Grade 6 Book List
Interactive Read Aloud that develops Vocabulary and Comprehension with Questions
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/1/6/14162138/7927802.jpg)
The Westing Game written by Ellen Raskin is a Newberry Award winner that is a great interactive read aloud for sixth graders. A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger - and a possible murderer - to inherit his vast fortune, one things' for sure: Sam Westing may be dead... but that won't stop him from playing one last game!
Comprehension Questions:
1 Which tenant was chosen by mistake? What was Sam Westing's mistake?
2 Sam Westing turns out to be a man with many different identities. What five different names and identities does he use?
3 At the end of the story, how is Judge Ford able to finally repay her debt to Sam Westing?
4 After the second bomb in Chapter 13, Angela and Theo have a conversation in which they discuss their separate future plans. What did Theo and Angela confide to each other? What do we learn about them here? Why couldn't Angela answer Theo's question?
5 At her bridal shower, why do you think Angela turned the gold box containing the bomb toward herself?
6 Who did the burglar turn out to be, and why do you think he or she stole the jewelry and the clock?
7 Did you feel sorry for any of the characters here? Why? How would you help that character if you could?
8 Turtle, or T. R. Wexler as she came to be called, always kept her secret about Sam Westing, even from her own family, including her husband Theo. Why do you think she kept the secret? What would you do in her shoes? Can you imagine keeping such a secret from the people most important to you?
9 What do the words of the song "America the Beautiful" have to do with the Westing mystery? Do the words to the song help the heirs as they try to solve the puzzle?
10 The Westing heirs are asked two times in the story to give their signatures and titles on a receipt. Compare the original titles of the heirs in Chapter 7 to the titles they give later in Chapter 23. How do the titles change, and what does this show about what each heir is experiencing?
11 Why do you think Sam Westing set up this elaborate "game," and do you think it turned out as he hoped?
12 Most of this book takes place in the apartment building Sunset Towers. How does this location affect the story? Can you imagine this story in another setting? What other kinds of places could a story like this take place?
13 What events or characters here did you find funny? Why do you think Ellen Raskin, the author of this book, included so many humorous details in her mystery?
14 Why do you think Angela waited more than five years to marry Denton Deere? Do you think she made the right decision?
15 As we were reading, which of the heirs did you trust the most? Who did you find the most suspicious? Explain why you judged them as you did.
Comprehension Questions:
1 Which tenant was chosen by mistake? What was Sam Westing's mistake?
2 Sam Westing turns out to be a man with many different identities. What five different names and identities does he use?
3 At the end of the story, how is Judge Ford able to finally repay her debt to Sam Westing?
4 After the second bomb in Chapter 13, Angela and Theo have a conversation in which they discuss their separate future plans. What did Theo and Angela confide to each other? What do we learn about them here? Why couldn't Angela answer Theo's question?
5 At her bridal shower, why do you think Angela turned the gold box containing the bomb toward herself?
6 Who did the burglar turn out to be, and why do you think he or she stole the jewelry and the clock?
7 Did you feel sorry for any of the characters here? Why? How would you help that character if you could?
8 Turtle, or T. R. Wexler as she came to be called, always kept her secret about Sam Westing, even from her own family, including her husband Theo. Why do you think she kept the secret? What would you do in her shoes? Can you imagine keeping such a secret from the people most important to you?
9 What do the words of the song "America the Beautiful" have to do with the Westing mystery? Do the words to the song help the heirs as they try to solve the puzzle?
10 The Westing heirs are asked two times in the story to give their signatures and titles on a receipt. Compare the original titles of the heirs in Chapter 7 to the titles they give later in Chapter 23. How do the titles change, and what does this show about what each heir is experiencing?
11 Why do you think Sam Westing set up this elaborate "game," and do you think it turned out as he hoped?
12 Most of this book takes place in the apartment building Sunset Towers. How does this location affect the story? Can you imagine this story in another setting? What other kinds of places could a story like this take place?
13 What events or characters here did you find funny? Why do you think Ellen Raskin, the author of this book, included so many humorous details in her mystery?
14 Why do you think Angela waited more than five years to marry Denton Deere? Do you think she made the right decision?
15 As we were reading, which of the heirs did you trust the most? Who did you find the most suspicious? Explain why you judged them as you did.
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/1/6/14162138/9458970.jpg)
A Single Shard written by Linda Sue Park is a Newberry Award winner that is also great for an interactive read aloud with sixth graders. Tree-ear, an orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a potters’ village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become fascinated with the potter’s craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated–until he finds obstacles in his path: the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay, Min’s irascible temper, and his own ignorance. But Tree-ear is determined to prove himself–even if it means taking a long, solitary journey on foot to present Min’s work in the hope of a royal commission . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard.
Comprehension Questions:
Chapter 1
1.What is a jiggeh?
2. What are honorable ways to earn a meal according to Crane-Man?
3. About how old is Tree-Ear?
4. What happened to Tree-Ear’s parents?
5. What is the story behind Crane-Man’s name?
6. Where do Crane-Man and Tree-Ear live?
7. What metal makes celadon a gray-green color?
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4:
Chapter 5:
1. List 4 personal attributes that Tree-Ear exhibits? (ex: loyalty.)
2. Compare the apprentice system to the formal education system in a Venn Diagram with 2 bulleted points in all 3 sections of the Venn Diagram.
