Course Details

Grade 6 ELA: "Developing a Critical Voice" Course Description

In 6th Grade ELA, students transition from simply reading stories to becoming critical thinkers who can analyze them. This course is designed to sharpen analytical skills and help students develop a more sophisticated voice in their reading and writing. We engage with a diverse range of complex texts, learning not just to understand them, but to question and evaluate them, building the foundation for strong, evidence-based communication.

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What We'll Explore:

Citing Textual Evidence: We'll move beyond "I think" to "I know because the text says so." For example: After reading an article about Mars rovers, a student will be able to answer a question and then pinpoint the exact sentence in the article that proves their answer is correct.

Analyzing Text Structure: We'll become text detectives, figuring out how an author organizes their writing. For example: "Did the author of this historical article present events in chronological order, or did they use a cause-and-effect structure to make their point?"

Writing Arguments: This is the first step in persuasive writing. We'll tackle real-world scenarios, like writing a structured email to a school principal arguing for a longer recess, complete with a clear claim and supporting reasons.

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Learning Outcomes

• Cite textual evidence to support an analysis of what the text says explicitly and inferentially.
• Determine a central idea and how it is conveyed through particular details.
• Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, or scene fits into the overall structure of a text.
• Write clear arguments to support claims with relevant evidence.
• Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.