California Academic Content Standards · PLATE TECTONICS AND EARTH’S STRUC- ... ganda in text 2.4...

California Academic Content Standards

Language Arts Mathematics

Sixth Grade

Notes

READING

1.0. WORD ANALYSIS, FLUENCY, ANDSYSTEMATIC VOCABULARY DEVELOP-MENT: Students use their knowledge ofword origins and word relationships, as wellas historical and literary context clues, bothto determine the meaning of specializedvocabulary and to understand the precisemeaning of grade-level-appropriate words.

Word Recognition:

1.1. read narrative and expository text aloudwith fluency and accuracy, and with appropriatepacing, intonation, and expression

Vocabulary and Concept Development:

1.2. distinguish and interpret figurative lan-guage and multiple-meaning words

1.3. recognize the origins and meanings offrequently used foreign words in English anduse these words accurately in speaking andwriting

1.4. monitor expository text for unknown wordsor words with novel meanings, using word,sentence and paragraph clues to determinemeaning

1.5. understand and explain “shades of mean-ing” for related words (e.g., softly and quietly)

By the end of sixth grade, students havemastered the four arithmetic operations withpositive and negative numbers, whole num-bers, fractions and decimals; they accuratelycompute and solve problems. They applytheir knowledge to statistics andprobability. Students understand the conceptof and how to calculate the range, mean,median and mode of data sets. They analyzedata and sampling processes for possible biasand misleading conclusions, and they useaddition and multiplication of fractionsroutinely to calculate probabilities for com-pound events. Students conceptually under-stand and work with ratios and proportions;they compute percentages (e.g., tax, tips,interest). Students know about p and theformulas for the circumference and area of acircle. They use letters for numbers in formu-las involving geometric shapes and in repre-senting an unknown part of a ratio. Theysolve 1-step linear equations.

NUMBER SENSE

1. Students compare and order fractions,decimals, and mixed numbers. They solveproblems involving fractions, ratios, propor-tions, and percentages.

1.1 compare and order positive and negativefractions, decimals, and mixed numbers andplace them on a number line

Grade Six


History/Social Science Science

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WORLD HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY:ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Students in grade six expand their understandingof history by studying the people and events thatushered in the dawn of the major western andnon-western ancient civilizations. Geography is ofspecial significance in the development of thehuman story. Continued emphasis is placed on theeveryday lives, problems and accomplishments ofpeople, their role in developing social, economicand political structures, as well as in establishingand spreading ideas that helped transform theworld forever. Students develop higher levels ofcritical thinking by considering why civilizationsdeveloped where and when they did, why theybecame dominant and why they declined. Stu-dents analyze the interactions among the variouscultures, emphasizing their enduring contribu-tions and the link, despite time, between thecontemporary and ancient worlds.

6.1 Students describe what is known througharchaeological studies of the early physical andcultural development of mankind from thePaleolithic Era to the agricultural revolution, interms of:

1. the hunter-gatherer societies and theircharacteristics, including the development of toolsand the use of fire

Focus on Earth Science

PLATE TECTONICS AND EARTH’S STRUC-TURE

1. Plate tectonics explains important features ofthe Earth’s surface and major geologic events. Asthe basis for understanding this concept, studentsknow:

a. evidence for plate tectonics based on the fit ofthe continents; location of earthquakes, volcanoes,and midocean ridges; and the distribution offossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.

b. the solid Earth is layered with cold, brittlelithosphere; hot, convecting mantle; and dense,metallic core.

c. lithospheric plates on the scales of continentsand oceans move at rates of centimeters per year inresponse to movements in the mantle.

d. earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks inthe crust called faults, and volcanoes/fissures arelocations where magma reaches the surface.

e. major geologic events, such as earthquakes,volcanic eruptions, and mountain building resultfrom plate motions.

f. how to explain major features of Californiageology in terms of plate tectonics (includingmountains, faults, volcanoes).

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Sixth Grade

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2.0. READING COMPREHENSION (FOCUSON INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS): Stu-dents read and understandgrade-level-appropriate material. Theydescribe and connect the essential ideas,arguments, and perspectives of text, andthey relate text structure, organization, andpurpose. The quality and complexity of thematerials to be read by students are illus-trated in the California Reading List. Inaddition, by grade 8, students read onemillion words annually on their own, includ-ing a good representation of narrative (i.e.,classic and contemporary literature) andexpository (e.g., magazines, newspapers,on-line information) text appropriate foreach grade.

