Ms. Hausburg

2015-2016

Sixth Grade Language Arts Syllabus

Room 701

Phone: 410-643-7330

Fax: 410-643-7445

Expectations:

Regular, consistent and daily attendance is essential. Students should come to school ready to learn with all their required materials and their completed assignments. Parents/guardians should check their child’s planner daily for independent practice.

Instruction:

Welcome to the wonderful world of written language! Maryland's College and Career-Ready Standards in English Language Arts (MCCRS) integrate standards from different strands. The curriculum for this class focuses on Writing, Language and Speaking and Listening Standards. Vocabulary will also be addressed under the Standards for Language.

The Maryland's College and Career-Ready Standards in English Language Arts (MCCRS) emphasizes three types of writing that we will complete this year: argument, informative/explanatory and narrative writing. Argument essays will need to include not only their claim (position) but also their support. Informative/explanatory writing will also need text support, but can also include different multi-media that can aid in comprehending the piece. Narrative pieces can be real or imagined experiences that include a well-structured sequence of events.

The Maryland's College and Career-Ready Standards in English Language Arts (MCCRS) includes the conventions of Standard English which involves grammar, usage, mechanics, spelling, and handwriting or typing skills. Our text book, Language Network, will assist us in practicing these skills to improve our writing in both short and lengthy assignments.

Finally, MCCRSincludes speaking and listening. Students will prepare for and participate in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and express their own ideas clearly. Students will present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the thinking and organization of the work.

Vocabulary skills, which are addressed in both reading and language arts classes, will be enhanced by discussing word meaning (studying prefixes and suffixes), learning to classify and categorize words (commonalities and context),and explain the relationships between and among words (multiply meaning words, synonyms, antonyms, and specialized vocabulary). Students will demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Classroom Requirements/Procedures

Students will write every day. The class will begin with a journal topic that must be addressed in writing. Discussion will follow as time permits. This is followed by a grammar or vocabulary lesson that will lend itself to improving our writing. We will then begin our writing lesson that will either be a short, one-day piece or an extended writing that may take a week or two. Students may be working in collaborative teams or independently depending on the skill and/or assignment. Finally we end our class with a closure activity that reviews or extends what we have learned.

Students are required to bring/have the following materials in class every day:

  • Two pencils
  • Student agenda book
  • Binder
  • Loose leaf paper
  • Pen
  • Independent practice as assigned
  • Charged Chromebook

Middle School Grading Policy:

Mastery Assessments – 40% of student average (tests, projects, and extended writing assignments)

Progress Assessments – 60% of student average (quizzes, daily classwork, andhomework)

Formative Assessments – A process that provides feedback to the teacher to adjust instruction for improving student achievement. This is not graded. (warm-ups, exit tickets, reflections)

Retakes/Revisions – The intent of retakes/revisions is to maximize mastery opportunities. Therefore, students will be allowed to complete a similar Mastery Assessment, revise a Mastery Assessment, or demonstrate mastery of the content in future Mastery Assessments. Students may earn up to full credit for the subsequent Mastery Assessments and shall be afforded the opportunity anytime throughout the school year.

Missing AssignmentsIn the event that a student does no work on the task/assignment or fails to turn in the task/assignment, “NTI” will be assigned (NTI = Not Turned In). The “NTI” will be a grade of a 40% if the student does not turn in the work. Late work will be accepted with the following consideration:

  • Grades reflect the mastery of standards and course objectives not behavior. Work accepted after the expected time period is not subjected to a lower grade due to lateness.