Grade 6: Myths - Not Just Long Ago
Rating: 
Common Core Standards
Reading Literature
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.6.6 Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text. Reading Informational Text
RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.6.2 Determine a 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.
RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
Writing
W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.6.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1 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.
Language
L.6.4 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.
Description of Unit
This Grade 6 unit titled "Myths - Not Just Long Ago" developed by Expeditionary Learning for engageny.org is intended to be completed in 13 one-hour language arts sessions at the start of the school year. The emphasis is on having students draw evidence from text to produce a clear and coherent writing that informs and explains. Close reading and process writing instruction are designed with scaffolding, modeling, and support appropriate for the beginning of the school year.
Cautions
Connecticut teachers should be aware that while the curriculum is available at the site listed, access to materials used in lessons may be limited.
Rationale for Selection
The unit is exemplary because it makes reading texts closely, examining textual evidence, and discerning deep meaning a central focus of instruction. It also includes a progression of academic vocabulary instruction where skills advance and deepen over time. Students are provided with multiple opportunities to engage with text of appropriate complexity, scaffolding and other supports that build toward independence. The formative and summative assessments included elicit direct, observable evidence of the degree to which a student can independently demonstrate the major targeted grade-level CCSS standards with appropriately complex text.