Grade 6 ELA B.E.S.T. Standards

Communicating Through Writing

Communicating Through Writing

Write personal or fictional narratives using narrative techniques, precise words and phrases, and figurative language.

Narrative Writing: Write personal or fictional narratives using narrative techniques, precise words and phrases, and figurative language.

Write and support a claim using logical reasoning, relevant evidence from sources, elaboration, and a logical organizational structure with varied transitions.

Argumentative Writing: Write and support a claim using logical reasoning, relevant evidence from sources, elaboration, and a logical organizational structure with varied transitions.

Write expository texts to explain and/or analyze information from multiple sources, using a logical organizational structure, relevant elaboration, and varied transitions.

Expository Writing: Write expository texts to explain and/or analyze information from multiple sources, using a logical organizational structure, relevant elaboration, and varied transitions.

Improve writing by planning, revising, and editing, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Improving Writing: Improve writing by planning, revising, and editing, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Communicating Orally

Communicating Orally

Present information orally, in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, appropriate volume, clear pronunciation, and appropriate pacing.

Oral Presentation: Present information orally, in a logical sequence, using nonverbal cues, appropriate volume, clear pronunciation, and appropriate pacing.

Following Conventions

Following Conventions

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Conventions: Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Researching

Researching

Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple reliable and valid sources, and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Researching and Using Information: Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple reliable and valid sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Creating and Collaborating

Creating and Collaborating

Integrate diverse digital media to enhance audience engagement in oral or written tasks.

Multimedia: Integrate diverse digital media to enhance audience engagement in oral or written tasks.

Use digital tools to produce writing.

Technology in Communication: Use digital tools to produce writing.

Reading Prose and Poetry

Reading Prose and Poetry

Analyze how the interaction between characters contributes to the development of a plot in a literary text.

Literary Elements: Analyze how the interaction between characters contributes to the development of a plot in a literary text.

Analyze the development of stated or implied theme(s) throughout a literary text.

Theme: Analyze the development of stated or implied theme(s) throughout a literary text.

Explain the influence of multiple narrators and/or shifts in point of view in a literary text.

Perspective and Point of View: Explain the influence of multiple narrators and/or shifts in point of view in a literary text.

Describe the impact of various poetic forms on meaning and style.

Poetry: Describe the impact of various poetic forms on meaning and style.

Reading Informational Text

Reading Informational Text

Explain how individual text sections and/or features convey meaning in texts.

Structure: Explain how individual text sections and/or features convey meaning in texts.

Analyze the central idea(s), implied or explicit, and its development throughout a text.

Central Idea: Analyze the central idea(s), implied or explicit, and its development throughout a text.

Analyze authors' purpose(s) in multiple accounts of the same event or topic.

Purpose and Perspective: Analyze authors’ purpose(s) in multiple accounts of the same event or topic.

Track the development of an argument, identifying the types of reasoning used.

Argument: Track the development of an argument, identifying the types of reasoning used.

Reading Across Genres

Reading Across Genres

Explain how figurative language contributes to tone and meaning in text(s).

Interpreting Figurative Language: Explain how figurative language contributes to tone and meaning in text(s).

Paraphrase content from grade-level texts.

Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Paraphrase content from grade-level texts.

Compare and contrast how authors from different time periods address the same or related topics.

Comparative Reading: Compare and contrast how authors from different time periods address the same or related topics.

Identify rhetorical appeals in a text.

Understanding Rhetoric: Identify rhetorical appeals in a text.

Finding Meaning

Finding Meaning

Integrate academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level in speaking and writing.

Academic Vocabulary: Integrate academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level in speaking and writing.

Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes to determine meanings of words and phrases in grade-level content.

Morphology: Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes to determine meanings of words and phrases in grade-level content.

Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.

Context and Connotation: Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.

Applying Foundational Reading Skills for Secondary

Demonstrate an understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds.

Orally produce single-syllable and multisyllabic words by accurately blending sounds.

Accurately segment single-syllable and multisyllabic words.

Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Use an array of strategies to decode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.

Accurately read multisyllabic words using a combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, and syllabication patterns.

Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in encoding words.

Use an array of strategies to accurately encode single-syllable and multisyllabic words.

Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.

Figurative language use that students will analyze are metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole, and idiom. Other examples can be used in instruction.

Vary sentence structure.

Romantic Period (1790–1870)

To integrate vocabulary, students will apply the vocabulary they have learned to authentic speaking and writing tasks independently. This use should be intentional, beyond responding to a prompt to use a word in a sentence.

Use verbals including gerunds, infinitives, and participial phrases.

Academic vocabulary appropriate to grade level refers to words that are likely to appear across subject areas for the current grade level and beyond, vital to comprehension, critical for academic discussions and writing, and usually require explicit instruction.

Appropriately use hyphens.

While the benchmark does require that students consult multiple sources, there is no requirement that they use every source they consult. Part of the skill in researching is discernment—being able to tell which information is relevant and which sources are trustworthy enough to include.

Nonverbal cues appropriate to this grade level are posture, tone, expressive delivery, focus on the audience, and facial expression. Clear pronunciation should be interpreted to mean an understanding and application of phonics rules and sight words as well as care taken in delivery. A student’s speech impediment should not be considered as impeding clear pronunciation. Appropriate pacing is adhering to the pauses dictated by punctuation and speaking at a rate that best facilitates comprehension by the audience. Too fast a pace will lose listeners and too slow can become monotonous. This element will also help students address the nervousness that may make them speak too fast during presentations.

Vocabulary

Appropriately use colons.

