English Language Arts

The 6^th grade English Language Arts program is quite extensive.
Below is an outline of some of the topics that will be taught this school year.

Supplies needed everyday for class:

• Binder
• Agenda
• Writer’s NB
• Pencil (pen)
• Free Reading Book

Organization and Study Skills
    Knowing how to stay organized, take notes and study is the backbone to being successful in school. One focus this year is to help students develop these skills. Time management, goal setting, long term planning, and the importance of keeping an organized binder along with an up-to-date agenda book will be addressed and discussed.

Literature & Reading
    This year we will study a variety of genres, including fictional short stories, non-fiction, picture books, poetry and plays. We read from literature textbooks, non-fiction articles, poetry and picture books. Students will study literary terms. They will also explore how plot, character and setting work together in a story to develop a theme.

Writing
    Writing is a major component of the English Language Arts curriculum. Time will be spent brainstorming and drafting in the Writer’s Notebooks. The students will also work on developing organized and complete paragraphs. Students will be exposed to a variety of writing styles including narrative, creative, persuasive, research and poetry. We will continue to work on all aspects of the writing process. These include pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, evaluating and celebrating.
Save the Date! January 14^th – "Grandpa Joe" Writing Presentations

Vocabulary Development
    A new "Vocabulary – Word of the Day" will be introduced just about every day and written in the back of the Writer’s Notebook. There will be a "quick 5 point quiz" after 5 words and a culminating 30 point test after ten words. Proficiency is expected in both spelling and understanding the word’s meaning. Exercises include using the words in context, working with synonyms, part of speech and an illustration. Students should study their "WODs" every night so they’re not overwhelmed on the day of the quiz and test.

Grammar
    "Mini-lessons" on the following topics will be covered:

• Parts of Speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc.
• Usage: subject/verb agreement, comparisons and analogies
• Mechanics: capital letters and punctuation
• Sentence Structure: detecting fragments, correcting run-on sentences, and achieving sentence variety

Listening
    Several listening activities are planned which follow the format of the English Language Arts Exam. Students will also demonstrate effective listening skills by following directions and responding appropriately to questions and classroom discussions.

Speaking
    Students will demonstrate the ability to speak clearly through oral presentations, speeches, dramatizations and class discussions.

May 4th, 5th and 6th