Sixth Grade Core Knowledge Language Arts Organization Guide

Welcome to the organization guide! The following information will help you get organized and prepared to homeschool Sixth Grade Language Arts using the Core Knowledge curriculum.

Free Resources

How-to Videos: Watch the videos to learn to use the CKLA curriculum to homeschool. The information in this document assumes you have reviewed these videos and understand the basics of how the curriculum is structured and how to use the Teacher’s Guides.

Unit-Specific Prep Checklist: Includes notes for each unit what to print, library books that may be needed, required advanced preparation broken out by lesson, as well as occasionally additional unit-specific supplies. Click here to view the CKLA Grade 6 Unit-Specific Prep Checklist.

Daily Schedule: A free daily schedule for homeschooling Grade 6 using the Core Knowledge curriculum is available by clicking here.

Primary Materials

Units: There are 8 units in the Grade 6 CKLA curriculum. All students start with Unit 1 and progress through the units in order. You will download each unit separately from the CK website. Each unit will be downloaded as a file folder containing multiple files including the Teacher’s Guide and Activity Book. Some unit folders will also contain a Student Reader and/or an Online Resources document. All files are in PDF format.

Teacher’s Guide: This is the primary resource used for the language arts lessons. When you are ready to start a lesson with your student, you will simply open the PDF file for the Teacher’s Guide on your tablet or laptop, navigate to the lesson indicated on the daily schedule, and work through the instructions in the Teacher’s Guide for that lesson. Please be sure to watch the how-to videos first so you can be familiar with how to use the Teacher’s Guide efficiently.

Student Reader: The downloadable files for Units 3 and 7 include a PDF copy of the Student Reader. While you can print (and bind) the student reader if desired, the files can also be opened and read on a tablet or laptop when needed for a lesson.

Required Books: Please note, Units 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 each use a trade book as the reader for the unit and those books will need to be purchased (see below). In addition, a physical copy of the reader for Unit 7 can be purchased and the information is included below. Used copies of the books for Units 1, 2, and 6 are likely available via websites such as www.thriftbooks.com or www.abesbooks.com. Your local library likely has copies as well.

• Unit 1: Flying Lessons & Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh,
  ISBN 978-1-10193-462-3. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 5 weeks to complete this unit.

• Unit 2: Calling All Minds: How to Think Like an Inventor, by Temple Grandin, ISBN 978-1-52473-822-8. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 6 weeks to complete this unit.

• Unit 4: Requires two student readers:
  • Core Knowledge Classics: The Iliad and the Odyssey, ISBN 978-1-68380-615-8. Please note, it is important to acquire this specific version of these famous stories or the chapters, sections, etc. will not match up with the lesson instructions. This book can be purchased directly from CK.
    
    
  • Realms of Gold, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-890513-22-9. This book can be purchased directly from CK. This book will also be used for Unit 8.
    

• Unit 5: Core Classics: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, ISBN 978-1-68380-616-5. Please note, it is important to acquire this specific version of this famous Shakespearean play or the chapters, sections, etc. will not match up with the lesson instructions. This book can be purchased directly from CK.
  
  
• Unit 6: 90 Miles to Havana, by Enrique Flores-Galbis, ISBN 978-1-25000-559-5. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 4 weeks to complete this unit.

• Unit 7: Blessings of Liberty: Voices for Social Justice and Equal Rights in America, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-68380-687-5. A PDF copy of this reader is currently included in the unit folder downloaded from CK. A physical copy of this book can be purchased directly from CK.
  
  
• Unit 8: Realms of Gold, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-890513-22-9. This book can be purchased directly from CK. This book will also be used for Unit 4.
  
  

Activity Book: All unit folders contain an Activity Book PDF file. The Activity Book file should be printed prior to beginning each unit. This will save you time each school day. The Activity Book can be printed as a double-sided, black and white document. Once printed you can choose to:

• Keep the loose workbook pages in a file folder or other safe place so you can access the appropriate work page each day.
• Three-hole punch the worksheets and store them in a three-ring binder.
• Have your local office supply store coil-bind or comb-bind the pages into a bound book (typically about $4-$5).

