grade 6 english

Grade 6English

Oak Meadow

Coursebook

Oak Meadow, Inc.Post Office Box 1346

Brattleboro, Vermont 05302-1346oakmeadow.com

Item #b062010

iii

Grade

6 Contents

Introduction

For the Student ................................................................ vii

Course Materials and Organization ............................... ix

For the Parent ....................................................................x

Assessment Measures in Home Learning ....................... xi

Information for Students Enrolled in Oak Meadow School .................................................. xii

Lessons

Lesson 1: Sentence Structures ......................................... 1Sentence types; subjects and predicates; sentence structures;

paragraph forms; working with vocabulary words

Lesson 2: Nouns ............................................................... 9Common and proper nouns; possessive nouns; pronouns; concrete

and abstract nouns; collective nouns

Lesson 3: Note Taking and Citations ........................... 15Note-taking skills; outlining; citing your source; in-text citations;

creating a works cited page; plagiarism

Lesson 4: The Writing Process ...................................... 21Adjectives and adverbs; descriptive writing; the writing process;

revisions; editing and proofreading

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Contents Grade 6 English

Lesson 5: Capitalization ................................................ 27Capitalization rules; using variants of a word

Lesson 6: Direct and Indirect Quotations ................... 33Vocabulary review; direct quotations; indirect quotations;

descriptive writing; learning reflection

Lesson 7: Poetry ............................................................. 43Poetry; writing dialogue; adverbs of manner, time, and place

Lesson 8: Report Writing ............................................... 49Writing a report; letter writing

Lesson 9: Short-Story Writing ....................................... 55Writing a short story; writing in present tense; character, setting,

and plot

Lesson 10: Clauses and Conjunctions .......................... 61Independent and dependent clauses; coordinating and subordinating

conjunctions; writing a story summary

Lesson 11: Expository Essay .......................................... 67Writing an expository essay; verbs of being and action verbs; verb tenses

Lesson 12: Descriptive Writing ..................................... 73Vocabulary review; descriptive writing; story summary; subjects and

predicates

Lesson 13: Organizing Information .............................. 81Organizing notes in chart form; Greek myths and character attributes;

nouns and possessives

Lesson 14: Commonly Misused Words ....................... 87Commonly misused word pairs; letter writing; first person-point of

view; possessive pronouns

Lesson 15: Comparative Essay ...................................... 93Sentence fragments; repairing run-on sentences; comparative essay

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Grade 6 English Contents

Lesson 16: Punctuation ................................................. 99Punctuation rules; poetry memorization and recitation; third-person

point of view

Lesson 17: Compound and Complex Sentences ....... 105Four sentence types; compound subjects and predicates; simple,

compound, and complex sentences; coordinating and

subordinating conjunctions

Lesson 18: Vocabulary Review .................................... 111Vocabulary review; writing a story summary; descriptive writing;

writing process

Lesson 19: Opinion Essay ............................................ 117Contractions; contraction/possessive word pairs; writing an opinion

piece

Lesson 20: Persuasive Essay ........................................ 125Rhetoric and the persuasive essay; note taking; punctuating dialogue

Lesson 21: Sentence Building ...................................... 133Connecting word pairs in context; dependent and independent

clauses; subordinating conjunctions; learning reflection

Lesson 22: Supporting Details .................................... 139Concise writing; using contextual details to support ideas

Lesson 23: Prepositions ............................................... 145Prepositions and prepositional phrases; commonly misused words

Lesson 24: Creative Writing ........................................ 151Vocabulary review; creative writing; writing with historical detail

Lesson 25: Prepositional Phrases ............................... 157Identifying and creating prepositional phrases; correcting a faulty

paragraph

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Contents Grade 6 English

Lesson 26: Verb Tenses ................................................ 163Prefixes and base words; prepositional phrases; past, present, future,

and perfect verb tenses

Lesson 27: Homophones ............................................. 169Expository writing; homophones; parts of speech

Lesson 28: Synonyms and Antonyms ......................... 175Synonyms and antonyms; prefixes

Lesson 29: Writing Dialogue ....................................... 181Writing dialogue; dialogue punctuation; character study; playwriting

Lesson 30: Suffixes and Base Words .......................... 187Vocabulary review; suffixes and base words

Lesson 31: Vocabulary Exercises ................................. 195Using vocabulary words in varied writing; prepositional phrases

Lesson 32: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Parts of Speech ... 203Prefixes and suffixes; subjects and predicates; parts of speech

Lesson 33: Writing a Book Review ............................. 209Book review; homophones; synonyms and antonyms

Lesson 34: Vocabulary and Grammar Review ........... 215Vocabulary review; creative writing; grammar review

Lesson 35: Grammar Final Exam ................................ 225Final grammar exam

Lesson 36: Learning Reflection ................................... 235Learning reflection

Appendix ....................................................239

Works Cited .................................................................. 241

English Manual ............................................................. 255

Student Planner—Lesson 3 Date__________

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ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY

■ Read Note-Taking Skills, Outlining, Citing your Source, and “Plagiarism.”

