TIME For Kids offers a rich selection of articles, multimedia, and teaching resources to help you meet Common Core State Standards in English language arts. Take a look at how TIME For Kids Edition 5 6 addresses the CCSS for ELA. READING STANDARDS FOR INFORMATIONAL TEXT KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes). Each TIME For Kids article comes with a Teacher s Guide featuring lessons that develop students nonfiction reading skills. Teaching materials include literal and inference questions that ask students to dig deeper into a text s details. Students are challenged to identify evidence, including exact quotes, to support their understanding and analysis. With top stories, we provide step-by-step closereading support, with paragraph-specific questions and discussion prompts. The digital edition includes additional Common Core aligned lessons that challenge students to analyze texts with discussion and writing prompts. Most TIME For Kids articles include Think questions to help focus student reading and classroom discussion around a text s central ideas. Teacher s Guide lessons guide students toward identifying the main ideas and supporting details in a text. Think questions and Teacher s Guides focus on how individuals, events, and ideas interact and develop over the course of an article. Graphic organizers support student comprehension and help readers analyze complex relationships within a text. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. RI.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas. RI.6.6 Determine an author s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text. Within each article, academic and domain-specific words are highlighted and defined. Close-reading questions provided help teachers support students in determining the meaning of a word by using context clues. TIME For Kids stories utilize different informationaltext structures (chronology, comparison, cause-effect, problem-solution) to engage readers. Close-reading and discussion questions often ask readers to compare and contrast how particular events or ideas are presented in related texts. In TIME For Kids, you will find opinion pieces on debatable issues, with kids from across the country weighing in. Accompanying stories provide context and background information so students can speak or write knowledgeably about a topic, analyze a writer s point of view, and critique the strength of supporting evidence. timeforkids.com 1
INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. 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. RI.6.9 Compare and contrast one author s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person). TIME For Kids videos, slide shows, and audio readalouds of longer articles provide multiple opportunities for students to compare and contrast information from digital sources. With access to different representations of ideas and topics across several forms of multimedia, students can build content-area knowledge. Teacher s Guide questions and activities challenge students to identify and evaluate the evidence and reasoning a writer uses to support claims in an informational text. When they read debate stories, students are asked to determine whose point of view was the most persuasive, looking specifically at the points a writer makes in constructing an argument. TIME For Kids often provides two or more articles on the same topic to deepen students knowledge about a subject. Use related TIME For Kids stories as a jumping-off point to spur students curiosity about a topic and provide opportunities for students to integrate and synthesize information from multiple sources. Teacher s Guide materials recommend writing prompts, research projects, and other learning extensions for students. RANGE OF READING AND LEVEL OF TEXT COMPLEXITY RI.6.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6 8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. Feature stories are written at a grade-appropriate Lexile level, using grade-appropriate words and sentence structure. The digital edition offers feature stories at two Lexile levels to meet the needs of diverse learners. WRITING STANDARDS TEXT TYPES AND PURPOSES W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. Teacher s Guides and reproducible worksheets provide writing prompts about the student magazine cover story. Prompts encourage students to develop arguments on a topic and challenge them to support their thinking with relevant reasons and evidence from the text. Students are asked to use a clear organizational structure, use transitions to demonstrate clear relationships between claims and reasons, and use a formal, academic style. Debate features present students with background information about an issue of interest to sixth graders, alongside two opposing opinions from students their age. Students are encouraged to use the features as mentor texts when crafting their own opinion pieces. timeforkids.com 2
TEXT TYPES AND PURPOSES W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparisoncontrast, and cause-effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation presented. W.6.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. Close-reading lessons include writing activities that require students to refer back to the text and do additional research, using credible sources, in order to produce their own work. Writing prompts ask students to take a stance and support their opinion with reasons and evidence from the text, as well as from supporting documents. Test Prep with TFK is provided two times per school year. It includes extended-response questions that call on students to produce short informative texts based on information in a reading passage. Teacher s Guides include writing tasks that call on students to write informative/explanatory texts based on feature stories in the student magazine and/or digital edition. Students are encouraged to use a clear organizational structure in their responses, including a topic sentence, supporting details, and transitions, as well as domain-specific vocabulary. Articles in the student magazine and digital edition can be used as touchstone texts that demonstrate various organizational structures, including comparison-contrast and cause-effect. Reproducible worksheets provide opportunities for writing short-answer informative/explanatory texts. Teacher s Guides provide opportunities to write narratives related to stories in the student magazine and digital edition, using details from the text to support their writing. When writing narratives, students are encouraged to develop well-structured event sequences and believable characters. They are also asked to integrate narrative techniques and sensory details to enliven their writing. TFK s Homework Helper, available online, guides students through the process of writing narrative texts. PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WRITING W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1 3 above.) W.6.