Structural Features of Informational Materi-als:

2.1. identify and use the structural features of,and differences among, newspapers, maga-zines, and editorials to gain meaning from text

2.2. analyze text which usescompare-and-contrast patterns

Comprehension and Analysis ofGrade-Level-Appropriate Text:

2.3. connect and clarify main ideas, identifyingtheir relationship to other sources and relatedtopics

1.2 interpret and use ratios in differentcontexts (e.g., batting averages, miles perhour) to show the relative sizes of two quanti-ties using appropriate notations (a/b, a to b,a:b)1.3 use proportions to solve problems (e.g.,determine the value of N if 4/7 = N/21, findthe length of a side of a polygon similar to aknown polygon). Use cross-multiplication as amethod for solving such problems, under-standing it as multiplication of both sides ofan equation by a multiplicative inverse.1.4 calculate given percentages of quantitiesand solve problems involving discounts atsales, interest earned and tips

2. Students calculate and solve problemsinvolving addition, subtraction, multiplicationand division of rational numbers.

2.1 solve problems involving addition, sub-traction, multiplication and division of frac-tions and explain why a particular operationwas used for a given situation

2.2 explain the meaning of multiplication anddivision of fractions and perform the calcula-tions (e.g., 5/8 divided by 15/16 = 5/8 x 16/15= 2/3)

2.3 solve addition, subtraction, multiplicationand division problems, including those arisingin concrete situations that use positive andnegative numbers and combinations of theseoperations

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2. the location of human communities thatpopulated the major regions of the world and howhumans adapted to a variety of environments 3. the climatic changes and human modifi-cations of the physical environment that gave riseto the domestication of plants and animals and theincrease in the sources of clothing and shelter

6.2 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures of theearly civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, andKush, in terms of:

1. the location and description of the riversystems, and physical settings that supportedpermanent settlement and early civilizations 2. the development of agricultural tech-niques that permitted the production of economicsurplus and the emergence of cities as centers ofculture and power 3. the relationship between religion and thesocial and political order in Mesopotamia andEgypt 4. the significance of Hammurabi’s Code 5. Egyptian art and architecture 6. the location and description of the role ofEgyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean andNile valley 7. the significance of the lives of QueenHatsheput and Ramses the Great 8. the location of the Kush civilization andits political, commercial and cultural relationswith Egypt 9. the evolution of language and its writtenforms

g. how to determine the epicenter of an earthquakeand that the effects of an earthquake vary with itssize, distance from the epicenter, local geology, andthe type of construction involved.

SHAPING THE EARTH’S SURFACE

2. Topography is reshaped by weathering of rockand soil and by the transportation and deposition ofsediment. As the basis for understanding thisconcept, students know:a. water running downhill is the dominant processin shaping the landscape and including California’slandscape.b. rivers and streams are dynamic systems thaterode and transport sediment, change their course,and flood their banks in natural and recurringpatterns.c. beaches are dynamic systems in which sand issupplied by rivers and moved along the coast bywave action.d. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, andfloods, change human and wildlife habitats

HEAT (THERMAL ENERGY) (PHYSICALSCIENCE)

3. Heat moves in a predictable flow from warmerobjects to cooler objects until all objects are at thesame temperature. As a basis for understanding thisconcept, students know:a. energy can be carried from one place to anotherby heat flow, or by waves including water waves,light and sound, or by moving objects.

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2.4 clarify understanding of texts by creatingoutlines, logical notes, summaries, or reports

2.5. follow multiple-step instructions for prepar-ing applications (e.g., public library card, banksavings account, sports club, or league mem-bership form)

Expository Critique:

2.6. determine the adequacy and appropriate-ness of an author’s evidence for his or herconclusions

2.7. make reasonable assertions about textthrough accurate, supportive citations2.8. note instances of unsupported inferences,fallacious reasoning, persuasion, and propa-ganda in text

2.4 determine the least common multiple andgreatest common divisor of whole numbers.Use them to solve problems with fractions(e.g., to find a common denominator in orderto add two fractions or to find the reducedform for a fraction)

ALGEBRA AND FUNCTIONS

1. Students write verbal expressions andsentences as algebraic expressions andequations; they evaluate algebraic expres-sions, solve simple linear equations andgraph and interpret their results.

