Sixth Grade Literacy Course Syllabus

The purpose of this document is to provide parents and families a resource for supporting students’ Literacy Learning.

Instructor: Jennifer Burisek, Ed.D. Text: (2006). The language of literature. McDougall Littell: Evanston. Students are issued a text to keep at home. Class copies are available for class use. The link below offers supplemental activities and information for student use. http://www.classzone.com/books/language_of_lit_gr06/index.cfm?state=IL Contact information: WJHS Room 314. 630.468.8222 (direct—will not ring during school day. Please leave a message and I can return your call.) [email protected] Course Length: Full Year Time: 86 minutes (linked class) Course Summary: Students in 6th grade Literacy will be exposed to a variety of activities which emphasize the use of communication skills. Students will work to enhance communication skills via writing, speaking, and utilization of technology. Through a Writer’s Workshop format, emphasis will be placed on creating narrative, expository, and argumentative pieces in collaboration with peers. Reading a wide variety of literary genre will allow students to grow in their ability to read with understanding and fluency, make connections, and listen and speak effectively. Differentiated instruction and ongoing data analysis are utilized to meet student needs.

Literacy Course Goals Include:

PRIORITY INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1. To teach the students how to learn (curiosity and imagination, agility and adaptability) 2. To teach the students how to use rational process (accessing and analyzing information) 3. To teach students competence in basic skills (effective oral and written communication)

1 4. To help students develop intellectual and vocational competence (initiative and entrepreneurialism) 5. To help students explore values through new experiences (collaboration across networks and leading by influence) 6. To help students understand necessary concepts to use in solving personal problems (critical thinking and problem solving)

( ) denotes one of Seven Survival Skills. Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap. Basic: New York.

GENERAL EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF WESTMONT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL: 1. To develop self-motivated learners 2. To help students improve their learning skills 3. To help students improve their living skills 4. To humanize the educational process 5. To individualize instruction 6. To develop a more relevant curriculum 7. To provide continuous evaluation 8. To encourage community involvement 9. To operate more efficiently and effectively

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS:

Illinois is one of 48 states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards (while this movement began a few years ago, I’ve included this information for your information). These standards, listed below, are deeper, fewer, and higher than the standards used previously--the Illinois State Standards. Utilization of the standards ensures that students in my classroom are learning skills that students in the ‘Common Core states’ are also learning. Illinois is working to determine how student progress toward standards will be formally measured. How can they be made useful to you and your student? Being familiar with them, and their purpose, can help you support your student’s learning as well as helping your student understand that our classroom is part of a nation of learners, whose goal is to attain the highest possible educational achievement.

Anchor Standards for Reading

Key Ideas and Details

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. 3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Craft and Structure 4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. 5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. 6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.* 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. 9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Anchor Standards for Writing

Text Types and Purposes 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. Research to Build and Present Knowledge 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. 8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

3 Range of Writing 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening

Comprehension and Collaboration 1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. 2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. 3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Anchor Standards for Language

Conventions of Standard English 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Knowledge of Language 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. 5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. 6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. *Course work will focus on the course objectives. To ensure students are engaging in course activities, it’s important they ‘keep pace’ with class work.

Grading:

All activities/student work will be evaluated. Grades will be assigned to work using the following: 100%-90% A 89%-80% B 79%-70% C 69%-60% D 59% and below F

Course work will be assigned to one of four grading categories. Those categories (with examples of work) include Class work 30% (includes journals, entrance/exit slips; daily work completed in class) Projects 30% (includes Independent Literacy Project work, Writer’s Workshop final compositions and supporting documents, research work) Assignments 30% (includes longer-term work such as Writer’s Workshop drafts, work logs, reading logs) Homework 10% (work assigned to be completed for the next day)

Materials for Learning: Please know that if your student wears (or is to wear) glasses or contact lenses, I’m counting on him/her doing so. Used in class and kept in class: journals and binders Used in class and outside of class: Chromebook, pens, pencils, sticky notes, highlighters, loose leaf paper, folder, agenda, text Used in class: texts, quiet reading book (students should select) Kept at home: text, extra supplies

Classroom Expectations:  We will show respect.  We will be positive.  We will participate.  We will be engaged. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Students not meeting expectations may be asked to stay after school, come in before school, or meet during lunch to address teacher concerns. Intervention (from families and/or administration) will be utilized as needed.

Keeping Pace with Your Student: Often, parents/guardians become frustrated because they don’t feel like they know what’s going on in class. Your student’s honest, open communication is so helpful. I am counting on your student to share materials with you when I ask. When we have a long-

5 term project, a calendar is sent home. We practice creating a long-term project plan for the Independent Literacy Projects using student agendas. Your student’s use of his/her agenda is key to ‘connecting’ class and home.

Student Agendas: Students are expected to write all assignments (or none in the case of no homework) in their agendas for every class period every day.

Homework: Homework will be 10% of a student’s grade in Literacy. Establishing good study/homework routines are important for WJHS students to develop to ensure success now and in the future.

Incomplete homework is of concern. Incomplete work should be completed and submitted as soon as possible. Late work may be awarded partial credit.

