Unit Plan 21 (Grade 6 ELA): Tone, Connotation, and Precise Language
Grade 6 tone and style unit: students analyze how connotation, word choice, and sentence patterns shape tone and meaning. They compare shades of meaning, revise sentences for effect, and write tone analyses linking diction and syntax to author style.
Focus: Shades of meaning; tone signals in context; style choices
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Literature; Language—Vocabulary & Style)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Words carry baggage. This week students investigate tone—how authors’ word choices and sentence patterns create feelings and attitudes. They’ll practice reading for connotative meaning and shades of meaning, use word relationships to unlock vocabulary, and experiment with sentence pattern variety to shape style. By Friday, they’ll analyze tone in a fresh text and revise sentences to match a target tone and style.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Determine tone and explain how specific word choices (figurative/connotative) shape meaning (RL.6.4).
- Distinguish among connotations of words with similar denotations and use word relationships (cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to refine meaning (L.6.5b–c).
- Vary sentence patterns (simple, compound, complex; openings with phrases/clauses) to affect meaning, emphasis, and reader interest (L.6.3a).
- Write a clear tone analysis paragraph citing words/phrases and describing stylistic effects.
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 6
- Reading Literature 6.4 (RL.6.4): Determine the meaning of words and phrases (including figurative and connotative meanings) and analyze the impact of word choice on meaning and tone.
- Language 6.5b (L.6.5b): Use relationships between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each word.
- Language 6.5c (L.6.5c): Distinguish among the connotations of words with similar denotations.
- Language 6.3a (L.6.3a): Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
Success Criteria — student language
- I can name the tone and point to signal words/phrases that create it.
- I can explain how two similar words feel different (connotation) and choose the one that fits the tone.
- I can change sentence patterns to adjust emphasis and style.
- I can write a tight analysis paragraph that links diction and syntax to tone.