouns and adjectives.

Genre Study 3 (Argumentative Text)

Cite relevant evidence from the text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify the main idea and key details.
Identify and use text features, such as flowcharts and sidebars.
Plan and draft a persuasive article.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meanings of synonyms and antonyms.
Identify irregular verbs, including special spellings.
Write a persuasive article.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

How can I find and cite evidence from the text to support my understanding or opinion?
What clues help me make logical inferences about what a text doesn’t directly say?
How do key details help me identify the main idea or theme of a text?
How does the author’s use of literary elements—like point of view, voice, and tone—shape meaning?
How do I use sequence and text features like flowcharts and sidebars to understand nonfiction texts?
What are the steps to planning, drafting, revising, and editing a realistic fiction story?
What makes realistic fiction believable and engaging for readers?
How do I plan and write a persuasive article that clearly supports my point of view?
What makes a written response show a deep understanding of what I’ve read?
How can I use context clues, prefixes, and suffixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words?
How do synonyms and antonyms improve word choice and deepen understanding of meaning?
How do action verbs, direct and indirect objects work together to form strong sentences?
How do I identify and use different verb tenses accurately, including progressive and perfect forms?
What is the role of linking verbs in sentences, especially when connecting to predicate nouns and adjectives?
How can recognizing irregular verbs and their spellings improve my writing and grammar accuracy?

Materials/Resources

Resource	Genre Study 1 (weeks 1-2)	Genre Study 2 (weeks 3-4)	Genre Study 3 (week 5)
Interactive Read Aloud	On the Mountain	A Spur-of-the-Moment Speech	Away with E-Waste!
Shared Read	Facing the Storm	Jewels from the Sea	Make Your City Green!
Anchor Text	Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy	The Pot That Juan Built	Stewards of the Environment
Paired Selection	Confronting a Challenge	A Box of Ideas	Modern Transit for an Ancient City
Leveled Readers	Bear Country Think Hard, Think Fast The Yard Sale	Coming Together for Change	A World of Water
Games (Data Collected)	U3: Theme and Context Clues: Paragraph Clues	U3: Text Structure Sequence and Prefixes and Suffixes	U3 Main Idea and Key Details and Synonyms and Antonyms
Other	Family Letter, Online Lesson Resources Presentation, Visual Vocabulary Cards, Spelling List, Weekly Printables, Differentiated Genre Passages, Reading Writing Companion

Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary
Weeks 1-2

dilemma
feebly
persistent
recoiled
roused
skewed
summon
vastness

Weeks 3-4

abundant
impoverished
ingenuity
productivity
sharecropper
solitude
unearthed
windswept

Week 5

advocates
commonplace
designate
initial
insulation
invasive
irrational
optimal

Skill Vocabulary
Grammar:

verb
direct objects
indirect objects
verb tenses
subject-verb agreement
linking verbs
perfect tense
progressive forms
irregular verbs

Reading:

problem
practice
motivated
make predictions
context clues
phrase
confirm
revise
third-person
point of view
vivid
theme
visualize
contrast
expression
sources
diagrams
visuals
effects
illustrations
conveys
encounter
conflict
narrator
perspective
voice
tone
mood
sequence
synthesize
foreshadow
synonyms
antonyms
environment
generate
main idea
details
debate
moderator
claim
evidence
refute
reliable
credible
convince

