Unit Overview
Content Area: English Language Arts
Unit Title: The Novel
Target Course/Grade Level: SixthGrade Timeline: 4 to 6 Weeks
Unit Summary: The Novel Unit will provide an understanding of the major literary elements of a novel. In addition to this, readers will implement these elements, as well as comprehension strategies, in order to improve comprehension and the ability to analyze text.
Primary interdisciplinary connections:Vocabulary, Writing, Current Events, Social Studies
21st century themes and skills: Global Awareness, Environmental Literacy, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and Collaboration, Life and Career Skills: -flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility.
Anchor Standards:
Anchor Standards for Reading:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textualevidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting detailsand ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurativemeanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text
(e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Anchor Standards for Writing:
Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevantand sufficient evidence.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (asingle sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening:
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and theorganization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Anchor Standards for Language:
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling whenwriting.
Knowledge of Language
3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effectivechoices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues,analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient forreading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence ingathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Learning Targets/Activities
Domain: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity, Text Types and Purposes, Production and Distribution of Writing, Research to Build and Present Knowledge, Comprehension and Collaboration, Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas, Conventions of Standard English, Knowledge of Language, Vocabulary Acquisition and Use.
Standard # / Standards
RL.6.1 / Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2 / Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RL.6.3 / Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
RL.6.4 / Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RL.6.5 / Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
RL.6.6 / Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
RL.6.10 / By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
W.6.1.a-e / Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons
and evidence clearly.
b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and
relevant evidence, using credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of the topic
or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the
relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section
that follows from the argument presented.
W.6.4 / Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.).
W.6.5 / With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 6 on page 52.)
W.6.9.a-b / Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics”).
b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not”).
W.6.10 / Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
SL.6.1.a-d / Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define
Individual roles as needed.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and
paraphrasing.
SL.6.3 / Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
SL.6.4 / Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
L.6.1.a-e / Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, possessive).
b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person.*
d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).*
e. Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.*
L.6.2.a-b / Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.*
b. Spell correctly.
L.6.3.a-b / Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/ listener interest, and style.*
b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.*
L.6.4.a-d / Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.6.4.a-c / Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy,
scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
L.6.6 / Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Unit Essential Questions
  • How do the elements of fiction contribute to my comprehension of the novel’s plot?
  • How do the elements of fiction contribute to my understanding of the novel’s theme?
/ Unit Enduring Understandings
  • The elements of a novel (plot, character, setting, style and point of view) contribute to a reader’s understanding of the theme.
  • An author’s choices influence the reader’s experience of plot events and themes.

Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
  • Understand major elements of a novel include plot, character, setting, point of view, and theme. (RL.6.1.RL.6.2, RL6.3)
  • Recognize that an author’s choice of setting details contribute to a reader’s understanding of the novel’s theme. (RL.6.2, RL.6.5)
  • Recognize that figurative language (metaphor, simile, irony, hyperbole, flashback) contributes to creating a character and moves the plot forward. (RL.6.4, L.6.5.a, L.6.5.b, L.6.5.c)
  • Understand that authors often provide foreshadowing of a novel’s events. (RL.6.5)
  • Understand and recognize the use of different types of view from which a novel is told (first person and third person omniscient). (RL.6.6)
  • Determine the author’s purpose for choosing a specific pint of view for a novel. (RL.6.6)
  • Recognize that the events of a novel’s plot are driven by the narrator’s point of view. (RL.6.6)
  • Set purpose for reading. (RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.6)
  • Make predictions to enhance comprehension to enhance comprehension of text. (RL.6.1, RL.6.2)
  • Independently self-monitor for understanding and apply strategies to clarify confusion (i.e. re-read, uncover word meanings, make text-text/self/world connections, ask questions while reading). [RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, RL.6.5, L.6.4 (a-d), L.6.6)
  • Describe and use textual evidence to analyze how the plot of the novel unfolds in a series of episodes and how the characters respond and change as the plot moves toward a resolution. (RL.6.1, RL.6.5)
  • Use textual evidence and well thought out inferences to contribute meaningfully to class and small-group discussions. (RL.6.1, RL.6.10, SL.6.1.a-d, SL.6.3, SL.6 4, L.6.1.a-c, L.6.3.a-b)
  • Analyze and cite textual evidence and formulate well thought out inferences to write a well-structured, well supported response and/or essay related to the novel and elements of fiction. (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, W.6.1a-c, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9.a-b, W.6.10, L.6.1.a-e, L.6.2a-b, L.6.3.a-b)

Learning Activities
  • modeled lessons through read alouds
  • graphic organizers
  • class discussions
  • literature circles
  • group projects
  • Power Point presentations
  • independent reading
  • sharing/discussions
  • partner reading
  • partner/pair share
  • connection drawings
  • peer conferencing
/
  • mini-lessons
  • guided reading groups
  • shared reading
  • think aloud
  • story maps/venn diagrams
  • posters/anchor charts (classroom listening/sharing)
  • questions and responses
  • reading conferences
  • reading journals/written response
  • skill-based work stations
  • flexible grouping

Evidence of Learning
Formative Assessments
  • Graphic organizers
  • Conferences
  • Rubrics
  • Vocabulary Notebook
/
  • Illustrations of concepts/understanding
  • Oral and written response/summary
  • Exit tickets
  • Classroom Observation

Summative Assessments
  • Comprehension Quizzes
  • Extended Written Responses
  • End of Novel Project
  • Teachers College Reading and Writing Project: Levels L-Z Reading Level Assessments

RESOURCES/TECHNOLOGY
Suggested Teacher Instructional Resources:
  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
  • Maniac MaGee, by Jerry Spinelli
  • Holes, by Louis Sachar
  • Freak the Mighty byBodman Philbrick
  • When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, byKimberly Willis Holt
  • Hatchet, byGary Paulsen
  • The Cay, byTheodore Taylor
  • Pictures of Hollis Woods, byPatricia Reilly Giff
  • Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
  • Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, by Jordan Sonnernblick
  • Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen
  • Tuck Everlastingby Natalie Babbit
  • The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Suggested Short Story Resources:
  • Love by William Maxwell(for Walk Two Moons)
  • Short texts – magazine, newspaper/on-line articles, chapter summaries
/ Poetry Resources:
Integration of Technology:
  • PowerPoint
  • SmartBoard
  • Webquests

Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
  • Web English Teacher
  • owl.english.purdue.edu
  • sharoncreech.com

Opportunities for Differentiation:
  • Audio books
  • Alternative Leveled novels
  • Graphic Organizers for chapter/novel summaries
  • Small group instruction for specific comprehension strategies/ oral reading /discussion
  • Rubrics
  • “Chunking” reading selections
  • Question/discussion techniques
  • MI-inspired activities and lessons
  • Metacognitive strategies

Teacher Notes: