Saturday, October 26, 2013
Book-It
6th graders must read 400 minutes at home each month to receive their Pizza Hut Book-It. Minutes should be recorded on the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" Book-It Calendar. Students may color or simply put an X on each day they've read 20 minutes or more at home. Calendars require a parent signature and are due the last school day of each month.
Friday, October 11, 2013
6th graders must complete one book review a month. Book reviews must be on a chapter book read by your child that month. Book reviews are due the last day of each month.
Book Review Criteria
_/2
Title/Author
_/6
Summary = the solution/ending
Main characters
Setting
The Problem
_/2
Genre
_/5
Opinion of the critic (reviewer)
_/2
Who would you recommend the book to? (include ages)
_/2
Quotes from others who have read the book and
possibly a quote from the book.
_/2 Other books by the same author or book
comparisons
or sequels
_/1 Awards the book or author has won
_/3
Cliffhanger questions
_/25 Total Score
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Writer's Notebook Expectations
Notebook Expectations
Students are expected to…
ð write daily in their notebooks at school and at home
2 times a week.
ð ”find” topics for their notebook writing from their
life, from reading, and from natural curiosity. Students are expected to make decisions
about their writing topics on a daily basis.
ð try strategies from the mini-lesson before
continuing with their own work for the day.
ð fold over any entry they deem too personal to share
with the teacher. (Students may not
staple, glue, or tape this page shut). Any folded-over entries the teacher
cannot read will not be considered an entry toward their required number per
week.
ð respect the integrity of the notebook by taking care
of it and having it in class EVERYday.
Students will respect other notebooks by only reading entries they are
invited to read by the author.
ð practice what
they know about conventional spelling and grammar. Entries must be legible.
ð discover how writing can enrich their lives.
|
Students can depend on the
teacher to…
ð provide time each day for students to write during
writing workshop.
ð teach writing strategies as ways to discover writing
topics. Teachers will also confer with
students to help nudge their thinking and writing when students get stuck.
ð teach a mini-lesson each day to teach students how
to be better writers.
ð respect the folded entries. The teacher will respect the privacy of the
writer unless there is reason to believe the student is being hurt by
someone, is going to hurt someone, or is going to hurt him or herself.
ð have her notebook in class on a daily basis. The teacher will also share some of her
writing throughout the year to establish that she is a writer too! Mrs.
McDowell will not lose notebooks she collects, write all over entries in red
ink, or get chocolate smudges on them.
ð teach the
rules of grammar that will enhance student writing. Teachers will recognize that the notebook
is a place to practice new conventions and words and to master conventions
and words students already know.
ð discover how her life is enriched by the writing of
each student.
|
Writer's Notebook Scoring Guide
Writer's Notebooks will be due next Friday, Sept. 7th. After that, notebooks will be due every other week. Students will be required to complete 7 entries/week. 5 at school and 2 at home.
Writer’s Notebook Scoring Guide
10
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
|
Flexibility and Fluency
|
Most entries are
completed. Writer uses a variety of
strategies and topics.
|
Many entries are completed. Writer uses strategies from class and shows
some topic variety.
|
Entries are left
unfinished. Topics and strategies may
vary.
|
Entries are
underdeveloped. Little or not variety
in writing strategies.
|
Thoughtfulness
|
Entries are thoughtful and
reflective, revealing new insights to the writer’s thinking. Writer practices proper mechanics, usage,
grammar, and spelling (MUGS).
|
Entries tend to be
thoughtful. They may reveal new
insights to the writer’s thinking. A
pattern of topics develops over a number of entries. Writer practices MUGS.
|
Entries resemble a diary
format or bed-to-bed-type stories.
Little or no reflective thinking is evident. Writer does not give attention to MUGS.
|
Entries are difficult to
read due to handwriting and /or MUGS.
Writer does not demonstrate reflective thinking.
|
Frequency
|
90% of required entries.
|
80% of required entries.
|
74% of required entries.
|
70% of required entries.
|
Friday, September 20, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Writer's Notebook
All 6th graders will be expected to keep a writer's notebook this year.
We will use our writer's notebooks to
1. Practice writing => We will write in our notebooks everyday!
2. Learn about writing => We will take notes in our writer's notebooks.
3. Record ideas => We will look back through our notebooks often and chose entries we would like to turn into full writing pieces.
I tell the students that writing is like playing football or doing gymnastics, or anything else for that matter, if we want to get better we have to practice! Right now we are learning strategies for our writer's notebook, strategies that will help us practice writing. These strategies help your child look at his/her own life and world in a way that seeks out stories, poems, and ideas. Unlike a prompt, a strategy can be used again and again in different contexts with different results.