■ Alphabetize, define, and use the vocabulary words in a para-graph or story scene.

■ Take a spelling quiz.

■ Cite sources using MLA format.

■ Create a detailed outline.

■ Write about what you have learned using the four types of sentences.

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3 Note Taking and Citations

For the next two weeks, you will be conducting research for a report in social studies. Before you begin locating and reading resource materials, complete the reading assignments in this lesson. This will give you helpful information regarding note taking, outlining, and citing your sources. Pay particular attention to the section on plagiarism so you can learn how to avoid it.

Reading

Read the following sections in the English manual:

• Note-Taking Skills

• Outlining

• Citing Your Source

• Plagiarism

Assignments

1. This week, after you alphabetize and define the following vocabu-lary words, write a simple paragraph or story scene that uses all the words. Find ways to use a variety of sentence types to make your writ-ing more interesting. Underline vocabulary words.

pyramid sphinx mummy

pharaoh papyrus Nile

hieroglyphics ibis

Add any misspelled words from the previous spelling tests to this week’s list when you practice spelling your words this week and using them in conversation.

2. At the end of the week, take a spelling quiz.

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Lesson 3 Grade 6 English

Note Taking and Citations

(continued)

3. Throughout the week, make a list of the resources used for your social studies report. Follow the rules for writing a citation, and put each citation into MLA format. You should have at least three sources. Carefully check your citations to make sure they match the MLA for-mat, especially in regard to punctuation and capitalization. Title the page Works Cited and include it at the end of your report.

4. Using your notes, create an outline for your social studies report. In-clude at least one detail under each section of the outline.

5. Based on what you have learned from your social studies reading this week, write one sentence for each of the four types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative). Your sen-tences should convey your own ideas about what you have learned.

Further Study

Here are some book suggestions related to ancient Egypt:

• His Majesty, Queen Hatshepsut, by Dorothy Sharp Carter

• Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

• The Golden Goblet, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

• Ancient Egypt, “Eyewitness Books” series, by George Hart

• The Ancient Egyptians, by Viviane Koenig and Veronique Ageorges

• Pyramid, by David Macauley

• Ancient Egypt, “See Through History” series by Judith Crosher

• The Egyptians “Look into the Past” series, by Roger Coote

• Ancient Egypt, by Daniel Cohen

• Egyptians “CraftTopics” series, by Rachel Wright

• Into the Mummy’s Tomb, by Nicholas Reeves

• Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure, Lila Perl

• An Egyptian Pyramid, by Jacqueline Morley

• Egyptian Farmers, by Jim Kerr

• Ancient Egypt “Make It Work!” series, by Andrew Haslam and Alexandra Parsons

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Grade 6 English Lesson 3

Note Taking and Citations

(continued)

• The Mummy of Ramose; The Life and Death of an Ancient Egyptian Nobleman, by Shirley Glubock and Alfred Tamarin

• Focus on Ancient Egyptians, Anita Ganeri

• Discovering Tut-ankh-Amen’s Tomb, edited by Shirley Glubock

For Enrolled StudentsAt the end of the next lesson, you will be submitting work to your Oak Meadow teacher. Continue documenting your student’s process with the assignment summary checklist, weekly planner, and the learning assess-ment form. Feel free to contact your teacher if you have any questions about the assignments or the learning process.

Learning Assessment These assessment rubrics are intended to help track student progress throughout the year. Please remember that these skills continue to develop over time. Parents and teachers can use this space to make notes about the learning the student demonstrates or skills that need work.

20 Oak Meadow


Learning Assessment ENGLISH

Not Yet Evident

Developing Consistent Notes

Identifies key ideas and demonstrates good note-taking skills

Uses notes to create a detailed outline

Compiles a list of sources

Cites sources using MLA citation format

Alphabetizes a list of words

Composes original sentences to demonstrate grammar concepts

Uses vocabulary words in sentences that convey the word meaning

Uses a variety of sentences in writing

Composes paragraphs with topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences

Uses paragraphs to organize ideas into topics

LITERATURE In Progress Completed Notes

Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

SPELLING QUIZ Score

# Correct/Total #Notes

3


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ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY

■ Read Adjectives and Adverbs, and The Writing Process.

■ Alphabetize and define words, and take a spelling quiz.

