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

Students back up their ideas about a story or poem with specific lines or details from the text. They also read between the lines to draw conclusions the author implies but does not say outright.

Students identify the main idea of a story or book and trace how it builds across the text. They back that up with a summary of the key details that shaped it.

Students track how a character's choices, a story's events, or a key idea shifts and connects as the story unfolds. They explain the "why" behind those changes, not just the "what."

Students figure out what a word really means in context, including when it's used figuratively or carries an emotional charge. They also look at how an author's word choices set the tone of a passage.

Students look at how a story or article is built, tracing how one paragraph sets up the next and how smaller pieces fit into the whole. The goal is to see why the author arranged things in that order.

Students figure out who is telling the story and how that choice affects what gets included, left out, or described in a particular way. A narrator with a grudge writes differently than one who admires the same person.

Students compare how a story or idea comes across differently in a book, a film, and a podcast or image. They think about what each format shows well and what it leaves out.

Students identify the main argument in a text, then judge whether the reasons behind it actually make sense and whether the examples given genuinely support the point.

Students read two or more stories or poems on the same topic, then explain how each author handles it differently. The goal is to notice what changes when a different writer takes on the same idea.

Students read full-length stories, novels, and nonfiction books at a sixth-grade level on their own, without help decoding or following the text.

Students back up their ideas with direct quotes or details from the text, not just their own opinions. When reading an article or passage, they point to the specific lines that support what they say.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and trace how the author builds on it from paragraph to paragraph. They also summarize the key details that back it up, in their own words.

Students explain how a person, event, or idea changes and connects to others as a nonfiction piece unfolds. They look for the reasons behind those changes, not just what happened.

Students figure out what specific words mean in context, including when a word carries emotional weight or is used figuratively. They also look at how an author's word choices set the tone of a passage.

Students look at how a nonfiction article is built: how one paragraph leads into the next, how a single sentence sets up the section that follows, and how each part adds to the article's main point.

Students figure out who wrote a piece and why, then look at how that motive changes what the author includes, leaves out, or emphasizes. A news article and an opinion piece on the same topic can tell very different stories.

Students compare what a written article says to what a chart, video, or image on the same topic shows. They explain what each format adds and whether the information holds up across all of them.

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

Students read two texts on the same topic and compare what each author focuses on, what each leaves out, and how their approaches differ. The goal is to build a fuller picture of the subject than either text gives alone.

Students read full-length articles, essays, and other nonfiction on their own, handling challenging vocabulary and ideas without step-by-step help.

Students write a paragraph or essay that takes a clear position on a topic or text and backs it up with solid evidence from their reading. The argument has to hold up logically, not just sound convincing.

Students write to explain a topic clearly, using facts and details that help a reader understand something they didn't before. The focus is accuracy and organization, not argument.

Students write a story, real or made-up, with a clear order of events and specific details that make the experience feel vivid. The focus is on technique: how to open a scene, build tension, and choose the right words to put readers in the moment.

Students write pieces where the structure and tone fit the assignment. A story sounds like a story; a persuasive letter sounds like one. The writing stays on topic and makes sense to whoever will read it.

Students practice the full cycle of writing: planning ideas, revising drafts, editing for clarity, and rewriting sections that aren't working. The goal is a stronger piece, not just a finished one.

Students use computers and the internet to write, publish, and share their work with others. That includes typing up assignments, posting work online, and giving feedback to classmates digitally.

Students pick a focused question and research it, reading and gathering information until they can explain what they found. The goal is showing real understanding of the topic, not just collecting facts.

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

Students pull quotes or details from a book, article, or other text to back up their ideas in writing. The evidence should connect clearly to the point they are making.

Students write often, in short bursts and over longer projects, for different reasons and different readers. Practice across many kinds of writing builds the habits that make writing feel less hard.

Students come to discussions ready to talk, listen to what others say, and build on those ideas with their own. The goal is to keep the conversation moving forward, not just wait for a turn to speak.

Students pull together ideas from sources like videos, charts, and speeches, then decide what the information actually means when you put it all side by side.

Students listen to a speech or presentation and judge whether the speaker's argument holds up. They look at the reasons given, the evidence used, and how the speaker tries to persuade the audience.

Students organize a spoken presentation so listeners can follow the argument from point to point. The structure, word choice, and level of detail match the topic and the audience.

Students add charts, images, or short video clips to a presentation to make their point clearer. The visuals aren't decoration; they help the audience understand something the words alone don't show as well.

Students practice switching between casual and formal speech depending on the situation. Presenting to the class calls for different language than talking with a friend, and students learn to recognize which one fits.

Students apply the rules of standard English grammar when writing sentences and speaking aloud. That means choosing the right verb form, pronoun, and sentence structure for the context.

Students use correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in their writing. This standard covers the mechanical side of writing, from commas to proper nouns to tricky words that don't spell the way they sound.

Students learn to notice how word choice and sentence structure shift depending on the situation, whether in a conversation, a formal essay, or a news article. Recognizing those shifts helps them read more closely and write more precisely.

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

Students identify figurative language like metaphors and idioms, explain how word meanings shift in context, and notice the subtle differences between words that seem similar.

Students learn and correctly use the kinds of words that show up in textbooks, essays, and class discussions across subjects. The goal is vocabulary broad enough to read, write, and speak clearly at a high school level.