common core language arts workouts: grade 6

CommonCoreLanguageArtsWorkouts:Grade6

1CD-404226©MarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers

Name: Date:

READING LITERATURE – Between the Lines

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1:Citetextualevidencetosupportanalysisofwhatthetextsaysexplicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext.

Directions: Readthepassageandanswerthequestionsthatfollow.

Shadowsdeepenedonbarrencliffsacrossthevalley.Mikegazedoutthewindowacrossthevacantrunway.Then,exasperated,heglancedathiscellphone,grimacingandshakinghishead.Hewascertaintomisshisconnection.Heconsideredreturningtothecoffeeshopforasandwich,butrejectedtheidea.

1. Whattimeofdayisit?Howcanyoutell?

2. Mikeisinabuilding.Whatkindofbuildingisit?Whichdetailstellyouthis?

3. Howdoeshefeel?Whichwordsandphrasestellyouthis?

4. Isthisbuildingprobablyinabigcityoraruralarea?Whatinformationinthetextleadsyoutobelievethis?

ReadingLiterature



Name: Date:

READING LITERATURE – What Is the Story About?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2:Determineathemeorcentral ideaofatextandhowit iscon-veyedthroughparticulardetails;provideasummaryofthetextdistinctfrompersonalopinionsorjudgments.


Thelittleboatpitchedandrolledontheturbulentsea.Danielwatchedhelplesslyashisfatherandtheotherdiversstruggledtoholditonasteadycourseagainsttheferociousstorm.Hewantedtohelp,buteverytimehetriedtostand,painsearedthroughhisleg.

1. Whichofthefollowingthemesbestfitsthispassage:materialismanddownfall,greed,thepowerofwealth,managainstnature,thepowerofnames,orthepowerofwords?

2. Whichdetailsinthepassagesupportthetheme?

3. Whatisthesettingofthepassage?Howdoesitcontributetothetheme?

4. Whoisthemaincharacter?Whatishisproblem?Howdoeshisproblemrelatetothetheme?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.3Describehowaparticularstory’sordrama’splotunfoldsinase-riesofepisodesaswellashowthecharactersrespondorchangeastheplotmovestowardaresolution.

Directions: Onanothersheetofpaper,nameastory,book,movie,ortelevisionshowwithasimilarthemetotheoneinthepassageabove.Summarizetheplotbytellinghowthemaincharactersolveshisproblems.Includethestory’smostimportantevents.

ReadingLiterature



Name: Date:

READING LITERATURE – Power Words

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4:Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesastheyareusedinatext,includingfigurativeandconnotativemeanings;analyzetheimpactofaspecificwordchoiceonmeaningandtone.


ThegraveyardwasasdesolateasspacebeyondtheKuiperBelt.Ancientgranitemarkersloomedoutofearly-morninggroundfoglikeprimevalmountainsinoneofhisgrandfather’sinkandwashpaintingsonricepaper.LoChishiftedtheheavybackpacktohisoppositeshoulder.Linwasnotreallyinthatdismalplace.Shecouldn’tbe.Onlylastweek,herradiantsmilehadbeenasunsulliedasthepeoniesinthegardenatTheCenter.

1. Thenarratortellsusthatthegraveyardisasemptyassomething.What?Whatdoesthiscomparisontellusaboutthenarrator?

2. Whatdoesloomedmeaninthispassage?Whatotherwordscouldhavebeenused?Howdoesloomedcontributetothemoodoftheselection?

3. Whatarethegravemarkerscomparedto?Whatdoesthistellyouaboutthenarrator?Whatmightamechanic, a computer technician,orotherprofessional havecomparedthemto?

4. Whichtwowordsinthispassagedescribesomethingthatisold?Whichtwowordsmeanthatsomethingissad?Whyarethesewordsusedinsteadoftheirsimplerequivalents?

ReadingLiterature



Name: Date:

READING LITERATURE – Supporting Roles

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5:Analyzehowaparticularsentence,chapter,scene,orstanzafitsintotheoverallstructureofatextandcontributestothedevelopmentofthetheme,setting,orplot.


