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

Students point to specific lines or passages from a story or poem to back up what they think the text means. That includes both what the text states directly and what students figure out by reading between the lines.

Students find the main message or theme of a story and trace how it builds across the text. Then they summarize the key details that support it, in their own words.

Students track how characters, events, and ideas change and connect as a story moves forward. They explain why those changes happen, using specific details from the text.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including when an author uses figurative language or loaded word choices. Then they look at how those word choices shape the mood or message of the story.

Students look at how a story or poem is built, examining how one paragraph or scene connects to and shapes the rest. The goal is to see the whole piece more clearly by understanding how its parts fit together.

Point of view is the lens a story is told through. Students look at who is narrating and how that choice changes what details show up, what gets left out, and how the writing sounds.

Students compare what a story or topic looks like across different formats, such as a film, a podcast, or a chart, and explain what each version shows that the others don't.

Students read an argument and judge whether the reasoning actually holds up and whether the evidence fits the claim being made. This goes beyond finding the author's point; students decide if the proof offered is solid enough to be believed.

Students read two or more stories or poems on the same topic, then compare how each author handles it. The focus is on what's similar, what's different, and what each version adds.

Students read full-length stories, novels, and poems on their own, working through challenging vocabulary and ideas without stopping to ask for help at every sentence.

Students read a nonfiction passage carefully, then back up their ideas with specific lines or sentences from the text. A general feeling about what the text means is not enough; students point to the exact words that support their thinking.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and trace how the author builds on it through key details. They also write a brief summary that captures what the text is mostly about, without copying it word for word.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how a person, event, or idea changes as the text goes on. They also trace what caused those changes or how two elements influenced each other.

Students figure out what words mean in context, including when an author uses figurative language or loaded word choices. They also look at how those specific words shape the mood or message of the whole piece.

Students look at how a paragraph's opening sentence sets up the details that follow, and how sections of an article or chapter connect to build the writer's main point.

Students figure out who wrote a piece and why, then explain how that shapes what the author chose to include and how they said it. A journalist, a scientist, and a company all write about the same topic differently.

Students read the same topic across different formats, such as a written article, a chart, and a video clip, then explain how the formats work together or show different sides of the information.

Students read a nonfiction passage and decide whether the author's argument actually holds up. They check if the reasons make sense and if the facts given are connected to the point being made.

Students read two texts on the same topic and compare how each author covers it. They look at what each source includes, leaves out, or emphasizes differently.

Students read challenging nonfiction on their own, without help from a teacher or adult. That means textbooks, articles, and essays at the sixth-grade level.

Students write a paragraph or essay taking a clear position on a topic or text, then back it up with solid reasoning and specific evidence from their reading. The goal is a convincing case, not just an opinion.

Students write to explain a topic clearly, using facts and details that help the reader understand. The goal is accuracy: every claim connects back to real information, not opinion.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and details that make scenes and characters feel specific. The focus is on craft: how the story moves, what details to include, and how to keep a reader engaged.

Students write paragraphs and essays that match the assignment: the right structure for a report, the right tone for a story, the right level of detail for the reader. Form follows purpose.

Students practice fixing and improving their own writing by planning ahead, revising drafts, and editing sentences until the piece says what they meant. The goal is a stronger final draft, not a perfect first one.

Students use computers and online tools to write, publish, and share their work with others. This includes collaborating with classmates on writing projects using digital platforms.

Students pick a focused question and research it thoroughly enough to show they actually understand the topic, not just that they found some facts. Short projects and longer ones both count.

Students find information from books and websites, check whether each source can be trusted, and weave the facts into their own writing without copying someone else's words.

Students pull quotes or details from stories and nonfiction to back up their own ideas in writing. The evidence has to come from the actual text, not just from memory or opinion.

Students practice writing often, both in quick bursts and over several days, for different reasons and different readers. The goal is to make writing feel like a normal part of school, not just a test.

Students come to group discussions ready to listen and build on what classmates say, not just wait for their turn to talk. They share their own ideas clearly and back them up with reasons.

Students take in information from sources like charts, videos, and spoken presentations, then judge how well each one makes its point. They pull what they learn from those different formats into one clear picture of the topic.

Students listen to a speaker and judge whether the argument holds up: Is the point of view clear? Does the reasoning make sense? Is the evidence real or just persuasive-sounding words?

Students organize a spoken presentation so listeners can follow the argument from start to finish. The evidence supports each point, and the tone fits the audience.

Students choose charts, images, or short video clips to make a presentation clearer, not just to decorate it. The visual should add something the words alone can't explain.

Students practice shifting how they speak depending on the situation, using formal language for a presentation or class discussion and more casual language with a partner or small group.

Students apply standard grammar rules when they write or speak. This covers sentence structure, verb tense, pronoun use, and other conventions that make their meaning clear to any reader.

Students apply correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in their writing. This means knowing when to capitalize a word, where a comma or period belongs, and how to spell words correctly.

Students learn how word choice and sentence structure shift depending on the situation: a text to a friend reads differently than a school essay. Recognizing those shifts helps students read more closely and write more precisely.

When students hit an unfamiliar word, they figure out its meaning by reading the surrounding sentences, breaking the word into roots or prefixes, or looking it up in a dictionary or glossary.

Reading a phrase like "the wind whispered" or "he had a heart of stone," students recognize that the words don't mean what they literally say. They explain what the figurative language means and how word choice shapes the feeling of a sentence.

Students learn and use precise vocabulary that shows up across subjects, not just in English class. The goal is a working word bank strong enough to read a textbook, write a clear argument, and follow a lecture.