Please note, for Grade 6, Activity Pages are regularly referenced over multiple days during a unit. Please keep all completed pages until the unit is finished so they can be quickly accessed if needed.

The Activity Book answer key is always located in the back of the unit Teacher’s Guide.

Online Resources: Some unit folders will contain an Online Resources PDF file. This document will contain links to additional readings, videos, background information and more. The unit Teacher’s Guide will direct you when to access the materials linked in this file.

Digital Components: The Digital Components are a separate file located in the folder of unit files you downloaded from the CK website. Please note, not all units will include a digital components file. The lessons in the Teacher’s Guide will specifically reference when a digital component should be used. While it is not necessary to print these files, you can do so if desired. Alternatively you can access the file on a tablet or laptop when needed and complete the exercise orally. A good rule of thumb: If you are having trouble locating a resource called for during a lesson, check the unit’s Digital Components file (if available) and the Teacher’s Resources section in the back of the unit’s Teacher’s Guide.

**IMPORTANT NOTE** As of June 10, 2022 the digital components files are not included in the download folders for the Grade 6 CKLA units. This is likely due to materials still being released by CK. I recommend checking the CK website later this summer to see if those files are available.

Ancillary Components: The CKLA Sixth Grade Ancillary Materials should also be downloaded from the Core Knowledge website. These materials fall into two groups 1) additional documents to support the teacher during the school year and 2) resources designed to primarily support students who need reinforcement across their language arts skills (reading, spelling, grammar, composition). Please read the introduction packet file located in the ancillary materials folder for an overview of how to use these components. Because they are optional support materials, these components and files are not specifically scheduled or referenced in the following organization information or on the daily schedule.

If your student does struggle with reading and spelling fluency, please note that Code Charts are located both in the Ancillary Components folder and in the back of the student Activity Books to be used by the student as a reference during the school day.

Please note, the optional Fluency Supplement and Fluency Assessments are mentioned as an option in multiple units throughout the school year. To learn more about this resource, please see pg. 13-14 of the Unit 1 (Flying Lessons) Teacher’s Guide.

Other Required Supplies:

• Writing journal. This can be a simple notebook or composition book. I recommend having several on hand as they will be used regularly throughout the school year.
• Dictionary, a physical copy or online access.
• A globe or world map is also helpful for some lessons.

Students will start learning to prepare and give presentations during this school year. If possible, students should have access to a video recording and editing option (even just a cell phone) as well as presentation software such as Google Slides (free), Powerpoint, Keynote, etc.

Getting Organized

Before You Start: Please take time to carefully read the introduction to Unit 1 (Flying Lessons) located in the Teacher’s Guide. This introduction includes detailed information on how the language arts curriculum for Grade 6 is set up. If you have previously used the CKLA curriculum, please note, these middle school CKLA levels are set up a bit differently than the elementary levels so the information in the introduction is particularly important to review.

Multi-Day Lessons: For Grade 6 each CKLA lesson is scheduled across two days with the goal of each language arts block taking 45-60 minutes. Please download the daily schedule here. You’ll note the teacher’s guide will specify 45 minutes for each day but this is designed to accommodate 45-50 minute classroom blocks and assumes students will be assigned unfinished work and additional reading as homework.

You should plan on each lesson scheduled taking 45-60 minutes as you will be having your student complete any “Take-Home Materials” during the lesson as well as possibly additional reading (see below for information on “Take-Home Materials” and  incorporating library books). There is no need for formal homework in a homeschool setting!

Advance Preparation: Most units and most lesson include instructions for advance preparation. Most of these tasks relate to a classroom setting where diagrams or posters must be displayed for all students to see. Generally speaking, when working with one student you will not need to create these large displays but rather can review the information in the Teacher’s Guide, Activity Book, or Digital Components file while sitting next to your student. However, depending on your teaching style, you may find doing some advance prep work helpful. Occasionally there is an important task (e.g. previewing a video to be viewed and discussed during a lesson) and I have attempted to call those out on the Unit-Specific Prep Checklist.

