6th Grade Comprehension Activities

6th Grade Reading Comprehension Standards

Comprehension skills typically developed in 6th grade include analyzing plot development and how characters respond to events in a story. Your son or daughter can likely make inferences from texts and summarize readings objectively. He or she may also draw comparisons between texts and examine how parts of a reading fit into the whole. Encourage your 6th grader to use some of these skills with these at-home comprehension activities.

Fun Reading Comprehension Activities for 6th Graders

Create a Character Scrapbook

To get your son thinking about character development, ask him to create a scrapbook about his favorite literary character. He can list details about the character's appearance, personality, thoughts, challenges and accomplishments. He can also include information about interactions with other characters and how this character is perceived by others.

Compare and Contrast Books and Movies

Read a book with your 6th grader that was made into a movie. After you both finish the book, watch the movie together. Discuss the similarities and differences between them. Encourage her to share her personal thoughts on aspects of the movie or book that she liked better. Ask her what she would have done differently if she had adapted the book into a screenplay for the film.

Turn a Story into a Comic Book

Ask your son to synthesize a book's content by illustrating the major scenes and turning them into a comic book. Make worksheets that have pre-printed panels or frames like a comic strip. You might have some comic books on hand for him to use as inspiration.

Another option is to create a comic book prequel or sequel to the book. This approach will require him to have a good understanding of the characters and themes from the book in order for his story to make sense.

Modernize a Fairy Tale

By 6th grade, your daughter may no longer have an interest in fairy tales, but she might enjoy modernizing her favorite tale from childhood. Ask her to think about a fairy tale and imagine how it would be changed to fit modern times. Help her make a book out of her story, using her own illustrations or pictures cut from magazines.