Mrs. Smith’s 6 th Grade Language Arts Hello! I am very excited to be your 6 th grade Language Arts teacher. My main goal for this year is to help you become a passionate reader and writer. I fully believe that reading and writing will equip you to succeed academically and in your future career. I also believe that reading and writing opens up many doors of opportunity for personal growth and joy. I encourage you to challenge yourself in my room, appreciate the ideas of others, learn new things, and “Be someone who makes the world more awesome” (Kid President). ext. 3112 [email protected]www.mrssmithinthesixth.weebly.com Reader’s Workshop You will go to the library every 3 weeks. Every 3 weeks, you are expected to have finished a fiction novel. You will receive an assignment for each Reader’s Workshop novel during the 3 weeks or at the end. My main goal in giving RW assignments is to assess your comprehension of the book. I will give time in class for reading, but you will need to read 10-15 minutes a night at home in order to finish your book in time. If you complete your Reader’s Workshop novel, you should choose another novel (could be nonfiction) to read. You are expected to have an incomplete novel in class at all times. I will spend time highlighting fiction genres but will allow you to choose your own fiction genre each time for your Reader’s Workshop. You are required to pick books that are at least 100 pages. You will log and review your completed novels in your RW log. RW is a significant part of your reading grade. Once a semester, students will be required to sign up for a book talk and “Instagram selfie” assignment. A sample can be found on my website. Reader’s Workshop Schedule Library Date Finish book by … Tuesday August 30 Monday September 19 Tuesday September 20 Tuesday October 11 Tuesday October 11 Monday October 31 Tuesday November 1 Monday November 21 Tuesday November 22 Monday December 12 *Make sure to read over break or pick a smaller book to account for break. Tuesday December 13 Read over break for fun! No assignment. Return books after break. Tuesday January 3 Monday January 23 Tuesday January 24 Monday February 13 Tuesday February 14 Monday March 6 Tuesday March 7 Read over break for fun! No assignment. Return books after break. Tuesday March 28 Tuesday April 18 *Make sure to read over long weekend or pick a smaller book to account for the break. Tuesday April 18 Monday May 8 Tuesday May 9 (final collection) ***CHECK WEBSITE OFTEN INCASE OF CHANGES*** Vocabulary Workshop and Root Words Our vocabulary program is a mix of Vocabulary Workshop Level A and root words. A vocab test will be given every Friday. I alternate between vocabulary workshop weeks (all words are in book) and root words (words will be written down in your Root Word Dictionary, which should stay in your binder). You will be given nightly homework to complete in your vocabulary book on vocab workshop weeks. Assignments will be graded in class and one grade will be collected at the end of the week from the vocab book. Monday: finish Choose the Right Word Tuesday: finish Synonyms and Antonyms and Vocab in Context Wednesday: finish Complete the Sentence On root weeks, you should complete a homework assignment from the choice board in your Root Dictionary by Thursday of the assigned week. *In addition to finishing the assignments, don’t forget to study your words! Writer’s Workshop and Grammar Grammar is an important part of writing and that is why I mix the two. To learn our language standards this year, you will keep notes to review concepts, play games, and model your own sentences after those of famous authors. This is called the “Mentor Sentence” strategy. Instead of correcting what is wrong, we will focus on studying what is correct and create sentences that follow the patterns authors are using. You will write multiple formal pieces this year, as well as routine informal pieces. Peer editing and conferences will be used to improve and reflect on writing. You will often write and peer review using Google Docs. How does Mrs. Smith communicate with parents and students? • Students: Talk to me anytime before or after class. You may also arrange a time with me to stay after. • Parents: Feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss the successes of your child or any concerns you have. • I will post class updates and homework on my class website daily for students and parents.
Transcript
Mrs. Smith’s 6th Grade Language Arts Hello! I am very excited to be your 6th grade Language Arts teacher. My main goal for this year is to help you become a passionate reader and writer. I fully believe that reading and writing will equip you to succeed academically and in your future career. I also believe that reading and writing opens up many doors of opportunity for personal growth and joy. I encourage you to challenge yourself in my room, appreciate the ideas of others, learn new things, and “Be someone who makes the world more awesome” (Kid President).