“Take-Home Materials”: As this curriculum was designed for a classroom setting, most lessons include “Take-Home Materials” (a.k.a. Homework). Often these assignments are simply to finish the worksheet a student started during the lesson (classrooms typically run short on time). But especially later in the school year, students will be expected to complete additional reading independently. I have attempted to note this on the daily schedule but it is important to ensure that all assignments listed as homework be completed by your student during their normal lesson or specifically assigned to be completed independently. Please note, any independent reading or activity pages completed after the normal lesson should be reviewed by you the following school day to ensure accuracy and retention. Additionally, the parent/teacher should read any chapters that are assigned to the student so they can be prepared to discuss them and help the student practice summarizing the information during the next class session.

Core Connections: Each unit begins with a day dedicated to helping student’s make connections between what they already know and the information to be covered in the unit. It is very important not to skip these lessons. If a student has previously used the CKLA curriculum, this time will be spent reviewing relevant concepts learned in previous grades. If a student is new the CKLA, this time will be spent providing students will important background information so they can better engage with the unit material. Additional important information will also be covered for all students. For example, information about the time in history, location, culture, etc. will be discussed to help students orient to the topic.

Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessments: Almost all units contain a mid-unit assessment and an end-of-unit assessment. These are an important part of each unit. The information learned during the assessment can then be used to review with the student as they move forward in the current unit or into the next unit. All assessments are specifically scheduled. Click here to download the daily schedule. Please note, the days a mid-unit assessment is scheduled tend to be longer days. I have attempted to adjust how other subjects are scheduled on those days to maintain a consistent daily time schedule.

Pausing Points: Pausing Point days are set aside at the end of each unit. The daily schedule includes information on the tasks for those days, however you should feel free to pick and choose how to spend those days. Grade 6 is a very full year for language arts and there are no catch-up days scheduled during the year. If you fall behind, Pausing Point days can (and should) be used to catch up. Alternatively, the following types of activities are typically available for each unit:

• End-of-Unit Comprehension Check: The activity pages for this are located in the back of the student Activity Book. This is an important learning activity and should be completed if time allows. Often these assessment include additional reading on the subject that is both engaging and informative.
• Remediation: The final lesson for each unit includes an End-of-Unit Assessment of the skills the student learned (grammar, spelling, vocabulary, etc.) If the assessment shows a student is weak in certain skills, almost all units include optional remediation activity pages in the back of the unit Activity Book. Each page reviews a different skill that was covered during the unit.
• Enrichment Activities: Most units include options for additional enrichment activities to deepen and reinforce the content learned during the unit. Options for enrichment can be found in the back of the unit Teacher’s Guide and some units will also have associated activity pages located in the back of the student Activity Book. Please review the enrichment activity options 1-2 weeks before finishing a unit so you can plan for any needed supplies or resources.
  
  

Optional Fluency Assessments: Several units have an optional fluency assessment at the end of the unit. To use the assessment, you would print the pages and then score the assessment per the instructions. These assessments are not specifically scheduled on the daily schedule.

Beginning-of-the-Year Assessment: A Beginning-of-the-Year Assessment is scheduled across several days at the end of Unit 1. This is used to assess where a student is at across a wide range of language arts skill areas so potential weaknesses can be identified and remediated over the coming weeks. The timing of this assessment assumes a student has just had the summer months off from school so they have the first few weeks of the school year to re-acclimate to language arts prior to taking the Beginning of the Year Assessment. The instructions for this assessment are located at the end of the Unit 1 (Flying Lessons) Teacher’s Guide and the worksheets for the assessment are located in the back of the Unit 1 Activity Book.

Please note, in the event areas of weaknesses are found, please refer to the Sixth Grade Ancillary Materials folder you downloaded from the Core Knowledge website for materials that can be used to remediate skills as needed.

End-of-the-Year Assessment: Several days at the end of Unit 8 are set aside for an End-of-the-Year Assessment. The instructions for this assessment are located at the end of the Unit 8 (Realms of Gold) Teacher’s Guide and the worksheets for the assessment are located in the back of the Unit 8 Activity Book.

