English Language Arts6-8
MLA Parenthetical Citations Practice for Grade 6
By Alaneh M.
A practice set for 6th graders that teaches how to format MLA parenthetical citations with the author's last name and page number, starting from a short reference guide and key-terms section. Students build the skill by editing and writing citations on their own, making it a solid fit for a focused writing or research block.
Customize for your classroom
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a 30-40 minute lesson after students have drafted a short paragraph that uses at least one source, so they can see citations in a real context.
- Discussion question: Why does MLA leave out the book title in a parenthetical citation when the works-cited list already has it, and what would a reader lose if the page number were missing?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Provide a completed example sentence with its citation and have students circle the author name and page number before attempting the editing items.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to find a source with two authors or no listed author and work out the correct parenthetical citation form.
- Estimated time: about 35 minutes for the reference guide and editing exercises, plus 10 minutes for a quick check-in.
English Language Arts6-8
MLA Parenthetical Citations Practice for Grade 6
By Alaneh M.
A practice set for 6th graders that teaches how to format MLA parenthetical citations with the author's last name and page number, starting from a short reference guide and key-terms section. Students build the skill by editing and writing citations on their own, making it a solid fit for a focused writing or research block.
Customize for your classroom
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this as a 30-40 minute lesson after students have drafted a short paragraph that uses at least one source, so they can see citations in a real context.
- Discussion question: Why does MLA leave out the book title in a parenthetical citation when the works-cited list already has it, and what would a reader lose if the page number were missing?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Provide a completed example sentence with its citation and have students circle the author name and page number before attempting the editing items.
- Extension for advanced students: Ask them to find a source with two authors or no listed author and work out the correct parenthetical citation form.
- Estimated time: about 35 minutes for the reference guide and editing exercises, plus 10 minutes for a quick check-in.