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