Genres:

realistic fiction
personal narrative
narrative nonfiction
argumentative text

Phonics:

vowel teams
syllable
phrasing
prefixes
suffixes

CC.1.2.6.A / CC.1.3.6.A 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. (E06.B-K.1.1.2, E06.A-K.1.1.2)
CC.1.2.6.D Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. (E06.B-C.2.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.F / CC.1.3.6.F Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade-level reading and content, including interpretation of figurative language in context.
E06.A-V.4.1.2, E06.B-V.4.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Interpret figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) in context.
E06.B-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
CC.1.2.6.G Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CC.1.2.6.I Examine how two authors present similar information in different types of text.
E06.B-C.3.1.2 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).
CC.1.2.6.J / CC.1.3.6.J Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
CC.1.2.6.K / CC.1.3.6.I Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.
E06.A-V.4.1.1, E06.B-V.4.1.1
- Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
CC.1.2.6.L Read and comprehend literary nonfiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
CC.1.3.6.B Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text. (E06.A-K.1.1.1)
CC.1.3.6.C Describe how a particular story 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. (E06.A-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.3.6.D Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.1 Determine an author’s purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text; explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text; describe the effectiveness of the point of view used by the author.
CC.1.3.6.E Analyze how the structure of a text contributes to the development of theme, setting, and plot. (E06.A-C.2.1.2)

Writing

CC.1.4.6.A Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information clearly.
CC.1.4.6.B Identify and introduce the topic for the intended audience. (E06.C.1.2.1)
CC.1.4.6.C Develop and analyze the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples; include graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. (E06.C.1.2.2)
CC.1.4.6.D Organize ideas, concepts, and information using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts; provide a concluding statement or section; include formatting when useful to aiding comprehension. (E06.C.1.2.3, E06.C.1.2.6)
CC.1.4.6.E Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Use sentences of varying lengths and complexities. Develop and maintain a consistent voice. Establish and maintain a formal style. (E06.C.1.2.4 E06.C.1.2.5)
CC.1.4.6.F Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
E06.D.1.1.1 Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (i.e., subjective, objective, and possessive).
E06.D.1.1.2 Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
E06.D.1.1.3 Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.
E06.D.1.1.4 Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
E06.D.1.1.8 Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
CC.1.4.6.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.
E06.E.1.1.1 Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which areas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
E06.E.1.1.2 Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrating an understanding of the text(s).
E06.E.1.1.3 Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
E06.E.1.1.4 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.
E06.E.1.1.5 Establish and maintain a formal style.
E06.E.1.1.6 Provide a concluding section that follows from the analysis presented.
CC.1.4.6.T With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CC.1.4.6.U Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
CC.1.4.6.V Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
CC.1.4.6.W Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
CC.1.4.6.X Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences.

Speaking/Listening

CC.1.5.6.A Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.6.E Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
CC.1.5.6.F Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.
CC.1.5.6.G Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 6 level and content.

Know

Building Knowledge

People meet personal challenges.
Sometimes decisions are hard to make.
We can take responsibility.

Word Work

The common suffix, -ion is added to certain words to change them from verbs to nouns.
When adding the suffix -ation, words drop the i in the last syllable.
Adding a suffix to the end of a word sometimes changes the vowel sound in the related word. This change in the vowel sound is called vowel alternation.
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word that changes the word’s meaning. A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word that changes the word’s meaning. Knowing the meanings of the most common prefixes and suffixes can help you figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Prefixes are word parts that are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Many English words have prefixes that come from ancient Greek and Latin. You can use a Greek or Latin prefix as a clue to the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Adding a suffix to the end of a word sometimes changes the consonant sound in the original word. This change in the consonant sound is called consonant alternation.

Comprehension

An idiom is an expression whose meaning goes beyond the meaning of the individual words.
When you read a biography, you need to understand what the author thinks is important about each of the events in the subject’s life.
A biography often focuses on a certain time period or important aspect of the subject’s life.
It may include photographs as well as tables and other text features that add to your understanding of details in the text.
The author of a biography usually expresses a personal point of view about the subject.
In an informational text, an author’s purpose, or reason, for writing is often determined in part by the audience.
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and are often spelled differently.
You can summarize a play just as you would a story.
A play is written as lines of dialogue to be spoken aloud.
A scene is what happens during one particular time and in one setting.
Stage directions describe the setting and characters and summarize what actions are happening. They are not spoken by the actors.
To determine a theme, or central message, of a play, pay attention to the dialogue and stage directions.
Imagery is the author's use of specific language to help readers visualize the people, places, ideas, and events of a text.
An idiomatic expression is a phrase with a figurative, rather than literal, meaning.
Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginnings of words that are near one another.
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound within a group of words.
Free verse poetry has no set rhyme, meter, or line length.
Narrative poetry tells a story in verse form with characters, a setting, and a plot.
In a narrative poem, as in fiction, the story may be told by one of the characters.
Tone is the speaker's attitude or feeling toward a topic.

