Grade 6 · English

Grade 6 English

Grade 6 English asks children to argue: to write persuasively, to back their claims with evidence, and to read other people's arguments with a careful eye. Here is what it covers, where kids usually get stuck, and one way to help.

What your child learns this year

Every curriculum words it differently, but most grade 6 classes cover the same ground:

Persuasive writing. Taking a position, giving reasons and evidence, and answering the other side.
Theme and character. How characters change, and what a story says about life.
Non-fiction and research. Finding information in several sources, taking notes, and putting it in their own words.
Media. How ads and videos try to persuade, and who made them and why.
Grammar and style. Varied sentences, transitions between paragraphs, and precise vocabulary.

Where kids usually get stuck

1Ignoring the other side. An argument that never mentions what a doubter would say is easy for that reader to dismiss.
2Repeating the opinion as if it were evidence. “Recess should be longer because recess is great” says the same thing twice. A reason has to be new information.
3Giving a theme as one word. “Friendship” is a topic. A theme says something about it, like “true friends tell you hard truths.”

One of Pip's tricks

Answer the doubter

Use it when writing an argument or persuasive piece for readers who might not agree.

Picture a reader who disagrees, and write down their strongest “But what about…?”
Say their worry fairly in one sentence, like “Some people worry that…”
Answer it with a reason or a fact, often starting with “but” or “however”, then return to your point.

Watch it work. Opinion: our school should have a longer recess. Weak: “Recess is the best part of the day.” Stronger: “Some people worry we would learn less, but students who get more time to run and play come back to class calmer and ready to focus.” It names the doubter's worry and answers it with a reason.

Why it works: a reader who disagrees is already thinking “But what about…?” Naming that worry fairly and answering it shows you've thought it through, and takes away their reason to say no.

Try three

Tap a choice to see if it is right, with the reason.

1.Opinion: our school should have a longer recess. Which sentence answers a doubter?
2.Why include the other side in an argument?
3.Which is a theme, not just a topic?

How Sparkpip fits in

Pip, Sparkpip's tutor, works through texts and writing like these with your child one small step at a time, using tricks like the one above.

Start free See how it works

Your curriculum

Sparkpip is built on the grade 6 English curriculum for your province or state. The official pages:

Also: Grade 5 English · Grade 7 English · Grade 6 math · Grade 6 science