Special Collections
District List: BCPS Supplemental Texts - Grade 6
Description: Baltimore City Public Schools Supplemental Text List for students in 6th Grade. #bcps
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The Hero Schliemann
by Laura SchlitzThis engrossing tale paints a portrait of contradictions -- a man at once stingy and lavishly generous, a scholar both shrewd and reckless, a speaker of twenty-two languages and a man with a funny habit of taking liberties with the truth. Laura Amy Schlitz and Robert Byrd open a discussion about how history sometimes comes to be written, and how it sometimes needs to be changed.
The Emperor’s Silent Army
by Jane O'ConnorDescribes the archaeological discovery of thousands of life-sized terracotta warrior statues in northern China in 1974, and discusses the emperor who had them created and placed near his tomb.
1607
by Karen LangeThe pages come alive with Ira Block's stunning photography, detailing newly discovered artifacts, and highlighting authentic Jamestown reenactments. Compelling new theories, a National Geographic period map, and stunning reenactment photography take us back to Jamestown in 1607, where the course of our country's history changed forever.
The Swiss Family Robinson, Level 4
by Johann David Wyss and Marie Crook and Gilly Marklew and Melanie WilliamsNIMAC-sourced textbook
Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Pauline Francis and Jules Verne and Gary AndrewsNIMAC-sourced textbook
Helen's Eyes
by Marfe Ferguson DelanoThe epic story of Annie Sullivan’s perseverance and triumph in the face of hardship will enthrall readers of every age. This pioneering teacher overcame disability and misfortune before achieving her success as one of the most famous educators of all time.
This is the inspiring photobiography of Anne Mansfield Sullivan, a woman born into a life of daunting disadvantage and social obstacle. She grew up poor, with little education, the child of struggling Irish immigrants. By the age of eight, Annie was almost blind because of untreated trachoma. Following her mother’s death, the young girl entered an almshouse, where she spent four years among the most wretched of society’s outcasts. Her inquiring intellect and determination helped her escape this bleak detention, and she was sent to the Perkins School for the Blind.
There, at the age of 14, her education began, and her lively mind soon blossomed. After graduation, she was hired as a teacher for Helen Keller, a six-year-old girl who was blind and deaf due to illness. With patience and compassion, Annie reached into the dark, silent world of the little girl, opening her mind and soul to life’s beauty. She became "Helen’s eyes." Because of her inspired breakthroughs and accomplishments with Helen, Annie was soon known as the "Miracle Worker." Annie and Helen spent the rest of their lives together--two complex women with feisty personalities who achieved international acclaim.
Marfé Ferguson Delano’s evocative account of teacher and student breaking down barriers to enjoy the wonders of intellectual discovery is a profoundly moving story.
Candy Bomber
by Michael O. TunnellAfter World War II, the United States and Britain airlifted food and supplies into Russian-blockaded West Berlin. US Air Force Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen knew the children of the city were suffering and began dropping candy that floated down to the kids by parachute.
Shipwrecked! The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy
by Rhoda BlumbergBased on a true story. In 1841 rescued by an American whaler, after being stranded on a deserted island with friends, 14-year-old Manjiro becomes the first Japanese person to visit the United States.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Jules VerneAn adventurous geology professor chances upon a manuscript in which a 16th-century explorer claims to have found a route to the earth's core. Professor Lidenbrock can't resist the opportunity to investigate, and with his nephew Axel, he sets off across Iceland in the company of Hans Bjelke, a native guide. The expedition descends into an extinct volcano toward a sunless sea, where they encounter a subterranean world of luminous rocks, antediluvian forests, and fantastic marine life — a living past that holds the secrets to the origins of human existence.Originally published in 1864, Jules Verne's classic remains critically acclaimed for its style and imaginative visions. Verne wrote many fantasy stories that later proved remarkably prescient, and his distinctive combination of realism and romanticism exercised a lasting influence on writers as diverse as Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jean-Paul Sartre. In addition to the excitement of an action novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth has the added appeal of a psychological quest, in which the sojourn itself is as significant as the ultimate destination.
The Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann David WyssThe beloved adventure story of a family marooned on a deserted island and making a new home in the jungle wilderness Off the coast of New Guinea a storm rages for seven days, violently tossing the passenger vessel holding a family of six about the sea. Left behind by the crew and other passengers of their wrecked ship, the family has no choice but to go it alone. They fill tubs with tools and provisions they may need to survive, and set off for a nearby island--devoid of people but teeming with lush natural life. Once on the island, they build themselves a home, complete with livestock, a small farm, and a sturdy tree house for shelter. In no time, the four boys and their steadfast parents learn to thrive on the jungle island, learning just how much can be accomplished through hard work, cooperation, curiosity, and perseverance. First published in 1812, The Swiss Family Robinson is a rip-roaring adventure tale and an engrossing novel about self-sufficiency, responsibility, and the uses and wonders of the natural world. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Shackleton's Stowaway
by Victoria MckernanOn October 26, 1914, Ernest Shackleton's Endurance set sail from Buenos Aires in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in exploration: the crossing of the Antarctic continent. The crew stood on deck to watch the city fade away. All but one. Eighteen-year-old Perce Blackborow hid below in a locker. But the thrill of stowing away with the legendary explorer would soon turn to fear. Within months, the Endurance, trapped and crushed by ice, sank. And even Perce, the youngest member of the stranded crew, knew there was no hope of rescue. If the men were to survive in the most hostile place on earth, they would have to do it on their own. Victoria McKernan deftly weaves the hard-to-fathom facts of this famous voyage into an epic, edge-of-your-seat survival novel.
