6th Grade Literature Unit 3: Heroes

In this 6th grade thematic literature unit, the Big Idea is "Heroes". All text selections (both fiction and nonfiction) will connect back to the theme and the Essential Questions. The unit will end with a culminating writing performance demonstration. The writing type is argument and the prompt is "In your opinion, what are the three most important qualities of a hero?" Students will be required to cite textual evidence to support the claim. I have included a link to a five-paragraph argument graphic organizer.

Throughout this Smartboard unit, I have added links for mini-lessons (that I have created and will post on TPT separately as well) which address the skills to be taught with each text selection. The links include the argument graphic organizer, a Power Point over cause and effect text structure, and another Smartboard unit over figurative language (idioms to be taught in this unit). The unit utilizes the McDougal Littell literature book, a nonfiction article in Scholastic's "Nonfiction Selections", and another nonfiction article from www.readworks.org (will need to sign up for a free membership, but it is an excellent online resource).

The text selections and related skills include:

1. "Ghost of the Lagoon" (short story) by Armstrong Sperry - character traits, point of view, conflict
2. "Always Remember: Americans Remember the Victims & Heroes of 9/11" (nonfiction) www.readworks.org - cause/effect text structure
3. "The Crane Maiden" (Japanese Folktale) retold by Rafe Martin - Folktales and character traits
4. "Damon & Pythias" (Greek Legend) dramatized by Fan Kissen - dramas, legends, cultural values
5. Close Read Selection: "No Thought of Reward" (nonfiction speech) by Mawi Asgedom - explicit vocabulary instruction, idioms, rhetorical questions, author's message, argument, claims, text-to-text connections
6. Culminating Performance Demonstration - 5 paragraph argument essay

In order to preserve the fonts used on this unit please visit this TpT site:

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Check out my next unit too!
6th Grade Literature Unit 4: Responsibility