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

Students read a passage carefully, then back up their ideas with direct quotes or specific details from the text. They pull out what the author actually wrote, not just what they think or feel about it.

Students find the main message or lesson in a story and track how it grows across the text. Then they sum up the key details that back it up, in their own words.

Students track how a character, event, or idea changes from the beginning of a story to the end, and explain how those changes connect to each other.

Students figure out what words mean based on how they're used in a story or poem. That includes picking up on emotional weight, hidden meaning, or figurative language like metaphors and idioms.

Students look at how a story or poem is built: how one paragraph sets up the next, how an early scene connects to the ending, and how the pieces work together to shape the whole piece.

Students figure out who is telling a story and how that narrator's perspective changes what details get included and how they're described. A bitter character and a hopeful one can witness the same event and tell it completely differently.

Students compare what a story, poem, or speech says on the page to how the same material comes across in audio, video, or another format. They explain what each version adds or leaves out.

Students read a text and decide whether the author's argument actually holds up. They look at the reasons given and judge whether those reasons make sense and support the point being made.

Students read two texts on the same topic and explain how each author handles it differently, looking at what the texts share and where they pull apart.

Students read full-length novels, stories, and poems on their own, with enough skill to understand what they read without step-by-step help from a teacher.

Reading closely to find what a text says directly, and drawing reasonable conclusions when the answer isn't stated outright. Students back up their thinking with specific lines or passages from the text.

Students find the main point an author is making in a nonfiction piece, then trace how details across the text back it up. They can also sum up the whole thing in their own words.

Students trace how a person, event, or idea changes from the beginning of an article or essay to the end, and explain how different parts of the text shape each other.

Students figure out what words mean based on how they're used in a nonfiction passage. That includes words with scientific or specialized meanings, words with emotional weight, and phrases that don't mean exactly what they say.

Students look at how a paragraph or section connects to the rest of an article or passage. They explain why the author placed information where they did and how each part builds on the others.

Students figure out who wrote a text and why, then notice how that shapes what the author includes, leaves out, or emphasizes. A scientist writing about climate change sounds different from a politician writing about the same topic.

Students read the same information in different formats, like a written article paired with a chart or video, and judge whether each version makes the idea clearer or leaves something out.

Students read an article or speech and decide whether the author's argument actually holds up. They check whether the reasons given are logical and whether the evidence supports what the author is claiming.

Students read two texts on the same topic and explain how each author handles it differently. They look at what each source emphasizes, leaves out, or argues, then compare what they found.

Students read challenging nonfiction on their own, without help decoding or making sense of it. The goal is to handle real-world reading, like articles, essays, and reports, without needing someone to walk them through it.

Students write a paragraph or essay that takes a clear position on a topic, then back it up with solid reasons and real evidence from a source. The argument needs enough proof to be convincing, not just one example.

Students write to explain a topic clearly, using facts, details, and examples that help a reader understand something they didn't before. The goal is a clear explanation, not an argument.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear sequence of events and techniques that keep readers engaged. The story has a structure that moves forward, not just a list of things that happened.

Writing fits the assignment. Students match their word choice, structure, and tone to who will read the work and why, whether that's a persuasive letter, a story, or a research report.

Students plan, draft, and revise their writing until it says what they mean. That means rereading, cutting what doesn't work, and rewriting sentences that aren't clear yet.

Students use computers or tablets to write, revise, and share their work, and to give or receive feedback from classmates or teachers online.

Students pick a focused question and gather information from sources to answer it. Research projects can be quick, single-class tasks or longer multi-day investigations.

Students find facts from more than one source, then weave those facts into their own writing in their own words. Using someone else's words without credit is off-limits.

Students pull quotes and details from stories or nonfiction to back up their thinking in writing. Reading and writing work together: the text is the proof.

Students write often, for different reasons and different readers. Some pieces take days to develop; others are quick responses to a prompt or question.

Students come to discussions having read or thought about the topic beforehand, then listen closely enough to connect what they say to what classmates just said.

Students listen to or watch a presentation, then judge whether the information holds up. They explain how the format, whether a video, a podcast, or a chart, shapes what the audience takes away.

Students listen to a speaker and decide whether the argument holds up: Is the point of view clear? Does the reasoning make sense? Does the evidence actually support what's being said?

Students organize a spoken presentation so the main point is clear and each piece of evidence connects to it. Listeners should be able to follow the argument without getting lost.

Students choose charts, images, or other visuals to back up a presentation and make the information easier to follow. The visual has to serve the point, not just decorate the slide.

Students learn when to switch from casual talking to formal speaking, like adjusting their language for a class presentation versus a conversation with friends. The goal is knowing which register fits the room.

Students write and speak using correct grammar: complete sentences, proper verb tenses, and pronouns that match the nouns they replace. This standard covers the grammar rules that keep writing clear and speech easy to follow.

Students use correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in their writing. This standard covers the mechanical rules that make sentences clear and easy to read.

Students choose words and sentence structures on purpose, picking what fits the meaning and tone they want. This standard is about writing with intention, not just correctness.

Students figure out what an unfamiliar word means by studying the words and sentences around it, or by breaking the word into roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

Students recognize when words are being used figuratively rather than literally, like knowing "it's raining cats and dogs" describes heavy rain, not falling animals. They also notice how words relate to each other in meaning.

Students learn the formal vocabulary used in textbooks, class discussions, and subject-area writing. They practice using those words correctly in their own speaking and writing.