6th Grade Reading Activities and Games

What Are the Standards for 6th Grade Reading?

Students in 6th grade are reading a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts, as well as using critical thinking skills to synthesize and discuss what they have read. When 6th graders read nonfiction, they know the difference between fact and opinion, make inferences and flesh out main themes. In fiction, they understand plot and character development, recognize figurative language and explain point of view. The following games and activities can help improve these skills.

What Reading Games Can I Do with My 6th Grader?

Creating a Mock Interview

This activity allows your child to practice his research, writing and comprehension skills. Ask him to use the Internet and print resources to conduct research on a historical figure. Instruct him to write several interview questions based on the information he finds. Afterwards, he can answer the questions from the perspective of his chosen historical figure. Encourage him to be creative and design the interview to look like a magazine or newspaper page.

Distinguishing Fact from Opinion

After discussing the differences between fact and opinion with your child, give her a short excerpt from a published diary, such as Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl, that contains both fact and opinion. For example, Anne Frank gives factual details about the Secret Annex and expresses opinions about the people who are hiding with her. Set a timer for ten minutes and challenge your daughter to find and highlight as many facts and opinions as possible, using different colors for each. Afterwards, ask her to explain how she determined which statements were factual and which were opinions.

Recognizing Character Traits

For this activity, your child needs to choose a novel that features strong characters. Ask him to write a list of adjectives that describe each of the major characters on separate sheets of paper, as well as clues from the text that reveal these traits. Encourage him to write his own scene with these characters that incorporate some of the traits on his list.

Writing Summaries in 140 Characters

This game requires a computer with a word processing program that counts characters. Ask your child to summarize a book or play using no more than 140 characters. This helps her think about the most critical aspects of the plot and learn to write concisely. She can also use this technique to describe various story elements such as character and setting.