JasoncringedwhenhenoticedBeccaandShawnalonetogether.Theywerestand-ing in theshadeofaeucalyptus treeon theperipheryof theplayground.TheyweredefinitelytooclosetogetherforJason’scomfort.Hedidn’tunderstandwhythisdisturbedhimsodeeply.Afterall,hedidn’tlikeBeccathatway,ordidhe?

1. WhatdoesthefirstsentenceofthispassagetellyouaboutJasonandBecca?Whatdoescringedmean?Whyisitimportantinthissentence?

2. Whichthemebestdescribesthisselection:vanity,firstlove,self-preservation,oranindi-vidualvs.society?Whichsentenceinthetextmoststronglysupportsthetheme?

3. Whichsentencetellsyouwherethispassagetakesplace?Whatdoesittellyouaboutthetimeandtheweather?

4. Whichsentenceintroducesthecharacters?Whoisthepoint-of-viewcharacter?Howdoyouknow?

ReadingLiterature



Name: Date:

READING LITERATURE – Through Arlen’s Eyes: Developing a Point of View

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.6:Explainhowanauthordevelopsthepointofviewofthenarratororspeakerinatext.


Arlensecuredthethickdoortohissleepingquarters,buthecouldstillhearthetwoofthemfightingdownstairs.Theirwordswereslurredandpunctuatedbyfixturescrash-ingagainsttheship’sunforgivingwalls.Once,theolderfemalecalledouthisname,buthedidn’trespond.Hehadlearnedlongbeforethatinteractingwitheitherofthemwaspointlesswhentheyhaddrunktoomuch.Ifonlyhisparentswerestillalive.

1. Whoisthemaincharacter?

2. Whatishisproblem?

3. Howdoeshefeelabouthissituation?

4. Howwouldtheselectionbedifferentiftoldfromthepointofviewofoneoftheotherchar-acters?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.7:Compareandcontrasttheexperienceofreadingastory,drama,orpoemtolisteningtoorviewinganaudio,video,orliveversionofthetext,includingcontrast-ingwhatthey“see”and“hear”whenreadingthetexttowhattheyperceivewhentheylistenorwatch.

Directions:Whichisbetter,readingastoryorwatchingafilm?Writeyouransweronanotherpaper,usingspecificdetailsandexamplestosupportyouropinion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.9:Compareandcontrast texts indifferent formsorgenres (e.g.,storiesandpoems;historicalnovelsandfantasystories)intermsoftheirapproachestosimilarthemesandtopics.

Directions:Readtheshortstory“TheDoor”byE.B.Whiteandthepoem“Jabberwocky”byLewisCarroll.(Bothareavailableonline.)Howaretheysimilar?Howaretheydifferent?Writeyouransweronanothersheetofpaper.

ReadingLiterature



Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – Just the Facts

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1:Cite textualevidence tosupportanalysisofwhat the textsaysexplicitlyaswellasinferencesdrawnfromthetext.


Acell is thesmallestunit of life.Everyhumanbodycontainsthousandsofthem,specializedfordifferenttasks.However,manyorganisms have only one cell. That simple cell eats, eliminateswaste,moves,andreproduces.Oneclear,blob-liketypeofsingle-celledcreatureprobablylivesnearyou.Thesetinyprotists,calledamoebas, thrive in lakes, ponds, puddles, and creeks.You can’tseeamoebaswithyournakedeyeoranordinarymagnifyingglassbecausetheyaretoosmall.Thatdoesn’tstopmusselsandwaterfleasfromdependingonthemasafoodsource.

1. Whatdoamoebaslooklike?

2. Namefourplaceswhereamoebasmaybefound.Whatdothoseplaceshaveincommon?Whatplacedoamoebasholdinthefoodweb?

3. Whattasksdoesthesingle-celledbodyofanamoebaperform?

4. Whatscientifictoolmightyouusetoseeanamoeba?Whichphrasesintheselectionleadyoutoinferthis?

ReadingInformationalText



Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – How Details Add Up: Writing a Summary

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.2: Determineacentralideaofatextandhowitisconveyedthroughparticulardetails;provideasummaryofthetextdistinctfrompersonalopinionsorjudgments.