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. Teacher s Guides include writing tasks that call on students to write for a particular purpose and audience. Students are challenged to follow the conventions of a specific genre, including persuasive, informative, and narrative writing. TIME For Kids Debate features guide students through the process of submitting their writing for consideration for possible publication. timeforkids.com 3
PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF WRITING W.6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. Teacher s Guide lessons and reproducible worksheets guide students through the writing process, including planning, drafting, revising, and publishing. Articles in the student magazine and digital edition can be used as touchstone texts that demonstrate fluent and effective writing. These pieces can be used as models throughout the writing process. Some reproducible worksheets, including graphic organizers, guide students through the process of how to share their work with a wider audience. TFK s Homework Helper, available online, provides an interactive format to guide students through the writing process. RESEARCH TO BUILD AND PRESENT KNOWLEDGE W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. W.6.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources. W.6.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 6 reading standards to literature (e.g., Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics ). b. Apply grade 6 reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., 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 ). Teacher s Guide lessons prompt students to engage in short research projects based on topics featured in the student magazine and digital edition. Lessons and activities in the Teacher s Guide encourage students to take notes on stories they read in the student magazine and digital edition, and to supplement their research with additional print and digital sources. Students are challenged to conduct research using credible sources. They are asked to summarize and synthesize the information they gather and provide a list of sources. Teacher s Guide lessons and activities ask students to analyze character traits of individuals profiled in articles published in the student magazine and digital edition. Students are called on to identify the character traits and explain how the author uses evidence to support each trait. They are also challenged to compare two or more individuals in a particular story or across two stories. RANGE OF WRITING W.6.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Think questions in the student magazine and digital edition, as well as writing prompts in the Teacher s Guide and reproducible worksheets, encourage a range of writing for a wide range of genres, purposes, and audiences. timeforkids.com 4
SPEAKING AND LISTENING STANDARDS COMPREHENSION AND COLLABORATION SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. c. Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion. d. Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing. SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. SL.6.3 Delineate a speaker s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. Think questions in the student magazine and digital edition encourage one-on-one, small-group, and class discussions. Teacher s Guide lessons pose questions to expand opportunities for discussion and encourage critical thinking. Students are asked to reflect on their peers ideas and the evidence presented during discussions in order to foster critical thinking and supportive learning environments. Students are encouraged to prepare for discussions by gathering relevant details from stories published in the student magazine and digital edition, as well as posing open-ended questions. Some activities include guidelines to foster lively and respectful discourse about controversial topics Debate stories in the student magazine encourage lively discussion and academic discourse on topics appropriate for sixth grade students. Teacher s Guide lessons reinforce comprehension and encourage students to analyze information in articles, charts, photos, and videos published in the student magazine and digital edition. Students are often asked to summarize, as well as identify the main idea and supporting details of, information presented in videos that appear in the digital edition. Debate features present students with background information about an issue of interest to sixth graders. Students can use the features to prepare for debate or discussion in a range of formats. Listeners can assess speakers argument, as well as their use of evidence to support claims. Think questions and lessons in the student magazine and digital edition encourage discussion. Students are asked to cite reasons and evidence from the text when participating in a range of conversations. timeforkids.com 5
PRESENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. SL.6.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. SL.6.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 6 language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.) Lessons in the Teacher s Guide and digital edition prompt students to dive deeper into topics and texts through research. Students are then asked to present findings to the class, maintaining appropriate eye contact and volume level. Prompts can be used as springboards for students to dig deeper into topics covered in the student magazine and digital edition. Students can display their knowledge through visual and multimedia components. Audio read-alouds in the digital editions, voiced by actors not a computer program model fluid reading. Think questions, Teacher s Guide lessons, and other prompts stimulate discussion. Students are asked to follow particular guidelines, including using academic English and domain-specific vocabulary. LANGUAGE STANDARDS CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH L.6.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. a. Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case (subjective, objective, possessive). b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves). c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person. d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with unclear or ambiguous antecedents). e. Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language. L.6.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements. b. Spell correctly. Writing prompts in the Teacher s Guides and student magazine provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of grammar. Audio read-alouds and videos in the digital editions model standard English grammar and usage. Test Prep with TFK, issued two times per school year, assesses students responses to short-answer writing prompts. The student magazine and digital editions can be used as exemplar texts for proper capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Test Prep with TFK, issued two times per school year, provides opportunities to assess students command of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Power Words in the student magazine and digital edition serve as reference material. Reproducible worksheets in the Teacher s Guide provide students with writing opportunities and teachers with a way to assess student work. timeforkids.com 6
KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE L.6.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/ listener interest, and style. b. Maintain consistency in style and tone. The student magazine and digital editions can be used as exemplar texts to model various sentence lengths and styles. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE L.6.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible). c. Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech. d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). L.6.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context. b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause-effect, part-whole, itemcategory) to better understand each of the words. c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty). L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and domainspecific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Vocabulary words are highlighted in the student magazine and digital editions and defined in Power Words boxes. In the digital editions, Power Words are read aloud and include a sentence and photo. Teacher s Guide lessons encourage students to use context clues, as well as common Greek and Latin affixes and roots, to understand unfamiliar words. Articles in the student magazine and digital edition often include examples of figurative language and common idioms, which can be used as a model for language instruction. Teacher s Guide lessons are designed to enhance student understanding of figurative language and word relationships. Weekly print and digital quizzes include questions that test students understanding of language use and vocabulary, including differentiating between connotations and denotations. Articles in the student magazine include both general academic and domain-specific words. Teacher s Guide lessons often focus on such words and challenge students to define them and use them in their own work. timeforkids.com 7
READING STANDARDS FOR LITERACY IN HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS RH.6.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources. RH.6.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. RH.6.3 Identify key steps in a text s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered). TIME For Kids offers a diversity of informational texts, including stories that focus on history and social studies topics, as well as secondary and primary sources. Teacher s Guide lessons ask students to summarize and determine central ideas of primary and secondary sources. Some prompts challenge students to understand and describe historical trends, as well as governmental and economic processes. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE RH.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/ social studies. RH.6.5 Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally). RH.6.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author s point of view or purpose. Academic and domain-specific words are highlighted and defined in each article. Close-reading questions provided to teachers help support students in determining the meaning of a word by using context clues. Lesson plans, as well as weekly print and digital quizzes, include questions that call on students to analyze how information is presented in a text and analyze an author s point of view. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS RH.6.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. RH.6.8 Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text. RH.6.9 Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic. Articles in the student magazine and digital edition include nonfiction text features, such as photos, videos, charts, maps, and graphs. Lesson plans, as well as weekly print and digital quizzes, challenge students to evaluate evidence and distinguish between fact and opinion. Prompts often ask students to compare and contrast two texts on the same historical topic. RANGE OF READING AND LEVEL OF TEXT COMPLEXITY RH.6.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grade 6 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Feature stories are written at a grade-appropriate Lexile level, using grade-appropriate words and sentence structure. The digital edition offers feature stories at two Lexile levels to meet the needs of diverse learners. Teacher s Guide lessons include suggestions for differentiation to help students comprehend and analyze challenging texts. timeforkids.com 8