**IMPORTANT NOTE** As of June 10, 2022 the End-of-the-Year Assessment file is not included in the download folders for the Grade 6 CKLA units. This is likely due to materials still being released by CK. I recommend checking the CK website later this summer to see if that file is available.

Important Tips

Library Books: In middle school it becomes increasingly important for students to have access to additional resources to enhance their understanding of various topics. I recommend reviewing the additional resources list (located in the intro of the unit Teacher’s Guide) 7-10 days in advance so several books can be requested from your local library. On school days when the scheduled lesson takes less than 60 minutes to complete, students should spend the remaining 10-20 minutes reading independently from these supplemental books.

Grades: Most homeschooling families do not formally grade schoolwork until high school and instead simply have students correct their work. However, some families find it useful to start the practice of grading in middle school, particularly if they are actively planning to return the student to a school setting. If you do wish to grade your student’s work, please note there is a helpful “Tens Conversion Chart” located in the ancillary materials folder you will have downloaded from CK.

Reading Types: If you are new the CKLA curriculum, please take a few minutes to review pg. 15-16 of the Unit 1 (Flying Lessons) Teacher’s Guide for the types of reading scheduled during the lessons. For homeschooling families, “whole group” and “read aloud” sessions should consist of the teacher/parent reading to the student. “Small group” and “partner readings” should consist of the teacher/parent and the student taking turns reading aloud. Learning to read aloud fluently is a very important skill for students to develop. “Independent reading” activities are a good time for the student to practice working independently. Please note, “close reading” involves a careful reading (or sometimes a re-reading) of the text pausing often to discuss literary concepts. When a “close reading” is scheduled, the Teacher’s Guide provides a detailed script of which topics are to be discussed, sample answer, etc.


Classroom-Based Activities: Some activities in this program are clearly designed for a classroom setting. Please adjust the activity as needed for your situation. For example, for an activity that suggests students work in teams, you can act as your student’s teammate. You can make an activity a family activity and involve siblings, etc.

Pacing of Language Arts Topics: The Unit 1 lessons assume a student is returning to school after summer break and eases the student back into the language arts topics. Reading short stories, short writing projects, and grammar and morphology review are included in Unit 1. New grammar concepts and spelling instruction start in Unit 2. Reading, writing, grammar, morphology, and spelling lessons are staggered throughout the week rather than all topics being covered each school day.

CKLA Grade 6 materials do assume a student has previously had some grammar instruction. If this not the case for your student, you may need to access the Grades 4 and 5 grammar materials from the CK website to remediate the student’s skills.

Feedback on Writing Assignments: Please note, for middle school there is a significant shift to placing greater emphasis on students receiving on and incorporating feedback into their writing assignments. While in a classroom setting much of this would be conducted between peers, as a homeschooling parent/teacher, it will be important to set aside time to provide your student with careful feedback on their writing. Assignment rubrics are available in the unit Activity Book for all assignments.

Sensitive Topics: Middle school is an important time for students to practice discussing sensitive topics. Tips for teaching and discussing sensitive topics throughout the school year can be found on pg. 25 of the Unit 1 (Flying Lessons) Teacher’s Guide. Additionally, information on “Culturally Responsive Teaching” can be found on pg. 33.

Unit Specific Prep Checklist

This checklist will help you prepare for each new unit of the Core Knowledge Sixth Grade Language Arts curriculum. Please refer to the specific unit list prior to starting a new unit. It will guide you through what what documents to print, when a library book is needed, unit-specific supplies that should be gathered, and special notes for lessons in that unit.

