Lesson Plan for Grade 6 - English - Reading Comprehension (novels, non-fiction)

**Lesson Plan: Reading Comprehension for Grade 6** **Lesson Topic: Reading Comprehension (Novels and Non-Fiction)** **Grade: 6th** **Duration: 60 minutes** **Objective**: Students will develop and improve their reading comprehension skills by identifying key elements of novels and non-fiction texts, making inferences, and summarizing information. **Materials Needed**: - Copies of selected novel excerpt (e.g., "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White) - Copies of selected non-fiction article (e.g., an article about climate change) - Whiteboard and markers - Notebooks and pens - Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Highlighters **Standards**: - Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3: Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text. **Introduction (10 minutes)**: 1. **Hook**: Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever read a story that made them feel like they were really there or a non-fiction article that taught them something new. Share a personal story or example. 2. **Objective Explanation**: Explain the importance of improving reading comprehension, mentioning how it helps in school and everyday life. 3. **Overview**: Introduce the two types of texts they’ll be working on today: a novel excerpt and a non-fiction article. **Activity 1: Reading a Novel Excerpt (20 minutes)**: 1. **Pre-Reading Discussion (5 minutes)**: - Briefly introduce the novel “Charlotte's Web” and its author. - Discuss what students already know about the story (building background knowledge). 2. **Reading (10 minutes)**: - Distribute the excerpt and instruct students to read silently. - Encourage students to highlight main ideas and any words or phrases they find interesting or confusing. 3. **Post-Reading Discussion (5 minutes)**: - Ask students to share their highlighted sections. - Discuss main characters, setting, and plot points. - Guide students in identifying the theme of the excerpt and its key details. **Activity 2: Reading a Non-Fiction Article (20 minutes)**: 1. **Pre-Reading Discussion (5 minutes)**: - Introduce the non-fiction article about climate change. - Discuss what students know about climate change and its impact on the environment. 2. **Reading (10 minutes)**: - Distribute the article and ask students to read silently. - Tell students to highlight main ideas, key points, and any new vocabulary. 3. **Post-Reading Discussion (5 minutes)**: - Have students share the main ideas they identified. - Discuss the central idea of the article and how the author supports it. - Talk about any new vocabulary and ensure understanding. **Activity 3: Comparative Analysis and Summarization (15 minutes)**: 1. **Comparison Chart (10 minutes)**: - On the whiteboard, draw a Venn diagram. - Work together as a class to compare and contrast the novel excerpt and the non-fiction article. - Discuss differences in purpose, structure, and language. 2. **Summarization (5 minutes)**: - Have students write a brief summary for both the novel excerpt and the non-fiction article, emphasizing the importance of including key details and avoiding personal opinions. **Closure (5 minutes)**: 1. **Review Objectives**: Quickly review the comprehension strategies used today (highlighting, identifying main ideas, comparing texts). 2. **Student Reflection**: Ask students to reflect on how these strategies can help them in different subjects and everyday reading. 3. **Homework Assignment**: Ask students to read a short passage from a different book at home and practice the strategies discussed in class (highlighting, summarizing). **Assessment**: - Participation in class discussions and activities. - Completion and accuracy of reading comprehension worksheets. - Quality of written summaries. **Extension Activities**: - Encourage students to read another chapter from "Charlotte's Web" or another non-fiction article and discuss it in class the following week. - Provide additional reading comprehension worksheets for extra practice. This lesson plan aims to engage students in both literary and informational texts, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for different types of reading materials.