What will my child be learning in language arts and why?

Students in grade six cover several grammar lessons throughout the year. They will be working with nouns, pronouns, verb, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, interjections, conjunctions, capitalization, and all parts of sentences. Students will be utilizing their language books along with supplemental worksheets to reinforce ideas and concepts. Additionally, we work daily on Daily Oral Language and journal writing. Some other projects completed in Language Arts I are: Biography Poems, Career Education Research Projects, Iditarod Activities and Research, Roots and Affixes Activities, Dictionary Skill Activities, Whatif Poems, and many extended response and writing projects to prepare for the ISAT. We might even explore writer’s workshop! With the widespread institution of standards and high-stakes tests, students are expected to recognize and use correct grammar. Educators can no longer afford to assume that students acquire an accurate understanding of formal language structures through reading, writing, and speaking. Grammar instruction should be tailor-made to meet the needs of students, and should weave both rigid and expressive practices into relevant, meaningful instruction.

What should I expect my child to have for homework?

Students will receive almost daily language arts assignments.  Most students complete these assignments in class - if time is utilized beneficially.  Students will see assignments from their language arts textbook, worksheets, collage/poster rubrics, and many other activities pending on what’s being covered.  I DO grade on their spelling, grammar, and capitalization.

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 Language Arts I?

• 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!
• Make sure you are looking through your child’s Friday Folder every Friday for graded work.  You should almost always find a graded language arts 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.