3. Compare homelessness today with Tree-Ear’s time using a T-chart; include 3 points for both sections
4. Why was Kang wheeling a cart with a cloth over it?
5. Why do clay diggers avoid the areas where the clay was dirty white or rusty red?
6. What does Crane-man make for Tree-ear by “plaiting” (which means braiding) several layers of straw?
Chapters 6
Chapter 7
Bio-Poem
Write a bio-poem about one of the main characters in the story (Min, Min’s wife, Crane Man or Tree Ear). A bio-poem should use words that are relevant to the story and describe the characters. It has eleven lines that should follow this format:
Line 1: the name of the character
Line 2: four
traits that describe the character
Line 3: friend of...
Line 4: lover
of... (three items)
Line 5: who feels... (three items)
Line 6: who
needs... (three items)
Line 7: who gives... (three items)
Line 8: who
fears... (three items)
Line 9: who would like to see... (three items)
Line
10: resident of...
Line 11: a possible
nickname
Comprehension Questions:
Chapter 1
1.What is a jiggeh?
2. What are honorable ways to earn a meal according to Crane-Man?
3. About how old is Tree-Ear?
4. What happened to Tree-Ear’s parents?
5. What is the story behind Crane-Man’s name?
6. Where do Crane-Man and Tree-Ear live?
7. What metal makes celadon a gray-green color?
Chapter 2
- What does the stage, “leather hard” mean?
- What was inside the plain large square box that Tree-Ear picked up in Min’s pottery studio?
- What does Min assume that Tree-Ear is when he first discovers that Tree-Ear is in his studio?
- What is Tree-Ear’s first task while working for Min?
- What metaphor does Crane-Man use to describe Tree-Ear’s hand injury?
Chapter 3
- While Min is reprimanding Tree-Ear at the beginning of the chapter, what simile does the author use to describe how Tree-Ear feels?
- What food does Tree-Ear gather in the woods?
- When Min says, “I cannot pay you”, what does that mean to Tree-Ear?
- On the tenth day of work, what does Tree-Ear have to gather with the cart?
- What is the proper way to receive something?
- What mention is made of reincarnation in this chapter?
Chapter 4:
- Why does Tree-ear bring his own bowl to Min’s house the next day?
- What did Tree-ear do with the gourd bowl after he found it empty?
- What happened to the food Tree-ear was saving for Crane-man?
- Why does Crane-man describe Min’s wife as an “artist"?
Chapter 5:
1. List 4 personal attributes that Tree-Ear exhibits? (ex: loyalty.)
2. Compare the apprentice system to the formal education system in a Venn Diagram with 2 bulleted points in all 3 sections of the Venn Diagram.
3. Compare homelessness today with Tree-Ear’s time using a T-chart; include 3 points for both sections
4. Why was Kang wheeling a cart with a cloth over it?
5. Why do clay diggers avoid the areas where the clay was dirty white or rusty red?
6. What does Crane-man make for Tree-ear by “plaiting” (which means braiding) several layers of straw?
Chapters 6
- What do the village children think about Tree-ear being an orphan?
- Why was the emissary visiting Ch-ulp’o and Kanjin?
- What did the potter Kang lack?
- Why did Min want the emissary to face the ocean while looking at his pottery?
- How long did commissions typically last for a potter?
Chapter 7
- What did Tree-ear say that made Min laugh for the first time?
- Which part of making pottery did Min dislike anyone watching?
- What happens to pottery pieces if the temperature in a kiln rises too fast?
- Since Tree-ear and Crane-man do not have time to take walks or other activities, what do they do instead?
- What happened to the 5 melon-shaped pots that were shattered on the ground?
Bio-Poem
Write a bio-poem about one of the main characters in the story (Min, Min’s wife, Crane Man or Tree Ear). A bio-poem should use words that are relevant to the story and describe the characters. It has eleven lines that should follow this format:
Line 1: the name of the character
Line 2: four
traits that describe the character
Line 3: friend of...
Line 4: lover
of... (three items)
Line 5: who feels... (three items)
Line 6: who
needs... (three items)
Line 7: who gives... (three items)
Line 8: who
fears... (three items)
Line 9: who would like to see... (three items)
Line
10: resident of...
Line 11: a possible
nickname
Low Level and High Interest
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/1/6/14162138/5868720.jpg)
The Barn written by Avi has na interest level gor grades 5-12 and is at a reading level of grade 3. The schoolmaster says nine-year-old Benjamin is the finest student he's ever seen-fit for more than farming; destined for great things someday But his father's grave illness brings Ben home, from school and compels him to strive for something great right now -- to do the one thing that will please Father so much he'll want to live. But first Ben must convince his older sister and brother to work with him. And together, they succeed in ways they never dreamed possible.
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/1/6/14162138/6995463.jpg)
The Pinballs written by Betsy Byars is at an interest level for grades 5-6, and is at a grade 3 reading level. You can't always decide where life will take you--especially when you're a kid. Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own Iives.
Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her beter judgement, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.
Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her beter judgement, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.
Word-Play, Joke, and/or Manga
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/1/6/14162138/8347056.jpg)
Alien Nine written by Hitoshi Tomizawa is a great series for the manga lovers! Terror from space! Defense from Grade 6! Yuri is totally bummed. She just started 6th grade and has been elected to fight the aliens that invade the school on a daily basis. Worse, she has to wear a creepy symbiotic alien on her head to get the job done.