skip to main content
Jane Crater Staff Photo
Mrs.  Jane  Crater
6th Grade Language Arts
Phone Icon 503-738-6892      Email Icon   Email

View All Teachers

About the Teacher Course Description
Share

Course Description 

The Sixth Grade Language Arts class is a balanced literacy program aligned with the National Common Core Standards. Students are challenged to improve in the areas of reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and listening.  Students will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction sources including novels, short stories, essays, and poems. They will create written responses which cite evidence to support claims.

 

Text/Course Materials:

  • Common Core CodeX student edition, 2014, Scholastic.
  • Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
  • The Giver, by Lois Lowry
  • Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen


Homework:

  • Students are expected to read regularly at home.

  • Assignments not completed in class are to be completed by the next class.


Grading Policies:

The Language Arts Department grades students based on their performance on unit assessments, writing performance tasks, daily class-work, novel study units, and participation.  We will use a standard grading scale, with each area of work weighted as shown below:

 

A 90-100%

B 80-89%

C 70-79%

D 60-69%

F <60%

    Approximate weighted values:  

  • 50%  Unit assessments & Written performance tasks

  • 35%  Formative Quizzes, Informal Writing, Editing

  • 15%  Daily Participation and Practice, Classwork, Journals
   

 

Class Expectations:

Be Safe

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

  • Listen carefully to spoken instructions.

  • Read instructions carefully.

  • Keep your hands to yourself.

  • Participate fully in class by listening, asking questions, & contributing to the discussion.

  • Clean up your area before leaving the room.

  • Respect other students’ belongings.

  • Use appropriate language.

  • Be kind to your classmates.

  • Follow the directions the first time.

  • Work hard at all times.

  • Bring the required materials to class every day.

  • Do the work expected of you.

  • Get my attention and ask questions when you don’t understand.

  • Arrive to class on time.

  • Turn in completed work when it is due.

 



Academic Integrity:

Students are responsible for ethical and honest behavior. Cheating occurs when a student attempts to complete or take credit for work by any dishonest means or assists another in doing so.  Many assignments are completed on the honor system with no monitoring of student behavior. However, the standards for ethical behavior are the same whether the student work is completed inside or outside the classroom. Students must accept responsibility for the academic integrity of their work. When work is copied, both the person who copied and the person who gave the work will be held responsible.

 

Approximate Course Outline:

First Trimester: September 4th – November 30th

Common Core Code X: Literary focus & MLA Format, Citations,  Argumentative Essay Performance Task, Novel study: Excerpts from Hoot

 

Second Trimester: December 4th – March 14th

Common Core Code X: Informative Focus & Informative Essay Performance Task Non-Fiction and Close Readings study, Novel Study: Tuck Everlasting

Third Trimester: March 18th – June 14th

Common Core Code X: To be determined, Novel Study: The Giver

 

Daily Materials needed for class:

1.  Student Planner 2.  Binder 3.  Journal 4.  Pencil/Pen  5.  Book

 

Common Core State Standards Learned in this Course:

This course will cover each of the 6th Grade Common Core standards in the following areas:

Reading: Literature Writing

Reading: Informational Text Language

Speaking and Listening


The specific standards covered in each of these areas can be found at the following website:

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy