1. Welcome to 6 th Grade Language Arts Mrs. Adams Room 102 kadams@rochester.k12.mi.us

2. TOOLS: Daily Language Workouts - build language skills using mechanics, grammar, editing, & proofreading. Grammar Study – mini lessons and exercises covering a variety of grammatical structures. Rebecca Sitton Spelling - grade level spelling list with mini lessons, activities & quizzes. The Language of Literature - integrated lessons focused on reading, writing, comprehension, listening, and speaking. Novels - correlated with literature text to emphasize literary elements such as genre, plot, characters, theme, etc. Bud, Not Buddy- The Wanderer Tuck Everlasting- The Cay Videos - correlated with literature text to emphasize literary elements such as genre, plot, characters, theme, etc.

3. MATERIALS NEEDED DAILY: Text book/novel & planner Pencils Large eraser Red ink-pen Colored Pencils Highlighters (2 colors) One 3 ring binder (1½ inch) with seven (7) dividers – labeled and ordered as: Learning Targets, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Reading, Writing, and Miscellaneous

4. First Quarter Learning Targets Use reading strategies to make connections to the theme. (text to text, text to self, text to world) Retell/summarize a reading passage. Parts of a plot - exposition, rising action, initial incident, climax, falling action, resolution, conflict, point of view, protagonist, antagonist Literary elements/figurative language - simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, oxymoron, and alliteration Pre-writing strategies Six Traits - Ideas, Conventions, & Organization Organizational patterns in writing Whopper Paragraph Identify and use conjunctions in a sentence Identify and correctly write compound sentences Identify and correctly write an independent clause End punctuation - period, question mark, exclamation point Use commas to separate items in a series Use commas to keep numbers clear Use commas in dates and addresses Use commas between two independent clauses Parts of Speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, interjections, prepositions, subject, predicate, and helping verbs

5. Second Quarter Learning Targets  Use context clues to build meaning of unfamiliar words  Identify the Action Adventure genre and its characteristics  Analyze how the author’s use of dialogue enhances the plot, characters, and theme of a reading passage  Analyze how the author uses imagery to develop the plot, characters, point of view, and theme  Analyze how the author uses mood to develop the plot, characters, point of view, and theme  Whopper Paragraph  Identify the organizational pattern of a compare/contrast text  Summarize a passage  Determine the theme of a passage by drawing conclusions and making inferences  Differentiate between examples of narrative and expository texts  Identify definite pronouns  Identify indefinite pronouns  Identify transitive and intransitive verbs  Use quotation marks in dialogue  Identify independent and dependent clauses

6. Third Quarter Learning Targets Identify the prefix of an unfamiliar word (non, un, bi, pre, post) Identify the suffix of an unfamiliar word (ology, meter) Identify the root of an unfamiliar word Use prefixes, roots and suffixes to build meaning of unfamiliar words Use context clues to build meaning of unfamiliar words Identify the Fantasy genre and its characteristics Identify the main idea of a passage Summarize a passage Whopper Paragraph – transition words Make inferences about the author’s and/or character’s underlying (not stated) purpose or feeling in a passage Identify the author’s purpose of a passage Identify the point of view of a passage Identify the intended audience of a passage Identify the theme of a passage From the dialogue, make inferences about the author’s underlying (not stated) description of a character Identify an appositive in a sentence Identify an introductory phrase in a sentence Use commas to set off interjections Use commas to set off titles Use commas to set off initials Use commas to set off compound sentences Apply the rules for underlining, quotation marks, and italics when writing

7. Fourth Quarter Learning Targets Identify the Folktale genre and its characteristics Identify the Tall Tale genre and its characteristics Identify the elements (features, style, purpose) of informational text Identify the organizational patterns (cause/effect, how-to, descriptive, chronological sequence, problem-solution) in informational text Explain how authors use text features (footnotes, bibliographies, introductions, summaries, conclusions, and appendices) to enhance the understanding of central, key, and supporting ideas Decode and understand the meaning of words encountered in context Use connotation and denotation strategies to determine the meaning of words Write research questions using multiple resources Whopper Paragraph – leads and clinchers Vary sentence beginnings and structure when writing (Six Traits – Sentence Fluency) Know the difference between revising and editing (Six Traits – Conventions) Use revision and editing strategies (Six Traits – Conventions) Know the difference between independent and dependent phrase and/or clause Identify adjective clause Identify adverbial phrases Identify adverbial subordinate clauses Identify and correctly use comparative and superlative adverbs and adjectives