1.1 write and solve one-step linear equationsin one variable

1.2 write and evaluate an algebraic expres-sion for a given situation using up to threevariables

1.3 apply algebraic order of operations andthe commutative, associative and distributiveproperties to evaluate expressions and justifyeach step in the process

1.4 solve problems using correct order ofoperations manually and by using a scientificcalculator

2. Students analyze and use tables, graphsand rules to solve problems involving ratesand proportions.

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6.3 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures of theearly civilizations of the Ancient Hebrews, interms of:

1. the origins and significance of Judaism asthe first monotheistic religion based on the conceptof one God who sets down moral laws for human-ity 2. the sources of the ethical teachings andcentral beliefs of Judaism (the Hebrew Bible, theCommentaries): belief in God, observance of law,practice of concepts of righteousness and justice,and importance of study; how the ideas of theHebrew traditions are reflected in the moral andethical traditions of Western civilization 3. how Abraham, Moses, Naomi, Ruth,David, and Johanan ben Zaccai influenced thedevelopment of the Jewish religion 4. the location of the settlements andmovements of Hebrew peoples, including theExodus, the movement to and from Egypt, and thesignificance of the Exodus experience to theJewish people and other people in history 5. how the practice of the Jewish religionwas modified after the destruction of the secondTemple in 70 A.D., and the dispersion of theJewish population from Jerusalem and the land ofIsrael

b. when fuel is consumed, most of the energyreleased becomes heat energy.c. heat flows in solids by conduction (whichinvolves no flow of matter) and in fluids by conduc-tion and also by convection (which involves flow ofmatter).d. heat energy is also transferred between objects byradiation; radiation can travel through space.

ENERGY IN THE EARTH SYSTEM

4. Many phenomena on the Earth’s surface areaffected by the transfer of energy through radiationand convection currents. As a basis for understand-ing this concept, students know:a. the sun is the major source of energy for phenom-ena on the Earth’s surface, powering winds, oceancurrents, and the water cycle.b. solar energy reaches Earth through radiation,mostly in the form of visible light.c. heat from Earth’s interior reaches the surfaceprimarily through convection.d. convection currents distribute heat in theatmosphere and oceans.

ECOLOGY (LIFE SCIENCE)

5. Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy andnutrients among themselves and with the physicalenvironment. As a basis for understanding thisconcept, students know:a. energy entering ecosystems as sunlight istransferred by producers into chemical energythrough photosynthesis. That energy then passesfrom organism to organism in food webs.

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3.0. LITERARY RESPONSE AND ANALYSIS:Students read and respond to historically orculturally significant works of world litera-ture, particularly American and Britishliterature. They clarify the ideas and connectthem to other literary works. The quality andcomplexity of the materials to be read bystudents are illustrated in the CaliforniaReading List.

Structural Features of Literature:

3.1. distinguish among forms of fiction anddescribe the major characteristics of each form

Narrative Analysis ofGrade-Level-Appropriate Text:

3.2. analyze how the qualities of the character(e.g., courage or cowardice, ambition or lazi-ness) affect the plot and resolution of theconflict

3.3. analyze the influence of setting on theproblem and its resolution

3.4. define how tone or meaning is conveyed inpoetry through word choice, figurative lan-guage, sentence structure, line length, punctua-tion, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme

3.5. identify the speaker and recognize thedifference between first and third personnarration (e.g., autobiography versus biography)

2.1 convert from one unit of measurement toanother (e.g., from feet to miles, from centi-meters to inches)

2.2 demonstrate understanding that rate is ameasure of one quantity per unit value ofanother quantity

2.3 solve problems involving rates, averagespeed, distance and time

3. Students investigate geometric patterns anddescribe them algebraically.

3.1 use variables in expressions describinggeometric quantities(e.g., P = 2w + 2l, A = 1/2bh, C = pd , which give the perimeter of arectangle, area of a triangle, and circumfer-ence of acircle, respectively

3.2 express simple relationships arising fromgeometry in symbolic form

MEASUREMENT AND GEOMETRY

1. Students deepen their understanding ofmeasurement of plane and solid shapes anduse this understanding to solve problems.