Writing/Conventions

A pronoun takes the place of one or more nouns in a sentence. A personal pronoun refers to a person or thing. Singular pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, me, him, and her. Plural pronouns are we, you, they, us, and them.
An antecedent is the word or words that a pronoun refers to. Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
Avoid vague pronoun references.
To fix a vague pronoun reference, rephrase the sentence or replace the pronoun with a noun.
A subject pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they) is the subject of a sentence. An object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them) is the object of a verb or a preposition.
A reflexive pronoun is an object that is the same as the subject of the sentence. An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent but does not act as an object. Use himself, not hisself; ourselves, not ourself; themselves, not themself or theirself.
Use the subjective case for pronouns that follow a linking verb, or form of the verb be. Subject pronouns are used to express subjective case.
Use the objective case for direct and indirect objects as well as for objects of a preposition. Object pronouns are used to express objective case.
A possessive pronoun shows who or what owns something. The possessive pronouns my, your, his, her, its, our, and their are used before nouns.
Some possessive pronouns can stand alone and are used in place of nouns. These possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs.
Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence.
Use a comma before the quotation when a speaker’s name comes first. Use a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point before the closing quotation mark when the speaker’s name comes last.
Subject pronouns and verbs must agree.
Add -s to regular present-tense verbs when you use the singular pronouns he, she, and it. Do not add -s to regular present-tense verbs when you use the pronouns I, we, you, and they.
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Some indefinite pronouns are singular, such as anyone and everyone. Others are plural, such as both and several. Some can be plural or singular, such as all and some.
Subject pronouns can be combined with some verbs to form contractions. Do not confuse words such as there, they’re, and their, to, too, and two; it’s and its; who’s and whose; or you’re and your.
A relative pronoun links a clause to another noun or pronoun.
An interrogative pronoun asks a question when a noun in the sentence is not known.
Demonstrative pronouns tell whether something is here or there. This and that are singular; these and those are plural.
Indefinite pronouns do not refer to any specific person, place, or thing. Use singular indefinite pronouns with singular verbs; use plural indefinite pronouns with plural verbs.
Use who as a subject; use whom as an object.
A biography is an account of a real person’s life that is written by someone other than the subject.
A biography informs about key events in the subject’s life, especially challenges and achievements; communicates information about the subject’s life in a logical order; features facts and relevant details to support the author’s ideas about the subject’s significance.

Understanding/Key Learning

Literature and biographies show how individuals face obstacles, make tough choices, and take ownership of their actions. Readers explore these themes to better understand human character and resilience.
Knowing the meanings of common prefixes, suffixes, and root words—especially from Latin and Greek—can help students decode unfamiliar words, including those with vowel and consonant alternation, and recognize how words change form and meaning.
From biographies and plays to poems and informational texts, authors use structure (like scenes, stage directions, and chronological order) and techniques (such as imagery, idioms, and point of view) to express ideas. Text features, like photos or tables, help explain or support the message.
Students must use correct pronouns and antecedents, avoid vague references, and follow the rules for subject-verb agreement, quotation punctuation, and pronoun cases. Mastery of these conventions helps ensure communication is accurate, polished, and meaningful.

Do

Genre Study 1 (Biography)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify the author's point of view.
Identify and use text features, such as photographs and tables.
Plan and draft a biography.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of idioms.
Identify pronouns and antecedents.
Identify kinds of pronouns, including subject and object.
Write a biography.

