What does a student learn in StateKansas,GradeGrade 6,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students point to specific lines or passages in a story or poem to back up what they think the text means, both what it says outright and what they have to read between the lines to figure out.

Students find the central message of a story and trace how specific scenes or details reveal it. They also summarize the text in their own words, sticking to what actually happens rather than what they personally think about it.

Students trace how a story's plot builds episode by episode and explain how characters change along the way. By the end, students connect those changes to how the conflict gets resolved.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including when an author uses figurative language or a word with emotional weight. They also look at how a single word choice shifts the feeling or message of a passage.

Students look at a single sentence, scene, or stanza and explain how that piece shapes where the story is going or deepens what the story is really about.

Students identify who is narrating a story and explain how the author shapes that narrator's perspective through word choice, details, and what the narrator notices or ignores.

Students read a story, poem, or play, then watch or listen to a version of it and describe what changes. The goal is noticing what the written words put in your head versus what the screen or speakers actually show.

This standard does not apply to literary texts like stories, poems, or plays. It covers a skill taught in reading nonfiction instead.

Two texts can tell the same story in very different ways. Students read a story and a poem on the same topic and explain what each one does differently, from how it builds a scene to how it gets its point across.

Reading closely means noticing how an author's word choices and sentence structures shape meaning. Students use what they know about grammar and language patterns to understand passages that would otherwise trip them up.

When students hit an unfamiliar word in a story or poem, they figure out what it means using context clues, word parts, or a dictionary. Some words carry more than one meaning, and students learn to pick the right one for the passage.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by reading the sentences around it. No dictionary needed: the paragraph itself holds the clues.

Students use Greek and Latin word parts (like "bio," "rupt," or "pre") to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. This is the vocabulary equivalent of sounding out a word.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or online source to confirm how a word is pronounced, what it means, or how it functions in a sentence.

Students make a best guess at what an unfamiliar word means, then check it by looking back at the surrounding sentences or using a dictionary to confirm they got it right.

Students read poems, stories, and other texts and figure out what figurative language means in context. They also explore how words relate to each other and why an author might choose one word over a similar one.

Students figure out what a phrase actually means when it can't be taken literally. Think "break a leg" or "it's raining cats and dogs", students read the surrounding sentences to unlock the real meaning.

Students use word relationships to sharpen their vocabulary. Knowing that "flood" causes "erosion," or that a "sparrow" belongs to the category "bird," helps students pin down the meaning of unfamiliar words in a story.

Words can share the same basic meaning but feel very different. Students learn to notice how words like "thrifty" and "stingy" both mean careful with money, but one sounds like a compliment and the other doesn't.

Students read full stories, plays, and poems written at a sixth-grade level. The texts are real, well-crafted works, not simplified summaries.

Students back up their answers with exact lines from the text, not just a general feeling about what they read. They also explain what the text implies, even when the author doesn't say it outright.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and explain how specific details support it. They also summarize the text in their own words, leaving out their own opinions.

Students pick one important person, event, or idea from a nonfiction text and trace how the author builds it up. They look at where it first appears, what examples the author adds, and how those details develop the full picture.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean by reading the sentences around them. That includes slang, emotional weight, and subject-specific terms like those found in a science article or a history chapter.

Students look at a single paragraph or section and explain how it connects to the rest of the article or chapter. The goal is to see why the author put it there and what work it does for the bigger idea.

Students figure out what an author believes about a topic and why the author wrote the piece. Then they point to specific sentences or paragraphs that show how the author gets that message across.

Students read about a topic using more than one format, such as a written article and a chart or map covering the same subject. They pull the pieces together to build one clear picture of what they learned.

Students read a nonfiction passage and decide which claims the author actually backs up with facts or reasons, and which ones the author just states without proof.

Students read two accounts of the same person or event written by different authors, then explain what each author includes, leaves out, or sees differently.

Reading skills grow sharper when students notice how word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation shape meaning. Students use what they know about how language works to understand harder texts more clearly.

Students figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words by using context clues, word roots, or a dictionary. This applies to words they encounter in articles, textbooks, and other nonfiction reading at the sixth-grade level.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word or phrase means by reading the sentences around it. No dictionary needed: the nearby details in the passage do the explaining.

