SYLLABUS
SIXTH
GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS AND WRITING
AC2E 6th
Grade 2013-2014
TEXTBOOKS
Literature Texas Treasure
TEXAS WRITE SOURCE
LANGUAGE ARTS COURSE DESCRIPTION
In Sixth Grade Language Arts, students continue to develop an appreciation of written and spoken language. As readers, sixth graders experience more sophisticated works of literature for study and analysis in the classroom. We will be read 5 novels as a whole class. Students reading independently are required to select a novel from their Media Center at their respective home campus. Students will also review all of the parts of speech and enhance vocabulary words. They will use media, and technology for expressive, informational, argumentative, critical and literary purposes. Students will use the stages of the writing process to write clear, coherent drafts and compositions throughout the school year.
LANGUAGE ARTS HONORS COURSE DESCRIPTION
At the middle school level, 6thGrade Language Arts Honors class will give students the opportunity to practice (at the appropriate level) skills that enable them to be successful in the Advanced Placement class and /or Honors class at the high school level. This course builds on the range of basic content form with the on-level course, and has students investigate literature in more depth. Students will be challenged to develop advanced skills in reading, composition, oral communication, and logical argument. The grammatical, mechanical and syntactical skills of language are taught within the meaningful context of the writing process. Extensive in and out of class reading, individual and group research projects, challenging class discussions, and a variety of writing experiences will be required.
CLASSROOM PROCEDURES AND EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to follow four basic rules:
1. Be on time.
2. Be prepared.
3. Follow directions.
4. Respect yourself and the rights of others.
GRADING
A student’s grade will be determined by participation, homework, class work, tests, quizzes, and
projects. Major writing assignments will be recorded as test grades. The grade distribution for Language
Arts is as follows:
Tests/Common
Assessment/Major Projects/Essays 25%
Quizzes/Mini
Projects, Homework/Class-work, Participation 75%
Tests and Book Reports
If you are planning on being absent the day a project is due, YOU MUST HAND IN THE PROJECT A DAY EARLY. Book reports and or assignments accepted after Friday of the due date week will lose 10% each day it’s late. Any major test must be made up the following Friday and the student must request it.
Quizzes
Students must make up all missed quizzes on the following Friday. After one week without taking the quiz, the quiz grade will become an F.
MAKE-UP WORK PROCEDURES
Students will follow the make-up procedures as outlined in this syllabus. Upon returning to school following an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher to request make-up work. If you are absent, you will have the number of days absent to make up work, for example: 2 days absent, two days to make up. It is the student’s responsibility to get missing work.
HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS
Due to individual differences in learning styles and work habits, time spent on homework each night will vary from child to child. Your child should write down all homework assignments in his/her agenda daily. If your child checks into school for a day (even if he/she checks in late or checks out early), he/she is responsible for completing that day’s homework for all classes he/she attended prior to leaving school by the next day. In order to receive full credit, assignments should be completed neatly, accurately, and on time. Students have 5 days to make up any missing homework, losing 10% a day, after the fifth day it is a 0%.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
During the
course of the year, projects such as book reports and essays, etc. will be
assigned. They will be counted as a test grade; 10% will be deducted each day
for late work from the points earned.
TEACHER/PARENT COMMUNICATION
You may contact
me at the following email address: aidepena41@yahoo.com, I try to answer emails
as promptly as I can. I usually answer emails within a 24-hour period. If emailing me over the weekend, please do
not be alarmed if you do not receive a response until Monday. You may also call the front office at (956)
487-4476 or you may write a note and send it with your child to school.
LANGAGE ARTS REQUIRED MATERIALS
·
Text
Books: Texas WRITE SOURCE, LITERATURE TEXAS TREASURE
·
Syllabus
·
2-
3 ring binder w/two inside pockets (no bigger than 1 ½ inch)
·
Wide-ruled
notebook paper
·
Erasers
·
Highlighters,
·
Pencils
4 pkgs.
·
5
dividers w/tabs for binder
·
Zipper
pouch for writing utensils (3-hole punched to be kept in binder)
·
3
Composition Books
·
1
Dictionary required for STAAR
·
2
Boxes Kleenex
LANGUAGE
ARTS ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT
RULES
FOR WRITING
2013-2014
TEACHER: Aidé M. Pérez-Peña
ACADEMIC HONOR CODE
All students must always submit work
that represents his or her original work, words, or ideas. If any words or ideas are used that do not
represent origination from an individual student, the student must cite all
relevant sources. The student should
also document the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require citation include,
but are not limited to, all hardcopies or electronic publications, whether
copyrighted or not, and all verbal or visual communication when the content of
such communication clearly originates from an identifiable source. In the online course, all submissions to any
public meeting or private mailbox fall within the scope of words and ideas that
require citations if used by someone other than the original author.
Academic dishonesty could involve:
·
Having
a tutor or friend complete a portion of our assignments
·
Having
a reviewer make extensive revisions to an assignment
·
Copying
work submitted by another student to a public class meeting
·
Using
information from online information services without proper citation
PLAGIARISM DETECTION
At the instructor’s discretion, work
presented in this course is subject to verification of originality, using the
following service: www.turnitin.com.
Dear Parents/Guardians
This course is designed to challenge
students to think critically and to apply what they have learned in class to
become dynamic, fluent readers and writers.
Please encourage them to read and proofread carefully. If at any time you would like to meet with me
to discuss your child’s progress within the course, please feel free to contact
me using the information at the top of this syllabus.
I am looking forward to teaching your
child this year. I am very passionate
about students’ success in education and hope to share this enthusiasm with
your child. I am confident that the
upcoming year will prove to be exciting, productive, and fun! Please take a few minutes to review the
syllabus that will be sent home with your child on the first day of school,
August 26, 2013.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Aidé M. Pérez-Peña