■ Use the vocabulary words in a descriptive journal entry.

■ Identify adjectives and adverbs.

■ Follow the steps of the writing process.

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Grade 6

4 The Writing ProcessWriting is a process. Here are the steps that you will follow each time you write a paper:

• Create an outline to organize your ideas.

• Write a rough draft that includes all the points you want to touch on, in the right order.

• Revise your paper to make additions, rearrange text, and fix your wording so you are happy with it.

• Edit your work to correct errors in punctuation, spelling, capitaliza-tion, and grammar.

• Proofread your writing to catch any errors in the final version.

In this lesson, you will learn more about each step of the writing process.

Reading

Read Adjectives and Adverbs and The Writing Process in the English man-ual.

Assignments

1. Alphabetize the following vocabulary words. Define each word, and then write what kind of noun it is (common, proper, singular, plural, concrete, or abstract).

scarab Rosetta Stone filigree reverence

attributes sarcophagus javelin foreigners

ancestors descendants

Practice spelling and using these words. Find a new way to practice them this week (refer to the list in lesson 1 for ideas or come up with your own). Take a spelling quiz at the end of the week.

24 Oak Meadow


The Writing Process

(continued)

2. Using the vocabulary words above, write a descriptive journal entry, pretending you are someone watching King Hatshepsut at a cere-mony, or seeing the royal family at a celebration. Use adjectives and adverbs to bring your journal entry to life. After you have written it, go back and underline or shade the adjectives green and adverbs in orange. Underline each vocabulary word.

3. You will be writing a paper in social studies this week. Use your out-line to help you organize your information clearly and write para-graphs that have clear topics. See how interesting you can make your sentences by adding adjectives and adverbs.

When you have written your rough draft, follow the steps of the writ-ing process to revise your report for clarity and a logical flow of ideas. Carefully check your punctuation, spelling, and capitalization, and edit your work to fix all the errors you can find. Then write your final draft, taking time to do your best work. As the last step, proofread your final copy and correct any last errors. Remember to include your works cited page at the end of your report. Keep your rough draft with your final draft. This helps your parent or teacher see what you have done to improve your writing during the writing process.

For Enrolled StudentsAt the end of this lesson, you will be sending your second batch of work to your Oak Meadow teacher along with your assignment summary checklist, the weekly planner, and the learning assessment forms, or any alternate form of documentation. Include any additional notes or questions with your documentation—your teacher is eager to help. Please make sure your submission is organized and labeled well, and that complete lessons and assignments are submitted. Remember to include the rough draft with your student’s social studies paper.

Learning Assessment These assessment rubrics are intended to help track student progress throughout the year. Please remember that these skills continue to develop over time. Parents and teachers can use this space to make notes about the learning the student demonstrates or skills that need work.

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Not Yet Evident


Uses adjectives and adverbs in descriptive writing

Shows evidence of revision of rough draft

Edits and proofreads to correct errors

Alphabetizes a list of words










Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

SPELLING QUIZ Score


4

26 Oak Meadow

Notes



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ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY

■ Read Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases.

■ Continue reading Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest.

■ Define vocabulary words and use them in sentences.


■ Write sentences using prepositional phrases.

■ Choose the correct word for sentences containing commonly misused words.

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23 Prepositions

Reading

Read Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases in the English manual.

Continue reading Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest.

Assignments

1. Define the following vocabulary words and use them in sentences. Re-member to include the part of speech in each definition and to underline the vocabulary words in each sentence.

pillory logic vice

revival slate guild

commerce fortress morality

2. Work with the vocabulary words throughout the week, and then take a spelling quiz.

3. Write sentences that use the following prepositions. Underline or shade the prepositional phrases in purple. Remember, the preposi-tional phrase starts with the preposition and ends with a noun.

above about along between before

4. Fill in the blanks with the following words:

a. Bring/take: If you __________ lemons to my house, you can ______ some lemon tarts when you leave.

b. Your/you’re: ___________ going to be cold if you don’t wear _________ hat.

c. Among/between: _________ all the trees on our property, the big tree ____________ the house and the barn is the best climbing tree.

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Prepositions

(continued)

d. I/me: Do you want to go with my brother and ____? My brother and _____ are going swimming.

e. It’s/its: My cat covers ____ nose with a paw whenever _____ cold outside.

For Enrolled StudentsPlease contact your teacher if any questions arise.

Learning Assessment Use assessment rubrics to track student progress and to make notes about the learning the student demonstrates or skills that need work.

Oak Meadow 149



Not Yet Evident


Identifies prepositional phrases

Correctly uses commonly misused words

Uses contextual details to support ideas









Revises, edits, and proofreads work


Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest

Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

SPELLING QUIZ Score


23

150 Oak Meadow

Notes



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ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY

■ Continue reading Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest.

