Got Questions? Check Here For Answers!
- Can you tell me about Independent Reading?
- When does Mrs. Ingargiola meet with students to discuss books?
- Is it ever okay to re-read a book or to abandon a book?
- To grow as a reader, what do you recommend?
- What is a book talk?
- What do I need to do to succeed in Verbal this year?
- What do I do if I'm confused/lost on a topic or book in class?
- How do you grade our Reader Response Journals?
- How am I graded in Verbal?
- What supplies do I need every single day for Verbal?
- What are our areas of study this year?
- Do students practice for the NJ ASK?
- Do we ever work with the 7th Grade Verbal students?
- What is "Everyday Vocabulary"?
- What are Marble Parties?
- Any other questions?
- Do you offer extra help?
- What is Words Their Way?
Can you tell me about Independent Reading?
Sure! Students are responsible for reading 30 minutes, 5 times a week.
Therefore, students must
have an Independent Reading book with them EVERY SINGLE DAY! Students can
borrow a book from
my library at anytime. They must sign the book out and remember to return it
when they are
finished! Students can also visit the Hammarskjold Media Center to borrow
books. Books can be
taken out for 2 weeks.
Independent Reading is done both at home and in class. During the week,
students have ample
opportunities to read their IR book in class! Any time spent in class reading
counts towards their 30
minute goal a day.
When does Mrs. Ingargiola meet with students to discuss books?
I meet with students as often as possible. I meet with students during IR
time to discuss progress with
books. I always encourage students to share feedback on books with the class
as well as with me!
Is it ever okay to re-read a book or to abandon a book?
Yes, of course! I certainly believe that students should have the freedom to
re-read a book they
have already read, but I also encourage my students to try as many new books
and genres as they
can. If a book is too hard, not living up to your expectations, or
simply "boring", please feel free to
find something you can really "sink your teeth into." With so many amazingly
wonderful books out
there, why waste time on something you don't absolutely adore?
To grow as a reader, what do you recommend?
I recommend trying new genres - Don't fall victim to a genre-rut. Branch
out, you never know what
surprises await you in a new genre, new series, new author, etc. If you love
realistic fiction as I do,
you may find an unexpected pleasure in science fiction. You won't know
unless you try! To grow as
a reader, you must try even the books that you don't think you'll like, look
up difficult words as you
encounter them, question, predict, visualize, connect and challenge your
books!
What is a book talk?
A book talk is an informal way to share a great book. If you've ever read a
book that you absolutely
love, please share it with someone! One of the best ways to find new books
is to find out that
someone else loved the book first! Please feel free to bring in a great book
to share with your
classmates. A book talk is a 2-3 minute briefing on why your book is worth
reading! Remember -
Don't give away the ending!
What do I need to do to succeed in Verbal this year?
This is simple: Show up, be prepared, get involved, work hard. There is
absolutely no substitute for
hard work. Please remember that if you work hard, the chances are great that
you will succeed with
flying colors!
What do I do if I'm confused/lost on a topic or book in class?
Ask for help! Please feel free to email me with questions about class
discussions, books, projects, etc.
Or, you can always stay after school to work with me one-on-one... just let
me know when you plan to
stay and I will be there to help!
How do you grade our Reader Response Journals?
Reading Response Journals are graded at the end of each unit. Although I will check your books and
conference with you throughout the unit, I will only collect your books after a final unit-assessment
that will be completed in your RRJ! Use your RRJ to take notes and to grow as a reader through each
novel we read!
How am I graded in Verbal?
5% = participation/preparation
10% = homework
15% = words their way
35% = reading
35% = writing
What supplies do I need every single day for Verbal?
For class each day, students should have:
Verbal Binder
Pen/Pencil
Highlighter
Reader Response Journal
Writer's Notebook
Independent Reading Book
Writing Notebook
Words Their Way Notebook (usually left in the classroom!)
What are our areas of study this year?
Mythology
Ethics - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Tolerance - The Wave by Todd Strasser
Justice - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Do students practice for the NJ ASK?
Yes! Every marking period, students practice for standardized testing.
Students complete timed writing
prompts on a quarterly basis. Also, each marking period, students practice
reading passages and
responding to multiple choice questions and open-ended questions.
Do we ever work with the 7th Grade Verbal students?
All the time! Sixth and seventh grade Verbal students will get to know each
other very well throughout
the year. Classes will merge on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to work on our
joint unit - tolerance.
What is "Everyday Vocabulary"?
Everyday Vocabulary is a program designed to help students recognize
vocabulary words in a
context other than the one in which I taught them. For instance, in the
myth "Arachne", students
learned the word "indignant". If a student finds the word in another context
(IR book, song lyrics, a
teacher says it, TV program, etc.) the student should record the word and
bring it to class. Each time
a student finds a word and correctly defines the word, he/she will earn a
sticker. Ten stickers
results in a homework pass!
What are Marble Parties?
I believe great behavior deserves a reward! At the end of class each day,
students discuss how many
marbles they think they earned for the period. Students can earn up to 10
marbles a day. A "perfect
day" means all students arrived on-time, began the Do-Now quietly, completed
the homework,
finished all classwork, participated, were respectful, and entered
the "reading zone" during IR time.
Once students fill up their class jar, they will have a party.
Any other questions?
Please feel free to email me any questions I forgot!
Do you offer extra help?
Of course. Please see me if you ever need extra help. I am available most
days after school!
What is Words Their Way?
Words Their Way is our word study program for the year. Students receive a
new list of words on Monday. During class, students work with their partner
to sort the words based on the week (suffixes, prefixes, etc.). Then, they
record the words in their Word Study notebook. On Tuesday evening, students
are expected to review the words at home and to practice their sort again. On
Wednesday in class, students work with their partner to quiz each other on
the words. Thursday evening, students try to think of at least 5 more words
that follow the same pattern as their weekly sort. Finally, on Friday,
students take a 10 word assessment on their weekly words. This is collected
and graded.