Course Description

Course Description:

6th grade Academic Literacy supports the transition to middle school by helping students understand and navigate the increased literacy demands of reading and writing to learn across all subjects. With an emphasis on nonfiction informational text, data, and informational writing, students will strengthen their ability to comprehend, summarize, analyze, interpret, and make connections within and across texts. Students will enrich their vocabulary and literacy skills through choice reading, shared reading experiences, and research opportunities. This is an interactive class that encourages critical thinking based on reading, writing, and discussion that is a foundation for the skills that will be developed in 7th and 8th grade.

Unit 1: Take It In: What's the Truth?

Explore the digital and physical world of 6th grade as you transition from elementary to middle school. Recognize that things are not always as they seem as you develop skills to help you determine facts and text features.

Unit 2: The Set Up: What’s the Purpose?

Explore the deeper meaning behind what the author chose to share with us, and what we, as readers, can take away from it.

Unit 3: Let’s Focus: What’s the Big Idea? 

Hunt down the main ideas that leap off the page and provide the big picture.

Unit 4: You Be the Judge: What’s the Proof?

Investigate authors’ motivations and perspectives in embedding information and statistics.

Unit 5: Defend It: What’s the Argument?

State your case and defend your claim as you learn the art of designing a strong argument.

Unit 6: Tell Me About It: How Do I Share What I’ve Learned?

Publish your own work of nonfiction by exploring a topic of interest and share what you’ve learned.