1. 6 th Grade Language Arts

2. Class - Workshop Model Each class period will begin with a class read-aloud which serves as a time to model reading, thinking, and comprehension behaviors and strategies which students will then practice and apply to their self-selected novels. Following the class read-aloud, we engage in alternately a reading or writing mini-lesson which provides an opportunity for direct teaching and practice of a skill or concept.

3. Workshop – Mentor Text Using a reading and writing workshop model, our class instruction will include daily mentor text which can include, short stories, Jr. Great Books, news articles, blog posts, magazines, novels and a variety of textual excerpts that will serve as… models for author’s craft and content.

4. Reading Diary Additionally each student will be completing a reading log of books of their choice which will require a minimum of 20 minutes a day outside of school. 1 st quarter: literary genre (minimum - 5 different genre) 2 nd quarter: award winners (minimum - 5 different award winners)

5. Interactive Notebook Each student will maintain their Language Arts INB with class notes and resource materials.

6. Inspired Reading and Writing These 21 st century students will be publishing their works, reading, writing, researching, presenting and conversing about literature using our class wiki andclass wiki LPS Google Docs. http://www.lpsk12.org LPS Google Docshttp://www.lpsk12.org

7. Vocabulary/Spelling In addition to specific content vocabulary, we will focus on the origin, use of and application of 5 prefixes, suffixes or roots per week. Accelerated Language Arts will also use the Sadlier-Oxford Level B Spelling/Vocabulary Workshop – alternating: Week 1 – Students are responsible for the spelling of the 20 vocabulary words in the unit. Week 2 – Students are responsible for the vocabulary exercises reinforcing the definition, pronunciation, grammatically correct usage, synonyms, and antonyms.

8. Common Assessments FOCUS WRITING: 1 st Quarter: Show Not Tell Descriptive Writing - Testing Window 9/20 – 9/29 2 nd Quarter: Persuasive Writing – Testing Window 12/06 – 12/10 3 rd Quarter: How - To Technical Writing – Testing Window TBA 4 th Quarter: Poetry Techniques – Testing Window TBA

9. LA FOCUS READING COMPREHENSION GOALS: 1 st Semester – Thinking Strategies INQUIRY QUESTION: How does my thinking help me to understand? Metacognition Schema Questioning Drawing Inferences Determining Importance Sensory Imagery Synthesizing Problem Solving

10. 2 nd Semester – Reading Outcomes of Understanding INQUIRY QUESTION: What does reading do for me? Insight for Writing Empathy Confidence Sense of Aesthetic Desire to Advocate Increase in Cognitive Stamina Clear Recollection and Intent to Reapply Others...