Genre Study 2 (Drama)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify key details to determine the theme.
Identify structural elements, such as setting, acts/scenes, stage directions, and dialogue.
Edit and revise a biography.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of homophones.
Identify uses of possessive pronouns.
Identify pronoun-verb agreement.
Write a biography.

Genre Study 3 (Poetry)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify point of view.
Identify characteristics of free verse and narrative poetry.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning and function of figurative language.
Identify more pronouns, including relative and interrogative..

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

How can we use evidence from a biography to understand the subject’s life and achievements?
What clues in a biography help us make inferences about the subject’s character and challenges?
How does the author’s point of view influence how a person’s life is portrayed in a biography?
How do text features like photographs, captions, and tables help us better understand a person’s life story?
What are the key steps in planning, drafting, and writing an effective biography?
How do we use evidence from a play to understand characters, plot, and theme?
How do stage directions, acts, scenes, and dialogue help us understand the structure and message of a drama?
What details help us infer a character’s motivations and relationships in a play?
How do we revise and edit a biography to make it clearer and more engaging for our audience?
What do homophones and possessive pronouns tell us about how language works and how meaning changes?
How can we use clues and evidence in a poem to interpret its meaning and the poet’s message?
How does a poet’s point of view shape the tone and purpose of a poem?
What makes free verse and narrative poetry unique, and how can we use those features in our own writing?
How does figurative language—like similes, metaphors, and personification—help a poet create vivid meaning?
How do pronouns like relative and interrogative help clarify meaning in both poetry and prose?

Materials/Resources

Resource	Genre Study 1 (weeks 1-2)	Genre Study 2 (weeks 3-4)	Genre Study 3 (week 5)
Interactive Read Aloud	Going the Distance	Stage Fright	Alejandro’s Music
Shared Read	She Had to Walk Before She Could Run	Treasure in the Attic	“Hey Nilda,” and “Hi Rachel”
Anchor Text	Seeing Things His Own Way	The Case of the Magic Marker Mischief Maker: A Mickey Rangel Mystery	“This Is Just to Say”; “to Mrs. Garcia, in the office”; and “to Thomas”
Paired Selection	Get Fit for Fun	Dramatic Decisions: Theater Through the Ages	“Primer Lesson” and “If I can stop one Heart from breaking”
Leveled Readers	Against the Odds	Mixed Messages The Missing Swimsuit Something Fishy	The Go-Kart Team Robot Ninja The Hardest Lesson
Games (Data Collected)	U4 Author’s Point of View and Idioms	U4 Theme and Homophones	U4 Point of View and Idioms
Other	Family Letter, Online Lesson Resources Presentation, Visual Vocabulary Cards, Spelling List, Weekly Printables, Differentiated Genre Passages, Reading Writing Companion

Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary
Weeks 1-2

assess
compensate
deteriorated
devastating
implement
peripheral
potential
summit

Weeks 3-4

benefactor
empathy
endeavor
entail
extensive
indecision
multitude
tentatively

Week 5

answerable
lounge
alliteration
obligation
proportion
assonance
free verse
narrative poem

Skill Vocabulary
Grammar:

pronoun
antecedent
subject
object
agreement
reflexive pronoun
reciprocal pronoun
intensive pronoun
homophones
possessive pronouns
relative pronouns
interrogative pronouns
demonstrative pronouns
indefinite pronouns

Reading:

goals
challenges
personal
reread
idioms
expression
literal
table
point of view
perspective
paraphrase
replace
compare
decision
options
consider
context clues
insight
techniques
map
strategy
track
develop
clarify
imagery
visualize
appeal
evoke
alliteration
assonance

Genres:

biography
drama
poetry
informational text
claim
reason
dialogue
stage directions
act
scenes