1.1 understand the concept of a constantnumber like p. Know the formula for thecircumference and area of a circle

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6.4 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures of theearly civilization of Ancient Greece, in terms of:

1. the connections between geography andthe development of city-states in the region of theAegean Sea, including patterns of trade andcommerce among Greek city-states and within thewider Mediterranean region 2. the transition from tyranny and oligarchyto early democratic forms of government and backto dictatorship in ancient Greece, and the signifi-cance of the invention of the idea of citizenship 3. the key differences between Athenian ordirect democracy and representative democracy(e.g., draw from Pericles’ Funeral Oration) 4. the significance of Greek mythology tothe everyday life of people in the region and howGreek literature continues to permeate ourliterature and language today, drawing from Greekmythology and epics such as the Iliad and theOdyssey and from Aesop’s Fables 5. the founding, expansion, and politicalorganization of the Persian Empire 6. similarities and differences between lifein Athens and Sparta, with emphasis on their rolesin the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars 7. the rise of Alexander the Great in theNorth and the spread of Greek culture eastwardand into Egypt 8. the enduring contributions of importantGreek figures in the arts and sciences (e.g.,biographies and works of Sappho, Hypatia,Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Thucydides)

b. over time, matter is transferred from one organ-ism to others in the food web, and between organ-isms and the physical environment.c. populations of organisms can be categorized bythe functions they serve in an ecosystem.d. different kinds of organisms may play similarecological roles in similar biomes.e. the number and types of organisms an ecosystemcan support depends on the resources available andabiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water,range of temperatures, and soil composition.

RESOURCES

6. Sources of energy and materials differ inamounts, distribution, usefulness, and the timerequired for their formation. As a basis for under-standing this concept, students know:

b. the utility of energy sources is determined byfactors that are involved in converting these sourcesto useful forms and the consequences of theconversion process.

c. different natural energy and material resources,including air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, freshwater, wildlife, and forests, and classify them asrenewable or nonrenewable .

d. natural origin of the materials used to makecommon objects.

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3.6. identify and analyze features of themesconveyed through characters, actions, andimages

3.7. explain the effects of key literary devices ina variety of fictional and non-fictional texts(e.g., symbolism, imagery, metaphor)

Literary Criticism:3.8. critique the credibility of characterizationand the degree to which a plot is contrived orrealistic (e.g., compare use of fact and fantasyin historical fiction) (Reader Response )

1.2 know common estimates of p(3.14; 22/7)and use these values to estimate and calcu-late the circumference and the area of circles;compare with actual measurements

1.3 know and use the formulas for the volumeof triangular prisms and cylinders (area ofbase x height); compare and explain thesimilarity between these formulas and theformula for the volume of a rectangular solid

2. Students identify and describe the proper-ties of two-dimensional figures.

2.1 identify angles as vertical, adjacent,complementary and/or supplementary andprovide descriptions of these terms

2.2 use the properties of complimentary andsupplementary angles and of the angles of atriangle to solve problems involving anunknown angle

2.3 draw quadrilaterals and triangles giveninformation about them (e.g., a quadrilateralhaving equal sides but no right angles, a rightisosceles triangle)

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6.5 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures of theearly civilizations of India, in terms of: 1. the location and description of the riversystem and physical setting that supported the riseof this civilization 2. the significance of the Aryan invasions 3. the major beliefs and practices of Brah-manism in India and how they evolved into earlyHinduism 4. the social structure of the caste system 5. the life and moral teachings of Buddhaand how Buddhism spread in India, Ceylon, andCentral Asia 6. the growth of the Maurya empire and thepolitical and moral achievements of the emperorAsoka 7. important aesthetic and intellectualtraditions (e.g., Sanskrit literature including theBhagavad Gita, medicine, metallurgy, mathemat-ics including Hindu-Arabic numerals and the zero)

6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures of theearly civilizations of China, in terms of: 1. the location and description of the originsof Chinese civilization in the Huang-He ValleyShang dynasty 2. the geographical features of China thatmade governance and movement of ideas andgoods difficult and served to isolate that countryfrom the rest of the world 3. the life of Confucius and the fundamentalteachings of Confucianism and Taoism

