WELCOME TO SIXTH GRADE VERBAL GATE Please sign in and complete a survey. Mrs. Ingargiola

FYI:  I have been teaching at Hammarskjöld for 13 years.  I have extremely high expectations for my students, and I do not intend to lower them!  I never expect perfection; just excellence and effort.  This will be (and should be) a challenging, yet rewarding year for your child.  I promise that if your child works hard, he/she will see tremendous growth in both reading and writing.  I can’t do it alone - please help at home by encouraging your child to work hard!

THEMES OF 6TH GRADE VERBAL  Ethical Issues/Mystery -Agatha Christie’s – And Then There Were None  Justice - Harper Lee’s - To Kill a Mockingbird  Tolerance - Todd Strasser’s - The Wave

ADDITIONAL UNITS OF STUDY  WONDER: A young-adult novel by R.J. Palaccio. This novel connects to our unit on tolerance as it tells the story of a 5 th grade boy with a facial deformity and his quest to fit-in.  Scrapbooks: Within our unit on Tolerance, students will complete a cultural scrapbook. Through this project, students will interview relatives, collect memorabilia, write poetry, create a family tree & begin to gain an understanding of family values.  Trials: Students will participate in a mock trial using familiar fairy-tales. Students will learn courtroom procedures and complete an entire trial - start to finish.  New York Times: Exposure to nonfiction is paramount for our children. Students will read from the NY Times every Wednesday in class to practice critical reading skills.

ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS  Write down homework in agenda. (5%of quarterly grade)  Complete SAT Question of the Day College Board & Kaplan materials, SAT notebooks, flashcards (15%of grade: assessments, twice quarterly)  Reading & Writing Workshop (Each 40% of grade, total 80%)

READING  Students must always have an IR book with them. They are required to read at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes.  Teacher & student conferences are held frequently. Each marking period, running records are completed during conferences. The goal is to move every single child!  Reader Response Journals – Notes and thoughts are completed on a daily basis. Journals should reflect understanding of the concepts taught in each unit of reading instruction. Journals are a valuable student resource.  Throughout a unit of study and/or at the end of a unit of study, students will complete an assessment to show me their ability to apply/use the skills taught in class.

WRITING  Students write on a daily basis.  Mystery, Poetry, Drama (trial script), Genre of choice pieces.  First Writing Unit: Tips & Tricks for effective writing  Open-Ended questions- done frequently.  Small moment personal narratives (timed) (done each quarter, scored on a continuum)  Research Paper - Civil Rights topics (January)  Pen-Pal Letters - twice a year

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION  Scholastic Book Orders – Usually offered each month. You can order online - follow link from my webpage! Plan ahead for upcoming units of study (for now, look for mystery independent reading books). It’s safe and secure!  Orders due: September 30 th.  Classroom Library/Media Center – Students are welcome to borrow books from either.  Note: Students must read on their reading level!

CULTURAL SCRAPBOOK UNIT…  This year, Verbal students will have the unique opportunity to read elements of their cultural scrapbooks at Barnes and Noble in East Brunswick.  An evening of tolerance readings will take place from 7-8:30 PM in early June.  Stations will be set up throughout the store and students will have a schedule to follow informing them of where and when to read.  Book Fair - Vouchers will be distributed. Our program will receive a percentage of all sales from the evening to be used on purchasing new books for our classrooms  We hope you will help!

QUESTIONS? CONCERNS?  Please feel free to me: