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Ms. Calder, Language Arts, 6th

Posts

September 3 - 6

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about 
literature and storytelling, with a focus on the narrative text genre. 
We will read texts about fascinating characters facing challenging 
conflicts and learn what craft goes into a superb story.
 
BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words voracious, discipline, 
persevere, and intrepid in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Tell me about a time when you had to persevere to 
achieve something. Describe a person you think is intrepid.
 
What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the root ject; prefixes gen–, trans–,
inter–, en–; and suffixes –y, –ly, –ily, –ful, –less, –ment, –ness in books,
magazines, online texts, and environmental print.

Explore the Genre 
The genre focus in module 2 is narrative text. Discuss with your 
child the characteristics of this genre. Ask your child to read to you each 
day and make time to read together.

Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• present interesting characters and settings
• have a plot that will keep your child engaged

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is 
learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about 
the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has
learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answer.

August 26 - 30

This is our last week in Module 1, Eyes on the Prize. 
 
We will be reading, "9 Young People Who Changed the World" and focus on inferencing, text structures, author's purpose, and text and graphic features.  On Friday the students will be taking a performance task assessment over the last three weeks practicing the reading skills that they have learned. 
 
The second half of ELA class, we will be starting small group rotations.  Each day the students will have a different skill they will be focusing on and then rotate each day through these skills, grammar, decoding, vocabulary and writing. The decoding and writing rotations will be teacher directed with myself and Mrs. Bonal on Tuesday and Thursday and Mrs. Teresa on Monday and Wednesday. 
 
For writing the students will finish their personal narrative that they have been working on, "How a Mistake became a success", and will be sharing their writing on Friday

August 19 - 23

We are on Module 1 Eyes on the Prize, Week 2. 
 
Reading:
The story this week is: "The Dawn Wall/Meet the Climbers who made Yosemite's Toughest Ascent" and the reading strategy will be working on comparing and contrasting. 
 
Vocabulary focus words are: slum, principles, represent, sheer, ascending, rank, analysis, and variations.  We will work more with the strategy of context clues. 
 
Writing:
We will be exploring different types of sentences and continue working through the writer's workshop for the topic of the Personal Narrative, "When a mistake becomes a success". 

August 12 - 16

We will be using a new reading and writing curriculum which I am so excited about!

Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about goal-setting and personal accomplishments, with a focus on the informational text genre. We will read texts and view videos about exceptional individuals who have achieved greatness and what it took for them to do that.
 
The first Module is called Eyes on the Prize! Each Module is broken into three weeks, and each week has five lessons that work on reading, functional skills, vocabulary, writing and grammar.  Functional skills and communication will also be taught during our Academic Lab time on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 
 
BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!
 
Discuss the Topic: set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about 
the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic and work together to find the answers.
 
Explore the Genre: The genre focus in this module is informational text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre. Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together.
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• present interesting ideas and information
• help readers connect to social studies topics

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words eminent, dedication, attain, and initiatives in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Explain what is special about an eminent person you admire. Tell about a goal you want to attain this school year.
 
What Does It Mean?
Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words.
Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the roots mis, chor, graph, tract, duc, trib; and prefixes ex–, sur–, semi– in books, magazines, online texts, and in environmental print such as signs and billboards.
 
We will be taking the MAPS test on Tuesday from 9:15 to 10:45.