Reader’s Workshop You will go to the library every 3 weeks. Every 3 weeks, you are expected to have finished a fiction novel. You will receive an assignment for each Reader’s Workshop novel during the 3 weeks or at the end. My main goal in giving RW assignments is to assess your comprehension of the book. I will give time in class for reading, but you will need to read 10-15 minutes a night at home in order to finish your book in time. If you complete your Reader’s Workshop novel, you should choose another novel (could be nonfiction) to read. You are expected to have an incomplete novel in class at all times. I will spend time highlighting fiction genres but will allow you to choose your own fiction genre each time for your Reader’s Workshop. You are required to pick books that are at least 100 pages. You will log and review your completed novels in your RW log. RW is a significant part of your reading grade. Once a semester, students will be required to sign up for a book talk and “Instagram selfie” assignment. A sample can be found on my website. Reader’s Workshop Schedule Library Date Finish book by… Tuesday August 30 Monday September 19 Tuesday September 20 Tuesday October 11 Tuesday October 11 Monday October 31 Tuesday November 1 Monday November 21 Tuesday November 22 Monday December 12
*Make sure to read over break or pick a smaller book to account for break.
Tuesday December 13 Read over break for fun!
No assignment. Return books after break.
Tuesday January 3 Monday January 23
Tuesday January 24 Monday February 13
Tuesday February 14 Monday March 6
Tuesday March 7 Read over break for fun!
No assignment. Return books after break.
Tuesday March 28 Tuesday April 18 *Make sure to read over long weekend or pick a smaller book to account for the break.
Tuesday April 18 Monday May 8
Tuesday May 9 (final collection) ***CHECK WEBSITE OFTEN INCASE OF CHANGES***
Vocabulary Workshop and Root Words Our vocabulary program is a mix of Vocabulary Workshop Level A and root words. A vocab test will be given every Friday. I alternate between vocabulary workshop weeks (all words are in book) and root words (words will be written down in your Root Word Dictionary, which should stay in your binder). You will be given nightly homework to complete in your vocabulary book on vocab workshop weeks. Assignments will be graded in class and one grade will be collected at the end of the week from the vocab book. Monday: finish Choose the Right Word Tuesday: finish Synonyms and Antonyms and Vocab in Context Wednesday: finish Complete the Sentence On root weeks, you should complete a homework assignment from the choice board in your Root Dictionary by Thursday of the assigned week. *In addition to finishing the assignments, don’t forget to study your words!
Writer’s Workshop and Grammar Grammar is an important part of writing and that is why I mix the two. To learn our language standards this year, you will keep notes to review concepts, play games, and model your own sentences after those of famous authors. This is called the “Mentor Sentence” strategy. Instead of correcting what is wrong, we will focus on studying what is correct and create sentences that follow the patterns authors are using. You will write multiple formal pieces this year, as well as routine informal pieces. Peer editing and conferences will be used to improve and reflect on writing. You will often write and peer review using Google Docs.
How does Mrs. Smith communicate with parents and students?
• Students: Talk to me anytime before or after class. You may also arrange a time with me to stay after.
• Parents: Feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss the successes of your child or any concerns you have.
• I will post class updates and homework on my class website daily for students and parents.
What should I br ing to class?
• Your Language Arts Binder (with paper in it) • Pencil, Pen, Highlighters (4 colors) • Reader’s Workshop Novel • Planner • Vocab Workshop Book • Classroom Novel
How should my b inder be organized?
• Tab 1: Grammar (this includes language notes and daily grammar activities)
• Tab 2: Vocab (this includes your root word dictionary and root/vocab tests)
• Tab 3: Reading (this includes RW book log/assignments and notes for reading standards)
• Tab 4: Writing (this includes rough drafts, final copies of Google Doc work, and notes for writing standards)
• Tab 5: Texts (this includes papers that are being used for the study of a class novel or short texts)
• Tab 6: Data (this includes our standards, you will keep track of your mastery)
*Keep EVERYTHING in your binder until binder cleanout days.
Please take your binder home once a week to show your parents your work.*
What wil l Mrs. Smith’s class be l ike? Hopefully fun! I like to play games, do group work, independent stations, role-playing, and lots of other fun stuff! Our routine will look like this.
• Grammar and Reader’s Workshop (20 min.) • Vocab Work (15 min.) • Instruction and Reinforcement (20 min.) • Text Time-novel, short story, close read, etc. (20
min.) • Text Activity-essay, project, discussion, etc. (20
min.)
