1. WELCOME TO GATE ELA
Ms. Jaime Brennan
Room 101

2. About me
I grew up in a small beach community in NY and moved to AZ with my family during my senior year of high school.
ASU is from where I earned my degree in elementary education, graduating summa cum laude. I have an endorsement in English as a Second Language, and Middle Grades Language Arts 6-8 is an approved area on my certification.
This is my fifth year at Altadena. I taught fifth grade for 14 years, 10 of which were at Monte Vista.
I’ve been in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers twice.
I was honored to be a nominee for the Educational Mentor of the Year by the Ahwatukee Foothills News and SRP in 2013.
I am so excited to be teaching ELA at Altadena again!

3. Language arts Reading Skills—read it, think it through, understand it
Pearson’s myPerspectives
computer-based assessments
novel studies
Writing Skills—sentence structure, organization, conventions
one extended writing piece each quarter
journal—two prompts per week

4. QUARTER 4—Modern Technology
QUARTER 1—Childhood
Essential question: What are some of the challenges and triumphs of growing up?
nonfiction narrative
The Watsons Go to Birmingham or Peter Pan
QUARTER 2—Imagination
Essential question: Where can imagination lead?
explanatory text, argument, informative presentation, poetry, plays, fictional text
Freak the Mighty or Alice in Wonderland
QUARTER 3—Exploration
Essential question: What drives people to explore?
argument essay and speech
The Lightning Thief or The Sword and the Circle
QUARTER 4—Modern Technology
Essential question: How is modern technology helpful and harmful to society?
argument essay, debate, solve real-world problems through research and idea development
Flush, Dr. Doolittle, White Fang, or Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

5. COLOR-CODED PARAGRAPHS
Students will use the color-coded paragraph to structure the writing of quality paragraphs containing at least 11 sentences.
Green—topic and concluding sentences
Blue—transition
Yellow—reason/detail/fact
Pink—examples/explanation

6. Typical homework—YES, EXPECT IT.
read 30 minutes each night
writing
all homework will be posted on my website

8. GRADES 80% assessments (tests, projects, etc.)
20% practice (homework, classwork, etc.)
Turn everything in on time.
Late homework earns a zero.
For each day a project is late, 10% is deducted.
Advocate for yourself. This is YOUR education. Altadena teachers love it when a student s them with a question!
Please use the StudentVUE or ParentVUE portal on the Kyrene website to check grades frequently.

9. other school spelling bee word games/brainteasers
friendly competitions in class
book orders
The ability to read it does not mean it is developmentally appropriate.

10. www.kyrene.org/alt Class website: ParentVUE:
weekly agenda and homework--Please check daily for updates!
literacy links to practice skills
ParentVUE:
grades, absences, tardies, contact information
The best way to contact me is through
**Please write your name and period number in the subject line.
Join Remind to receive text messages with reminders and updates:
periods 2 and to 81010

11. I am looking forward to a wonderful year!