Phonics:

suffix
prefix
vowel alternation
intonation
consonant alternation

CC.1.2.6.B / CC.1.3.6.B Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and/or generalizations drawn from the text. (E06.B-K.1.1.1, E06.A-K.1.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.C Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text. (E06.B-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.2.6.D Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. (E06.B-C.2.1.1)
CC.1.2.6.E Analyze the author’s structure through the use of paragraphs, chapters, or sections.
E06.B-C.2.1.2 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, section, or text feature fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
CC.1.2.6.F / CC.1.3.6.F Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in grade-level reading and content, including interpretation of figurative language in context.
E06.A-V.4.1.2, E06.B-V.4.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
- Interpret figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole) in context.
- Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category, synonym/antonym) to better understand each of the words.
- Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
E06.B-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative, connotative, or technical meanings, in a text.
E06.A-C.2.1.3 Determine how the author uses the meaning of words or phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings, in a text; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
CC.1.2.6.G Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
CC.1.2.6.I Examine how two authors present similar information in different types of text.
E06.B-C.3.1.2 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).
CC.1.2.6.K / CC.1.3.6.I Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade-level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.
E06.A-V.4.1.1/E06.B-V.4.1.1
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
CC.1.2.6.L Read and comprehend literary nonfiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.
CC.1.3.6.C Describe how a particular story 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. (E06.A-K.1.1.3)
CC.1.3.6.E Analyze how the structure of a text contributes to the development of theme, setting, and plot. (E06.A-C.2.1.2)
CC.1.3.6.H Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics as well as their use of additional literary elements. (E06.A-C.3.1.1)

Writing

CC.1.4.6.A Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information clearly.
CC.1.4.6.B Identify and introduce the topic for the intended audience. (E06.C.1.2.1)
CC.1.4.6.C Develop and analyze the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples; include graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. (E06.C.1.2.2)
CC.1.4.6.D Organize ideas, concepts, and information using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts; provide a concluding statement or section; include formatting when useful to aiding comprehension. (E06.C.1.2.3, E06.C.1.2.6)
CC.1.4.6.E Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Use sentences of varying lengths and complexities. Develop and maintain a consistent voice. Establish and maintain a formal style. (E06.C.1.2.4 E06.C.1.2.5)
CC.1.4.6.F Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
CC.1.4.6.S Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.
E06.E.1.1.1 Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a situation, and create an organizational structure in which areas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
E06.E.1.1.2 Develop the analysis using relevant evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences and demonstrating an understanding of the text(s).
E06.E.1.1.3 Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
E06.E.1.1.4 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic and/or convey the experience and events.
E06.E.1.1.5 Establish and maintain a formal style.
E06.E.1.1.6 Provide a concluding section that follows from the analysis presented.
CC.1.4.6.T With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CC.1.4.6.U Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
CC.1.4.6.V Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
CC.1.4.6.W Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
CC.1.4.6.X Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences.

Speaking/Listening

CC.1.5.6.A Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CC.1.5.6.B Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims by identifying specific reasons and evidence, and recognize arguments or claims not supported by factual evidence.
CC.1.5.6.C Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
CC.1.5.6.D Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
CC.1.5.6.E Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks.
CC.1.5.6.F Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.
CC.1.5.6.G Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 6 level and content.

Know

Building Knowledge

People benefit from innovation
People show inner strength in many ways.
Tools for exploration have evolved over time.

Word Work

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. They are often commonly used and confused words.
Many English words originate from other languages around the world
Many English words are of Latin origin. Recognizing Latin roots can help you remember a word’s spelling and meaning.
Many English words are of Greek origin. Recognizing Greek roots can help you remember a word’s spelling and meaning.
A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word that changes the word’s meaning or part of speech.

