1. Ms. O’Hara’s 6 th Grade Language Arts Class

2. Course Description The sixth grade English/Language Arts curriculum will follow the Common Core State Standards for Literacy. These standards are based on four areas of study: Reading (literature and informational text) Writing Speaking and Listening Language To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a global society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and non-print texts in media forms old and new.

3. Grading Policy Tests and Projects 45% Quizzes and Class work 45% Homework10%

4. Tutoring Times Extra help will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from - --------it can be arranged at either the teacher’s or student’s urging but needs to be requested with some degree of prior notice to avoid scheduling conflicts.

5. Late Work Policy Homework will be written in the agenda daily. Parents are expected to check the agenda daily and make sure work is completed. If homework is not completed, students will lose a square on their Homework card.

6. Late work must be turned in but will result in a loss of points. Homework is expected to be complete when class begins. Late homework, projects, and final draft writing will be penalized 10 points per day late.

7. NOVELS D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Woodsong by Gary Paulsen The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton

8. Course Overview

9. Quarter 1 Elements of Text Vocabulary Major Genres Main Idea/Supporting Details Summarizing Inferences Drawing Conclusions Making Judgments Context Clues Author’s Purpose Text Features/Organizational Patterns Story Elements Vocabulary Writing Process D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths Grammar/Language Focus: Nouns, Verbs, Sentences Major GenresMajjMain Idea and Supporting Details Summarizing Inferences and Drawing Conclusion Vocabulary Writing Process Grammar/Language Focus: Nouns, Verbs, Sentences

10. Quarter 2 Exploring Language Author’s Style Mood/Tone Point of View Poetry (elements of) Figurative Language Structure of Genre Imagery Symbols Connotation/Denotation Dialect/Diction Audience Theme Writing Process Vocabulary Freak the Mighty Grammar/Language Focus: Adjectives, Adverbs, Context Clues

11. Quarter 3 Nonfiction…A Deeper Look Biography/Autobiography Memoirs Personal Narratives Primary/Secondary Sources Text Structure and Features Summarizing Claim Debate Supporting Evidence Argument Bias Perspective Persuasive Techniques Generalizations Reliable vs. Unreliable Sources Research Writing Process Vocabulary Woodsong – memoir Grammar/Language Focus: Pronouns, Word/Phrases with Multiple Meanings, Analogies

12. Quarter 4 Research Sources Documentation Note-taking Plagiarism MLA Formatting Reflection Writing Process Research Paper Graphic Aids Genre Review Summative Test Review The Outsiders Vocabulary Grammar/Language Focus: Conventions of Writing, Reference Materials for Word Usage

13. WEBSITE AND CONTACT My email address is: marie.bellion@cms.k12.nc.us My Website: http://pauletteohara.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/Home You can also connect to these through a link on the Crestdale faculty page!