Grade 6 English (Virginia SOL)

Developing Skilled Readers and Building Reading Stamina (DSR)

• 6.DSR Build knowledge and comprehension from challenging texts through fluent reading, evidence, and strategies.
• Read complex texts accurately, fluently, and with expression, self-correcting when needed.
• Understand literary and informational texts in the lower part of the grades 6–8 complexity band.
• Support discussion and writing with several accurate, traceable pieces of evidence.
• Read sets of related texts at varied levels to build knowledge and vocabulary.
• Use strategies such as text structure, summarizing, and questioning when understanding breaks down.

Reading and Vocabulary (RV)

• Build vocabulary and word knowledge systematically from grade 6 content and texts.
• 6.RV.1 Vocabulary development and word analysis.
• Learn and use general academic and subject-specific vocabulary from grade 6 texts and discussion.
• Use context and sentence structure to work out multiple meanings and unfamiliar words.
• Apply Greek and Latin roots and affixes to predict word meanings.
• Use synonyms and antonyms to understand words better.
• Explain similes, hyperbole, metaphors, and personification.
• Use word reference materials to clarify unknown words or choose the right definition.
• Use general and specialized references to find word origins, derivations, and pronunciations.
• Use newly learned words in discussion, speaking, and writing.

Reading Literary Text (RL)

• Use textual evidence to understand complex literary texts such as stories, novels, poetry, and drama.
• 6.RL.1 Key ideas and details: theme, plot, conflict, and character roles.
• Summarize texts, identifying the theme and how details convey it.
• Describe the stages of plot from exposition to resolution.
• Tell internal from external conflicts and explain their effect on character and plot.
• Explain how static and dynamic characters affect the plot.
• Explain how the protagonist and antagonist shape plot events.
• 6.RL.2 Craft and style: poetic elements, word choice, tone, and point of view.
• Describe poetic elements such as rhyme, rhythm, repetition, alliteration, and onomatopoeia and their impact.
• Explain how imagery, figurative language, and word choice create tone.
• Explain how the narrator's or speaker's point of view shapes how events are described.
• 6.RL.3 Integrate concepts within literary texts and compare fiction with nonfiction.
• Describe how individuals, settings, events, and ideas in a text influence each other.
• Compare details in paired fiction and nonfiction on the same topic, including how structure works.

Reading Informational Text (RI)

• Use textual evidence to understand and build knowledge from complex informational texts.
• 6.RI.1 Key ideas and details: main ideas, supporting details, and claims.
• Summarize main ideas and how specific details develop them.
• Describe how a key person, event, or idea is introduced and developed.
• Trace arguments and claims, telling supported claims from unsupported ones.
• 6.RI.2 Craft and style: text features and the author's choices, purpose, and perspective.
• Determine the purpose of text features such as bold, italics, color, graphics, and headings.
• Explain how word choice, organization, and sentence structure convey the author's purpose.
• Explain how an author establishes perspective or purpose in an informational text.
• 6.RI.3 Integrate concepts within and across informational texts.
• Describe how sentences, paragraphs, or sections develop ideas within and between texts.
• Compare one author's presentation of ideas or events with another's.

Writing (W)

• Compose a range of texts for different audiences and purposes linked to grade 6 content and texts.
• 6.W.1 Modes and purposes: narrative, expository, persuasive, and reflective writing.
• Write narratives to entertain, share experiences, or retell existing stories using narrative techniques.
• Write expository texts organized by description, comparison, or cause and effect.
• Write persuasive texts with clear claims, reasons, and logically grouped evidence, including about media messages.
• Write reflective responses to texts with details and evidence.
• 6.W.2 Organization and composition: use a writing process to build multi-paragraph texts.
• Build multi-paragraph texts with thesis, central idea, evidence, transitions, vocabulary, and conclusion.
• 6.W.3 Usage and mechanics: revise and edit for clarity, word choice, variety, and conventions.
• Revise for clarity, word choice, sentence variety, and transitions between paragraphs.
• Self- and peer-edit for capitals, spelling, punctuation, structure, paragraphing, and Standard English.

Language Usage (LU)

• Use Standard English conventions and tell formal from informal contexts in speaking and writing.
• 6.LU.1 Grammar: sentences, pronouns, adverbs, verbs, and agreement.
• Build simple, compound, and complex sentences for clarity and variety.
• Use pronoun-antecedent agreement, including indefinite and reflexive pronouns.
• Use adverbs precisely to express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, and certainty.
• Use phrases, clauses, and subject-verb agreement correctly.
• Use often-confused verbs (lie/lay, sit/set, rise/raise) correctly.
• 6.LU.2 Mechanics: sentence and dialogue punctuation, spelling, and reference checks.
• Write complete, correctly punctuated sentences, avoiding comma splices and run-ons.
• Punctuate dialogue and direct quotations correctly.
• Spell frequently used words accurately and consistently.
• Use reference materials to check and correct spelling.

Communication and Multimodal Literacies (C)

• Develop oral communication and collaboration skills that help learners make sense of content together.
• 6.C.1 Communication, listening, and collaboration: lead and join sustained, respectful discussions.
• Facilitate discussions: listen actively, build on ideas, ask clarifying questions, and disagree tactfully.
• 6.C.2 Speaking and presenting ideas: give organized oral reports and opinions supported by evidence.
• Give organized oral reports with evidence, suitable language, delivery skills, and audience engagement.
• 6.C.3 Integrating multimodal literacies.
• Create multimodal content using two or more modes that serve the presentation's purpose.
• Publish media messages for a specific audience that present claims and findings in a logical order.
• 6.C.4 Examining media messages.
• Interpret information from different media formats and explain how it adds to a topic.
• Explain how media messages are built to affect a particular audience.
• Analyze the features and effectiveness of media messages by considering their impact on the audience.

Research (R)

• Conduct research and read related texts on chosen topics to build knowledge and solve problems.
• 6.R.1 Evaluate and synthesise information: focused questions, sources, and sharing findings.
• Write narrow research questions and refocus the inquiry when needed.
• Collect information from several sources using effective search terms.
• Organize and synthesise primary, secondary, digital, and print sources, judging their credibility.
• Take notes with key ideas and summaries, paraphrasing and quoting ethically.
• Share findings in formal or informal oral or written formats.
• Credit quoted or paraphrased information using a standard citation style.
• Use sources, including the internet and AI tools, ethically and responsibly.