Forcenturies,greatEuropeanartists tried tomake theirpaintings lookreal.Theyused linearperspective togive theirpicturesdepth.Theyapplied their knowledgeofanatomytomakeportraitsmorelifelike.Mastersalsostudiedlight,shadow,andcolor.Theyusedtheirobservationstocreateillusions.Theseskilledpainterscouldsuggestsubtletexturessuchasvelvet,lace,silver,andglass.

1. Whatisthemainideaofthisselection?

2. Whydidartistsuselinearperspective?

3. WhydidEuropeanartistsstudyanatomy?

4. Whydidtheystudylight,shadow,andcolor?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.3:Analyzeindetailhowakeyindividual,event,orideaisintroduced,illustrated,andelaboratedinatext(e.g.,throughexamplesoranecdotes).

Directions:Readanarticleaboutyourfavoriteartist,writer,ormusicianonlineorinamaga-zine.Onyourownpaper,explainhowtheauthorof thearticle introducedtheperson.Thensummarizethemostimportantstoriesandfactsthewriterincludes.Isthearticlepresentedinchronologicalorder,ordoesitusesomeothertextstructure?Isitdividedintosections?Doesitincludeillustrationsorcharts?Shareyourobservationswithothermembersofyourgroup.




Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – The Clownfish and the Anemone: Using Context Clues

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4:Determinethemeaningofwordsandphrasesastheyareusedinatext,includingfigurative,connotative,andtechnicalmeanings.


Sometimesoneorganismneedsanothertolive.Thisiscalledasymbioticrelationship.Some,calledparasites,useothers.Forexample,aclumpofmistletoeextractsitsfoodfromthebranchofatree.Bacteriaaresmallenoughtoliveinsidetheirhostplantsoranimals.Mutualismisadifferentkindofsymbiosis.Theclownfishandakindofseaanemonehave thissortofarrangement.Theyhelpeachotherkeepenemiesaway.

1. Whatdoessymbioticmean?

2. Whatdoesextractsmeaninthispassage?

3. Whatareparasites?

4. Whatdoesmutualmean?Howistherelationshipbetweentheclownfishandanemonedifferent fromtherelationshipbetweenmistletoeanda treeorbacteriaandananimalhost?




Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – One Small Step: What Each Part of a Text Contributes

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.5:Analyzehowaparticularsentence,paragraph,chapter,orsectionfitsintotheoverallstructureofatextandcontributestothedevelopmentoftheideas.


Theyearwas1969.Technologywassimpler formostpeople.Forexample, therewerenocellphones,personalcomputers,ordigitalcameras.Infact,manyfamiliesstillhadblackandwhitetelevisions.OntheafternoonofJuly20,alleyeswereonNeilArm-strong.Hewasclimbingdownaladder.Theeventwasexcitingbecausethatladderwasaquarterofamillionmilesaway.Hewasabouttobecomethefirsthumantosetfootonthemoon.

1. Howdoesthefactthattherewerenocellphones,personalcomputers,ordigitalcamerasdescribelifein1969?

2. Whydidtheauthoraddthatmanypeoplestillhadblackandwhitetelevisions?

3. HowdoestheauthordescribewhatmanypeopleweredoingonJuly20,1969?

4. Whatisthemainideaofthisselection?

5. Commonsignaltermsfordescriptivetextsincludeto illustrate, in addition, in fact, also, such as,andfor example.Whichonesareusedinthisselection?

Directions:ReadthetranscriptoftheactualvideotransmissionfromApollo11at<http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11.step.html>.

6. Whichtextstructurebestdescribesthewayinformationis

presentedinthetranscript?

a. comparisonandcontrast b. sequence

c. description d. causeandeffect

e. problemandsolution




Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – Abuzz With a Point of View: Determining the Author’s Purpose

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.6:Determineanauthor’spointofvieworpurposeinatextandex-plainhowitisconveyedinthetext.


