What will my child be learning in language arts II (reading) and why?

Students in grade six will read several different novels such as: Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Hatchet, Tuck Everlasting, Where the Red Fern Grows, Gathering Blue, and several others. Throughout these novels, students will be responsible for vocabulary activities, discussion questions, classroom activities, quizzes, readings, and comprehensive tests. Also, at least a full quarter will be dedicated to Reader’s Workshop. Students will continuously be working to meet their Accelerated Reading Goal each and every quarter. Awesome trips and rewards are given to students that reach their goals. Where reading is concerned, my main task in grade six is to keep children reading. This means continually enlarging classroom libraries, making extensive use of school and community libraries, referring the children to new books, talking about books, reading to the children from increasingly complex works, and working with librarians and other teachers to organize such events as school wide book fairs and author visits for the children. Practicing reading is the single most important educational skill your students will learn. Understanding the organization and meaning of text and instruction in both phonics and literature is essential to helping children read. By understanding the prerequisite skills for reading, a solid foundation is built for students to learn and succeed in school

What should I expect my child to have for homework?

Throughout these novels, students will be responsible for vocabulary activities, discussion questions, classroom activities, quizzes, readings, and comprehensive tests. In reader’s workshop, students will meet with me weekly to go over journals, vocabulary, and questions.  Book talk oral presentations will be utilized throughout the year.

Will late assignments/homework be accepted?

If your child comes to school without his or her homework completed it will be counted as late.  All homework is due at the beginning of the class period.  I take off 20% for one day late, 40% for two days late, and 60% for three days late.  Also, as a whole class we discuss, grade, and review the answers from our homework the day it is due.  Your child will be asked to sit in the hall during this process to avoid hearing answers to the homework assignment that he/she did not complete.  Please discuss the importance of completing assignments and turning them in on time.  My goal for your child is to become an independent learner and learn to take responsibility for his or her actions.  Checking his or her assignment notebook every night is an excellent way to see if there was homework assigned.  After school tutoring programs are in place if your child is in need of additional help – contact Cindy Frank, CMS Counselor.

What can I do to ensure success for my child in reading?

• The best way is to have an open line of communication!  Please don’t wait if you have an issue you want to discuss till conferences.  I have found (through experience) that e-mail is a wonderful communication tool!  If you have a work or home e-mail address you would be willing to share, I can e-mail you should any concerns arise and vise versa! 
• Make sure they are using their assignment book and recording assignments each and every day at school.  As a parent/guardian, check their assignment book every night and ask to see the completed social studies assignment.  A parent/guardian is asked to sign the assignment book each and every day.  Make sure all answers are complete and offer advice to improve work.  Turning in daily work that is neat and fully completed is over half of his or her grade! Also, each student is responsible for reading each and every night at least 20 minutes!
• Make sure you are looking through your child’s Friday Folder every Friday for graded work.  You should almost always find a graded reading assignment every week.  Work will leave the school in a folder, but it will be your child’s responsibility to make sure it gets home to you!  Go through his or her graded work and discuss errors he or she made.
• If your child is absent due to sickness, vacation, etc., please call ahead of time to pick up any missing assignments.  All homework missed will be placed in the office at the end of the day.  If your child needs a book from his or her locker, you’ll need to get the locker number and combination from your child before coming to pick up their missed homework.  I have found that if a student has missed school days, he or she has a hard time catching back up when homework was not picked up.