What Students will learn in Gr-6

Grade 6

General Outcome 1 (Gr. 6)

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.

1.1 Discover and Explore

Express ideas and develop understanding

use prior experiences with oral, print and other media texts to choose new texts that meet learning needs and interests
read, write, represent and talk to explore and explain connections between prior knowledge and new information in oral, print and other media texts
engage in exploratory communication to share personal responses and develop own interpretations

Experiment with language and forms

experiment with a variety of forms of oral, print and other media texts to discover those best suited for exploring, organizing and sharing ideas, information and experiences

Express preferences

assess a variety of oral, print and other media texts, and discuss preferences for particular forms

Set goals

assess personal language use, and revise personal goals to enhance language learning and use

1.2 Clarify and Extend

Consider the ideas of others

select from the ideas and observations of others to expand personal understanding

Combine ideas

use talk, notes, personal writing and representing, together with texts and the ideas of others, to clarify and shape understanding

Extend understanding

evaluate the usefulness of new ideas, techniques and texts in terms of present understanding

General Outcome 2 (Gr. 6)

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend and respond personally and critically to oral, print and other media texts.

2.1 Use Strategies and Cues

Use prior knowledge

combine personal experiences and the knowledge and skills gained through previous experiences with oral, print and other media texts to understand new ideas and information
apply knowledge of organizational structures of oral, print and other media texts to assist with constructing and confirming meaning

Use comprehension strategies

identify, and explain in own words, the interrelationship of the main ideas and supporting details
preview the content and structure of subject area texts, and use this information to set a purpose, rate and strategy for reading
use definitions provided in context to identify the meanings of unfamiliar words
monitor understanding by evaluating new ideas and information in relation to known ideas and information

Use textual cues

use text features, such as charts, graphs and dictionaries, to enhance understanding of ideas and information
identify and use the structural elements of texts, such as magazines, newspapers, newscasts and news features, to access and comprehend ideas and information

Use phonics and structural analysis

use the meanings of prefixes and suffixes to predict the meanings of unfamiliar words in context
integrate and apply knowledge of phonics, sight vocabulary, language and context clues, and structural analysis to read unfamiliar words in texts of increasing length and complexity

Use references

choose the most appropriate reference to confirm the spellings or locate the meanings of unfamiliar words in oral, print and other media texts

2.2 Respond to Texts

Experience various texts

experience oral, print and other media texts from a variety of cultural traditions and genres, such as autobiographies, travelogues, comics, short films, myths, legends and dramatic performances
explain own point of view about oral, print and other media texts
make connections between own life and characters and ideas in oral, print and other media texts
discuss common topics or themes in a variety of oral, print and other media texts

Construct meaning from texts

observe and discuss aspects of human nature revealed in oral, print and other media texts, and relate them to those encountered in the community
summarize oral, print or other media texts, indicating the connections among events, characters and settings
identify or infer reasons for a character’s actions or feelings
make judgements and inferences related to events, characters, setting and main ideas of oral, print and other media texts
comment on the credibility of characters and events in oral, print and other media texts, using evidence from personal experiences and the text

Appreciate the artistry of texts

explain how metaphor, personification and synecdoche are used to create mood and mental images
experiment with sentence patterns, imagery and exaggeration to create mood and mental images
discuss how detail is used to enhance character, setting, action and mood in oral, print and other media texts

2.3 Understand Forms, Elements and Techniques

Understand forms and genres

identify key characteristics of a variety of forms or genres of oral, print and other media texts
discuss the differences between print and other media versions of the same text

Understand techniques and elements

discuss the connections among plot, setting and characters in oral, print and other media texts
identify first and third person narration, and discuss preferences with reference to familiar texts
explore techniques, such as visual imagery, sound, flashback and voice inflection, in oral, print and other media texts
identify strategies that presenters use in media texts to influence audiences

Experiment with language

alter words, forms and sentence patterns to create new versions of texts for a variety of purposes; explain how imagery and figurative language, such as personification and alliteration, clarify and enhance meaning

2.4 Create Original Text

Generate ideas

choose life themes encountered in reading, listening and viewing activities, and in own experiences, for creating oral, print and other media texts

Elaborate on the expression of ideas

use literary devices, such as imagery and figurative language, to create particular effects

Structure texts

determine purpose and audience needs to choose forms, and organize ideas and details in oral, print and other media texts
express the same ideas in different forms and genres; compare and explain the effectiveness of each for audience and purpose

General Outcome 3 (Gr. 6)

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to manage ideas and information.

