English Language Arts — Grade 6

Resources on the web

Scaling back to essentials: Scaffolding summarization with fishbone mapping

In this lesson, students work in pairs and cooperative groups as they complete fishbone maps that highlight the main ideas and relevant details from a cause-effect text. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Scaffolding comprehension strategies using graphic organizers

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, collaborative strategic reading (CSR) is initially presented to students through modeling and whole-class instruction. To facilitate comprehension during and after reading, students apply four reading strategies: preview,... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Reading and Writing Workshop: "Freak The Mighty"

The lesson includes the modeling and practicing of specific reading comprehension strategies, vocabulary and word study, a figurative language activity, and a selection of final projects which can be used for assessment with the accompanying rubric. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Proverbs: Contemporary proverbs

This ReadWriteThink lesson challenges students to craft more apparent meanings for traditional maxims by updating proverbs from around the world and writing proverbs of their own. This lesson incorporates student handouts and links to a variety of web resources. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Proverbs: At home and around the world

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students work with proverbs from home and from around the world, exploring how these maxims are tied to a culture's values and everyday experience. While doing so, students will learn about proverbs: how they work, how... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Proverbs: An introduction

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students will learn about proverbs. They will gain an understanding of how they work, how they differ from clichés, how to interpret them, and how they can be culturally and personally significant. This lesson... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Press Conference for "Bud, Not Buddy"

This ReadWriteThink lesson can be used after the reading of Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis. The lesson encourages students to use higher-level thinking skills, and asks them to examine different character perspectives. Students... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Postmodern picture books in the middle school

Students learn to analyze plot and critique the author's intent in this lesson that focuses on Black and White by David Macaulay, a picture book that presents four story lines. Students will also explore multi-literacies and... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

The poet's voice: Langston Hughes and you

Some poets achieve popular acclaim only when they express clear and widely shared emotions with a forceful, distinctive, and memorable voice. But what is meant by voice in poetry, and what qualities have made the voice of Langston Hughes a favorite for... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Poems that tell a story: Narrative and persona in the poetry of Robert Frost

In this lesson from EDSITEment, students read, discuss, and analyze selected poems by Robert Frost. The activities that make up this lesson encourage students to draw inferences about a poem's speaker based on evidence contained within the poem and to gather... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: EDSITEment

Plot structure: A literary elements mini-lesson

In this lesson that introduces plot structure, the teacher activates prior knowledge about plot by discussing events in a story students have read recently. In small collaborative groups, students use Freytag's Pyramid, a graphic organizer for plot structure,... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Picture books as framing texts: Research paper strategies for struggling writers

Using picture books as models, students think more about what to say and less about how to say it, which leads to better learning experiences and better writing. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

No more bullying: Understanding the problem, building bully-free environments

In this lesson, students explore bullying and the concepts of social justice and empathetic responding. In order to plan a “No More Bullying” campaign at school, students examine research findings that describe the characteristics and frequencies... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Mind pictures: Strategies that enhance mental imagery while reading

In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students create mental images while reading using a three-pronged approach. The first approach develops schemata and visual awareness. The next approach, called Watch-Read-Watch-Read (W-R-W-R), uses video clips to build background... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Media literacy: Examining the world of Lizzie McGuire

In this lesson that focuses on the popular television series, Lizzie McGuire, students develop media literacy skills. After viewing an episode of this teenage comedy, students take part in Media Response Groups where they... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Lonely as a cloud: Using poetry to understand similes

As the teacher reads the poem, “Willow and Ginkgo,” students illustrate what is being described and compare their drawings in small groups. Students identify similes in the poem and learn to use similes as a poetic device for description in... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Lights, camera, action: Interviewing a book character

While independently reading a novel, students take note of important events that are related to a chosen character. They explore how the character reacts to an event or situation as an indication of the his/her personality or values. Using implicit and... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Leading to great places in the middle school classroom

This mini-lesson examines types of leads in prominent young adult literature and challenges students to search for great leads and then write original examples. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Inventing and presenting unit 2: Effective speeches and building the invention

Students read about inventors, propose inventions to solve problems they have identified, and build and test their inventions. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

In the poet's shoes: Performing poetry and building meaning

In this lesson, students participate in a webquest that challenges them to analyze a variety of poets and their poetry by reading and listening to their work. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE