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Grade 6/Sandpipers
Juliah Smith
WEST ROWAN MIDDLE
Contact Juliah Smith

Page Last Updated Nov 05, 2009
Number of Visits: 997

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Welcome to

Ms. Smith's Class!

West Rowan Middle School
6th Grade Language Arts/Reading
Phone: (704) 633-4775 Extension 239
E-mail: smithj@rss.k12.nc.us

Note:  New flash cards and calendar events are now up.

A NOTE TO STUDENTS:

Welcome to 6th grade, the beginning of your middle school career! I look forward to getting to know each of you and working with you to help you reach your goals as a Sandpiper this year. I will do everything I can to help you succeed!! Don't forget that each of you must do your part by participating in class activities, asking questions when you don't understand, and doing your homework to practice what we're learning in class! Ready, set, here we go! We're on our way to a great year!!

Dear Sandpiper Parents,

Thank you for entrusting me with the care of your child and giving me the opportunity to teach him or her. I truly learn as much from my students as they learn from me. I am dedicated to making this year a positive and productive year for our class, and I appreciate your efforts and those of your child, as well.

An open line of communication between parents, students, and teachers is vital to student success. I may be contacted by email at smithj@rss.k12.nc.us. You may also leave me a voice message at school by calling (704) 633-4775, extension 239, or you may contact me by writing a note in your child's planner. I check planners each Friday.

If you would like to schedule a conference to discuss your child's achievement, please do not hesitate to contact me through the methods mentioned above. Thank you in advance for prearranging a conference. Unfortunately, I cannot entertain unscheduled conferences during the school day as it directly interferes with my instructional and supervisory duties.


Smith Notes-Subscribe Now!


Dear Sandpiper Parents,

I will be sending out periodic e-mails in addition to communicating by phone, website, and in person through conferences.Please send me an e-mail at smithj@rss.k12.nc.us from the e-mail address to which you would like updates to be sent.

Also, please click the "notify me" link at the top of this page so you will automatically be sent an e-mail each time I update this web page.

Thank you,

Ms. Smith


Online Vocabulary/Spelling Flash Cards

Click the link at the top of this page to see current spelling and vocabulary words!


THIS YEAR IN LANGUAGE ARTS:

We will be exploring a variety of genres in reading including short stories, myths, folktales, legends, poetry, fictional novels, and non-fictional works. We will continue to develop our grammar, writing, and problem-solving skills on a daily basis. Every week, we will be enriching our word base through vocabulary and spelling study. Additionally, we will be integrating technology, science, mathematics, and social studies into our studies in language arts.

First Quarter in Language Arts

Literary Focus:  We will begin studying literary genres, including novels, short stories, informational texts, magazines, plays, and myths. (See "Reading" below for more details.)

NCSCOS Goal 5.02 Study the characteristics of literary genres including: author'ss purpose, auauthor'sstance, characterization, audience, context, dialog, suspense, theme, setting, plot, irony, point of view, symbolism, inference, main idea, context clues, drawing conclusions, compare and contrast, climax, interpretation, summarizing, resolution, exposition, rising action, denouement (falling action), bias, mood, tone, style, novels, autobiography, myths, essays, magazine, plays, informational texts, pattern poems, blank verse, fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry

Writing Focus:  We will review the writing process and pre-writing skills and produce an expressive literature-based sample with pre-writing.

NCSCOS 6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written expression.

NCSCOS 6.02 Identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
applying proofreading symbols when editing, producing final drafts that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation and capitalization, and developing an awareness of errors in everyday speech.

Grammar Focus: We will review subject-verb agreement, identify and correctly punctuate complete sentences vs. fragments, and identify sentence types, specifically complex, compound-complex, and simple.

NCSCOS 6.01Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:using a variety of sentence types correctly, punctuating them properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons, and
using appropriate subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.


Vocabulary Focus:

We will use the Patsy Stone WordSkills program.

  • NCSCOS 6.01 We will demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:

        * determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words by using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
        * extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.

    Spelling Focus: We will study spelling words weekly alternating with vocabulary as stated in the class syllabus.

