12/11/09
Students in A, C, and E classes will have their Reading notes (homework) checked on Monday or Tuesday of next week. This is a 10 point assignment. For the weekend, all students have been encouraged to be working on their Poster which is due on 12/18. Poster requirements are in their spiral as well as under Class Information.
GT Students: Poster Due Date has been moved to 12/22/09.
All classes will begin the prewriting for their Historical Fiction Stories using their research next week. All students have been given an extra research day in class.
12/1/09
Parents, please ask your student to show you the Autobiography/Biography Unit Checklist they were given in class today (12/1 E, A, D 12/2 B,C). A copy can be viewed under Class Information.
Biography/Autobiography Quiz: pages 2, 4, 6, and 10 in your spiral and vocabulary for this unit. Unit Vocabulary is posted under Class Notes.
A: 12/11
B: 12/4 (Anne Frank Unit)
C: 12/9
D: 12/3 (Anne Frank Unit)
E: 12/10
New Unit: Autobiography and Biography
I can't wait to get started on this new unit! There are elements of each unit that are exciting to me, and this one is no exception. Students always surprise me with their stories, and I love to learn more about their dreams and future aspirations. There are three main components to this unit of study: Historical Fiction Story, Author's Note, and Poster Project.
Historical Fiction Story: Students will be asked to research an individual from history that has made a significant impact on society, history, or politics. They will then use that research as the foundation for their own historical fiction story. Since most students have already written research reports on famous people in elementary school, I am asking them to step it up by using their research in a new format. This project asks them to not only present the person they have studied, but place them in the historical and social setting in which they lived.
Rough drafts are due 12/22.
Author's Note: Most historical fiction novels end with a note from the author explaining their research, the choices they made as writers, and how they dealt with any unknown facts. Students will be writing pieces of their own author's note as we go through the research and writing process in their Interactive Notebooks. Following Winter break, students will compile these in-class reflections into an Author's Note.
Poster Project: One of my favorites! Students will be designing a poster that reflects them as a whole person. In addition to their own writing, poetry, and favorite lines and/or songs, students will have a photograph of themselves as a centerpiece to the poster. Directions and requirements will be sent home this week. Posters for A, C, and E classes are due 12/18; B, D are due 12/22.
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Decorating Cover Pages
When students are asked to work on a cover page for homework, my expectation is that they use information, vocabulary, concepts, etc from what we have learned so far in the unit. It is not necessary that they complete it by hand; a computer generated cover page is acceptable.
While it is initially a homework assignment, I do ask that students attempt to make it colorful and creative. At the end of the unit, I may grade them based on how well they reflect the objectives of the unit. If this will be graded, students are told the criteria in advance.
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I'm glad that you have found your way to the English webpage! This site, along with Teacherease.com, will be your best resource during the school year for all things English. I will upload communication sent home to be signed here on the web under
Class Information. Since students glue these items into their Interactive Notebook, you may want to have a second copy saved on your home computer/calendar.
Class notes, study guides, homework assignments, etc. will also be uploaded for you to use at home. Class powerpoints are available for approximately two weeks for students to review. While they may help to give clarity to the student, they are not intended to replace actual classroom instruction. When your child is absent, they can simply print the frames needed to glue notes into their Notebook.
Please register your email address with your child's name using the button below. You will only need to do this once. By registering your email address, you will receive an alert each time this site is updated. I will post quiz dates, project dates, Quarterly Assessment reviews, and paper deadlines on the Announements page as well as the
Homework pages.
The Maryland State Curriculum is available for you to view at the following address:
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/reading/standard1/grade6.html
You can also access this on the Writing/Language Links page.
EXTRA CREDIT: The Possibilities are Endless!
Students can earn extra credit by including new pages in their Interactive Notebook titled "Writer's Notes". This week students will be introduced to the extra credit opportunity in class. Anytime a student finds an example of something we have discussed in class, they place it in their notebook with a SHORT explanation of how it connects to our class.
These pages could be in a special section created by the student or stacked onto an existing page containing the notes they are referring to in their explanation. Many classes have already labeled an extra page next to the Table of Contents for "Writer's Notes".
Students may also have additional extra credit opportunities as the year progresses. I will post these on the homework pages when they are announced.
Folly Quarter Extra Credit Policy:
Extra credit is not applied to a student's grade if they have missing assignments at the end of the quarter. While extra credit may be applied during the quarter as it is checked, it will be removed from the final quarter grade if the student has missing work.
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