Unit Plan 28 (Grade 6 ELA): Cause & Effect and Explaining Connections
Grade 6 informational analysis unit: students trace cause-effect relationships and evaluate arguments in articles and speeches. They learn to identify claims, test evidence for relevance and sufficiency, and write concise, well-reasoned responses that judge the strength of reasoning across sources.
Focus: Event/idea relationships; tracing & evaluating claims in speeches
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Informational; Speaking & Listening)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Nonfiction is full of connections—this happened because that happened; a speaker claims X will lead to Y. This week, students will map cause–effect chains in informational texts, then trace and evaluate claims in both articles and short speeches. By Friday, they’ll explain connections clearly and judge whether reasoning and evidence are relevant, sufficient, and sound.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Identify and explain cause–effect relationships among ideas, events, and individuals in informational texts (RI.6.3).
- Trace and evaluate an author’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims supported by reasons and evidence from those that are not (RI.6.8).
- Delineate a speaker’s argument and claims, evaluating the soundness of reasoning and the relevance of evidence (SL.6.3).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 6
- Reading Informational 6.3 (RI.6.3): Analyze how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text and how ideas are connected (including cause/effect).
- Reading Informational 6.8 (RI.6.8): Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
- Speaking & Listening 6.3 (SL.6.3): Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of reasoning and the relevance of the evidence.
Success Criteria — student language
- I can draw a cause → effect chain and explain how one idea leads to another.
- I can trace claims and label the reasons and evidence that support them.
- I can decide whether a speaker’s reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant/sufficient, and say why.