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Hales 6th Grade LA
Nicole Hales
KNOX MIDDLE
Zip Code: 28144
Contact Nicole Hales

Page Last Updated May 11, 2011
Number of Visits: 1386

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KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL 
CATAWBA TEAM
Mrs. Hales
6th Grade Language Arts & Social Studies

Count down is on ~only a few weeks until SUMMER VACATION!

Thank you for visiting my web page. 
Please feel free to contact me via email or call 704-633-2922 ext. 510
Monday - Thursday our students have homework, we ask our students to write their homework assignments in their agendas . If they are not sure what was assigned, you may call our homework hotline; 704-633-2922   ext. 510

~EOG TESTING SCHEDULE~

MONDAY 5/16 - Student Surveys during Homeroom
TUESDAY 5/17 - READING ASSESSMENT
WEDNESDAY 5/18 - MATH ASSESSMENT
THURSDAY 5/19 - MATH, CALCULATOR ACTIVE ASSESSMENT
FRIDAY 5/20 - TESTING MAKEUPS
REMEDIATION: WED. 5/25-FRI. 5/27
RETESTING: TUESDAY 5/31-6/2


GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR STUDENTS, YOU WORKED HARD THIS SCHOOL YEAR, TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO YOUR BEST - YOU ARE READY!

READ         READ       READ   We encourage all our students to read for 25-30 minutes each night. Students may read anything that interests them; chapter books, magazines, newspapers . . . Please continue to read over the summer!


Students may exchange their library books any morning during homeroom. 
We visit the library as a class on Thursdays. 


4th Quarter
Third quarter we will be studying literary terms, reading skills, literary genres, writing, grammar, and vocabulary. 
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH!

Vocabulary 

Word Parts: prefixes, base words, and suffixes

We are starting a new program; "Words at Work", a great vocabulary builder so look for vocabulary activities coming home each week with your student.

Weekly spelling words and Tic-Tac-Toe boards will go home every Monday. Students are to choose three activities - three in a row, any combo of three activities are due Friday. Have fun while you learn new words! 

Reading Strategies:

see the EOG review chart below 

Literature 

Literary Focus: author's purpose, audience, characterization, theme, setting, plot, point of view, main idea, compare/contrast, interpretation, summarizing, sequence, cause/effect, mood, tone and style. 

LEAD: HOOT, BY Carl Hiaasen

4TH & 7TH CLASSES: The Cay, by: Theodore Taylor

Lang Arts pd. 5: Literature Circles with Mrs. Stubbs and Mrs. Smith

End of Year Class Novel: HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS 

This is a fun book to read, the children love it. We laugh a lot and it generates good conversations on friendship. It's a great way to end our school year.  

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by: John Boyne (Social Studies class)

EOG REVIEW


WEEK

READING STRATEGIES

1/31 - 2/4

SEQUENCE

2/7-11

CAUSE & EFFECT

2/14-18

COMPARING & CONTRAST

Tues 2/22-25

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

2/28- 3/4

INFERENCES

3/7-3/11

MAKING PREDICTIONS

3/14-3/18

FACT & OPINION

3/21-3/25

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

Tues 3/29-4/1

SUMMARIZING

4/4-4/8

POETRY

4/11-4/15

STORY ELEMENTS

4/18 - Thurs. 4/21

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE


Grading Information
A 93-100
B 85 - 92
C 77- 84
D 69 -76

WE'RE LOVING LIFE ON STUDY ISLAND! 
Students may log into Study Island from any computer; at school, home or the public library. I have many assignments listed to help our students practice skills we learn in class. 


Larry Bell's 12 Powerful Words: 

Please use these words in conversations at home with your child. These words challenge our students to think on a high level. Many of our questions that we are asked to answer on standardize tests use these words. It is hard to answer a question in any subject if you do not know what the question means or is asking.

NEW 12 POWERFUL WORDS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS:
VERIFY - show me why it's right
NOT - no way/ no how
JUSTIFY - prove it (give reasons)
DISTINGUISH - all the ways they are different
AUTHOR'S PURPOSE - why was it written (PIE)
CONCLUSION - what was it all about
DEMONSTRATE - take me through the steps / show me how
CLASSIFY - put in the right group
EVIDENCE - things that prove it
DETERMINE - figure it out
PERSUADE - make me believe it
CHARACTERISTICS- list things about it / tell me all about it

Everyone should know these words, our elementary schools are doing a great job w/these!
TRACE: List in Steps
ANALYZE: Break Apart
INFER: Read between the Lines
EVALUATE: Judge
FORMULATE: Create
DESCRIBE: Tell all about
SUPPORT: Back up with Details
EXPLAIN: Tell How
SUMMARIZE: Give the Short Version
COMPARE: All the ways they are Alike
CONTRAST: All the ways they are Different
PREDICT: What will Happen Next

READING STRATEGIES: 
As your child can tell you I believe in "Actively Reading" which I ask all my students to do. I want them to use a pen or pencil - not a highlighter and bookmark the text. 
CIRCLE important words: names, dates, bold and italic print.
UNDERLINE supporting details, why did you circle that word?
In the margins SUMMARIZE (text message yourself) the main idea of each paragraph.

What makes students better readers????
Good Readers do the following:

1. Make a CONNECTION with what you are reading
Text to Self, Text to World, Text to Text

2.  Ask yourself QUESTIONS about what you are reading - before you read, while you're reading and after you finish a section.

3.  Make PREDICTIONS, draw conclusions and make inferences - think about the details that are provided in the reading passage. Use these details to figure out or understand information that is not explained. 
I think _______________ is going to happen.

4. VISUALIZE, imagine what you are reading in your mind.
I can see _____________. The image I have in my mind is ______________.
As I read, I picture __________________ the taste, smell, feel, sound.

5. SUMMARIZE what you read:
Sequence:  __________, ___________, and then _____________ happened
Cause and Effect: Cause=Why something happens. Effect=the result
Comparing and Contrast: Compare=Same, Contract=Different
Fact & Opinion: Fact=A statement that can be proved. Opinions cannot be verified.
Identifying Author's Purpose: Why do people write? for PIE = Persuade, Inform, Entertain
Identifying Author's Tone: Positive, negative or neutral
Story elements: Setting, Plot, Themes, Characters
Interpreting Figurative Language: Similes, Metaphors, Idioms



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

My child tells me, "I don't have any homework."
Homework should always be in the student's agenda, for my class and all core classes.
Each week I try to send home the following homework to reinforce the skills and lessons taught in class: reading comprehension practice, vocabulary skill building activity, grammar worksheet and a monthly "Book It" reading challenge. 

Is there anything I can do to help my child?
Be active in your child's education by checking their homework and classwork papers. Read with them, enjoy reading with them every night for 30 minutes. 

Is there anything they need for class?
GERM-X, TISSUES . . . 
pencils, notebook paper, pencil top erasers 

If you have any questions and need to contact me, please send an email.

















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