Learn ing Communit ies: You will be grouped into Learning Communities each quarter. Your LC may not be the people your sitting directly by, but they will be the people you group up with when we do station or group work. Working together is an important skill. Use your LC as a support system to help you learn important concepts. When I put you into LCs, I expect that you are respectful, helpful, and that you are working the entire time. I will not hesitate to place you alone if you are not following those expectations. Technology in Mrs. Smith’s Room Technology is a privilege and technological literacy is an important part of Language Arts in my room. You will be researching, writing, editing, and so much more this year. Most work will be completed using Google Classroom. If at anytime you are not using appropriate classroom Internet procedures, you may be taken off the computer and given an alternative assignment. Parents: To view your child’s Google Classroom work they must “share” their folder with you. It works best if you have your own personal free gmail account. Detailed directions for this are posted on my website. It will work best after your student has had a few weeks to practice logging himself/herself on. Below are student log in credentials if your student has difficulty remembering how to log on at home. Their username is their first initial + last name + graduation year + @waynelocal.net Ex: [email protected]. Their password is Wa + lunch code Ex: Wa111111
www.spel l ingcity.com Students will have an opportunity during the week to practice vocab and roots on Spelling City during STEP. They CAN access it at home. There is also an app for it! I encourage students to use it as a supplement for studying! www.newsela.com Student will complete one article a week during STEP. This will be counted as a Language Arts grade.
Late Work and Absent Work If your work is late, it will receive one letter grade deduction regardless of how late it is. However, once a novel has ended, all work from that novel is due no later than a week after the end of the novel or it will not be graded. Work that is not attached to a novel can be turned in late; however, I will only reprint work once for a student and I will not accept work past the end of the quarter. Absent Work: Check the absent folder on the board for the agenda. Your LC will collect your work from my class and put it in the absent bin. You have one day to make up the work for every day you are absent. You can also check my website for daily agendas to find out what you missed.
*No Name work wil l receive 2 points off*
Homework I give in class time for homework. Besides routine vocab work/studying words and reading the reader’s workshop book, you won’t have much more homework from me. You will occasionally have to finish Reader’s Workshop assignments, essays, and novel questions. Use your time wisely! Use every minute of class so that you do not have out of class work. I Need Help! If you need help or just a quiet place to catch up on your Reader’s Workshop book, talk to me. I can’t stay after every day, but I will do my best to keep you successful! If you walk home or have access to pick up at 3, I do stay until 3 every day. If you need to stay later and ride the second bus, ask me at least a day in advance, not the day of ☺. I need some sort of parent acknowledgement if you are staying after (note, email, voice message).
• It is ok for my child to hang a picture of himself/herself in Mrs. Smith’s room during his/her selfie week for Reader’s Workshop? Yes / No
• It is ok for my child’s work (no student pictures will appear on site) to be shared on Mrs. Smith’s website with his/her first name on it? Yes / No
• My child has access to technology and can practice his/her words at home on Spelling City
either on a tablet, smartphone, or computer? Yes / No *If your child loses one of my personal library books, you will notified and will be kindly asked to replace the book or donate another title. This is obviously not mandatory but will be helpful in keeping students accountable and keeping my personal library filled.
• I have spoken to my child about keeping tabs on all books he/she borrows from Mrs. Smith. Yes / No
• My child and I have read and understand Mrs. Smith’s syllabus. Yes / No
Parent/Guardian Signature(s): _____________________________________________________ Dear Parent/Guardian, Please take a few moments to write to me about your child! I would really appreciate your input and expertise about your son or daughter. Tell me anything you think would be beneficial! Key components to think about include:
• Strengths/weaknesses as a reader, writer, or student in general • Any past problems or concerns • Hobbies/Interests • Any family or friend situations you think I should know about • Anything else you believe would be important!
Feel free to type/write a letter, jot bullet points on this sheet, email, seal it in an envelope, etc. Keep it as short or as long as you would like. This is not mandatory, just something that would help me as I guide your child towards success in reading and writing. I look forward to getting to know your son/daughter and hope this will be the first of many communications we will have this year concerning the success of your child. Sincerely, Mrs. Smith [email protected], ext: 3112
