welcome to 6 th grade ela! mrs. gavagan. your quarterly grade assessments 60% (tests, quizzes,...

Welcome to 6th Grade ELA!

Mrs. Gavagan

EFFORT IS

EVERYTHING!

Your Quarterly Grade

Assessments 60% (tests, quizzes, writing assignments, etc.)

Projects 20%

Class Participation and Homework 20%

~Independent Reading Homework~

How many pages do I have to read?

Can I read with my dad?What can I read?

Independent Reading

“the amount of time students spend in independent reading is the best predictor of reading achievement”

• Increases your vocabulary

• Builds your fluency

• Builds your background knowledge

Pick what you LIKE….

….. or ask for a recommendation!

I want to help!

The 5 Finger Rulefor Selecting a “Just Right” Book

The Reading Log

Read at least 20 minutes each day

Get a parent to sign-off and it is due the last day of the week

Counts as part of your “homework” grade

Rewarded for following through with your responsibility: special lunch (by invitation only) at the end of each marking quarter

What is Reading Fluency?

Reading Fluency – the power to read quickly and accurately

Why is Reading Fluency so important?

Fluent readers are better able to

comprehend (understand) what they’ve read

ELA Fluency Homework

Number of words on that line

Let’s look at Mrs. Gavagan’s website!

Teachers & StaffDonna Gavagan

http://ms.pleasantvilleschools.com/

~Literary Genre ~

A literary genre is a __________________ or ____________________ of writing.

Literary genres are _______________________ .

Fiction - _____________________________

Non-Fiction - _________________________

Other – Poetry, _________________, Folktale

~ Three Main Genres ~

Fantasy – A story including elements that are _________________________ such as talking animals or magical powers.

Examples: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone

___________________________________

___________________________________

Fiction

FictionScience Fiction – A type of fantasy that includes _________________________ and _____________________, such as robots, time machines, etc.

Examples: Star Trek

___________________________________

___________________________________

FictionRealistic Fiction – A story using made-up _______________________ that could happen in ___________________.

Examples: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

___________________________________

___________________________________

FictionHistorical Fiction – A fictional story that takes place in a particular _________________________ in the past. Often, the __________________ is real but the characters are ___________________.

Examples: I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001

___________________________________

___________________________________

FictionMystery – A _____________________ story about a puzzling event that is not _________________________ until the end of the story.

Examples: The Hardy Boys series

___________________________________

___________________________________

Non-FictionInformational Text – Texts that provide _____________________ about a variety of _________________________ .

Examples: Sharks!

___________________________________

___________________________________

Non-FictionBiography – A story about a ____________________________________ written by ________________________________.

Examples: Who Was Walt Disney?

___________________________________

___________________________________

Non-FictionAutobiography– A story about a ____________________________________ written by ______________________.

Examples: Derek Jeter, The Contract

___________________________________

___________________________________

Number the Stars

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio tells the story of ten-year-old August. The boy was born with a face that horrifies most who look upon it. Over the years, he had countless surgeries, so he was home-schooled. Now, he's about to enter the fifth grade in a regular school. This story is told from his perspective as well as from his sister's, her boyfriend's and friends' perspectives.

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

Title: ___________________________________________________

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

Title: ___________________________________________________

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

Title: ___________________________________________________

1) Ask yourself, “Does it seem to be fiction or non-fiction? _________________________________

I think this because ________________________________________________________________________.

2) Look for clues (or text-evidence) that will help you pinpoint exactly which genre it is.

My clues: __________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3) From the text-evidence, I believe this book is the genre of _______________________________________.

Title: ___________________________________________________

Spelling Homework

Goal: Students will master words that are troublesome for

them individually.

Differentiated Spelling

You will spend the week focusing on 5 words that you need to learn

• Your teachers will gather words from your written work that you have spelled incorrectly

• Everyone’s list will be different

• You will spend the week learning your personalized spelling list (using the research-based method “Cover-Copy-Compare”) – this is part of your ELA homework

• A weekly “check-up” will take place on Friday (or the last day of the week)

EFFORT IS

EVERYTHING!

REMEMBER:

Spelling Grade

1 point for spelling each word correctly on the Weekly Check-Up

1 point for each night of homework completed

Example:

Assignment Work Points Earned

Monday’s Homework Completed 1 out of 1 point

Tuesday’s Homework Completed 1 out of 1 point

Wednesday’s Homework Completed 1 out of 1 point

Thursday’s Homework Incomplete 0 out of 1 point

Friday’s Weekly-Check-Up 4 out of 5 correct 4 out of 5 points

7 out of 9 possible points

Weekly grade is 78%

ELA GoalWhat do you want?

What is standing in your way?

Goal: I want to lose 10 pounds.

SMARTer Goal: To improve my health, I will lose 10 pounds by January 1st by eating three meals a day and exercising 5 times each week.

Specific I will lose 10 pounds

Measurable Scale will show me how much I weigh at the beginning and on 1/1

Attainable 10 pounds can be reached and within the time frame

Relevant Losing weight will improve my health

Time-bound 1/1

What do you want to achieve? ________________________________________________________________________

How will you know when you’ve achieved it? _________________________________________________________________________

Attainable: is it something you have control over? Is it realistic? _______________________________

Is it relevant to ELA? Is it worthwhile? _____________________________________

When is your deadline? _______________________________________________________________