Unit 1: Flying Lessons & Other Stories

• Read the Grade 6 CKLA Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-23

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 24-33

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 26
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 35-36
  • Beginning-of-the-Year Assessment Instructions, pg. 161-217
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 218-252

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 32 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 253-269

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is the trade book Flying Lessons & Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh, ISBN 978-1-10193-462-3. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 5 weeks to complete this unit.
  • If your student is learning Spanish, you may find the Spanish Cognates for the unit vocabulary helpful. These are located on pg. 36 and similar lists are included in all future Grade 6 CKLA units.
  • An optional enrichment activity for this unit is available (student Activity Book, AP E.1) and involves planning and conducting a story time for younger students. This activity is not specifically scheduled in the daily schedule but can be completed if desired.
  • For this unit (and all units this school year), when time allows, the student should spend 10-20 minutes each day reading from a library book from the Recommended Resources list located in the introduction of the Teacher’s Guide (pg. 32). This activity can be skipped on days when lessons run long.
  • The Teacher’s Guide will refer to digital components which can be accessed. The DC file is located in the unit file folder you downloaded from CK.
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: As of 6/15/2022, it does not appear the DC files for any of the Grade 6 CKLA units are available. Please check the CK website again towards the start of the school year to see if those files are available.
  • Lesson 1: Please note, the story for this first lesson includes an impoverished child being sold to a wealthy family. Please review the information in the lesson introduction (see TG) for tips on how to present and discuss this information.
  • Lesson 3: An optional enrichment activity is available for this lesson. The Activity Page (AP) for this activity is located in the back of the student Activity Book (E.2). The activity page is self-explanatory. There are no instructions or other information for this activity in the TG.
  • Lesson 4: An optional enrichment activity is available for this lesson. The Activity Page for this activity is located in the back of the student Activity Book (E.3). The activity page is self-explanatory. There are no instructions or other information for this activity in the TG.
  • Lesson 5: The Mid-Unit Comprehension Check on day 2 is an important activity and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. If you are using the daily schedule, I have adjusted other subjects that day to accommodate this longer language arts lesson.
  • Lesson 7: Day 2 of this lesson is an example of needing a variety of previously used activity pages, reference materials, etc. It is important to keep all activity pages, digital components you may have printed, etc. handy until the end of the unit.
  • Lesson 8: An optional enrichment activity is available for this lesson. The Activity Page (AP) for this activity is located in the back of the student Activity Book (E.4). The activity page is self-explanatory. There are no instructions or other information for this activity in the TG.
  • Lesson 9: An optional enrichment activity is available for this lesson. The Activity Page (AP) for this activity is located in the back of the student Activity Book (E.5). The activity page is self-explanatory. There are no instructions or other information for this activity in the TG.
  • Beginning-of-the-Year Assessment: This unit ends with the assessment. The information for giving the assessment can be found on TG pg. 161 and the student pages are located in the Activity Book starting on pg. 91.

Unit 2: Calling All Minds

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-19

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Advanced Preparation, pg. 12-13
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 14
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 21-22
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 154-184

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 13 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 185

• Gather Supplies:
  • Individual rubber stamps and ink pad to demonstrate how movable type works (Lesson 2)

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is the trade book Calling All Minds: How to Think Like an Inventor, by Temple Grandin, ISBN 978-1-52473-822-8. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 6 weeks to complete this unit.
  • Please note, the book chapters assigned in this unit are assigned out of order. This is to facilitate the three learning strands intermixed throughout the unit. Please see the introduction section of the Teacher’s Guide for more information.
  • The reader for this unit includes a large number of suggestions for projects. No projects are formally scheduled but you should feel free to incorporate any and all projects that make sense for your family. These projects could also be scheduled over summer break.
  • This unit, as well as most future units, use online resources such as additional reading, videos, activities, etc. The Teacher’s Guide will prompt you when you should access the online resources. Links to all the resources for this unit are found in the Online Resources PDF file in the unit file folder you downloaded from CK.
  • Lesson 1: Please review the Advance Preparation portion of this lesson as some materials introduced in this unit will need to be located (and potentially previewed) in advance.
  • Lesson 2: “Partner” activities should be completed with the parent/teacher and student working together.
  • Lesson 8: Please review the Advance Preparation portion of this lesson as some materials introduced in this unit will need to be located (and potentially previewed) in advance.
  • Lesson 11: The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 11.1); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 11).
  • Pausing Point: Two Pausing Point days are scheduled at the end of most units. Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, PP.5, and PP.6 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are two enrichment projects in the back of the student activity book and the reader for this unit also contains project suggestions. Please see pg. 152-153 of the TG for information on these options. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies.

