6th Grade Reading: Literature Standards

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA).

In 6th grade, Reading: Literature standards focus on developing students’ comprehension and analytical skills when engaging with literary texts. Specifically, students will be expected to:

• Understand and cite textual evidence: They should be able to support analysis and reflection by pulling direct quotes or evidence from the text to answer questions or support their opinions.
• Determine theme and summarize: Learners will identify the theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; they should also be able to summarize the text without losing the original meaning.
• Character, setting, and plot analysis: Students will describe how a particular story’s plot unfolds, as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. The setting should be understood as a critical element that shapes the story.
• Understand the impact of point of view: They will recognize how the narrative’s point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of the text.
• Compare and contrast texts: This involves comparing and contrasting themes, settings, and plots of stories written by different authors about similar or different topics.
• Analyze multimedia elements: When stories are presented in multiple formats (digital, spoken), students should analyze how those versions interpret the source material.

Teachers can bring these standards to life by using a mix of classic literature, contemporary works, and diverse media. Start with short stories or extracts to build confidence, gradually introducing more complex texts as students become more proficient. Incorporating group discussions, individual reflections, creative projects, and multimedia comparisons can make literature exploration both comprehensive and enjoyable.

Envisioning a 6th Grade Student Excelling in Reading: Literature Standards

📚 Capturing the Essence of a Proficient 6th Grader in Literature

Picture your 6th grade classroom buzzing with the animated discussions of students deeply engaged in their latest book. Among them, there’s a student who exemplifies what it means to meet the Common Core State Standards in Reading: Literature at a proficient level.

Here’s what makes them stand out:

1. 🌟 Grasping Themes and Central Messages

This student shines by intuiting the core message of a story, understanding that it’s more than just its plot. For example, when reading “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, they grasp that it’s not just a survival story; it’s a tale of resilience, self-discovery, and the transition from childhood to adolescence.

2. 🕵️‍♂️ Analyzing Characters

When discussing characters, this student describes not only who the characters are but also considers how they evolve through the story. They can talk about how Brian in ““Hatchet”” changes from feeling helpless to becoming resourceful and independent. They infer these changes through Brian’s decisions and actions without needing the narrator to spell it out.

3. 🔍 Deciphering Plot and Structure

Such a student can retell the story’s progression in a coherent manner, identifying key events and their roles in advancing the plot or illuminating the theme. They understand the structure of ““Hatchet,”” noting how each challenge Brian faces builds on the last, propelling both the plot and his personal growth.

4. 📜 Citing Textual Evidence

When making a point about a character’s motivation or a theme, they back it up with direct quotes or detailed descriptions from the text. For instance, they use Brian’s reflection on his time in the wilderness to highlight his newfound appreciation for life and nature.

5. 📖Appreciating Narrator’s Perspective

This student identifies the author’s or narrator’s viewpoint in ““Hatchet”” and discusses how it shapes the story. They recognize that the third-person limited narration lets readers experience the wilderness and Brian’s challenges closely, deepening our empathy for him.

6. ✨ Comparing Texts

Given a pair of texts, like ““Hatchet”” and ““Island of the Blue Dolphins”” by Scott O’Dell, this student adeptly identifies similarities and differences. They draw connections between the themes of survival and transformation, contrasting the settings and challenges faced by the characters.

🌈 Bringing it Together

A 6th grader at this level of proficiency in Reading: Literature is beginning to engage with texts in a more sophisticated way, demonstrating not just comprehension but the ability to think critically and make connections. They’re not yet at an advanced stage where deep, nuanced analysis comes easily, but they show a solid understanding and appreciation for literature that sets a strong foundation for future learning.

6th Grade Reading: Literature Standards Resources: Assessments, Rubrics and Lesson Plans

In 6th grade, three critical standards form the backbone of a robust ELA curriculum:

• Citing Textual Evidence (RL.6.1),
• Determining a Theme (RL.6.2), and
• Describing How a Story’s Plot Unfolds (RL.6.3).

Let’s break these down into practical assessment tools, rubrics, and lesson plans to foster a deeper understanding and application in your classroom.

1. Cite Textual Evidence (RL.6.1)

Objective: Students should be able to support their responses by citing textual evidence, including direct quotations or explicit references to the text.

Example Assessment: After reading a short story, provide students with a series of comprehension questions that require them to answer using direct quotes from the text. For instance, “What does the protagonist decide to do at the story’s climax? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.” This can be conducted as a written exercise or a verbal discussion to accommodate different learning styles.

Assessment Rubric:

Example of Achieving the Standard: Question: “Why does the main character feel scared in the story?”

