Grade 6 Literacy - Essential Elements

Note: The Iowa Core Essential Elements are intended only for students with significant cognitive disabilities and who participate in alternate assessments.

Reading Standards for Literature

Key Ideas and Details

1. Determine what a text says explicitly as well as what simple inferences must be drawn. (EE.RL.6.1)
2. Identify details in a text that are related to the theme or central idea. (EE.RL.6.2)
3. Can identify how a character responds to a challenge in a story. (EE.RL.6.3)

Craft and Structure

4. Determine how word choice changes the meaning in a text. (EE.RL.6.4)
5. Determine the structure of a text (e.g., story, poem, or drama). (EE.RL.6.5)
6. Identify words or phrases in the text that describe or show what the narrator or speaker is thinking or feeling. (EE.RL.6.6)

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Compare the experience of reading or listening to a written story, drama or poem with the experience of watching video or live performance of the same text. (EE.RL.6.7)
8. (Not applicable to literature) (EE.RL.6.8)
9. Compare and contrast stories, myths, or texts with similar topics or themes. (EE.RL.6.9)

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10. Demonstrate understanding of text while actively reading or listening to stories, dramas, or poetry. (EE.RL.6.10)

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Key Ideas and Details

1. Analyze a text to determine what it says explicitly as well as what inferences should be drawn. (EE.RI.6.1)
2. Determine the main idea of a passage and details or facts related to it. (EE.RI.6.2)
3. Identify a detail that elaborates upon individuals, events, or ideas introduced in a text. (EE.RI.6.3)

Craft and Structure

4. Determine how word choice changes the meaning of a text. (EE.RI.6.4)
5. Determine how the title fits the structure of the text. (EE.RI.6.5)
6. Identify words or phrases in the text that describe or show the author’s point of view. (EE.RI.6.6)

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Find similarities in information presented in different media or formats as well as in text. (EE.RI.6.7)
8. Distinguish claims in a text supported by reason. (EE.RI.6.8)
9. Compare and contrast how two texts describe the same event. (EE.RI.6.9)

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10. Demonstrate understanding while actively reading or listening to literary nonfiction. (EE.RI.6.10)

Writing Standards

Text Types and Purposes

1. Write claims about topics or text.
   1. Write a claim about a topic or text.
   2. Write one or more reasons to support a claim about a topic or text.
   3. Not applicable.
   4. Not applicable.
   5. Not applicable. (EE.W.6.1)
2. Write to share information supported by details.
   1. Introduce a topic and write to convey ideas and information about it including visual, tactual, or multimedia information as appropriate.
   2. Provide facts, details, or other information related to the topic.
   3. Not applicable.
   4. Not applicable.
   5. Not applicable.
   6. Not applicable. (EE.W.6.2)
3. Write about events or personal experiences.
   1. Write a narrative about a real or imagined experience introducing the experience and including two or more events.
   2. Not applicable.
   3. Use words that establish the time frame.
   4. Use words that convey specific details about the experience or event.
   5. Not applicable. (EE.W.6.3) (DOK 3,4)

Production and Distribution of Writing

4. Produce writing that is appropriate for the task, purpose, or audience. (EE.W.6.4)
5. With guidance and support from adults and peers, plan before writing and revise own writing. (EE.W.6.5)
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce writing while interacting and collaborating with others. (EE.W.6.6)

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question. (EE.W.6.7)
8. Gather information from multiple print and digital sources that relates to a given topic. (EE.W.6.8)
9. Use information from literary and informational text to support writing.
   1. Apply Essential Elements of Grade 6 Reading Standards to literature (e.g., “Compare a text version of a story, drama, or poem with an audio, video, or live version of the text.”).
   2. Apply Essential Elements of Grade 6 Reading Standards to informational texts (e.g., “Can produce an argument by logically organizing the claims and the supporting reasons and evidence.”). (EE.W.6.9)

Range of Writing

10. Write routinely for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (EE.W.6.10)

Speaking and Listening Standards

Comprehension and Collaboration

1. Engage in collaborative discussions.
   1. Come to discussions prepared to share information.
   2. With guidance and support from adults and peers, follow simple, agreed-upon rules for discussions and contribute information.
   3. Ask and answer questions specific to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
   4. Restate key ideas expressed in the discussion. (EE.SL.6.1)
2. Identify information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) that relates to a topic, text, or issue under study. (EE.SL.6.2)
3. Identify the reasons and evidence supporting the claims made by the speaker. (EE.SL.6.3)

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

4. Present findings on a topic including descriptions, facts, or details. (EE.SL.6.4)
5. Select an auditory, visual, or tactual display to clarify the information in presentations. (EE.SL.6.5)
6. Use formal and informal language as appropriate to the communication partner. (EE.SL.6.6)

Language Standards

Conventions of Standard English

1. Demonstrate standard English grammar and usage when communicating.
   1. Use personal pronouns (e.g., he, she, they) correctly.
   2. Use indefinite pronouns.
   3. Not applicable.
   4. Not applicable.
   5. Not applicable. (EE.L.6.1)
2. Demonstrate understanding of conventions of standard English.
   1. Use question marks at the end of written questions.
   2. Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on letter-sound relationships and common spelling patterns. (EE.L.6.2)

Knowledge of Language

3. Use language to achieve desired outcomes when communicating.
   1. Vary use of language when the listener or reader does not understand the initial attempt.
   2. Not applicable. (EE.L.6.3)

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

4. Demonstrate knowledge of word meanings.
   1. Use context to determine which word is missing from a content area text.
   2. Use frequently occurring root words (e.g., like) and the words that result when affixes are added (e.g., liked, disliked, liking).
   3. Seek clarification and meaning support when unfamiliar words are encountered while reading or communicating.
   4. Not applicable. (EE.L.6.4)
5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and use.
   1. Identify the meaning of simple similes (e.g., The man was as big as a tree.).
   2. Demonstrate understanding of words by identifying other words with similar and different meanings.
   3. Not applicable. (EE.L.6.5)
6. Use general academic and domain-specific words and phrases across contexts. (EE.L.6.6)