Students use Greek or Latin word parts, like "pre-" or "rupt," to figure out what an unfamiliar word means. This works across textbooks, articles, and other reading they encounter in sixth grade.

Students look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary or other reference, print or online, to check pronunciation, pin down the exact meaning, or figure out how the word functions in a sentence.

Students make a guess about what an unfamiliar word means, then check whether that guess holds up by testing it against the surrounding sentences or looking it up in a dictionary.

Students identify figurative language and word relationships in nonfiction texts, explaining how a word's meaning shifts depending on context or how it connects to related words.

Students read sentences in a passage and work out what a figure of speech actually means there. A phrase like "the ball is in your court" is a good example: it does not mean a literal ball.

Students look at how two words relate to each other, like a cause and its effect or a part and its whole, to figure out what each word means.

Words can share a basic meaning but feel very different. Students practice telling apart words like "cheap" and "thrifty" to understand how a writer's word choice shapes the reader's reaction.

Sixth graders read nonfiction texts that are genuinely challenging at their level: think science articles, historical accounts, or news features. The goal is steady practice with real, complex material, not simplified summaries.

Students write a paragraph or essay that takes a position and backs it up with specific facts and details from what they've read. The goal is to convince a reader, not just state an opinion.

The opening paragraph of an argument states a clear position and lays out the reasons that will support it. Students learn to set up that structure before they start making their case.

Students back up their main argument with reasons and proof pulled from reliable sources. The evidence should connect directly to the point they're making, not just fill space.

Students practice using words like "because," "therefore," and "as a result" to show how their reasons connect to and support the main argument they're making in a piece of writing.

Writing to an unfamiliar audience means dropping slang and casual phrasing. Students practice using formal language in essays and arguments, keeping that tone consistent from the first sentence to the last.

Students write a final paragraph that wraps up their argument. It doesn't just stop; it leaves the reader with a clear sense of what was argued and why it matters.

Students write to explain a topic by organizing facts, definitions, and details clearly. The goal is an informative piece that helps a reader understand something, not a piece that argues a side.

Students open an informational piece by naming the topic clearly, then sort their ideas using comparisons, categories, or cause-and-effect reasoning. Headings, charts, or tables go in when they help a reader follow along.

Students back up their main idea with facts, definitions, direct quotes, and specific details pulled from sources. The goal is to give readers real evidence, not just opinions.

Students choose words and phrases like "for example," "in contrast," or "as a result" to show how one idea connects to the next. Good transitions keep a reader from getting lost between paragraphs.

Explanatory writing calls for the right word, not just any word. Students choose specific, subject-area vocabulary to make their explanation clear and accurate.

Writing in school calls for a different tone than texting a friend. Students learn to drop casual phrases and slang, choosing words and sentences that sound clear and professional throughout a piece.

The final paragraph wraps up the writing by connecting back to the main idea. Students don't just stop; they close with a sentence or two that shows the explanation is complete.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and details that put the reader inside the scene. The focus is on craft: how the story moves, what details matter, and how it ends.

Students open a narrative by setting up where and when the story takes place and introducing who is in it. From there, events follow in an order that makes sense.

Students practice the craft moves that make a story feel real: writing dialogue between characters, slowing down a tense moment, and adding detail that puts the reader inside the scene.

Students practice moving a reader smoothly between scenes or moments in a story by choosing transition words and phrases that show when time has passed or the setting has changed.

Students choose words that put the reader in the scene. Instead of "the room was messy," they write what they saw, heard, or smelled to make the moment feel real.

The ending of a narrative should wrap up the story in a way that feels earned. Students write a conclusion that connects back to what actually happened, not a generic sign-off that could belong to any story.

Writing fits the situation. Students match how they organize and phrase their work to what they're writing, why they're writing it, and who will read it.

Students plan, draft, revise, and edit their writing with feedback from teachers and classmates. The goal is finding the version that works, which sometimes means starting over with a different approach.

Students use a computer to write, edit, and publish their work online, and can type at least three pages without stopping. They may also share drafts or give feedback to classmates using digital tools.

Students pick a question, find answers across several sources, and adjust the question if the research leads somewhere more useful. Short projects, real sources, one focused answer.

Students find facts from books and websites, check whether each source can be trusted, and write up what they learned in their own words or with direct quotes. They note where each piece of information came from.