Freedom Walkers
by Russell FreedmanOn December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a bus and give up her seat to a white man. Her quiet refusal to surrender her dignity sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, which eventually ended segregation on buses. But the boycott did not start or end there, and here Newbery Medalist Russell Freedman breathes life into all the key personalities and events that contributed to the yearlong struggle, a major victory in the civil rights movement.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 6-8 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Trapped
by Marc AronsonThe amazing story of the trapped Chilean miners and their incredible rescue that Publishers Weekly calls "a riveting, in-depth recounting of the events that held the world rapt."In early August 2010, the unthinkable happened when a mine collapsed in Copiano, Chile, trapping 33 miners 2,000 feet below the surface. For sixty-nine days they lived on meager resources with increasingly poor air quality. When they were finally rescued, the world watched with rapt attention and rejoiced in the amazing spirit and determination of the miners. What could have been a terrible tragedy became an amazing story of survival. In Trapped, Marc Aronson provides the backstory behind the rescue. By tracing the psychological, physical, and environmental factors surrounding the mission, Aronson highlights the amazing technology and helping hands that made it all possible. From the Argentinean soccer players that hoped to raise morale, to NASA volunteering their expertise to come up with a plan, there was no shortage of enterprising spirit when it came to saving lives. Readers will especially appreciate the eight pages of full-color photos, timeline, glossary, notes, and more.
Unbroken
by Laura HillenbrandOn a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man's journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit.
Amelia Lost
by Candace FlemingFrom the acclaimed author of The Great and Only Barnum--as well as The Lincolns, Our Eleanor, and Ben Franklin's Almanac--comes the thrilling story of America's most celebrated flyer, Amelia Earhart.
In alternating chapters, Fleming deftly moves readers back and forth between Amelia's life (from childhood up until her last flight) and the exhaustive search for her and her missing plane. With incredible photos, maps, and handwritten notes from Amelia herself--plus informative sidebars tackling everything from the history of flight to what Amelia liked to eat while flying (tomato soup)--this unique nonfiction title is tailor-made for middle graders.
Amelia Lost received four starred reviews and Best Book of the Year accolades from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book Magazine, the Washington Post, and the New York Times.From the Hardcover edition.
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
by Jean FritzThe Lost Colony of Roanoke is one of the most puzzling mysteries in America's history. In 1587, 115 colonists sailed to the new world, eager to build the brand new Cittie of Raleigh, only to disappear practically without a trace. Where did they go? What could have possibly happened?Who better to collect and share the clues than Jean Fritz and Hudson Talbott? The creators of Leonardo's Horse, an American Library Association Notable Book, again combine their masterful talents to illuminate a tragic piece of history that still fascinates Americans today.
The Sign of the Beaver
by Elizabeth George SpeareAlthough he faces responsibility bravely, thirteen-year-old Matt is more than a little apprehensive when his father leaves him alone to guard their new cabin in the wilderness. When a renegade white stranger steals his gun, Matt realizes he has no way to shoot game or to protect himself. When Matt meets Attean, a boy in the Beaver clan, he begins to better understand their way of life and their growing problem in adapting to the white man and the changing frontier.
Newbery Honor Book
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Every Bone Tells a Story
by Jill Rubalcaba and Peter RobertshawJill Rubalcaba and Peter Robertshaw recount the unearthing of four hominins--Turkana Boy, Lapedo Child, Kennewick Man, and Iceman. Each discovery leads not only to deductions that scientists made in laboratories, but also to controversial debates over the scientists' differences of opinion over how, or even if, the pieces fit together.
Learn how specialized the field of archaeology has become and how new technology can change both scientists' theories and the way we view the past.
Life of Pi
by Yann MartelAfter the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan--and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years.
Life of Pi is at once a realistic, rousing adventure and a meta-tale of survival that explores the redemptive power of storytelling and the transformative nature of fiction. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God.
Man Booker Prize winner
The Greek Gods
by Bernard Evslin and Dorothy Evslin and Ned HoopesThis book is an excellent introduction to Greek mythology, and includes a glossary, afterword, and bibliography.
The Iliad
by Gillian Cross and Neil PackerA strikingly illustrated retelling of Homer's classic from the team who brought us The Odyssey--Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross and illustrator Neil Packer. After nine years of war between the Greeks and Trojans, tensions are heating up among men of the same faction as well as those on opposing sides. Two proud and powerful Greeks, King Agamemnon and legendary warrior Achilles, quarrel over a beautiful maiden, causing Achilles and his myrmidons to drop out of the fight. Meanwhile, fueled by rage and pride, honor and greed, soldiers on both sides--Odysseus and Patroclus for the Greeks, Paris and Hector for the Trojans--perform heroic deeds, attempting to end the war. Depicting their actions, and those of the gods they invoke, are vivid, stylistic illustrations reminiscent of Greek pottery, giving this large-format volume an extra measure of authenticity and appeal.