Comprehension

When reading an expository text, you can use context clues to find or verify the meanings of unfamiliar or multiple-meaning words.
Use context clues that indicate cause-and- effect relationships to find the meanings of the words.
Authors of expository texts often use text features, such as diagrams, to support and expand upon important points made in the main text.
An author may organize an expository text to show the cause-and-effect relationships among parts of a process.
Adages and proverbs are traditional sayings that people use to express a widely accepted statement about life.
When you read historical fiction, use clues in the text and knowledge you have gathered from other reading to make predictions, or logical guesses, about what a character from the past might do.
Historical fiction may include dialect, a way people speak in a certain time and place.
When reading fiction, you learn about the characters from their responses to key events in the plot.
Everything in a well-written story is there for a purpose, or reason. This includes not only information, but also the exact language the author uses and how he or she uses it.
The denotation of a word is its dictionary definition. The connotations of a word are associations it has that are beyond its basic meaning.
Summarizing a text can help you understand the information in it.
Argumentative texts may include graphs to represent concepts visually and sidebars to present more opinions related to the topic.
In an argumentative text, an author’s point of view is the claim, or position, an author presents about a topic. Strong claims are supported with credible reasons and valid text evidence.
Text structure refers to how an author organizes ideas or information. Authors can use a problem and solution text structure to help readers understand why something is a problem and how the problem was solved or could be solved.

Writing/Conventions

An adjective describes a person, place, thing, or idea. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns and tell what kind, how many, or which one.
A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes the subject.
A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun.
When more than one adjective is used to describe something, the adjectives follow a particular order: opinion, size, age, color, material.
Proper nouns and proper adjectives should always be capitalized.
An article is a kind of adjective. There are three articles: a, an, and the. A and an are indefinite articles. The is a definite article.
That, this, these, and those are demonstrative adjectives. They point out people, places, things, or ideas. When demonstrative adjectives take the place of nouns, they become demonstrative pronouns.
Use a colon after the salutation in a business letter and to introduce a list of items. Use a semicolon to join together two independent clauses.
Comparative adjectives compare two people, places, or things. • Superlative adjectives compare more than two people, places, or things.
Compound words can be written as one word (homework), as two words (paper clip), or with a hyphen (all-American).
Form the comparative of most one- and some two-syllable adjectives by adding -er to the word. For adjectives of more than two syllables, add more in front of the adjective.
Form the superlative of most one- and some two-syllable adjectives by adding -est to the word. For adjectives of more than two syllables, add most in front of the adjective.
When using the comparative form in a sentence, do not add -er and more to the same adjective.
When using the superlative form, do not add -est and most to the same adjective.
Some adjectives form irregular comparisons. These are not formed by adding -er and -est to the end of words or by preceding words with more and most.
The adjectives good, well, bad, many, and much all form irregular comparisons.
The comparative and superlative forms of good and well are better and best. The comparative and superlative forms of bad are worse and worst.
The comparative and superlative forms of many and much are more and most. The comparative and superlative forms of less are lesser and least.
A research report is a type of expository text. It draws on a variety of sources to provide information about a topic.
A research report has a clear central topic; develops the topic with facts, details, quotations, and other information gathered from reliable sources; uses transition words and phrases to clarify relationships between ideas.

Understanding/Key Learning

Students will understand that people benefit from innovation and that tools for exploration evolve over time. Literature and informational texts show how individuals demonstrate inner strength in a variety of situations, through challenges, discoveries, and personal growth.
Students will learn that English is built from Greek, Latin, and global roots, and that understanding suffixes, homophones, and compound words improves vocabulary and spelling. Knowing how words are formed and used helps clarify both meaning and usage in reading and writing.
Whether reading fiction, historical fiction, expository, or argumentative texts, students use context clues, text features (diagrams, graphs, sidebars), and text structures (cause-effect, problem-solution) to summarize, make predictions, and understand deeper meanings, including figurative language, dialect, adages, and proverbs.
Students will write and revise texts—especially research reports—using clear central ideas, text evidence, and correct grammar, including proper use of adjectives, articles, punctuation (colons, semicolons), and comparison forms. Purposeful writing also includes understanding how to support claims in argumentative writing and describe with precision in informational and descriptive texts.