Students pull direct quotes and details from a story or nonfiction text to back up their own ideas in writing. The evidence has to connect clearly to the point they are making.

Students apply standard English grammar rules in their own writing. That means using correct verb tenses, pronouns, and sentence structure so the writing is clear and easy to follow.

Students practice writing sentences of different lengths and structures so their writing doesn't sound flat or repetitive. A mix of short punchy sentences and longer ones keeps readers engaged.

Students learn when to use "I" versus "me" versus "mine" in a sentence. A pronoun has to match its job: the one doing the action, receiving it, or owning something.

Students use words like "myself" or "themselves" to add emphasis or show that someone did something alone. For example: "She finished the project herself."

Students learn to catch pronoun mistakes in their own writing, like switching from "everyone" to "they" or from "I" to "you" mid-sentence. They fix those shifts so the pronouns stay consistent throughout.

Students find pronouns like "it," "they," or "this" that don't clearly point to a specific person or thing, then rewrite the sentence so the reader knows exactly what the pronoun means.

Students read their own writing and a classmate's to spot grammar or word-choice errors, then fix them using tools like a style guide or dictionary. The goal is writing that follows standard conventions.

Students keep their word choices and attitude toward the topic steady from the first sentence to the last. A letter that starts formal stays formal; a story that starts casual stays casual.

Students apply standard capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in their writing. That means using capital letters, commas, and correct spellings the way published writing does.

Commas, parentheses, or dashes can wrap extra information inside a sentence without changing its meaning. Students practice spotting that extra detail and choosing the right punctuation to set it apart.

Students spell grade-level words correctly in their writing, with no reliance on guessing or phonetic shortcuts for words they are expected to know by sixth grade.

Students practice writing often: sometimes across several days with time to research and revise, sometimes in a single sitting. The goal is to write for different subjects, reasons, and readers throughout the school year.

Students practice talking through ideas with classmates and teachers, in pairs and in groups. They build on what others say and explain their own thinking clearly.

Before a class discussion, students read the assigned material and come ready to back up their thinking with specific details from the text. The point is to use that preparation out loud, not just sit on it.

Students learn to run a group discussion with clear expectations: who speaks, what the group is trying to accomplish, and by when. It covers setting goals, splitting up responsibilities, and keeping the conversation on track.

Students ask focused questions and give detailed answers during class discussions, building on what others have said rather than just restating it.

After a group discussion, students restate what others said in their own words and explain how different people saw the topic differently.

Students watch a video, read a chart, or listen to a speaker, then explain what they learned and how that source connects to the topic the class is studying.

Students listen to a speaker and sort out which points are backed by real reasons or facts and which ones are just stated without support.

Students organize a short speech or presentation so the most important ideas come through clearly, backed by relevant facts and details. They speak at a steady volume, make eye contact with the audience, and pronounce words clearly enough to follow.

Students add visuals or audio to a presentation, like a chart, photo, or sound clip, to make an idea clearer for the audience.

Students learn when to shift their speaking style: formal sentences for a class presentation, looser language for a small-group discussion. The skill is knowing which the moment calls for.

Students speak in complete, grammatically correct sentences during class discussions and presentations. This means using proper verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and clear pronoun references out loud, not just on paper.

Students change up how their sentences are built, mixing short punchy sentences with longer ones, so their writing or speech holds a listener's attention and says exactly what they mean.

Students use words like "myself" or "themselves" to add emphasis or show that someone did something without help. For example: "She finished the project herself."

Students spot places where a sentence switches between "I" and "they," or "he" and "you," without a good reason, then fix the pronoun so it stays consistent from start to finish.

Students spot pronouns that have no clear noun to point back to and fix them. If a sentence could mean two different things depending on who "he" or "they" refers to, students rewrite it so the meaning is plain.

Students notice when their own speech (or a classmate's) drifts from standard written English, then make specific adjustments to sound clearer and more formal when the situation calls for it.

When speaking or writing for an assignment, students keep the same tone throughout. A formal report stays formal; a casual discussion stays casual. They don't shift between the two mid-sentence or mid-paragraph.

Students learn and use the right words for school conversations and discussions. When an unfamiliar word matters for understanding or speaking clearly, students figure out what it means and put it to work.