1. Mrs. Shar Pirro spirro@stmatts.org 210-478-5082 www.smcssa.org/spirro
6th Grade English
Mrs. Shar Pirro

2. Goals
Plant Three
Rows Of Peas: 1. Peace of Mind 2. Peace of Heart 3. Peace of Soul
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind, and
with all your strength.”
Mark 12:30
Meet the Teacher
English Curriculum
Novels
Project Based Learning through STREAM
Grading Policy
AR Goals

3. Meet the Teacher: Mrs. Pirro
Reading Specialist Certificate
University of Colorado
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Spanish - University of Texas
Married 25 years: son attends St. Matthews and is in the 7th grade
Christian Life Coordinator, 6th Grade English and 8th Grade Religion Teacher
Loves cooking, crafting, reading and playing the guitar

4. 6th Grade English Curriculum
6th Grade English Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
Reading
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Summarize main events
Character traits
Compare and Contrast
Real-World Connections
Writing
Grammar
Spelling
Cursive Handwriting
Expository
Narrative
Persuasive
Studies
Novel
Writing
Reading

5. Class Novels Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
Excerpt from Diary of Anne Frank and other short stories
Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths
by Bernard Evslin
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

6. Project Based Learning through

7. 6th Grade Project Based Learning through
1st Semester Project:
FBI Investigation
Nonfiction Unit
Harriet Tubman – Life as a Slave Narrative
Holocaust Unit – Read Dairy of Anne Frank and Prisoner B-3087
Holocaust Memorial Museum
Meet a Holocaust Survivor
First Quarter Project – iMovie
Second Quarter Project – Character Study

8. Highlighting Code Vocabulary – yellow Characters – blue
Setting – green
Literary tools – pink
Important facts - underline

9. Grading Policy Tests/Projects = 60% Homework/classwork = 40%
Vocab/Comprehension
Final Drafts of Writing Assignments
Must revise and publish
Projects
Homework/classwork = 40%
Journal – cursive handwriting
Grammar exercises
Vocabulary practice
Graphic Organizers
Accelerated Reader Goal Percentage

10. Homework: eBackpack, website, planner
Must do EVERY night!
Have an adult quiz you on the spelling and definition of each vocabulary word.
Read your AR book for at least 10 minutes.  Use a timer. 
Read books, magazines, comics that interest you.
Read to find information – how to build a boat, how to fold origami.
Do crafts while watching YouTube – origami, drawing, etc.
Talk to an adult about your day.
Summarize events
Recognize beginning, middle, and end events

11. STAR Assessment: Accelerated Reader (AR) Program
STAR Assessment – 3 times per year
ZPD: Zone of Proximal Development – Reading Level
Determine Percentage Goal
Fiction and Non-fiction Selections
Library – Wednesdays
Take AR tests
Check–out books
Read AR book in class and at home

12. Mrs. Shar Pirro spirro@stmatts.org 210-478-5082 www.smcssa.org/spirro
Questions & Answers
Mrs. Shar Pirro