English Language Arts — Grade 6

Comparative anatomy: A continuum

In groups, students will design a presentation that will trace the development of an organ system through the major phyla of the animal kingdom looking for the relationships between structure and function by documenting adaptations.

Format: (grade )

By Joan Warner and Melissa Thibault.

Ecuador: A land of climate diversity

In this lesson, students will create climate graphs and analyze photographs to investigate the various types of climate in Ecuador and the interactions between climate and human culture. The lesson plan is designed to be adapted to the study of various countries.

Format: (grade 6 Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts)

By Eric Eaton.

Interpreting Diaries of the American South

Students will read diaries of individuals who lived in the American South from 1865-1917. After reading these diaries the students will use a visual means of displaying their interpretation. Visual presentations will be one of the following: shadow box, poster, PowerPoint using drawings done by the student, brochure, or presenting an item that would have been used during the time that their diary was written.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 English Language Arts)

By Rhonda Sneeden.

Literature Biography Project

For this project, students will learn to develop the various processes used in researching and writing a biographical research paper, including brainstorming, notetaking, outlining, creating a bibliography, and writing the final draft. This project is designed to act as an independent study geared toward AG or Level 3 and Level 4 students, but each step in the research process can also be taught directly to students in the classroom.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Information Skills and English Language Arts)

By Sandra Dail.

Resource Recon

Teams of students will search for the answers to questions using various information resources. The questions will be in categories such as: biography, current events, historical events, geography, language. Besides competing for the fastest answer, the students will learn (1) how to use the resource effectively, and (2) which resource is best for finding different types of information.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–7 Information Skills and English Language Arts)

By Keith Dudley.

Tracing the Titanic Tragedy

Students will learn about the Titanic disaster as a historical event by reading informative articles and books and by use of the Internet. They will then produce a database of passengers with information about them and use the database to analyze the information.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Computer Technology Skills)

By Elizabeth Harren.

Travel Brochure for Western Europe

Students will explore a particular country in Western Europe and get a general overview of the country. This is an activity designed to cover a great amount of material in a brief period of time.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Debra Martinez.

Lesson plans on the web

Adopt a lot

Students identify a place in the community that needs to be improved and develop a plan to renew the area. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

Avalanche, Aztek, or Bravada? A connotation mini-lesson

In this lesson that introduces connotation in literature, students examine familiar car names (such as Avalanche, Aztek, Bravada, Suburban or Vue) for underlying meaning. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

The Big, Bad Wolf . . . is this a fact?

This lesson combines the nonfiction works of Seymour Simon with teacher modeling, discussion groups, and student-created multimedia presentations to increase comprehension, vocabulary, and research skills, and boost students' willingness to read. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Computer Technology Skills, Science, and English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Book report alternative: A character's letter to the editor

In this lesson, students choose a character from a novel they have read and consider the significant beliefs and feelings of that character to identify an issue or situation that would encourage that character to try to persuade the audience of other characters in the novel to take a specific action or change their position on an issue. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Choose your own adventure: A Hypertext writing experience

In this lesson that focuses on reading and writing, students discuss various stories and plan their own adventure story. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts and Computer Technology Skills)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Clues from the Black Sea

Students discuss the scientific method and define “theory” and “hypothesis.” (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provider: National Geographic

Cooking up descriptive language: Designing restaurant menus

In this lesson students explore the genre of menus by analyzing existing menus from local restaurants and creating their own original menus. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provider: IRA/NCTE

Creating character: Citizenship

In this lesson from the Shoah Foundation Institute, students explore the concept of citizenship while listening to the perspectives of Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Concluding lesson

In this concluding lesson, students evaluate and synthesize concepts of character education they learned in previous lessons. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Perseverance

In this lesson, students listen to the perspectives of three women who discuss the character trait of perseverance. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Respect

In this lesson, students explore the concept of "respect" by listening and viewing testimonials from Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Courage

In this lesson, students explore the concept of "courage", in one of six online activities presented by the Shoah Foundation Institute of the University of Southern California. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Justice and Fairness

In this lesson, students explore the concepts of justice and fairness while viewing visual histories from Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance, Social Studies, and English Language Arts)

By USC Shoah Foundation Institute.

Provider: USC Shoah Foundation Institute