EvansCityMiddle School Mrs. Carey Carvelli

Syllabus for Reading & Language Arts 6 Room 86

Reading Goals:

1.To develop and increase the desire in students to read for enjoyment

2.To improve reading comprehension by incorporating and modeling various lead to learn reading skills/strategies including:

making connections, making predictions, and asking questions

summarizing and synthesizing, determining what’s important, and analyzing author’s craft

visualizing, and monitoring and clarifying

In addition: students will: identifying/apply: the main idea, author’s purpose,recognize text features, cause an effect, compare and contrast, point of view, figurative language, etc.

3.To read and interpret a variety of genres including:

informational texts, historical fiction, biographies

suspense, adventure, folktales/myths

poetry, short stories, excerpts, etc.

4.To expand students’ vocabulary partly through the use of the Keyword strategy

5.To develop reading stamina partly by utilizing Accelerated Reader

6.To respond to their reading through written responses

7.To incorporate technology enhancing curriculum objectives

8.To provide high interest texts including the use of Scholastic Scope

English and Writing Goals:

Some writing this year will be based on Lucy Calkins work with the Reading and Writing Project and will focus on narrative, informational, and argumentative writing.

  1. To explore various skills dealing with the English language including:

types of sentences including compound, complex, fragments and run-on sentences

parts of speech including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions,pronouns, etc.

double negatives, capitalization, possessives, comma rules, quotation marks, etc.

  1. To demonstrate competence in using the writing process through:

paragraph writing, research, and essays

writing stories, journal responses, etc.

short answer responses

incorporating figurative language in their writing

increasing their vocabulary usage in writing as well as show don’t tell

peer editing

  1. To enhance the students’ abilities in speaking and listening as tools for learning
  2. To recognize students’ strengths and weaknesses and address accordingly
  3. To incorporate technology enhancing curriculum objectives
  4. To foster and develop higher level thinking skills through various projects and activities

Spelling Goals:

  1. To incorporate patterns and rules to improve spelling skills
  2. To recognize spelling errors and use resources to correct themin actual writing

Evaluation:

  1. Homework: Homework will be assigned when appropriate. All homework will be

checked for completeness, neatness, and following directions. Homework completion for

each grading period is worth 10 points per subject.

2. Quizzes:Quizzes will be given throughout the year to evaluate the students’ understanding and competence of concepts taught. Most quizzes are announced unless a need arises to do so otherwise. The type of quiz and point value will vary.

3. Tests:Reading tests will be given during and after stories are read depending on the

length. There will be some vocabulary quizzes, however, not for everything students read.Grammar quizzes will be given for D.L.P. mini lessons on weeks when a unit is taught. A spelling test will be given on Friday of weeks when a list is assigned. This may

only occur 1 time in a grading period.

4. Book reports: There is usually one book report assignment given each nine weeks. The

type of book, assignment, and point value changes. However, I may add additional novels

if time permits.

5. Projects: Projects will be assigned throughout the year relating to both reading and

language arts. The type of project and point value will vary. Projects are designed to

enhance student learning, engage students in the creative process, foster time management

skills, and add rigor to the classroom. Rubrics are normally provided for projects.

Daily Planner:

Students are provided with a planner to write all assignments in. We will go over the assignment board each day, and it is each student’s responsibility to ensure that assignments and due dates are written neatly and thoroughly in the planner. Utilizing a planner is a great tool for life and helps students to prioritize tasks that need completed. * Some students have been using cell phones to take a picture of the assignment board as well.

Make-up work:

When a student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to complete the missed work as soon as possible. It is the student’s job to see me for clarification of missed assignments and/or tests. Any outstanding work not completed by the end of the nine weeks turns into an incomplete.

Extra – Credit:

I do not give extra credit assignments. My belief is that if a student completes all of the required assignments and prepares for projects, quizzes and tests, there is no need for extra-credit nor is it fair to those who do the daily work as expected. I give, on occasion, a bonus question or two on a quiz or test. A student can earn an extra point or two for going above and beyond what is expected on a given assignment as well.

Extra Help:

I am available to help individual students duringbus time or before school if arranged ahead of time. It is going to be an exciting journey working with your child this year!

I can be reached at:

school (724) 538-8800

email