Investigation and Experimentation7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaning-ful questions and conducting careful investiga-tions. As a basis for understanding this concept,and to address the content the other three strands,students should develop their own questions andperform investigations. Students will:a. develop a hypothesis.b. select and use appropriate tools and technology(including calculators, computers, balances,spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) toperform tests, collect data, and display data.c. construct appropriate graphs from data anddevelop qualitative statements about the relation-ships between variables.d. communicate the steps and results from aninvestigation in written reports and verbalpresentations.e. recognize whether evidence is consistent with aproposed explanation.f. read a topographic map and a geologic map forevidence provided on the maps, and construct andinterpret a simple scale map.g. interpret events by sequence and time fromnatural phenomena (e.g. relative ages of rocks andintrusions).h. identify changes in natural phenomena overtime without manipulating the phenomena (e.g., atree limb, a grove of trees, a stream, a hillslope).

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WRITING

1.0. WRITING STRATEGIES: Students writeclear, coherent, and focused essays. Writingexhibits awareness of audience and pur-pose. Essays contain formal introductions,bodies of supporting evidence, and conclu-sions. Students successfully use the stagesof the writing process, as needed.

Organization and Focus:1.1. choose the form of writing that best suitsthe intended purpose (e.g., personal letter, letterto the editor, review, poem, report, narrative)1.2. create a multiple-paragraph expositorycomposition that (1) engages the interest of thereader and states a clear purpose(2) developsthe topic with supportive details, precise verbs,nouns, and adjectives to paint a visual image inthe mind of the reader(3) concludes with adetailed summary linked to the purpose ofcomposition1.3. use a variety of effective and coherentorganizational patterns, including comparisonand contrast; organization by categories; andarrangement of spatial order, order of impor-tance, or climatic order

Research and Technology:

1.4. use organizational features of electronictext (e.g., bulletin boards, databases, keywordsearches, e-mail addresses) to locate informa-tion

STATISTICS, DATA ANALYSIS and PROB-ABILITY

1. Students compute and analyze statisticalmeasurement for data sets.

1.1 compute the range, mean, median andmode of data sets

1.2 understand how additional data added todata sets can effect these computations ofmeasures of central tendency

1.3 understand how the inclusion or exclusionof outliers affect measures of central ten-dency

1.4 know why a specific measure of centraltendency (mean, median, mode) provides themost useful information in a given context

2. Students use data samples of a populationand describe the characteristics and limita-tions of the samples.

2.1 compare different samples from a popula-tion with the data from the entire populationand identify when it makes sense to use asample

2.2 identify different ways of selecting asample (e.g., convenience sampling, thosewho respond to a survey, random sampling)and which makes a sample more representa-tive for a population

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4. the political and cultural problemsprevalent in the time of Confucius and how hesought to solve them 5. the policies and achievements of theemperor Shi Huangdi in unifying northern Chinaunder the Qin dynasty 6. the political contributions of the Handynasty to the development of the imperial bureau-cratic state and the expansion of the empire 7. the significance of the trans-Eurasian“silk roads” in the period of the Han and Romanempires and their locations 8. the diffusion of Buddhism northward toChina during the Han dynasty

6.7 Students analyze the geographic, political,economic, religious, and social structures in thedevelopment of Rome, in terms of: 1. the location and rise of the RomanRepublic, including such important mythical andhistorical figures as Aeneas, Romulus and Remus,Cincinnatus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero 2. the character of the government of theRoman Republic and its significance (e.g., writtenconstitution and tripartite government, checks andbalances, civic duty) 3. the location of and the political andgeographic reasons for the growth of Romanterritories and expansion of the empire, includinghow the Roman empire fostered economic growththrough the use of currency and trade routes 4. the influence of Julius Caesar andAugustus in Rome’s transition from republic toempire

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1.5. compose documents with appropriateformatting by using word-processing skills andprinciples of design (e.g., margins, tabs, spac-ing, columns, page orientation)

Revising and Evaluating Writing:

1.6. revise writing to improve organization andconsistency of ideas within and betweenparagraphs

2.0. WRITING APPLICATIONS (GENRES ANDTHEIR CHARACTERISTICS): Students writenarrative, expository, persuasive, anddescriptive text of at least 500 to 700 words.Student writing demonstrates a command ofstandard English and the research, organi-zational, and drafting strategies outlined inWriting Standard 1.0.