The following strategies can be used by your child when they are writing in their notebook.
We will use our writer's notebooks to
1. Practice writing => We will write in our notebooks everyday!
2. Learn about writing => We will take notes in our writer's notebooks.
3. Record ideas => We will look back through our notebooks often and chose entries we would like to turn into full writing pieces.
I tell the students that writing is like playing football or doing gymnastics, or anything else for that matter, if we want to get better we have to practice! Right now we are learning strategies for our writer's notebook, strategies that will help us practice writing. These strategies help your child look at his/her own life and world in a way that seeks out stories, poems, and ideas. Unlike a prompt, a strategy can be used again and again in different contexts with different results.
The following strategies can be used by your child when they are writing in their notebook.
1. History of a Name
2. Writing from a List
3. Questioning/Wondering
4. Writing off Literature
5. Observations
6. Writing from a Word
7. Rereading and Highlighting
8. Lifting a Line
We have not covered all these strategies yet, but we're working on it. Within the next couple of weeks your child will have been introduced to each of these strategies. They should be recording examples of each of these strategies in their writer's notebook. After students have practiced each strategy at least once on their own they will be set free to chose their own strategy and what they would like to write about. At that time we will talk about notebook expectations and grading requirements. Look for information about notebook expectations and grading requirements to come home in the next couple of weeks.
Reading Response Letters
6th graders are required to write one reading response letter a week about the book they are reading independently. Students may not write about the book they are reading for book club. Student letters are due on different days. Your child's due date should be written on the front cover of their reader's notebook. Check with your child the day before his/her letter is due and make sure they have completed it. You may also want to remind your child to turn in their letter on the day it is due. I will be checking in with students and giving them reminders here at school as well, but I say the more reminders the merrier!!! Especially in the beginning as we are working on forming new habits. :)
While students are required to write one letter each week, I will collect and grade response letters every other week. Students must be responsible and disciplined to make sure they complete their letter even on the weeks I do not collect their notebooks. Please encourage your child to stay on top of his/her response letters, and ask about how their letters are coming along.
Students may use independent reading time in class to write their response letters, although some students may need to work on their letters at home as well. Your child should have a copy of the scoring guide in the middle section of their notebook, along with a copy of this letter:
9/11/13
Dear
Sixth Grader,
This year you will be writing
letters to me once a week during Reader’s Workshop. Your letters will be a
response to the book you are reading independently. You will always write these letters in your
reading notebook. Your letter will be due
on the day of the week recorded on your notebook. Late response letters will not be
accepted. These response letters will be
a major part of your reading grade
this year. Please do your best each time
you write me a letter. This will be a
fun way for you to share your thoughts about the books you are reading with me.
You will need to write these letters
using the friendly letter format. Your letter will need to include the title
and author of the book you are reading (don’t forget to underline the title). You will need to summarize what you’ve been
reading in your book that week. Remember
summaries include the setting, main characters, problem, and important events.
Most importantly you will need to share some of
your thoughts with me as they relate to the text you are reading. Remember READING IS THINKING! Good reader’s think about several things while
they are reading.
1.
Good readers make
connections. You will need to write about connections you
made while reading (text to text, text to self, or text to world) in each
letter.
2.
Good readers ask questions. They also know when they don’t understand
what they are reading. You can write
about questions you have while reading.
3.
Good readers make
predictions and inferences. You can write about
what you think will happen next or write what you think about certain
characters or events based on clues the author gives you.
4.
Good readers Visualize. You can write about how you pictured parts of
the book in your mind.
5.
Good readers decide what is
important. You should write the most important details
and events you’ve been reading about. If
it’s a fiction book make sure you include the problem and what is getting in
the way of solving the problem.
6.
Good readers summarize. Always write a summary of what you’ve
read. Summarizing helps us to understand
what we are reading and helps us to remember important information.
7.
Good readers monitor their
understanding. You
can write about how you thoughts changed about certain characters or events as
you read.
I will expect you to use your best handwriting
while you write in your response journals. I will also expect you to use 6th
grade conventions. You’ll need to follow
the rules we learn about in writer’s workshop as you write your letters. Each
letter you write me should be 1 full page.
Please do not skip lines and do not write too big or too small. I can’t wait to read your letters!
Your
teacher,
Mrs. McDowell
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Reading Notebook
Each 6th grader has a reading notebook. We will keep this notebook all year long.
