1. Sixth Grade Language Arts Track 3- Middle Earth Mrs. Hannula
Salem Middle School
Sixth Grade Language Arts
Track 3- Middle Earth
Mrs. Hannula

2. Question? Conerns? Comments? Volunteers?
Post-it notes provided
Please leave feedback on the notes throughout the presentation
If your comment requires a response, please include name and contact information
Leave notes in the bin on the front table

3. Mrs. Hannula Graduated from NC State University
Nationally Board Certified in English Language Arts, 2008
Currently attending graduate school—Curriculum & Instruction
Beginning Teacher Mentor and ITT Mentor (In This Together)

4. A Trip around the Room Caught Ya Quote of the Day & Word of the Day
Missing Work, Class Handouts & Turn-in Bin
Date, Agenda, “I Can”, & Calendar
40 Book Challenge
Word Wall
Reading Recommendations

5. ILL Interactive Learning Log (5-subject spiral notebook)
ALL class notes, handouts, assignments, and assessments will go in ILL
glue or staple items into the notebook each day.
table of contents at the beginning of the notebook

6. Shared Lesson Planning
SMS teachers are planning together every week—by discipline, interdisciplinary and vertically
Students, regardless of team, are getting the same quality instruction and are working the meet the same objectives.
This commonality allows us to capitalize on teacher strengths and ensures that all children are getting the best practices of all teachers at Salem.

7. Shared Assessments
All LA teachers will be giving students the same assessments. Most homework assignments, quizzes and tests will be common across teams.
This again ensures that all students, regardless of team, are being held to the same standards and exposed to the same content.

8. Common Core Language Arts Curriculum
Reading (literature & informational)
Writing: informational (narrative, evaluative & argumentative)
Listening and speaking (collaboration and presentation)
Language: conventions and vocabulary skills

9. Team Routines SSR (silent, sustained reading) schedule
Agendas, ILLs & red folders
Behavior Records & Bathroom Passes –10 per quarter
Commendable Behaviors –Positive Behavior Support
Spartan Time
Working Lunch
Peer Tutoring
Blackboard, Blog, Wikis, Pageflakes, Voicethread, Diigo!

10. Grading Policy
All assignments are designed to measure a student’s mastery of specific objectives.
We use two types of assessments: formative and summative.
Formative assessments may not be “graded” based on accuracy, although a student may be asked to rework an assignment if it is determined that the objective has not been met.
Instead, feedback will be provided that is intended to help a child master content before a summative assessment.

11. Grading Scale/Feedback
Check Plus = Superior
Check = Above Average
Check Minus = Average
Minus = Needs Improvement
*Students who score below an 80 on any assessment will be given the opportunity to retake the assessment for a grade of up to an 80 during working lunch

12. Must Do Assignments
All assignments for a given week will be listed on the board each week on Monday and are included on my website.
Reading Logs-These are due every other Friday, signed.
There may not be homework “drill and practice” assignments every night in LA, but there may be times when the homework is to complete the independent practice from class or to STUDY.
We review how to study before any assessment; this may not include standard memorization “study guides”.
The best thing you can do at home for homework and increased classroom performance is to encourage and provide time/space for your child to read for at least 30 minutes each night.

13. Can Do Assignments/Enrichment
As the year goes on, we will have several optional homework/enrichment activities posted on the wiki and available in class.
Enrichment opportunities are provided with most assignments.
They are designed to extend a child’s learning on topics that we are studying in class.
Can Do assignments allow a parent to support their child’s education and to have some control over the amount of “homework” that their children have.
Blog/wiki/40 Book

14. Blackboard & Team Websites
All teachers will have a Blackboard account or website to keep parents informed about school happenings and to post valuable information.
Parents can access Blackboard by using their student’s username and password. Your child has this information.
The web address for Blackboard is
My website is:

15. Communication SPAN Weekly Emails Commendable Behaviors-sign every week
Blackboard-check daily
Agenda-check daily
The best way to contact Mrs. Hannula is via . Her address is
You can also contact Mrs. Hannula by calling SMS at She will call you back within 48 hours during her planning period (1:27-3:00).