8. Viking Minimum Writing Standards  Proper heading is used  All rules of capitalization are followed  End punctuation is correct  All sentences are complete thoughts  Questions are embedded in the answer  Whopper format is used when appropriate  Non-negotiable words are spelled correctly  Correct format is used for final product (For example: typed, proper margins, paragraph structure, etc.)  Quality work and effort are apparent

9. Whopper Paragraph Model  Topic Sentence  Transition word + Detail Sentence 1 (fact, reason, or idea that answers the question)  Elaboration Sentence 1 (examples from the text to support the facts, reasons, or ideas in its detail sentence)  Transition word + Detail Sentence 2 (fact, reason, or idea that answers the question)  Elaboration Sentence 2 (examples from the text to support the facts, reasons, or ideas in its detail sentence)  Transition word + Detail Sentence 3 (fact, reason, or idea that answers the question)  Elaboration Sentence 3 (examples from the text to support the facts, reasons, or ideas in its detail sentence)  Conclusion or Clincher Sentence A Whopper Paragraph will have strong paragraph structure. First, a paragraph starts with a topic sentence. A topic sentence needs to respond to the question/prompt and clearly state the main idea of the whole paragraph. Second, the body of the paragraph supports the topic sentence. It gives reasons or facts that support the main idea, and explains the reasons or facts in detail using examples from the text when possible. Third, the paragraph concludes with a clincher sentence that reminds the reader of the topic. This closing restates the topic sentence, contains a tie back to the question/prompt, and provides a concluding thought on the topic. In conclusion, using the Whopper Paragraph model leads to a well written paragraph!

10. Types of Homework:  Daily Assignments are due the next day (i.e. spelling, grammar, comprehension questions, vocabulary units, quick writes etc.).  Short Term Assignments are due in two to five days (i.e. writing assignments, etc.).  Long Term Assignments are due in one to three weeks (i.e. book reports, etc.).

11. Homework Policy for Late Work One (1) incomplete/missing assignment = Incomplete Assignment Form and full credit for daily work, a 5% grade reduction for short term assignments, and a 10% grade reduction for long term assignments. Two (2) incomplete/missing assignments = Incomplete Assignment Form and half credit for daily work, a 5% grade reduction for short term assignments, and a 10% grade reduction for long term assignments. Three or more (3+) incomplete/missing assignments = Incomplete Assignment Form and half credit and a detention for daily work, a 5% grade reduction and a detention for short term assignments, and a 10% grade reduction and a detention for long term assignments.

12. Requesting Homework for an absence due to illness: Your child is responsible for missed class work. Your child should check my web page and/or the classroom absent bulletin board for information on the work he/she missed. Parents may request homework by calling the counseling office secretary. Students are allowed one day per each day absent to complete and turn in missed work. Any pre-announced work, test, or quiz is due the day your child returns to school. It is your child’s responsibility to turn in his/her work – I will not ask for it or track it down.

13. Requesting Homework for an absence due to a preplanned extra-curricular activity (i.e. student council meeting, school field trip, hockey tournament, gymnastic competition, etc.): Your child should request his/her work at least three (3) days prior to the planned absence. All make-up work is due the first day your child returns to school. Any pre-announced work due during the time of the absence should be turned in prior to the first day of the absence. If your child will be missing a test or quiz, he/she will need to make arrangements to take the test or quiz before school, during lunch, or after school prior to the first day of the planned absence. It is your child’s responsibility to turn in his/her work – I will not ask for it or track it down.

14. Requesting Homework for an absence due to a preplanned family vacation/extended absence: Please call the counseling secretary at least five (5) days prior to the planned vacation/extended absence to notify the school of your child’s absence and request his/her homework. The counseling secretary will give your child a “Request for Homework” form to take to each of his/her teachers. Your child will need to give this form to his/her teachers promptly. Any pre-announced work due during the time of the absence should be turned in prior to the first day of the absence. All make-up work is due the first day your child returns to school. If your child will be missing a test or quiz, he/she will need to make arrangements to take the test or quiz before school, during lunch, or after school prior to the first day of the absence. It is the your child’s responsibility to turn in his/her work – I will not ask for it or track it down.

15. Communication Classroom Happenings –Web Page –Email Blast –Your child’s planner –Your child’s L.A. Binder –Your child’s work Grades –myRCS –Interim reports –Report cards Conferences –Thursday, October 14 th & Wednesday, October 20 th –Arena style –If your child is getting an A or a B you are not required to attend –Conferences are three to five minutes in length –To help us maximize our time together, please review your child’s planner, L.A. binder, MyRCS and L.A. work and come with specific questions

16. Donations I would greatly appreciate donations of the following items: –Tissue –Hand sanitizer –Antibacterial wipes These items will help us fight the flu germs this season.

17. Thank you for coming!