Homework Hints: Homework—practice--is one of the important factors in the education of our students. Students may need the support of parents/guardians or older siblings at home in encouraging them to complete their assignments. These ‘homework guidelines’ have been proven to be helpful to students:  Parents/guardians should work with students to make sure students are accurately using their assignment notebooks on a daily basis.  Homework should be done in a quiet location, with good light, and away from distractions such as the phone, TV, radio, stereo, etc. Supplies such as paper, pens, pencils, etc should be readily available.  "Breaks" should be kept to a minimum so that the student can maintain focus and concentration on the job of studying.  Please note that the amount of time to be spent on homework will vary depending on the assignments. (A general rule of thumb would be an average MINIMUM amount of one hour per night for 6th graders and 1½ for 7th and 8th graders. This includes Monday night through Thursday night and one of the 3 weekend nights).  Students should schedule the homework time every day, but it doesn't have to be the same time every day. A schedule can be shaped to accommodate music lessons, soccer games, Scouts, etc. Once the study time starts, it should not be interrupted by phone calls, TV, games, etc.

Teachers are available both before, during, and after school to help students. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities. Students are encouraged to talk to me, write a note, or email re: setting up times to work/for help.

Monitoring Progress:

Students and families are encouraged to access Skyward on a regular basis. I will update grades weekly, usually by Friday morning. Students are encouraged to inquire about questions related to work/grades as it appears in Skyward. Families are welcome to inquire about work/grades as it appears in Skyward.

Further concerns about progress:

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with concerns. If concerns persist, parents/guardians may contact the sixth grade team to schedule a conference dealing with a particular subject area and/or concern.

Verbal and Written Expression:

Free speech and expression are guaranteed under our constitution. However, students who direct libelous statements, slanderous, threatening or harmful remarks in verbal, written or website based/computer file form will be dealt with immediately.

Acceptable Use of Technology:

As per the acceptable use of technology agreement/Chromebook policy handbook students sign, students are expected to use technology for the purpose of lessons and class activities. In cases where students are not, situations will be dealt with.

Absences: If/when your student is absent, the parent/guardian should call the school, 468-8200, between 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., indicating the reason for absence. Or, call the absence line phone number, 468-8291. If your student is absent from school you may make arrangements for one of his/her classmates to pick up homework for them on that day. Homework may be requested from the office for students who will be absent. I’ll make every effort to gather materials as soon as possible upon request. Following any absence, it is the student's responsibility to inquire about missed schoolwork or exams and to complete them. A student will be allowed one day to make up work for every day of excused absence.

Curriculum and Instruction: Our Plans for the Year

Throughout the year, students will read independently, with a partner, with a small group, with a large group, and to me. I’ll read to them daily. Students will read a variety of genres as they read short stories, poems, plays, informational pieces, and novels. Students will write daily in journals, for entrance and exit slips, for short-answer items, and for compositions. We’ll utilize Chromebooks to collaborate, research, and create. We’ll work as individuals, as partners, in small groups, in larger groups, and as a class. Students will have a variety of formal and informal public speaking opportunities.

7 Our year is broken up into units, which are focused on answering essential questions. Our studies include activities that will inform answers to the following essential questions: Unit 1: Growing Up How can literature help us understand what it means to grow up? Unit 2: Heritage How does heritage define us individually and as a nation? Unit 3: Folklore: A Blast from the Past How is folklore simultaneously revealing and limiting? Unit 4: Courageous Characters How are acts of courage revealed in writing? Unit 5: Figure It Out How are strategies for solving math problems similar to and different from strategies for solving mysteries? Unit 6: Facing Adversity How do people stand up for what they believe in?

Activities we’ll use to inform our answers to these questions include: Essential Vocabulary pre-test and work, post-test Reading Pre test, Post test Grammar work and assessments AIMSweb, MAP assessments Goal setting/progress monitoring Active Reading Strategies (annotating text) Vocabulary study Spelling work Poetry Short Stories Literacy Stations Novel Study/Book Clubs Discussion (in class, online) Research (w/various types of media) Writer’s Workshop (the process, narrative, expository, argumentative writing) Independent Reading (fiction and non-fiction text) Using media (besides text) in literacy

Independent Literacy Work Students will be given time for daily independent reading. Students are to have materials to read in class daily. Materials can be fiction or non-fiction. Students will be asked to provide evidence of interacting with text as well as to share their work/thinking with peers (in class sharing, Edmodo sharing, individual conferences w/me). This activity replaces my traditional Independent Literacy Projects. It’s an activity I’m piloting based on the work of Donalyn Miller. More information will be coming as we begin our work.

Summer Reading Project Introduction and Work time (May): Projects due within the first week of 7th grade classes Extending Learning Opportunities for Your Student:

 I maintain a blog as well as a Resources page via the WJHS website (main page/faculty staff/click on Jennifer Burisek). I try to post information/links that support teaching and learning in Literacy at least once a month.

 SRW: School Related Work: Consider helping your student extend his/her learning by encouraging him/her to engage in school related work outside of school. That work can include working on extra credit work (ILPs), reading a book related to a topic being studied in classes, engaging in research to further investigate a topic, organizing folders, reading the study tips in the agenda, reading or writing to complete chores—helping write a grocery list or a letter to a relative, reading to a family member, and/or evaluating progress made toward goals. There are many possibilities. Students who achieve success in their studies engage in work and learning beyond the school day.

 Writing Contests: Students are encouraged to participate in writing contest opportunities. As contest information is made available, information is shared with students via morning announcements and posted outside the Literacy Lounge.

Thank you for supporting your student’s literacy learning! Here’s to a great year!

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