Please Note: Starting in the next unit (Lesson 3), students will need relevant books and/or printouts of online articles to conduct research. This can include encyclopedia volumes. Please see Unit 3 (The Heritage of Greece and Rome) TG pg. 66-67 for more information. Books should be located and requested from your local library in advance.

Unit 3: The Heritage of Greece and Rome

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-19

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 13
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 21
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 144-157

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 18-19 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit; these library books will also be used for student research during the unit (see TG pg. 66-67 for more information)

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 158

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The PDF file of the reader for this unit is located in the unit file folder you downloaded from the CK website. While the reader can be printed and bound, you can also simply have the student read the file on a tablet or other device.
  • Lesson 1:
    • Some advance preparation is needed. Use the Online Resources PDF to locate the images for the Core Connections portion of this lesson and research the population number for your city or town (see TG pg. 22).
    • The Core Connections portion of this lesson is important. While students may have prior knowledge of this topic from 2nd and 3rd grade CKHG lessons, after 3-4 years, a review is needed. Alternatively, a student unfamiliar with the topic will benefit from the guidance in this portion of the lesson.
  • Lesson 10: You will be instructing the student on creating a multimedia presentation. Ideally you should have equipment on hand to help student’s record and edit their presentation (a cell phone can be used) as well as software to construct a presentation. Google Slides is a free cloud-based software. Powerpoint or Keynote can also be used if those are available.
  • Lesson 11:
    • The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 11.1); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 11).
    • An optional fluency assessment is available. Students who struggle with reading fluency should use this assessment. For all other students, using this assessment is optional.
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, PP.5, and PP.6 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 143 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies.

Unit 4: Greek Stories

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-19

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 12-13
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 21-22
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 181-207

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 19 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 208

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • Two readers are used for this unit:
    • Core Knowledge Classics: The Iliad and the Odyssey, ISBN 978-1-68380-615-8. Please note, it is important to acquire this specific version of these famous stories or the chapters, sections, etc. will not match up with the lesson instructions. This book can be purchased directly from CK.
    • Realms of Gold, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-890513-22-9. This book can be purchased directly from CK. This book will also be used for Unit 8.
  • Please review the Advance Preparation information for the unit on TG pg. 11-12 to prepare to provide the student with important context for these stories.
  • Lesson 3: It may be helpful to work through the Advance Preparation suggestions for the Reading portion of this lesson.
  • Lesson 6: Starting in this lesson, students will sometimes have additional independent reading that is assigned as part of the lesson (listed under “Take-Home Materials”). In most cases, the teacher/parent should also read chapter(s) so they can be prepared to discuss them during the next class session.
  • Lesson 14: The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 14.1); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 14).
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, PP.5, and PP.6 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 128-129 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies.

Unit 5: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-19

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 13
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 21
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 130-140

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 17-18 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 141

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is the trade book Core Classics: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, ISBN 978-1-68380-616-5. Please note, it is important to acquire this specific version of this famous Shakespearean play or the sections, etc. will not match up with the lesson instructions. This book can be purchased directly from CK.
  • Lesson 7: Preview the movie clips recommended in this lesson (see TG pg. 85 for more information).
  • Lesson 11:
    • The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 11.1); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 11).
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, PP.5, PP.6, and PP.7 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 179-180 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies. The activity pages for the enrichment activities can be found in the back of the student Activity Book (E.1 and E.2).