Colonial and Early National Period (1600–1830) American Literature

Communication

Appropriately use dangling modifiers.

For the purposes of this benchmark, theme is not a one- or two-word topic, but a complete thought that communicates the author’s message. See Theme in Glossary.

See Writing Types and Narrative Techniques.

Foundational Reading Intervention Standards

Use pronouns correctly with regard to case, number, and person, correcting for vague pronoun reference.

When referring to the person of the narrator, the term point of view is used. Students focused on perspective in 5th grade, so they should differentiate between point of view and perspective when working on this benchmark.

Students will identify the appeals of logos, ethos, and pathos.

Multimedia elements may include, but are not limited to, drawings, pictures, artifacts, and audio or digital representation. At this grade level, students are using more than one element. The elements may be of the same type (for example, two pictures or a picture and an audio recording). The elements should relate directly to the task and complement the information being shared, meaning that the multimedia elements should add information to the presentation, not restate or reinforce it. The elements should be smoothly integrated into the presentation.

Poetic forms used for this benchmark are sonnet and villanelle.

Various types of support could include an author’s use of facts, definitions, concrete details, and/or quotations to develop the central idea(s) in a text.

Modernist Period (1910–1945)

Skills to be mastered at this grade level are as follows:

Texts for this benchmark should be selected from the following literary periods:

Realism and Naturalism Period (1870–1930)

See Rhetorical Appeals.

Instruction in types of reasoning will include an introduction to fallacies in reasoning. Fallacies that are related to content, informal fallacies, will be the focus. See Fallacies in Reasoning (Informal).

See 6.R.3.1 and Secondary Figurative Language.

Vocabulary

K-12 ELA Expectations

Reading

See Conventions Progression by Grade Level for more information.

For more information on types of reasoning, see Types of Logical Reasoning.

Reading

Contemporary Period (1945–present)

Most grade-level texts are appropriate for this benchmark.

Communication

Skills to be implemented but not yet mastered are as follows:

See Common Greek and Latin Roots 6-8 and Affixes.

Use comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.

See Secondary Figurative Language.

Figurative language at this grade level should include any on which students have received instruction in this or previous grades. See Figurative Language Standard.

Students should be introduced to the concept of universal themes, although mastery isn’t expected until 9th grade. A universal theme is an idea that applies to anyone, anywhere, regardless of cultural differences. Examples include, but are not limited to, an individual’s or a community’s confrontation with nature; an individual’s struggle toward understanding, awareness, and/or spiritual enlightenment; the tension between the ideal and the real; the conflict between human beings and advancements in technology/science; the impact of the past on the present; the inevitability of fate; the struggle for equality; and the loss of innocence.

See Context Clues and Word Relationships.

Appropriately use ellipses.

Review of words learned in this way is critical to building background knowledge and related vocabulary.

See Writing Types and Elaborative Techniques.

See Writing Types and Elaborative Techniques.

For further guidance, see the Secondary Oral Communication Rubric.

Write a personal narrative using precise words and figurative language with guidance and support.

Make and support a claim using logical reasoning, relevant evidence from a source(s), elaboration and a logical organizational structure with transitions.

Write an expository text to explain information from a source(s), using a logical organizational structure, relevant elaboration and transitions.

Improve writing by planning, revising and editing, considering feedback from adults and peers.

Present information in a logical sequence, using the students mode of communication with guidance and support.

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling appropriate to grade-level with guidance and support.

Use conjunctions correctly to join words and phrases in a sentence.

Conduct research to answer a question, identifying valid and reliable sources, with guidance and support.

Use one or more multimedia elements to create emphasis and/or clarity in oral or written tasks.

Identify digital tools to produce writing.

Explain how the interactions of characters contribute to the plot in a literary text.

Explain how events contribute to the theme(s) throughout a literary text.

Identify the different points of view of the narrators in a literary text.

Describe the poetic forms and styles of a sonnet and a villanelle.

Show how a specific text section contributes to the meaning of the text.

Identify the central idea(s), implied or explicit, and its development throughout a text.

Explain the purpose of two authors accounts of the same event or topic.

Identify the types of reasoning used in an argumentative text.

Identify examples of figurative language that contribute to tone and meaning in text.

Retell content from grade-level texts, at the students ability level using the students mode of communication.

Compare and contrast how authors from two time periods address the same or related topics in a text with grade-level appropriate content at the student’s skill level.

Identify rhetorical appeals (ethos, logos, pathos) in a text with grade level content at the students ability level.

1 Use grade-level academic vocabulary in communication, using the students mode of communication.

Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes to determine meanings of words and phrases in grade-level content at the student’s ability level with guidance and support.

Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials and/or background knowledge to determine the denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade-level content at the student’s ability level with guidance and support.

Creating and Collaborating

Reading Informational Text

Finding Meaning

Researching

Communication

Following Conventions

Reading

Communicating Through Writing

Reading Across Genres

Vocabulary

Reading Prose and Poetry

Communicating Orally

Combine word parts (blend syllables, attach affixes to root words, fingerspell, etc.) to produce words in the student’s mode of communication.

Segment single-syllable and multisyllabic words using the students mode of communication.

Decode single-syllable and multisyllabic words as appropriate to the students mode of communication.

Read multisyllabic words using a combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, and syllabication patterns using to the student’s mode of communication.

Encode single-syllable and multisyllabic words using the students mode of communication.

Read grade-level text at the student’s ability level with accuracy, automaticity, and prosody or expression as appropriate for the student’s mode of communication.

Applying Foundational Reading Skills for Secondary

Foundational Skills

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.

English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.