Assessment Techniques

English Language Arts: Grade 6

Language Standards 

1.3, 2.3, 3.8, 3.9

Vocabulary:  4.17, 4.18, 4.19

Conventions: 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 5.14, 6.7, 22.7

Academic Expectations

“Students will learn to seek and use information effectively, creatively, and ethically to construct knowledge”

Composition Standards:

Imaginative Writing: 19.14, 19.15

Informational and Expository Writing: 19.16, 19.17, 19.18, 20.3, 21.4, 21.5, 22.7, 23.6, 23.7, 23.8, 24.3, 25.3

Academic Expectation

“Students will speak and write effectively.”

Reading/Literature Standards:

4.17, 8.18, 9.4, 10.3, 11.3, 13.1, 13.14, 16.7

Academic Expectation "Students will read actively and critically."

Media

Standards:

17.4, 26.3, 27.3

Academic Expectation

“Students will learn to seek and use information effectively to construct knowledge.”

I. Teacher-made quizzes and tests

II. Weekly spelling, vocabulary sentences

III.  Performance tests

IV. Teacher made rubrics

V. Student writing samples

VI, Consistent performance evaluation of previously learned concepts

At the conclusion of Grade 6, students will be able to:

Write sentences that reflect an understanding of the Standard English Conventions to demonstrate an understanding of new vocabulary.

Write a coherent 3-5 paragraph essay with details, appropriate language structure, and style.

Cite details from a text or passage as evidence to support the identification of main idea.

Use prior knowledge to question  characters, conflict, and events while reading and make logical inferences.

Actively participate in oral discussions related to their reading and be able to provide written responses that demonstrate an understanding of text.

Vocabulary:

Determine the meaning of unknown words through context.

Determine the meaning of unknown words using prefixes, suffixes, and roots of common Greek and Latin words. 

Identify the origins of common words and phrases used frequently in English.

Determine pronunciations, meanings, and alternate word choices for the eight parts of speech using dictionaries and thesauruses.

Recognize that a word performs a different function according to its position in a sentence.

Grammar and Usage:

See Appendix A

Identify and use correctly common, proper, compound, and possessive nouns in singular and plural.

Identify and use correctly action, linking, main, and helping verbs.

Identify verb phrases, regular verb tenses, and the principle parts of regular and irregular verbs.

Identify and use correctly subject, object, and possessive pronouns.

Identify and use correctly articles, descriptive, comparative, demonstrative and limiting adjectives.

Identify and write proper adjectives correctly.

Identify and define prepositions.  Identify and define the make-up of a prepositional phrase as beginning with a preposition and ending with a noun or pronoun.

Identify, define, and use conjunctions in a compound sentence correctly.

Identify, define, and use interjections correctly

Identify and use correctly adverbs that end in LY.

Identify and write sentences that reflect knowledge and understanding of the four kinds of simple and compound structures.

Identify and use appositives.

Identify and use correct mechanics including end marks, capitalization, commas in a series, subject/verb agreement, apostrophes, quotation marks, comma use in compound sentences, paragraph indentation, and correct standard English spelling.

Expand or reduce sentences eliminating fragments and run-ons.

Language Awareness

As students read, The Midwife’s Apprentice and Tuck Everlasting they will identify examples of dialect, colloquial, and formal English usage and explain how these different usage levels fit the context.

Make distinctions between fiction and nonfiction when writing for different purposes.

Write stories or scripts containing the basic elements of fiction with descriptive details about the setting, characters, and events.

Write poems using poetic technique and graphic elements.

Write a coherent paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence in answer to an open response question.

Write a 3-5 paragraph composition with a clear focus and supporting details.  Organizing the information into logical order, and improving word choice by using dictionaries and thesauruses.

Information Literacy:

Standard 24.3

Big 6 Model:

1.  Task Definition

Define information question or problem; Understand final “product” to estimate amount and depth of information needed

2.  Information Seeking Strategies

Assess value of resources and locations; Are sources accurate, current, understandable, age/ablility appropriate, multi-culturally sensitive, in appropriate format and gender fair.

3.  Location and Access

Find materials in school library; Identify organizational arrangement.

4.  Use Information

Extract relevant information; identify central elements and main idea; classify information through grouping and labeling; summarize information; record sources of print, non print and electronic information.

5.  Synthesis and Presentation

Organize information from multiple sources by hand, word processor, graphic organizer, database, spreadsheet.  Create original production/presentation.  Summarize information to answer: questions, test hypotheses, draw conclusions from specific examples, offer solutions to problems, clarify issues, make predictions, ask for actions, generate further questions.  Present information: create original production/presentation/report that is effectively organized and has properly documented sources.  Work cooperatively with other students to effectively share or present information verbally through word processing, charts, posters, media productions, and through email, downloadable files and html pages.

6.  Evaluate

Judge efficiency and effectiveness of information gathering process.  Judge effectiveness of project.  Develop criteria to judge both process and product.  Judge ethical use of information: apply legal principles and ethical conduct, e.g. copyright, plagiarism, privacy, telecomputing etiquette, and acceptable use of resources.

Sources: Doug Johnson,

Mankato Schools, Mankato, MN

http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/resources
/infocurr/infolit.html

Big 6 Eisenberg and Berkowitz

http://www.big6.com/

Teacher choice from selections on the Grade 6 list including:

Required Novels

Fiction:  Standards 8.19, 8.20, 12.3, 15.3

The Midwife’s Apprentice, Cushman

Tuck Everlasting, Babbitt

Identify elements of fiction such as plot, exposition, setting, conflict, rising action, climax, foreshadowing, and characterization

McDougall-Littell Literature: Grade 6 : Green 1997

Various selections including:

Nonfiction:  Standards 8.21. 8.22, 9.4, 13.15, 13.17, 15.3, 15.4

At Last I Kill A Buffalo, Standing Bear (pgs. 457 – 469) 

Identify elements of nonfiction such as organization, main idea, supporting details, and cause and effect.

Poetry: Standards 9.4, 14.3, 15.4

Recommended selections from McDougall-Littell   “Another Mountain”, Oyewole (page 114)

“The Walrus and the Carpenter”, Carroll (pages 105 – 107)

Identify elements of poetry including specific figures of speech, the significance of images in a poem, the poem's tone versus its mood, and other significant poetic forms

Folklore: Standards 12.3, 15.3, 16.7, 16.8

The Three Wishes, Alegria (pages 691 – 693)

The White Buffalo Calf Woman, Bruchac (pages 723 – 725)

In the Land of Small Dragon, Clark (pages 663 – 669)

Students will compare structure of traditional literature, identify figurative language, imagery, and elements of fiction

Drama: Standards 17.3, 17.4, 18.3

McDougal Littell

A Shipment of Mute Fate,  Les Crutchfield (pages 360 – 372)

After reading Tuck Everlasting, Babbitt students will compare and contrast the novel to the video presentation.