Our reading notebook is divided into 3 sections.
- students record the date on the date they complete their books
- ALL books should be recorded on this list, including books read aloud to the student
*Reading Interest List
- students record topics and authors that interst them as well as titles of books they would like to read
*Genre Notes
-Students are required to read 40 books this year :)
-Students will keep a record of the # of books read in each genre with tally marks.
- Notes on each genre can be found in this section as well.
- Students will refer to these notes as they record the genre of the books they read.
*Reading is Thinking Notes
- Good readers think while they read!
-Notes on what good readers think about while reading can be found in this section.
- Students will refer to these notes often as they write their weekly reading response letters.
SECTION 2
*Students will write weekly reading response letters in this section. *Letters will be collected and graded every other week.
SECTION 3
*Book Club - students will record book club notes and activities in this section.*Book Club Calendars should be kept in this section.
*Students will refer to Book Club Calendars for club reading assignments.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Scholastic Book Orders
Ordering from Scholastic is EASY!!!! CHEAP!!!!! And MAKES READING MORE FUN for your child!!!! Kids love reading new books they have chosen!!
PLUS ordering from Scholastic earns our class free books (ordering online earns us even more free books)!!!
Check out your child's Scholastic book order today. There are great, teacher recommended titles to chose from and even more titles on their website!
Follow this link to place your order online. www.scholastic.com/readingclub
Our class code L74PP. You'll need that the first time you place an order online. You may also send orders and $ to school if you'd rather not order online.
PLUS ordering from Scholastic earns our class free books (ordering online earns us even more free books)!!!
Check out your child's Scholastic book order today. There are great, teacher recommended titles to chose from and even more titles on their website!
Follow this link to place your order online. www.scholastic.com/readingclub
Our class code L74PP. You'll need that the first time you place an order online. You may also send orders and $ to school if you'd rather not order online.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Binders
We are getting organized!!!
Last week each student put together a binder. You can expect this binder to come home EVERY night! Please ask your child about their binder and have them show you how it is organized. Check for it each night, especially this week as your child is working on forming new habits and will probably need some extra reminders until they get in the "organized grove!"
Here's what you should see in your child's binder:
1. Front Inside-Pocket: In the front inside pocket of the binder you will find graded papers, notes, and other important information that needs to come home. This pocket should be cleaned out EVERY night! If you need to send money, permission slips, weekly reviews, etc. back to school with your child; this is where it should go.
2. Assignment Notebook: Your child should be filling this out daily. It will give you a clue as to what we are learning each day at school and should help your child remember what homework they have for the evening.
3. Pocket Tab-Dividers: There should be one for each subject. Your child will keep important information and notes that they'll need for up coming test and projects behind each subject's tab. Homework/assignments should be kept in the pocket of each tab to be turned in the next day. All homework is due by 9:00 the day after it is assigned. We do NOT accept late homework in 6th grade.
Last week each student put together a binder. You can expect this binder to come home EVERY night! Please ask your child about their binder and have them show you how it is organized. Check for it each night, especially this week as your child is working on forming new habits and will probably need some extra reminders until they get in the "organized grove!"
Here's what you should see in your child's binder:
1. Front Inside-Pocket: In the front inside pocket of the binder you will find graded papers, notes, and other important information that needs to come home. This pocket should be cleaned out EVERY night! If you need to send money, permission slips, weekly reviews, etc. back to school with your child; this is where it should go.
2. Assignment Notebook: Your child should be filling this out daily. It will give you a clue as to what we are learning each day at school and should help your child remember what homework they have for the evening.
3. Pocket Tab-Dividers: There should be one for each subject. Your child will keep important information and notes that they'll need for up coming test and projects behind each subject's tab. Homework/assignments should be kept in the pocket of each tab to be turned in the next day. All homework is due by 9:00 the day after it is assigned. We do NOT accept late homework in 6th grade.
Friday, August 16, 2013
2 More Days!!!!!!
It was great meeting everyone at Back to School Night. I'm excited to get to know each of you!!! See you Monday! School is starting! Woot! Woot!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Welcome to 6th Grade!!!
In 6th grade Mrs. Washburn teaches Math, Science, and Spelling. Mrs. McDowell teaches Reading, Writing, and Social Studies. Both Mrs. Washburn and I love that we get to teach our favorite subjects and get to know every single 6th grader! We are looking forward to meeting each of you on back to school night!!! Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 15th from 5:15 - 6:15 p.m.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)