English Language Arts — Grade 6

Poetry from prose: A different kind of "book report"

Students use a word-processing program to write a poem that summarizes important themes or events central to the plot of a novel. Once the poem is proofread, students type the poem according to specific directions. They then print their work and illustrate over or around the writing for an illustrated "book report." Students incorporate details from the novel in their writing and in their illustrations of their poems. In this way, students focus on the themes or events in the novel that appeal to them most -- the ones they feel are most important to the novel's meaning.

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

By Sally Watts.

An integrated poetry unit

My students have always disliked poetry. The different ways in which this lesson approaches poetry and the connection it makes to their "March Madness" studies seems to make poetry more enjoyable, fun, and relevant for my students. In order to integrate with the sixth grade math and social studies teachers, I teach this unit during the ACC tournament to coincide with the "March Madness" unit that is covered in the math classes.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

By Nancy Guthrie.

Figurative language: Metaphor

This lesson is a part of a unit on poetry and figurative language. It is designed to teach students the characteristics of metaphor within the context of poetry.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

By Nancy Meyers.

Feel in the blanks

The following lesson is designed to function as a review of beginning, middle, and end and an introduction to individualized imagination, creativity, and perspective as it relates to the development of dialogue (i.e. improvisation).

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

By Lei Knight.

Resources on the web

You know the movie is coming—Now what?

After exploring cinematic terms, students read a literary work with director's eyes and then try to predict what elements would be present in the film version of the book. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

A world of myths

Students explore how myths help to explain nature and science. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

What am I? Teaching poetry through riddles

Students explore, analyze, and discuss how metaphor, simile, and metonymy are used in riddle poems. They use these poetic devices to write original riddle poems. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Traveling the road to freedom through research and historical fiction

Students learn about and discuss slavery and the Underground Railroad in this lesson that explores historical fiction and webquests. Once students have brainstormed characteristics of historical fiction, the teacher reviews characterization and explains... (Learn more)

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

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Travel brochures: Highlighting the setting of a story

Students create travel brochures in this lesson that introduces the author's creation of setting in a literary work. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Slipping, sliding, tumbling: Reinforcing cause and effect through diamante poems

This lesson introduces the concept of cause and effect through an activity where students construct their own diamante poems. After introducing the concept of cause and effect, the teacher engages students in a brainstorming activity to compile a list of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE

Set a poem to music

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from ARTSEDGE, students choose a favorite poem, set it to a rhythmic meter, and assign an original melody to the rhythm. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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

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

Reading and analyzing multigenre texts

Teachers use Black and White by David Macaulay or another similar text to introduce multigenre literature. Afer reading the text, students work in small groups to consider all the connections Macaulay makes in the book and... (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

Pictures in Words: Poems of Tennyson and Noyes

Students will explore how poets Tennyson and Noyes use words to paint vivid and memorable pictures and describe how “word pictures” emphasize or qualify the meanings of their poems. (Learn more)

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

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

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

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

Found poems/Parallel poems

Students write found poems using a descriptive passage from a piece of literature they are reading. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts)

Provided by: IRA/NCTE