■ Review vocabulary words and choose two activities.


■ Create a new adventure for Rob-in Hood and his merry men.

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24 Creative Writing

Reading

You will complete your assignment about Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest this week. You don’t have to finish the book before completing the assignment, but feel free to continue reading the book if you’d like.

Assignments

1. It is time for another vocabulary review. Look over the words below. Cross out the ones that you know really well and circle the ones that are left. Create a new vocabulary review list with these words.

Vocabulary Words from Lessons 19–23

abbey

aisle

armor

brooch

characterize

commerce

conscience

diocese

divination

expiation

feudalism

fortress

gospel

guild

heraldry

illuminate

legendary

liturgical

liturgy

logic

manor

monastery

morality

parliament

pillory

province

proxy

renounce

represent

revival

sacrament

salvation

self-sufficient

serf

slate

tenant

thatch

ungodly

vassal

vice

Choose two of the following activities to complete this week (try at least one activity you haven’t tried yet).

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English

(continued)

a. Mix and Match: Write the vocabulary words on a set of index cards and the corresponding definitions on a separate set of cards. Put the word cards on the table in a row, face up. Put the definition cards in a pile, face down. Draw one definition card at a time and match it to a word card. Mix up the cards and then try to match the word to its definition. You can play this game with a partner and take turns.

b. Flash Cards: Write the vocabulary word on one side of an index card and the definition on the other side. Test yourself by reading the definition and guessing at the correct word. See if you can spell the word correctly before you flip the card over to look at the word.

c. Crossword Puzzle: Make a crossword puzzle with your words. You can use graph paper to make this easier. Find a way to hook each word to another, and then come up with clues that provide the definition of the word. (If you don’t know how to number the clues, have a parent show you or look at a crossword puzzle in the news-paper to see how it’s done.) Give a blank version of your puzzle to a sibling or a parent and see if they can fill in the words.

d. Create a Test: Write fill-in-the-blank sentences for each vocabulary word, putting a blank where the word belongs. Feel free to write funny sentences that include the names of your family members, friends, pets, local landmarks, favorite hobbies, etc. Write the list of vocabulary words above or next to the sentences. Have a parent, a sibling, or a friend see if they can choose the correct words to fill in the blanks. If they have trouble, you can give additional clues to help them.

e. Story Time: Write a story that uses all of the review words in ontext. In order for the words to work in context, you may have to choose ancient times as the setting of your story. When you are through, rewrite the story, leaving blank spaces where the vocabulary words should go. Give your list of words to a parent, a sibling, or a friend and see if they can fill in the blanks based on the clues you’ve provided.

f. Charades: Play charades with your vocabulary words. If you’ve nev-er played charades before, charades is a game where you act out a

Oak Meadow 155


English

(continued)

word or a phrase, and try to get other people to guess what it is. You are not allowed to speak so you have to act out your word us-ing body movements and hand gestures.

g. Picture This: Draw a picture or sketch several scenes that show as many words as possible. Give your list of words to a parent, a sibling, or a friend and see if they can find the words in the picture.

h. Words in the World: Write your vocabulary words, without using pencil or paper, from materials you find in your everyday life. For example, you might write a word with spaghetti noodles at dinner, on the steamed up mirror in the bathroom, or in the dirt using sticks or pebbles or acorns. Or you might make letters out of bread dough and bake them, then make words, or you could place dough letters on a baking sheet, just barely touching, and bake entire words. Getting all of your senses involved is a really great study trick! It might be fun to post a list of your words on the refrigerator and challenge family members to find the words around the house and yard. Each time a word is found, it gets crossed off the list. You can spread this activity throughout the week, forming two or three words per day for others to find.

2. At the end of the week, take a spelling quiz of the review words you worked on this week.

3. Based on what you have read about Robin Hood, create a new ad-venture for Robin Hood and his band of merry men. Use your imagi-nation to come up with a story that fits in with the rest of the book. Add lots of historical detail and lively action!

As always, use the writing process (rough draft, revise, edit, and proofread) to help you create a strong piece of creative writing.

For Enrolled StudentsWhen lesson 24 is complete, please send your student’s work to your Oak Meadow teacher. Include your weekly planner, assignment checklists, and learning assessment form from each lesson.

Learning Assessment Use this assessment form to track your student’s progress over time.

156 Oak Meadow



Not Yet Evident


Demonstrates creative writing skills

Includes specific details about historical setting

Uses contextual details to support ideas









Revises, edits, and proofreads work


Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest

Free-choice book:

Free-choice book:

SPELLING QUIZ Score


24

grade 6 english

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