Student’s Response: “Joe feels scared because he thinks he heard someone following them in the forest. In the story, it says, ‘I stopped in my tracks when I heard the crunch of leaves behind me, my heart racing with fear.’ This sentence shows why the Joe is scared. Because of the noise behind him in a place where he thought he was alone.”

Evaluation: This response would be rated as “Excellent” on the rubric. The student accurately cites a specific part of the text that directly supports their answer regarding the main character’s fear. They clearly explain how the evidence (the sound of crunching leaves and the character’s reaction) demonstrates the character’s fear of being followed. The quote is seamlessly integrated into their response, making their explanation convincing and directly tied to the text.

Counterexample of Achieving the Standard: Question: “Why does the main character feel scared in the story?”

Student’s Response: “The main character is scared because the forest is dark and they are alone.”

Evaluation: This response would be categorized as “Needs Improvement” on the rubric. Although the student mentions general factors contributing to the character’s fear (darkness and being alone), they fail to cite any specific textual evidence to support their claim. There’s no direct quote or reference to the text detailing a moment that makes the character feel scared. The response lacks a clear explanation of how these general conditions (darkness and solitude) directly lead to the character’s fear, missing an opportunity to demonstrate understanding through textual evidence. The answer does not adequately integrate evidence into the response, which is essential for meeting the standard.

Lesson Plan for teaching RL.6.1:

Objective: Equip students with the ability to cite textual evidence to support their responses.

Materials Needed: Copies of a selected short story, highlighters, note cards.

Activity Overview:

1. Introduction (10 minutes): Briefly introduce the concept of citing textual evidence. Explain why it is important in both reading comprehension and in making arguments.
2. Guided Practice (20 minutes): Read a selected paragraph from the story together. As a class, identify a claim that can be made about the paragraph. Then, find a quote from that paragraph that supports the claim. Discuss how this evidence supports the claim.
3. Independent Practice (20 minutes): Provide students with a series of questions about the short story. Ask them to write down their answers and cite at least one piece of evidence from the text to support their response.
4. Sharing and Discussion (10 minutes): Have students share their answers and cited evidence in small groups. Encourage discussion about how the evidence supports their answers.
5. Closure (5 minutes): Summarize the importance of citing textual evidence and how it helps in understanding and analyzing texts. Encourage students to use this skill in future assignments.

Additional work: Assign a different short story or a passage from a book currently being read in class. Ask students to answer a set of comprehension questions, requiring them to cite textual evidence for each answer.

1. Determining a Theme (RL.6.2)

Objective: Students will identify the theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text.

Example Assessment: Ask students to read a selected short story or a section of a drama or poem. Then, they will write a paragraph identifying the story’s theme, using at least two details from the text to support their choice.

Assessment Rubric:

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (15 minutes): Present various themes and discuss how authors might convey these themes through stories or poems.
2. Guided Practice (20 minutes): Read a short story as a class, pausing to note key details that could contribute to the theme. Brainstorm potential themes together.
3. Independent Practice (25 minutes): Students read a provided poem or short drama individually, identifying the theme and supporting it with text details on a structured worksheet.
4. Group Discussion (15 minutes): In small groups, students share their identified themes and supporting details, discussing differences and similarities in their interpretations.
5. Closure (5 minutes): Summarize the day’s lesson, emphasizing that themes are the underlying messages or morals of a story, supported by text details.

2. Describing How a Story’s Plot Unfolds (RL.6.3)

Objective: Students describe how a story’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change.

Example Assessment: After reading a narrative, students will create a plot diagram that outlines the major events of the story. Additionally, they will write brief descriptions of how the main character changes with each major plot point.

Assessment Rubric:

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (10 minutes): Explain the elements of plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) and how characters may change throughout these events.
2. Guided Reading and Analysis (30 minutes): Read a short story together, pausing to discuss and map the plot’s progression on a whiteboard or poster. Identify key moments of character change.
3. Independent Activity (20 minutes): Students individually create their own plot diagrams of the story and write paragraphs explaining how the main character changes throughout the story.
4. Peer Review (15 minutes): In pairs, students share their plot diagrams and character analyses, offering feedback and discussing differences in interpretation.
5. Closure (5 minutes): Highlight the significance of understanding plot and character development in comprehending and appreciating stories.

These lesson plans and assessments are designed as comprehensive, yet adaptable resources to empower your instruction of the CCSS Reading: Literature standards.

By taking these actionable steps, you’ll provide your students with the tools they need to deeply engage with literature and develop critical thinking skills essential for their academic journey.