Do

Genre Study 1 (Expository text)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify cause-and-effect relationships.
Plan and draft a research report.
Identify and use text features, such as maps and diagrams.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of words using context clues.
Identify different types of adjectives, including order of adjectives.
Identify articles and demonstrative adjectives.

Genre Study 2 (Historical fiction)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify character, setting, and plot.
Write a research report.
Edit and revise a research report.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the meaning of adages and proverbs.
Identify adjectives that compare, including superlative adjectives.
Compare with more and most.

Genre Study 3 (Argumentative text)

Cite relevant evidence from text.
Make inferences to support understanding.
Identify the author's point of view.
Identify and use text features, such as sidebars and graphs.
Write responses that demonstrate understanding.
Determine the connotation and denotation of words.
Compare with good and bad.

Unit Essential Questions

Lesson Essential Questions

How can we use evidence from a text to support our answers, opinions, and understanding of characters, setting, and plot?
What clues does an author give that help us make inferences and understand ideas that aren’t directly stated?
How do cause-and-effect relationships help us understand events in stories and informational texts?
How do text features like maps, diagrams, sidebars, and graphs help us better understand what we are reading?
What strategies help us figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words, including their connotation and denotation?
What are the steps to planning, researching, drafting, and revising a strong research or opinion essay?
What does a strong written response to a text include, and how can we clearly show our understanding?
How do adages and proverbs help us understand important life lessons or the deeper meaning in a story?
How do we use comparative and superlative adjectives, including ‘more,’ ‘most,’ ‘better,’ and ‘worse,’ to make our writing clearer and more descriptive?
Why is the correct use of articles (a, an, the) and demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) important for clear communication?

Materials/Resources

Resource	Genre Study 1 (weeks 1-2)	Genre Study 2 (weeks 3-4)	Genre Study 3 (week 5)
Interactive Read Aloud	“Fishing Through the Ages”	“Lok and the Transcontinental Railroad”	“Where in the World Am I?”
Shared Read	“The Science of Silk”	“Journey to Freedom”	“Tools of the Explorer’s Trade”
Anchor Text	“Before Columbus”	“Elijah of Buxton”	“Out of This World”
Paired Selection	“Looking Back to Move Forward”	“The People Could Fly”	“Space Shuttles on the Move”
Leveled Readers	How Horses Changed the World	Making Some News The Secret Room The Promised Land	A Microscopic World
Games (Data Collected)	U5 Text Structure: Cause and Effect and Context Clues	U5 Character, Setting, Plot: Cause and Effect and Adages and Proverbs	U5 Author’s Point of View and Connotations and Denotations
Other	Family Letter, Online Lesson Resources Presentation, Visual Vocabulary Cards, Spelling List, Weekly Printables, Differentiated Genre Passages, Reading Writing Companion

Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary
Weeks 1-2

industrial
inefficient
manipulation
modification
mutated
nutrients
Sparse
surplus

Weeks 3-4

disposed
eavesdropping
fortitude
infinite
retaliation
rigors
stoop
undaunted

Week 5

application
catastrophic
computations
deployed
elevating
magnetic
obsolete
subsequently

Skill Vocabulary
Grammar:

order of adjectives
articles
demonstrative adjectives
comparative adjectives
superlative adjectives
compare more & most
compare good & bad

Reading:

innovation
effective
reread
context clues
cause & effect
diagrams
maps
text structure
text features
section
analyze
make predictions
adage
proverbs
confirm & revise predictions
dialect
plot
reaction
point of view
narrator
author’s purpose
connotation
denotation
summarize
topic
sidebars
graph
perspective
author’s point of view
perspective
neutral, positive, negative
headings
organization
diagram
organization
features
evaluate
reliable, accurate, credible
timeline
problem & solution
main idea

Genres:

expository text
historical fiction
argumentative text

Phonics:

homophones
Latin roots
Greek roots
suffixes -ive, -age, -ize