2.1. write narratives, that (1) establish anddevelop plot and setting, and choose a point ofview that is appropriate to stories(2) includesensory details and concrete language todevelop plot and character(3) use a range ofnarrative strategies (e.g., dialogue, suspense)2.2. write expository compositions (e.g., de-scription, explanation, comparison and contrast,and/or problem/solution) that (1) state the thesisor purpose(2) explain the situation(3) follow anorganizational pattern appropriate to the type ofcomposition (e.g., if problem/solution, thenpaired)(4) offer persuasive evidence for thevalidity of the description, proposed solutions,etc.

2.3 analyze data displays and explain how theway the question was asked might haveinfluenced the results obtained, and/or how theway the results were displayed might haveinfluenced the conclusions reached

2.4 identify data that represent sampling andexplain why the sample (and the display) maybe biased

2.5 identify claims based on statistical dataand, in simple cases, evaluate the validity ofthe claims

3. Students determine theoretical and experi-mental probabilities and use these to makepredictions about events.

3.1 represent all possible outcomes forcompound events in an organized way (e.g.,tables, grids, tree diagrams) and express thetheoretical probability of each outcome

3.2 use data to estimate the probability forfuture events (e.g., batting averages ornumber of accidents per mile driven)

3.3 represent probabilities as ratios,proportions, and decimals between 0 and 1,and percents between 0 and 100 and checkthat probabilities computed are reasonable;know how this is related to the probability ofan event not occurring

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5. the migration of Jews around the Mediter-ranean region and the effects of their conflict withthe Romans, including the Romans’ restrictions ontheir right to live in Jerusalem 6. the origins of Christianity in the JewishMessianic prophecies, the life and teachings ofJesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testa-ment, and the contribution of St. Paul the Apostleto the definition and spread of Christian beliefs(e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection, salvation) 7. the circumstances that led to the spread ofChristianity in Europe and other Roman territories 8. the legacies of Roman art and architec-ture, technology and science, literature, language,and law



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2.3. write research reports that (1) pose relevantquestions narrow enough to be thoroughlycovered(2) support the main idea(s) with facts,details, examples, and explanations frommultiple authoritative sources (e.g., speakers,periodicals, on-line information searches)(3) usea bibliography2.4. write responses to literature that (1) de-velop an interpretation which exhibits carefulreading, understanding and insight(2) organizethe interpretation around several clear ideas,premises, or images(3) develop and justify theinterpretation through sustained use of ex-amples and textual evidence2.5. write persuasive compositions that (1) statea clear position in support of a proposition orproposal(2) support the position with organizedand relevant evidence; and (3) anticipate andaddress reader concerns andcounter-arguments

3.4 understand that the probability of eitherof two disjoint events occurring is the sum ofthe two individual probabilities and that theprobability of one event following another, inindependent trials, is the product of the twoprobabilities

3.5 understand the difference betweenindependent and dependent events and howthis affects the results for specific probabilitysituations

MATHEMATICAL REASONING

1. Students make decisions about how toapproach problems.

1.1 analyze problems by identifying relation-ships, discriminating relevant from irrelevantinformation, identifying missing information,sequencing and prioritizing information andobserving patterns

1.2 formulate and justify mathematicalconjectures based upon a general descrip-tion of the mathematical question or problemposed

1.3 determine when and how to break aproblem into simpler parts

2. Students use strategies, skills and con-cepts in finding solutions

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WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGECONVENTIONSEnglish Language Conventions are integral bothto Writing and to Listening and Speaking. Thus,these standards have been placed between theother two.

1.0. WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LAN-GUAGE CONVENTIONS: Students write andspeak with a command of standard Englishconventions that are appropriate to eachgrade level.