There’sabumblebeedisasterbrewinginNorthAmerica.Sincethe late 1990s, their numbers have been declining alarmingly.Somespecieshavealmostdisappeared.Theseinsectspollinatemorethanathirdofthefoodspeopleeat.Wemustacttosavethembeforeitistoolate.Studythesituationtofindoutwhatyoucando.

1. Whatproblemdoestheauthordiscussinthisselection?

2. Istheauthor’spurposetoentertain,inform,orpersuade?Howdoestheauthorconveythispurposeinthepassage?

3. Whichfactsdoestheauthorincludetoshowthattheproblemisimportant?

4. Whatdoestheauthorwantthereadertodo?




Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7:Integrateinformationpresentedindifferentmediaorformats(e.g.,visually,quantitatively)aswellasinwordstodevelopacoherentunderstandingofatopicorissue.

Directions: Readthepassageandthechartbelow.Thenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.

GiantRockisahugeboulder.LocatedintheMojaveDesert,itmightbethelargestfree-standingrockintheworld.Itisnotsurprisingthatthisstrangeobjectisthesubjectoflegends.LocalNativeAmericansconsideritsacred.Inthe1950s,itdrewthousandsofbelieversinUnidentifiedFlyingObjects(UFOs).Intheyear2000,apieceasbigasatruckbrokeoff.Today,volunteersareworkingtopickuptrash,removegraffiti,andprotectthisnaturalwonderfromvandalism.

Giant Rock Facts Location: nearLanders,California Composition: whitegranite Height: approximately70feet SizeatBase: 5,800squarefeet(540squaremeters) Estimatedweight: morethan25,000tons

1. WhatisGiantRockandwhyaresomepeopleinterestedinit?

2. Whatinformationisshowninthepicturethatisnotincludedinthetext?

3. Whatinformationisincludedinthechartthatisneitherinthetextnorthephotograph?

4. HowdoeseachtypeofmediahelpreadersunderstandGiantRock?Whatothertypesofmediacouldaddimportantinformation?




Name: Date:

READING INFORMATIONAL TExT – Prove It!

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.8:Traceandevaluate theargumentandspecificclaims ina text,distinguishingclaimsthataresupportedbyreasonsandevidencefromclaimsthatarenot.


BramStoker’sDraculawaspublishedonMay26,1897.Countlessvampirebooksandstorieshavebeenwrittensince.Talesaboutcreatureswhosiphumanblood,sleepincoffins,andliveforevercontinuetothrillpeople.Thesetalesgeneratelinesatbookstoresandfillmovietheaters.Everyoneknowsthereisnosuchthingasarealvampire.Likethrillridesatanamusementpark,thesestoriesareterrifying,butsafe.

1. Whatpointdoestheauthormakeinthisselection?Doyouagree?Whyorwhynot?

2. WhathappenedonMay26,1897?

3. How many vampire books have been published? Is that a fact or anopinion?Isitpossibletoknowtheexactnumber?Whyorwhynot?

4. Whattitlesandstatisticscouldtheauthorhaveincludedtoprovevampirefilmsfilltheaters?

5. Whydoestheauthorcomparevampirestoriestothrillridesatanamusementpark?Whatkindofevidencecouldtheauthorhaveincludedtosupportthatstatement?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.9:Compareandcontrastoneauthor’spresentationofeventswiththatofanother(e.g.,amemoirwrittenbyandabiographyonthesameperson).

Directions: ReadaboutthelifeofHelenKellerattheHelenKellerInternationalwebsite.<http://www.hki.org/about-helen-keller/helen-kellers-life/>Then,read“Chapter1”ofThe Story of My LifebyHelenKellerat<http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/keller/life/life.html>.

Onanotherpieceofpaper,writeaparagraphortwocomparingthetwoworks.


common core language arts workouts: grade 6

Documents