Supporting 6th Grade Students with the TPA Writing Strategy
Sixth grade students often struggle with knowing when to dash off a quick response and when to slow down for a longer project. Many students find themselves overwhelmed by the difference between a simple response and a complex, multi-day assignment. This confusion... read more
Helping 6th grade English students master technical text structures
“Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic.” That is the official word on CA.ELA.RST.6-8.5, and it sounds heavy, but it really just asks our... read more
Teaching Theme and Summary in 6th Grade English Language Arts
This lesson does not try to teach your students how to write a literary critique or how to perform a deep analysis of complex symbolism. Instead, Finding Themes and Summarizing Stories focuses on the essential skill of extracting the core message from a narrative and... read more
Teaching 6th Grade ELA Students to Analyze Scientific Claims
This lesson does not try to be an entire science curriculum, nor does it aim to teach students how to conduct their own laboratory experiments. Instead, Distinguishing Fact, Judgment, and Speculation in Science cuts straight to the reading skills students need to... read more