Mr. Leffler’s
6th Grade Language Arts Syllabus
BMS Room 634 | Conference: 2nd Period (8:50-9:30) | 512-756-6182 |
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! I am very excited about all that we have in store for the year. I hope that my English Language Arts class will challenge your child while helping to pave a path for lifelong success.
Course Description
The sixth grade Language Arts curriculum stems from the College Board Standards for College Success and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. SpringBoard, the College Board’s official Pre-AP program, is our foundation. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, and collaborative strategies are used purposefully to build knowledge and skills and to help students become independent readers, writers, and thinkers. Below is an outline of what our year will look like.
Unit / Texts / Embedded AssessmentsUnit 1
Changes in Me / Short Story: “The Circuit,” by Francisco Jiménez
Personal Narrative: “My Superpowers,” by Dan Greenburg
Personal Narrative: “The Jacket,” by Gary Soto
Short Story: “Thank You, M’am,” by Langston Hughes
Short Story: “Eleven,” from Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories by Sandra Cisneros / ★ Writing a Personal Narrative
★ Writing a Short Story
Unit 2
Novel / Novel: Walk Two Moons / ★ Writing an explanatory response to a novel
Unit 5
Changing Time and Places / Drama: “The Millionaire Miser,” by Aaron Shepard
Poem: “Footwear Follies” by Chip Westington
Poetry: Limericks from A Book of Nonsense, by Edward Lear
Drama: Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
News articles: Persuasive Writing / ★ Transforming and Performing a Scene from a Play
★ Writing an Argumentative letter
Portfolio
Students will keep a wide range of work in a classroom portfolio. The portfolio will include:
▪ Embedded Assessments that comprise all steps in the writing process; student reflection on process and product; teacher assessment; and student reflection on assessment.
▪ Unit Reflections that demonstrate development as a reader, writer, speaker, and/or listener.
▪ Global revision and reflection that reveals one’s growth as a writer
▪ Assignments that demonstrate a variety of learning strategies, various stages of the writing process, and reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Journal
Students will keep a spiral for ELA, and it will stay in the ELA section of their BMS binder. The front half will be their journal: warm-ups, notes, writing, etc. The back half will be their vocabulary notebook. The academic and personal vocabulary words are introduced, reinforced and refined throughout each unit in texts and Embedded Assessments. Students will document their progression towards mastery in their Portfolio and Unit Reflections.
Discipline Guidelines
We will follow the code of student conduct in your handbook. We have high expectations for each student to be:
● Prompt - In your seat and working on the warm-up activity when the tardy bell rings.
● Prepared - Come to class with all necessary supplies (including agenda binder) and any assigned work.
● Productive - Students are engaged and participating.
● Positive - Expecting and striving for success for themselves and others.
● Polite - respect for staff, other students, self, and property.
In addition, we expect each student at BMS to B.A.R.K.:
➢ Be safe
➢ Act responsibly
➢ Respect self, others and things
➢ Kindness is key
Grading
A great deal of your grade will be based on the amount and the quality of your efforts in the process of reading and writing. Please use your class time wisely and have your assignments completed on time. The breakdown of grades is as follows:
● 50% - Daily (daily work, journals, quizzes, etc.)
● 50% - Tests (embedded assessments, tests, etc.)
Late Work
Assignments are due on time. 10 points will be deducted each day past a given due date, and late work will not be accepted beyond 3 days late. When turning in a late assignment, the student should fill out a “late work ticket” and staple it to each assignment. Late work will NOT be accepted without the “late work ticket.”
Supplies Needed
To bring to class each day:
✓ BMS binder with ELA spiral in it
✓ Blue or black pen
✓ Pencil
✓ Notebook paper
✓ Highlighters
✓ Scissors
✓ Glue
ELA- Leffler
Please sign indicating that you have read and understand the information concerning this class. Please return to Mrs. Beechwood.
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