• 6th grade Reading/Writing Benchmarks: Focus on Personal Experience Writing: Writing to Text Using Text Evidence; the Writing Process, Six Traits of Effective Writing, Grammar and Daily Oral Language- Reading: Plot sequence - Theme - Setting - Characterization - Informational Text 

    Quarter 1-Personal narratives and Non-Fiction: (descriptive writing, autobiography, scripts, science fiction, mystery, • Descriptive & Narrative Genres of Writing • Responses to Text; Identifying Literary Devices, Using Text Effectively to Improve Your Writing skills and techniques (CCSS - Using text evidence in narrative composition) Reading genres: Mythology, Fiction, Non-Fcition, Historic Non-fiction, Argument 

    Quarter 2-Exposition and Fictional Writing: (Myth, Fantasy, Author-Illustrator Project, Improving Word Choice – Menu Project; Mystery Object Project (Advanced Writers) • Improving Prompt Writing using literary devices – metaphor, simile, alliteration, personification Reading genres (see Q1 - Q3)

    Quarter 3-The Art of Argument and Workplace writing (advertisements, propaganda, op-ed; friendly and business letter, opinion letters, request letters, create a set of instructions) • Argumentative essay and Problem/Solution essay from Lit text• Research Project – Persuasive/ Argumentative Essay...Reading: Focus is on Argument - Facts - Citing sources and information- using Scope & Scholastic 

    Quarter 4-Poetry and Research (free verse, lyric poem, & poetry techniques) • Literary Techniques – Prentice Hall Poetry Unit • Poetry Anthology Project – Cumulative Unit Assessment   

    Tracking Assignments/Student Planners: Welcome to Middle School and the need to be organized! Yes, this is vital for the success of all students. Students have their student planners. All teachers have their own method of listing and outlining both classwork and homework (CW/HW) in class and out of class. I have a classroom assignment board and agenda board that outlines all the 6th assignments; whether it is CW/HW or a little of both and due dates. I also maintain my teacher's website and webpages. I update them weekly with the same information in more detail. It is the student's responsibility to keep track of assignments, projects and their due dates. Teachers are always here to help, but students need to make that effort. To be honest, in this era of our "digital buffet", there is no excuse for not being able to track assignments and due dates. Also, students can use their phone to take a picture of my assignment board, but they MUST use that information to be on top of their work and their deadlines.  

     What is the Common Core? The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are an initiative by states to set shared, consistent and clear criteria for what students are expected to learn. This helps teachers and parents know what they need to do to help their child. The CCSS are designed to be rigorous and pertinent to the real world. They reflect the knowledge and skills that young people need for success in college and careers. 

    The Common Core & Reading/Writing: One of the most important instructional shifts in the CCSS is writing to texts, or sources. So what does this exactly mean? Typically, standardized assessments always use reading texts as a springboard for writing. But the required writing hasn’t always been DEPENDENT on the key ideas and details in the text. For example, a prompt that is non-text-dependent asks students to rely on prior knowledge or experience. In fact, students could likely carry out the writing without reading the text at all. Whereas, writing texts requires students to analyze, clarify, and cite information they read in the text. The writing reveals whether students have performed a close reading because it is designed to elicit ideas, information, and key vocabulary from the text as well as students’ own evidence-based inferences and conclusions. These are all skills that will prepare them for the grades ahead, especially college and the workplace. These are real-world applications in action.   

    Advanced: Reading/Writing Classes: The focus in 6th Grade Advanced ELA Classes is to draw on the creativity and intelligence of critical thinkers along with increased  rigor for highly performing students. Students will be challenged with reading/writing projects - both individually and collaboratively - to dig deeper, think more critically, and perform at their highest academic levels. Projects will have real world applications and require students to revise and re-work their ideas and drafts - not just settle for their first drafts. The writing is purposeful, yet fun! Advanced writers have a passion for writing, story-telling, evidence-based research, and collaborative thinking. Reading is at an acelerated level where students can cite informational text to support their findings.