Literacy

2. Students will read at home a text of their choice nightly for at least 30 minutes (E2B, E5A). Please be sure to sign your child’s “WEB reading sheet” each night, as this is their Literacy homework grade.

3. Because students are required to READ 25 books during the year (E1A), each quarter, at teacher designated times, students are required to write a reading response which will be worth a quiz grade. The summer reading that your child already submitted counts towards the 25 and the remaining five books will be read throughout the content areas through authentic literature and textbooks.

Literacy class reading selections in accordance with the English Language Arts Standards & Grade level Expectations:

Ø Science fiction

Ø Myths and legends

Ø Autobiography

Writing:

Students will use the writing process to create written works in a variety of forms for many purposes according to grade level expectations. For example, the structure and conventions of language, research, organizing and conveying information, narrative writing, and responses to literature (E1C, E2A, E3C, E4B, E5A). Writing will be scored on the same rubric (see attached) using a form of analytical assessment where we assess the main characteristics of writing (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) independent from one another.

Speaking and Listening:

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the English language both in written form and orally (E4A).

General Information:

1. Students are expected to come to class prepared and ready to learn. This includes having a self-selected reading book (WEB) with them at all times.

Literacy rotation:

Each quarter literacy students will rotate among the literacy teacher’s named below. This flexibility is possible due to the middle school model of teaming. Our goal is to get to know your child better and offer her/him a consistent sixth grade literacy curriculum while incorporating the strengths of our interdisciplinary specialties as teachers:

(Q1):

* Introduce and review the following literary elements: plot, theme, character, setting, point of view, and mood and model the use of reading responses for students to record their read 25 (R.E5a, W.E2b)

* Language review (word meanings and figurative language) (R.E5a)

* Review and model the writing process (pre-write, draft and revision) focusing on content/ideas and organization (W.E2a, W.E3b, W.E4a)

* Reading comprehension and vocabulary skills with a focus on main idea, supporting details, sequence and author’s viewpoint by reading several articles and short stories (R.E1c, R.E5a)

(Q2-4):

* Support students’ read 25 through reading responses

* Reading and analyzing autobiographies (R.E1b)

* Presenting a book talk on a self-selected book (W.E2b, E4a)

* Focus on grammar, conventions and editing (W.E4, W.E4b)

* Spelling (W.E4)

* Persuasive writing (W.E2e)

(Q2-4):

* Support student’s read 25 through reading responses

* An introduction and study of science fiction text (R.E1b, R.E5a)

* Writing focus on metaphor, simile, personification and voice (W.E3b)

* Science fiction writing focusing on sentence fluency and text structure (W.E3b, W.E4a/b)

(Q2-4):

* Support student’s read 25 through reading responses

* Literature Circles based on Asian historical fiction (R.E1b, R.E5a, W.E3b)

* Introduce the study of myths and legends (R.E1b)

* Writing a character analysis with a focus on alliteration and word choice (W.E3b, W.E4a/b)

NOTE: The curriculum highlights above incorporate the Tri-State New England (TSNE) Writing and Reading Grade Level Expectations (GLEs). These expectations represent content knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate and apply independently by the end of sixth grade.