Sentence Structure:1.1. use simple, compound, andcompound-complex sentences; use effectivecoordination and subordination of ideas toexpress complete thoughts

Grammar:1.2. identify and use present perfect, pastperfect, and future perfect tenses; subject-verbagreement with compound subjects; andindefinite pronouns

Punctuation:1.3. use colons in business letters, semi-colonsto connect independent clauses, and commaswhen linking two clauses with a conjunction incompound sentences

Capitalization:1.4. use correct capitalization

2.1 use estimation to verify the reasonable-ness of calculated results

2.2 apply strategies and results from simplerproblems to more complex problems

2.3 estimate unknown quantities graphicallyand solve for them using logical reasoning,and arithmetic and algebraic techniques

2.4 use a variety of methods such as words,numbers, symbols, charts, graphs, tables,diagrams and models to explain mathematicalreasoning

2.5 express the solution clearly and logicallyusing appropriate mathematical notation andterms and clear language, and support solu-tions with evidence, in both verbal and sym-bolic work

2.6 indicate the relative advantages of exactand approximate solutions to problems andgive answers to a specified degree of accuracy

2.7 make precise calculations and check thevalidity of the results from the context of theproblem

3. Students move beyond a particular problemby generalizing to other situations.

3.1 evaluate the reasonableness of thesolution in the context of the original situation

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Spelling:1.5. spell frequently misspelled words correctly(e.g., their, they’re, there)

LISTENING AND SPEAKING

1.0. LISTENING AND SPEAKING STRATE-GIES: Students deliver focused, coherentpresentations that convey ideas clearly andrelate to the background and interests of theaudience. They evaluate the content of oralcommunication.

Comprehension:

1.1. relate the speaker’s verbal communication(e.g., word choice, pitch, feeling, tone) andnon-verbal messages (e.g., posture, gesture)1.2. identify the tone, mood, and emotionconveyed in the oral communication1.3. restate and execute multi-step oral instruc-tions and directions

Organization and Delivery of Oral Communi-cation:

1.4. select a focus, organizational structure, andpoint of view, matching purpose, message,occasion, and vocal modulation to the audience1.5. emphasize salient points to assist thelistener in following main ideas and concepts1.6. support opinions expressed with detailedevidence and with visual or media displays thatuse appropriate technology

3.2 note method of deriving the solution anddemonstrate conceptual understanding of thederivation by solving similar problems

3.3 develop generalizations of the resultsobtained and the strategies used and extendthem to new problem situations



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1.7. use effective rate, volume, pitch, and tone,and align non-verbal elements to sustainaudience interest and attention

Analysis and Evaluation of Oral and MediaCommunications:1.8. analyze the use of rhetorical devices fortheir intent and effects (e.g., cadence, repetitivepatterns, use of onomatopoeia)1.9. identify persuasive and propagandatechniques used in television, and identify falseand misleading information

2.0. SPEAKING APPLICATIONS (GENRESAND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS): Studentsdeliver well-organized formal presentationsemploying traditional rhetorical strategies(i.e., narration, exposition, persuasion, anddescription). Student speaking demon-strates a command of standard English andthe organization and delivery strategiesoutlined in Listening and Speaking Stan-dard 1.0.

2.1. deliver narrative presentations that(1)establish a context, plot, and/or point of view(2)include sensory details and concrete languageto develop plot and character (3) use a range ofnarrative strategies (e.g., dialogue, tension orsuspense)



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2.2. deliver informative presentations that (1)pose relevant questions that are sufficientlylimited to be completely and thoroughly an-swered(2) develop the topic with facts, details,examples, and explanations from multipleauthoritative sources (e.g., speakers, periodi-cals, on-line information)

2.3. deliver oral responses to literature that(1)develop an interpretation which exhibits carefulreading, understanding, and insight(2) organizethe selected interpretation around several clearideas, premises, or images(3) develop andjustify the selected interpretation throughsustained use of examples and textual evi-dence

2.4. deliver persuasive presentations that (1)provide a clear statement of the position(2)include relevant evidence(3) offer logicalsequence of information(4) engage the listenerand foster acceptance of the proposition orproposal

2.5. deliver presentations theorizing on prob-lems and solutions that(1) establish connectionsamong the situation, the postulated causes andeffects, definition of the problem, and at leastone solution(2) offer persuasive evidence tovalidate the definition of the problem and theproposed solution(s)



Sixth Grade page 25

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