    NCSCOS 6.02 We will identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:

        * reviewing and using common spelling rules, applying common spelling patterns, and developing and mastering an individualized list of words that are commonly misspelled.

    Language Arts is a combined subject of five disciplines:

    Reading- how to read and understand fiction and non-fiction on the sixth grade level as outlined in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (access the link at the bottom of this web page for more information). Sixth grade reading emphasizes critical stance, or taking the role of a critic as one reads. We will be reading many different types of literature throughout the school year and gradually increasing the level of difficulty and complexity of those readings as students progress in their ability. Please encourage your child to read, read, and read some more in their spare time. Practice makes perfect!!

    We do not use Accelerated Reader in 6th grade; however, I require that students read a minimum of 20 minutes a night, five nights a week. They must also keep a reading log to be signed by a parent/guardian each Thursday night (along with the agenda) and turned in at the end of the month. This will be counted as a project grade. The reading log allows me to see, with your verification, that your child is engaging in sustained silent reading on a regular basis. Sustained silent reading is proven by research to be a great factor in advancement in reading skill.

    Writing- composing written works as outlined in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (by hand or by using word processing). A limited description of writing would include creating stories, poetry, drama, essays, reports, and correspondence (letters). We will be composing written assignments throughout the school year.

    If we are revising an assignment at home, please allow your child to do their own writing, so that I may assess their true ability level and work with them from where they are. Several writing assignments will be graded and kept at school in the writing folder, but grades will go home via the agenda or with a graded rubric in the graded work folder so that you may see your chilchilditing performance.

    Vocabulary- learning to understand and use a wide variety of words. Possessing an extensive vocabulary is essential to becoming a skilled reader and writer. Our vocabulary study will center on prefixes, suffixes, and root words, using the Wordskills program. Students will learn how to decode a word to figure out its meaning. Vocabulary study will alternate weeks with spelling. Chapters will normally begin on Thursday with the test being the following Wednesday.

    Spelling- putting the correct letters in the correct order to form a desired word. Correct spelling is essential to effective writing and editing. This year in spelling, common spelling patterns and rules will be learned. We will begin by learning the spelling of high-frequency words, homonyms, and commonly misspelled words.

    I will give spelling words every other week on Thursday, beginning the week after Labor Day. The test will always be on the following Wednesday. I do assign homework with spelling, and students are required to study their words outside of class time in addition to what we do in class. On the off weeks, we will do vocabulary.

    Grammar- studying language dealing with forms of words and their arrangement, or in plain English: the rules of speech and writing. Correct grammar ensures that the intended meaning of speech and text is conveyed, (or you say what you mean to say vs. what you might really have said).

    The use of correct grammar in speech and writing is a primary skill in human communication, which is an essential for success in our modern age of service and technology. Learning it requires effort and discipline. Unfortunately, people often won't recognize intelligence if it is accompanied with bad grammar. Parents, please try to reinforce correct grammar at home with your own speech. Students learn what they hear:)

    Reminders:
  • Please remember to check your child's planner and sign it each Thursday night. You may want to look back through the week for notes from your child's teacher

    • Regarding class preparedness: students are expected to come to class with at least two pencils and a supply of notebook paper every day. We need every minute of our class time for learning. It is disruptive when students come to class unprepared and interrupt instruction to ask for pencils and paper.

  • I have a mailbox in the classroom for students to ask for help with school supplies if there is a financial hardship. The mailbox may also be used for confidential communication with me if a student is having difficulty in any area (social, academic, etc.) and doesn't want to speak to me in front of others.

    Thank you for supporting your child's opportunity to learn!

  • Homework

    Sandpipers' Homework is recorded each day

    on the Homework Hotline.

    The number to call is:

    704-633-9561 ext. 6200


    The Homework Hotline (704-633-9561 ext. 6200 after 4:30 p.m.) is available for you and your child to check on homework assignments. The Sandpiper extension is 6200 for all core subjects. If your child is absent, they may call homework hotline to hear important announcements or hear what was assigned for homework while they were out.

    Have a wonderful day!

     

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