6th grade · Vocabulary
What a 6th grade student learns in Vocabulary
Grade 6 vocabulary centers on flexibly applying multiple strategies (context, Greek/Latin morphology, and reference materials) to determine precise meanings of unknown and multiple-meaning words, while analyzing figurative language, word relationships, and connotative nuances and deliberately acquiring grade-appropriate academic and domain-specific vocabulary for comprehension and expression.
The skills for the year
- 1Use varied context clues (definition, restatement, example, contrast, inference) to determine meanings of unknown words in grade-6 texts
- 2Apply common Greek and Latin roots (e.g., bio, chron, graph, port, struct, terr, therm, voc) as clues to word meaning
- 3Analyze grade-level prefixes (e.g., anti-, auto-, inter-, mid-, multi-, semi-, sub-, super-, trans-) and suffixes (e.g., -able/-ible, -ance/-ence, -ate, -ify, -ize, -ment, -ology, -ous/-ious, -tion/-sion) to unlock meanings
- 4Determine meanings of multiple-meaning words by selecting the sense that fits the surrounding context
- 5Consult print and digital dictionaries, glossaries, and thesauruses to find pronunciation, part of speech, precise definition, and etymology
- 6Verify the preliminary determination of a word’s meaning by checking reference sources or rereading in context
- 7Interpret figures of speech (similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole) as used in grade-6 literary and informational texts
- 8Use word relationships (synonym/antonym, cause/effect, part/whole, item/category, analogy) to clarify meanings of related words
- 9Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (e.g thrifty/stingy/economical; house/home/residence)
- 10Recognize and explain nuances and shades of meaning among closely related words
- 11Analyze how specific word choice affects meaning and tone in a text
- 12Acquire and accurately use general academic (Tier 2) vocabulary encountered in reading and discussion
- 13Acquire and accurately use domain-specific (Tier 3) vocabulary from science, social studies, and other content areas
- 14Independently gather and apply vocabulary knowledge when a word or phrase is important to comprehension or expression
- 15Use newly learned academic and domain-specific words precisely in speaking and writing
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