Welcome to Sixth Grade!!Literature and Language Arts

The goal of the advanced reading program is to develop thoughtful and strategic readers who value reading. Students will be provided with challenging opportunities aimed at helping develop critical thinking skills.

ADVANCED LITERATURE

Class ObjectivesStudents will analyze works of literature as they learn

to annotate text.

Students will recognize literary elements from different genres of reading.

Students will use multiple strategies to construct meaning before, during, and after reading.

Students will analyze literary skills such as conflict, theme, and plot structure in reading selections.

Students will explore and reflect on universal themes and issues from the text.

Focus of the Class

Students will read various forms of fiction and non-fiction.Short stories, novels, myths, folk tales,

biographies and autobiographies.

Students will use their textbook, reading workbook and class novels.

The Extended Reading Response format will be reviewed and incorporated throughout the year.

Class ExpectationsComplete a large amount of out-of-class reading

and writing.

Demonstrate high effective time-management skills and the ability to advocate for themselves.

Maintain an 83% in both reading and writing.

 Conduct in-depth research.

 Develop focused, long-term projects.

Independent ReadingTrimester One Trimester Two Trimester Three

Student Choice Project

Choice of genre and and project from “choice” list.

Historical Fiction

Historical Fiction selected book – teacher selected project

Rebecca Caudill Project

Student selected book from the Rebecca Caudill Award winners list

Genre Project - Mystery

Teacher selected genre – student selected book within the genre

Biography/Autobiography

Biography/Autobiography selected book – teacher selected project

Book Float Project

Student selected book - teacher selected project

Skill DevelopmentIntellectual curiosity and courage

Perseverance

Self-confidence and reliance on reason

The ability to analyze and synthesize information (critical thinking)

The ability to consider all sides of an issue

Reading LogsOur goal is to encourage regular independent

reading!

Due the first day of the month

Worth 50 points

Includes date, title of reading selection, pages read, minutes read, and reading strategies used.

Goal: 800 minutes a month

Fiction and non-fiction

Contact InformationMrs. Mazzocchi – Room 201

847-566-9384 – extension 9-1201

Email: dmazzocchi@fsd79.org

My website: http://fsd79.schoolwires.net//Domain/249

SDS: https://ssl.schooloffice.com/fremont/parentconnect/

Advanced Language Arts

The goal of advanced language arts is to develop the strategies necessary to enhance the growth of fluent writing skills.

Students will explore writing strategies using anecdotes, examples, facts and statistics.

Class Objectives

Students will:Produce various types of written work

products.Use the five steps in the writing

process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing.

Expand their vocabulary by determining meanings of words using word structure and context clues.

Focus of the Class

The Writing Process

Different genres of writing:Narrative, Descriptive, Persuasive,

Expository

Vocabulary / Spelling

Grammar

The Writing Process

Students will use the writing process to produce various written products with an emphasis on narrative, persuasive and expository writing.

Student work will be collected in a portfolio that will be added to during the course of the year.

Writing Tools

Writer’s Notebook – weekly tool used to develop writing fluency.

Rubrics and checklists

Conferencing

My Access - web based tool that provides feedback to students about their writing. Aligned to state standards.

Vocabulary and Spelling

A new vocabulary unit is introduced on the first day of the week. Student are assigned the unit and it is due on Thursday. Vocabulary and spelling quizzes are on Friday.

Students are expected to study both the spelling and meaning of the words throughout the week to prepare themselves for the quizzes.

Ongoing practice with analogies

Cross Curricular Units

Mystery Unit: October/November “Who Stole King Tut’s mask?”

Mythology/Middle Ages Unit -January/February-”Middle Ages Day”

GREECE/ROME-April/May

6th grade success

“Character Counts” every day!

Homework – due on assigned due dates.

Responsibility for assignment notebook.

Homework is posted in classroom and on teacher websites.

Parent + Student + Teacher = SUCCESS