Welcome to Back to Welcome to Back to School NightSchool Night

Welcome to Back to Welcome to Back to School NightSchool Night

Grade 6Grade 6Mrs. GallagherMrs. GallagherELA & ReligionELA & Religion

HomeworkHomework is assigned so that concepts and material

previously taught will be reinforced. Homework includes both written and study assignments. Students should work independently on homework assignments and projects. If you feel your child is having difficulty please feel free to contact me, so I can make any necessary adjustments.

 It is recommended by the Archdiocese that students in 5th

and 6th grade complete 90 minutes of homework each evening. This is a combination of written work, reading, and studying.

 

Homework continuedA homework grade is incorporated into the subject mark at the end of each trimester. Failure to complete homework assignments will adversely affect the student’s grade. Students will not be given credit for homework that is missing, incomplete, or not present during the time of the class. If a student does not have the competed homework at the time of the class, this is considered incomplete.  Please note: If a student does not complete 2 assignments across the curriculum, a demerit will be issued. If a student misses a 3rd assignment across the curriculum, he or she will be issued an after school detention.

Homework continued

• If your child absent, it is their responsibility to obtain and complete the missed work, whether it is homework, notes, tests, or seatwork. A “While You Were Out” sheet will outline what you missed during your absence and will help them in making up the missed work.

Grades• ELA and Religion grades will be based on Quizzes, Tests,

Homework, Classwork, and Projects. Students will be well informed of upcoming assessments. Test Folders will usually be sent home on Fridays and must be returned by the following Tuesday. Please sign all tests and/or the cover sheet.

• If a student fails a test, he or she will need to complete corrections and return them with his or her tests. Test corrections give the student the opportunity to analyze and understand his or her errors. In addition, he or she will relearn the material in a way that helps him or her to retain the information or master the skills better.

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Curriculum• The ELA Curriculum may be

individualized to a certain extent and assignments may be based on the needs of the students. Your child may not necessarily have the same work as the child next to them or their best friend.

Contracts• A contract will be sent home for all major

projects and book reports which will contain the assignment information. Please detach the assignment portion and be sure to sign and return the contract. All projects are to be completed by the due date in order to avoid point deductions. If a project is turned in one day late, the student will lose 10 points. If the project is two days late, the student will receive a 60 and will have to stay after school until it is complete.

Positive Reinforcement• Positive reinforcement and praise

promote desired behavior and achievement. I believe in positive reinforcement and the students will receive verbal praise, chances/prizes, and positive emails or phone calls.

*Any prize donations would be greatly appreciated*

Consequences• Consequences of minor infractions

such as talking or playing during class may include, but are not limited to a demerit. Work may be required to be finished at home, but additional work is never given as a punishment. Respect for teachers and other students are expected at all times.

Miscellaneous• It is important that the students

come to class with all necessary supplies. A student who is unprepared for a specific activity cannot participate in that activity.

Curriculum Overview• Religion• Confirmation Preparation• Areas to be covered in Religion this year will

be the Bible, Old Testament, Liturgical Year, Mary, and Prayer ~ the various kinds and purposes. Students will also keep a Prayer Journal in the back of their copybooks for self-reflection and self-affirmation.

• As a class we will be participating in service projects throughout the year.

Pay It Forward• This is a real world learning experience in which

students will find satisfaction from involving themselves in the giving of their time, effort and thought in doing service for others. On completion of this project the students will sense that good will can be done when people give selflessly of themselves. They will also see how your efforts and thoughtfulness (no matter how big or small) have contributed in some way to an improvement in society. It is expected that this experience and exposure will teach the 6th graders how important and rewarding it is to “pay it forward.” Project guidelines will distributed after Confirmation, so students can go out and put their faith into action with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Curriculum OverviewELASpelling• In addition to learning to define and spell new words,

the students will also study various phonetic principles, use context clues to determine the meaning/use of a word or phrase, learn Greek or Latin roots, interpret figures of speech in context and use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words, and apply vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Curriculum Overview• ELA continued• English• Students will learn/reinforce

comprehension of parts of speech and their syntax, techniques for writing, types of sentences, how to outline, and how to write essays, reports, letters, and stories. English is integrated with reading and spelling.

Curriculum Overview• ELA continued• Reading• The focus of reading this year will be developing

comprehension skills. Applying vocabulary, analyzing informational text, and appreciating types of Literature will also be included. Students will learn how to make inferences, cite supporting details as evidence of the main idea, determine themes, summarize plot, and use a variety of skills and strategies to build comprehension. We will be reading various novels this year that will needed to be purchased. I will be sending home more information on this soon.

Reading Enrichment

• This year all middle school students are going to be participating in a reading enrichment class on Friday mornings. There will be four classes available, all reading different novels. The hope is that these enrichment classes will instill an excitement for reading. A letter will be coming home with the detailed information.

Reading Olympics• Delaware County Reading Olympics • Philosophy: The goal of the Reading Olympics is to

increase the quality and quantity of books students read for enjoyment. Teams of students collaborate to read forty to fifty books that have been selected by a committee of librarians, reading specialists and classroom teachers. These professionals read the books and write questions, which the teams answer during the competition. The Olympics are primarily a celebration of reading rather than a contest. All participants are awarded ribbons. Since the teams generate much excitement about this reading event, the experience is rewarding for everyone involved.

• If any parents are interested in assisting me, please let me know.

Reading & Religion Connections through Teacher Read Novels

• Each year I enjoy reading novels to the students as part of my ELA and Religion curriculum. These novels include: Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. As I am reading these novels to the students, I expect the students to listen carefully, take notes, share their thoughts and opinions, and discuss various themes and life lessons gained from these novels. Written and oral assignments and assessments will be given on these novels. Since I am reading it to the students, I tend to leave out text that might be above them in some way.  

• These novels have been well received over the past years and truly encompass my ELA and Religion curriculum while impacting the students immensely. Many of the topics and themes covered in these novels are what the students will carry with them through life.

• An additional novel that will be included this year will include Green Bananas: The Wisdom of Father Bill Atkinson by Steve McWilliams and Mercy in the City by Kerry Weber. More information and details to follow

I am looking forward to working

with your children and guiding them through many exciting and challenging learning experiences this year!

• If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me or email me

• bacgallagher@yahoo.com or• bgallagher@stdots.org

Thanks again for all your support and I am honored to be working with your children!