| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Page Last Updated Dec 09, 2008
Number of Visits: 468
Jump down this page to view:
Favorite Links FlashCards
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
I'm looking forward to working with you this year. I know that each and every one of you is capable of middle school success! All it takes is hard work, dedication, and belief in yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something in class and set aside a time to do homework each day after school. Try to think of homework as practice before a game. How would your favorite sports team perform if they did not show up for practice? Think about it! All the talent in the world can not make up for practice and hard work.
Spelling words (-mis) flash cards have been added. Go to the link at the top of the page to view. Spelling 5x each is due Friday, December 12, ABC Order is due Tuesday, December 16, and the test will be Wednesday, December 17.
NEWOnline Vocabulary/Spelling Flash Cards
Click the link at the top of this page to see current and past spelling and vocabulary words!
Smith Notes
I will be sending out periodic informational e-mails to parents who have sent me their e-mail addresses. If you would like to be included, just send me e-mail and make sure you include your e-address and tell me who you are:)
Below are copies of recent "Smith Notes."
Dear Parents, Tuesday, December 9, 2008
I hope you all had a happy and restful Thanksgiving!
Spelling words (-mis) flash cards have been added to my website. Go to the link at the top of the page to view. Spelling 5x each is due Friday, December 12, ABC Order is due Tuesday, December 16, and the test will be Wednesday, December 17.
Over the next three days, we will be in the computer labs working on a holiday family newsletter that the students will be printing in color and bringing home on Friday. This newsletter would be fun for you to copy and distribute to family and friends over the holidays. It will feature a short bio of your child, your family motto (according to your child), and what your child's family did in 2008. The students are currently drafting the writing of those sections.
Please be sure to continue to check and sign planners and reading logs as we get closer to winter break. The children are very much focused on things other than their homework right now and need help keeping up with their organization!
Have a great Tuesday!
Ms. Smith
6th Grade Language Arts
West Rowan Middle School
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.
THIS YEAR IN LANGUAGE ARTS:
Second Quarter in Language Arts
We will begin our study of informational works and research as shown below:
Research Skills
Research Focus: The Big 6 research strategy, multiple resources, primary and secondary sources, effects of presentation, generate questions, and summarize information.
We will also continue our focus on Literary Terms/Reading Skills/Literary Genres from first quarter as shown below:
Literary Terms/Reading Skills/Literary Genres
Literary Focus: We will review/explore author’s purpose, author’s stance, characterization, audience, context, dialogue, suspense, 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, and tone.
Literary Genres: We will investigate novels, autobiography, myths, essays, magazine, plays, informational texts, pattern poems, blank verse, fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry.
NCSCOS 5.02 We will study the characteristics of literary genres.
Writing and Grammar Focus
Paragraphing: Clarification or narrative sample for writing portfolio
Using phrases and clauses correctly (e.g., prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses)
Review and demonstrate the different roles of the different parts of speech in sentence construction.
Parts of speech—nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, interjections, pronouns, conjunctions
We will also continue our focus on spelling, vocabulary, writing, and grammar from first quarter as shown below:
Continuing Writing and Grammar Focus:
NCSCOS 6.02 We will 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.
We will review subject/verb agreement, identify and correctly punctuate complete sentences vs. fragments, and explore sentence types—complex, compound, compound-complex, and simple.
NCSCOS 6.01 We will demonstrate 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.
* using appropriate subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
Vocabulary Focus:
We will continue to use the Patsy Stone WordSkills program.
* 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.
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 childs writing 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:
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
Have a wonderful day!
West Rowan Middle School
Rowan-Salisbury Schools
North Carolina Standard Course of Study for English/Language Arts 6th Grade
These are the objectives for our Language Arts class.
BrainPop with Tim and Moby
A great source of information on many different subjects. Kids love the BrainPop format and they learn while watching. There are several free presentations available on different subjects.
http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/nc/320
A good article with tips to encourage the reluctant reader
http://www.greatschools.net/content/backToSchool.page
Want to know how to support your middle-schooler? This page has great information!
Funbrain
Fun, educational games for students
Sites to Help Parents Help Their Kids
A collection of sites for parents and students
Department of Education Site for Parents
A great collection of ideas for parents to help their children
Deck: Spelling Words -dis (Test 11-13-08)
Deck: Spelling Words -mis (Test 12-17-08)
Deck: Spelling Words -com (Test 10-8-08)
Deck: Spelling Words -un (Test 10-22-08)
Deck: Wordskills Lesson One (co,de,in,per,pre) Test 9-25-08)
Deck: Wordskills Lesson Two {e(x), endo, exo, sym, trans} Test 10-17-08
Deck: Wordskills Lesson Three