Welcome to Room 652 Mrs. Herrera’s 6th Grade Read 180/Language Arts Class

Mrs. Herrera 10th year teaching 6 years at OHS (Go Pirates!) 4th year at SEMS (Go Eagles!) Prior to becoming a teacher, I was a lawyer. I am married and have 3 boys, one who is a student at SEMS and 2 who attend Carrillo Elementary (Go Colts!) I am part of a family of teachers! When I’m not at school, you can find me at baseball games, soccer games, flag football games, camping…

Course Description READ 180 is a reading intervention program that is meant to help struggling readers. This program includes small group instruction, computer software, and independent reading. We will also focus on other aspects of language arts, including writing, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary development. We will read nonfiction texts, short stories, and class novels.

Course Objectives Read 180 students will: 1. Increase reading fluency with fiction, nonfiction, and poetry 2. Use reading strategies to increase comprehension 3. Use genre features to aid comprehension, memory and engagement 4. Write to explain, to express, and to persuade with the purpose and audience in mind

Supplies Needed 3 subject notebook Pencils; red correcting pen highlighter loose-leaf paper SSR book of choice Agenda/planner

Read 180 Components

Computers (Read 180 Software) Students use topics on the computer to practice reading comprehension, spelling, proofreading and word attack skills. Each topic guides the students through a variety of activities including a video, the Reading Zone, Word Zone and Spelling Zone. Students must complete activities in each zone in order to reach the Success Zone and move to the next reading passage.

Reading Area (Audio & Paperbacks) Students read in class every day. Students select books and chart their progress in a reading log. Writing activities accompany each book, and students complete them as they are reading. Students use the Reading Counts program to take quizzes on the computer. When a student completes a book and the writing activities, she/he takes a quiz to test their knowledge of the book. Students must reread the book and re-take the quiz if they score less than 70 percent.

Small Group (Mini-Lessons) Teacher-led mini-lessons focus on reading strategies, skill practices, and quizzes are given to gauge student understanding.

Rewards Students who exhibit appropriate behavior and meet classroom expectations will be rewarded in a variety of ways. Such rewards include verbal praise, positive phone calls/ s, and tickets for a raffle.

Consequences Students who do not follow the appropriate guidelines for behavior and who do not meet classroom expectations will incur the following consequences in sequential order: 1. Warning (verbal) 2. Conference with teacher outside of the classroom 3. Loss of break time 4. Phone call home 5. Referral to Administration (ESCORT)

Homework Your child will be assigned homework daily. It will include different activities, including reading and reading logs, vocabulary work, writing, and assignments associated with novels we are reading in class.

Grade Breakdown Language Arts: 30% - Scholastic Computer Software: Spelling, Word Fluency 30% - Tests/Essays: rBook workshop tests, grammar/punctuation tests, Essays 40% - Classwork: Notebook, Bellwork, rBook

Grade Breakdown (cont’d.) Reading: 40% - Independent Reading: Reading Logs (homework and rotation work), Quick Writes, Reading Counts Quizzes 30% - Computer Software: Comprehension, Context Passages 30% - Tests/Projects: Reading Counts Quizzes, Book Projects

Grading Scale 100 – 90 A 89 – 80 B 79 – 70 C 69 – 60 D Below 60 F

My website: It includes a lot of useful information, including: 1. My homework calendar 2. Classroom documents

Using the cloud: Students can use the cloud to write documents and submit them to their teachers. The teachers can make comments on the documents. We will be using this in our classroom. The cloud website address is: cloud.smusd.org Username: student I.D. # Password: YYYYMMDD (your birthday)

Using Synergy: You can access the Synergy grade book through the school’s website to view your student’s grade via “Parent View”, the parent portal. I highly recommend you and your student log on together on a regular basis to discuss assignments and his/her progress.

Communication: Communication is very important! Anytime you are concerned about your student’s success, please contact me. I can be reached at: (760) ext I prefer ☺

Remind Remind App The Remind App is a way for me to stay in communication with students and parents in my classes without having to /text everyone individually. You can join my classes by entering the link in your web browser or in the app: Read 180/Language Arts Class link: