Unit Plan 30 (Grade 6 ELA): Reading Science/History Texts with Visuals

Focus: Interpreting charts/diagrams/maps; domain vocabulary in context

Grade Level: 6

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Informational; Speaking & Listening—media)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Science and history texts often show as much as they tell. This week, students practice reading visuals (charts, diagrams, maps) alongside prose, and use domain vocabulary accurately by unlocking meaning from context and morphology (roots/affixes). By Friday, they’ll explain what a visual adds that the text alone does not—and use precise terms in short, clear explanations.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Integrate information from a visual (chart/diagram/map) with a related paragraph to build a coherent understanding (RI.6.7).
2. Determine the meaning of domain-specific words and phrases using context, morphology, and reference tools (RI.6.4).
3. Interpret information presented in diverse media (graph/map/video/diagram) and explain how it contributes to the topic (SL.6.2).
4. Write a concise text+visual explanation that cites numeric/visual evidence and uses precise vocabulary.

Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 6

• Reading Informational 6.7 (RI.6.7): Integrate information presented visually or quantitatively with information in words.
• Reading Informational 6.4 (RI.6.4): Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including technical meanings.
• Speaking & Listening 6.2 (SL.6.2): Interpret information in diverse media and explain how it contributes to a topic or issue.

Success Criteria — student language

• I can read a chart/diagram/map and say what it shows.
• I can tell how the visual adds to the paragraph’s ideas.
• I can figure out technical terms from context/parts of words and use them correctly.
• I can write a tight explanation that blends text + visual evidence.