3.1 Plan and Focus

Focus attention

distinguish among facts, supported inferences and opinions
use note-taking or representing to assist with understanding ideas and information, and focusing topics for investigation

Determine information needs

decide on and select the information needed to support a point of view

Plan to gather information

develop and follow own plan for accessing and gathering ideas and information, considering guidelines for time and length of investigation and presentation

3.2 Select and Process

Use a variety of sources

locate information to answer research questions, using a variety of sources, such as printed texts, bulletin boards, biographies, art, music, community resource people, CDROMs and the Internet

Access information

use a variety of tools, such as bibliographies, thesauri, electronic searches and technology, to access information
skim, scan and read closely to gather information

Evaluate sources

evaluate the congruency between gathered information and research purpose and focus, using pre-established criteria

3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate

Organize information

organize ideas and information using a variety of strategies and techniques, such as comparing and contrasting, and classifying and sorting according to subtopics and sequence
organize and develop ideas and information into oral, print or other media texts with introductions that interest audiences and state the topic, sections that develop the topic and conclusions

Record information

make notes on a topic, combining information from more than one source; use reference sources appropriately
use outlines, thought webs and summaries to show the relationships among ideas and information and to clarify meaning
quote information from oral, print and other media sources

Evaluate information

evaluate the appropriateness of information for a particular audience and purpose
recognize gaps in gathered information, and suggest additional information needed for a particular audience and purpose

3.4 Share and Review

Share ideas and information

communicate ideas and information in a variety of oral, print and other media texts, such as multiparagraph reports, question and answer formats and graphs
select appropriate visuals, print and/or other media to inform and engage the audience

Review research process

establish goals for enhancing research skills

General Outcome 4 (Gr. 6)

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.

4.1 Enhance and Improve

Appraise own and others’ work

work collaboratively to revise and enhance oral, print and other media texts
ask for and evaluate the usefulness of feedback and assistance from peers

Revise and edit

revise to provide focus, expand relevant ideas and eliminate unnecessary information
edit for appropriate verb tense and for correct pronoun references
use paragraph structures in expository and narrative texts

Enhance legibility

write legibly and at a pace appropriate to context and purpose
experiment with a variety of software design elements, such as spacing, graphics, titles and headings, and font sizes and styles, to enhance the presentation of texts

Expand knowledge of language

show the relationships among key words associated with topics of study, using a variety of strategies such as thought webs, outlines and lists
choose words that capture a particular aspect of meaning and that are appropriate for context, audience and purpose

Enhance artistry

experiment with several options, such as sentence structures, figurative language and multimedia effects, to choose the most appropriate way of communicating ideas or information

4.2 Attend to Conventions

Attend to grammar and usage

identify the use of coordinate and subordinate conjunctions to express ideas
use complex sentence structures and a variety of sentence types in own writing
identify comparative and superlative forms of adjectives, and use in own writing
identify past, present and future verb tenses, and use throughout a piece of writing

Attend to spelling

use a variety of resources and strategies to determine and learn the correct spelling of common exceptions to conventional spelling patterns
explain the importance of correct spellings for effective communication
edit for and correct commonly misspelled words in own writing, using spelling generalizations and the meaning and function of words in context

Attend to capitalization and punctuation

use colons before lists, to separate hours and minutes, and after formal salutations in own writing
identify parentheses and colons when reading, and use them to assist comprehension
identify ellipses that show words are omitted or sentences are incomplete when reading, and use them to assist comprehension

4.3 Present and Share

Present information

use various styles and forms of presentations, depending on content, audience and purpose

Enhance presentation

emphasize key ideas and information to enhance audience understanding and enjoyment

Use effective oral and visual communication

demonstrate control of voice, pacing, gestures and facial expressions; arrange props and presentation space to enhance communication

Demonstrate attentive listening and viewing

identify the tone, mood and emotion conveyed in oral and visual presentations
respond to the emotional aspects of presentations by providing nonverbal encouragement and appreciative comments

General Outcome 5 (Gr. 6)

Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to respect, support and collaborate with others.

5.1 Respect Others and Strengthen Community

Appreciate diversity

compare personal challenges and situations encountered in daily life with those experienced by people or characters in other times, places and cultures portrayed in oral, print and other media texts
share and discuss ideas and experiences that contribute to different responses to oral, print and other media texts

Relate texts to culture

identify ways in which oral, print and other media texts from diverse cultures and communities explore similar ideas

Celebrate accomplishments and events

use appropriate language to participate in public events, occasions or traditions

Use language to show respect

demonstrate respect by choosing appropriate language and tone in oral, print and other media texts

5.2 Work within a Group

Cooperate with others

assume a variety of roles, and share responsibilities as a group member
identify and participate in situations and projects in which group work enhances learning and results

Work in groups

contribute to group knowledge of topics to identify and focus information needs, sources and purposes for research or investigations
address specific problems in a group by specifying goals, devising alternative solutions and choosing the best alternative

Evaluate group process

assess own contributions to group process, and set personal goals for working effectively with others