Language Arts, grade 6, based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for English/Language Arts, is integrated instruction emphasizing reading, writing, speaking, listening and media interest and age-appropriate content. Students apply skills they learned in earlier grades to make sense of longer, more challenging text. Students interpret figurative language and words with multiple meanings. Students examine an author's choice of words and reasonableness of statements in nonfiction works. Students critique the believability of characters and plots in fiction works. Students begin to read autobiographies. Students read and respond to fiction selections, such as classic and contemporary literature, historical fiction, 11 Indiana Department of Education Elementary and Middle Level Subject Descriptions fantasy or science fiction, mystery or adventure, folklore or mythology, poetry, short stories, and dramas, and nonfiction selections, such as subject area books, biographies, magazines and newspapers, various reference or technical materials, and online information. Students self-select books of interest and read independently for enjoyment. Students apply language skills and strategies they learned in earlier grades. Using oral discussion, reading, writing, art, music, movement, and drama, students respond to fiction, nonfiction, and informational selections or reality-based experiences, multimedia presentations, and classroom or group experiences. Students apply their research skills by writing or delivering reports that demonstrate the distinction between their own ideas and the ideas of others. Students use simple, compound, and complex sentences to express their thoughts. Students deliver oral presentations on problems and solutions and show evidence to support their views. Students also listen to literature read aloud to them and write independently for enjoyment.