Unit 6: 90 Miles to Havana

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-20

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 12-13
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 22
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 132-152

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 19 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 153

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is the trade book 90 Miles to Havana, by Enrique Flores-Galbis, ISBN 978-1-25000-559-5. This book will likely be available through your public library; you will need the book for 4 weeks to complete this unit.
  • It may be helpful to you as the parent/teacher to review the materials listed on TG pg. 12 which provide historical background for the Cuban Revolution.
  • There is a significant amount of “Take-Home” reading assigned in this unit. Please be sure to have your student complete this reading independently during the day as significant portions of the book are read during that time. It is helpful if you as the parent/teacher also read those selections independently so you can be prepared to discuss them with the student (practicing summarizing information is an important part of this unit). For an adult, the book will likely take 2-3 hour to read in its entirety. An audio book version is also available and may be accessible through your local library system. At the time this guide was assembled, the audiobook was available for free to Audible.com members.
  • Please note, when preparing the daily schedule and this reference document, I discovered that some of the page numbers for the reader that were listed in the TG were incorrect. I have corrected them on the daily schedule. The TG does also list the chapter titles so when in doubt, use the chapter titles to determine what should be read each day.
  • Lesson 8:
    • The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 8.3); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 8, Day 2).
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, and PP.5 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 130-131 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies. The activity pages for the enrichment activities can be found in the back of the student Activity Book (E.1, E.2, E.3, and E.4).

Unit 7: Blessings of Liberty

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-20

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Note to Teacher & Advance Preparation, pg. 23
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 12-13
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 22-23
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 116-127

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 18-19 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 128

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is available as a PDF file in the unit files folder you downloaded from the CK website. If desired, a physical copy can also be purchased directly from CK: Blessings of Liberty: Voices for Social Justice and Equal Rights in America, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-68380-687-5.
  • Only a portion of the readings in the student reader are formally scheduled in this unit. The TG calls for the parent/teacher to select additional readings from the reader to be assigned as independent reading. For your convenience, I have taken into people/topics that will be covered in the CKHG curriculum, selected several readings, and scheduled them on the daily schedule. However, please feel free to disregard my suggestions and select the readings you prefer for those lesson days.
  • This unit includes having students prepare and give a speech. Consider recording the speech to share with family and friends.
  • Lesson 8:
    • The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 8.3); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 8, Day 2).
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, and PP.5 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 114-115 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies.

Unit 8: Realms of Gold (Poetry)

• Read the Unit Introduction: Teacher’s Guide pg. 10-19

• Review the Unit Resources:
  • Advance Preparation, pg. 12
  • Core Content Objectives addressed during previous grades, pg. 12
  • Unit Academic Vocabulary, pg. 21-22
  • Teacher Resources, pg. 124-136

• Choose Additional Resources: See the list on pg. 18 and request library books to be assigned as independent reading during the unit

• Print the Activity Book
  • Answer key: Teacher’s Guide pg. 137

• Review the Unit-Specific Notes:
  • The reader for this unit is Realms of Gold, Volume 1, ISBN 978-1-890513-22-9. This book can be purchased directly from CK. This book will also be used for Unit 4.
  • Please review the Advance Preparation information before each lesson in this unit. It can be helpful to locate resources and review background information for these readings in advance. The prep information in the TG suggests printing certain poems but in a homeschool setting with only one student, it is easier to simply view the reading on a tablet or laptop alongside the student.
  • Lesson 8:
    • The Unit Assessment documents are located in the student Activity Book (AP 8.3); the answers are located in the TG (Lesson 8, Day 2).
  • Pausing Point: Options for these days are listed on the daily schedule but typically include:
    • Completing the End-of-Unit Comprehension Check (AP PP.2)
    • Remediating any unit skills that were found to be areas of weakness during the Unit Assessment. Activity Pages PP.3, PP.4, PP.5, PP.6, and PP.7 are available for practice of specific skills.
    • There are several suggestions for enrichment activities located on pg. 122-123 of the TG. Please preview these options in advance so you can plan for and gather any needed supplies. The activity pages for the enrichment activities can be found in the back of the student Activity Book (E.1, E.2, E.3, and E.4).
  • End-of-Year Assessment: The daily schedule lists 3 days to complete the end of year assessment which is found in the CKLA Sixth Grade Ancillary Components Folder you can download from CK.
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: As of 6/20/2022, it does not appear the assessment file is available. Please check the CK website again towards the start of the school year to see if that file is available.

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