NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 1 6NAVY LANGUAGE ARTS Expectations & Guidelines for 2017-18 Dear Students, Welcome to Room 202! I know that some of you may be feeling a bit nervous or overwhelmed with the transition from Elementary School to Middle School. But please do not worry! Your teachers are here to help. And one way to help you out is by giving you some tips and guidelines that will lead you to your success. Throughout the packet, you will see some guidelines about grades, the homework bins, our classroom library, and more. So, please refer to this packet at any time throughout the year so that you can always understand our classroom a bit better. DIRECTIONS FOR THIS PACKET: Show me that you re thinking about words! While reading each set of guidelines and expectations, you will notice that one word on each page will be in bold. Write down the bolded word, guess what it means, and write down any clue(s) that helped you to make your guess. Your guess may be incorrect but that s okay! So don t look up the word; you will not earn credit for dictionary definitions. After reviewing all of these expectations in class, your first grade, other than your homework grade, will be a multiple-choice quiz on these guidelines. Please do not stress! We will go over every page, and we will also go over the bolded words (yes, these words may be on the quiz). This quiz will be so simple that your grade is practically pre-ordained! Let s get started!
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 2 WHAT DO I BRING TO CLASS? Every day, it is essential to bring the following materials to Language Arts class. Without them, it can create stressful situations - especially when you are rushing to get something from your locker, when others are already working on their first task! Being successful in class starts with having all of your materials ready to go: 1. Your TMS PLANNER: This will be your guideline to success not only in Language Arts class, but in all of your 6 th grade classes. Having a planner will help you to stay organized, focused, and prepared for future learning. Now that you have so many different classes, this tool will help you to stay calm! 2. Your 1.5 BLUE LANGUAGE ARTS BINDER: Handouts, HANDOUTS, & EVEN MORE HANDOUTS! As a growing writer and reader, we will be analyzing different texts, practicing our own writing voice, creating our own brainstorming charts, and will be keeping all of our given work! In order for these sheets to stay organized, please divide your binder into 5 different sections: Writing Reading Vocabulary Grammar Olio Throughout the year, your binder can get messy and papers can start to fall out. If this happens, please use reinforcement stickers to place it back in your binder! I will let you know when we have a binder clean-out so please keep all work before then. 3. Your PENCILS & PENS: It is imperative to have pencils and pens every single day because we write every single day. Just like a soccer player needs a soccer ball to play, a writer needs a pen or pencil to write! So, always have a sharpened pencil ready; store some in your backpack, and store even more in your locker! Side note: If you decide to write in pen, please write with black or blue ink only! No writing in markers, highlighters, crayons, neon/gel pens, or sharpie. 4. An INDEPENDENT READING BOOK (more on page 4)
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 3 BEFORE CLASS STARTS: Before the bell rings, check to see that you have all your materials ready for class because once you step into the classroom, you will NOT be allowed to go to your lockers to get anything. You can use this time to head to your locker to make a quick exchange of books, but please be mindful of how much time you have left before the bell rings. When you know that you are ready to start class, you are welcome to head on inside to place your owl into the attendance board. You may then begin your Please Do Now. Use the time that you have in the hallway wisely. You are also allowed to do the following: Socialize with your classmates Get a drink of water Go to the bathroom However, you are NOT allowed to: Come inside to socialize with your friends Try to tell me that you forgot your homework Ask to go print an assignment that was due for class WHEN THE BELL RINGS: Class starts the moment the bell rings. 44 minutes can go by very quickly in middle school so there is absolutely no time to dawdle. Here s how to start the first five minutes of class every single day: 1. Walk into class without talking and place your attendance owl into the attendance board. You may not place a friend s owl into the attendance board even if you know that they are in school! Things may change! 2. Take out your TMS planner and write down any homework displayed on the Smartboard. When you write it down, you may not understand what the homework is asking of you because we did not start the day s lesson! Please just write it down, and I promise you that the homework will be explained before you leave class! 3. Take out your Language Arts binder, and get started on the Please Do Now. The PDN will change daily but it will most likely give hints as to what we will explore on that day. Do your best to complete the Please Do Now before time is up and always try your best! 4. Once you are done with your Please Do Now (and you truly believe that you completed it to the best of your abilities), you can take out your Independent Reading Book and continue to read.
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 4 WRITING INDEPENDENTLY: Anyone can become a great writer as long as there is determination, focus, and practice! In 6 th grade, my hope for you is that you will gain more writing stamina. I know that it may not be easy to write for an allotted period of time, but in many moments, a good writer will continue prevail even when they have a mental block! By giving yourself some time to think, avoiding stalling moments (going to the bathroom, getting a water break, etc.), being okay with new suggestions, and acknowledging that it s okay for your work to get some revisions, you will see that you can grow into a more devoted, persistent, and passionate writer! Also, as a classroom writer, it is important to consider the other people in your class. If you can t think of what to write, try your best to avoid any temptations of talking to someone next to you. It can distract them and they may get writer s block as well! In this classroom, it is important to look out for one another so that everyone can succeed! INDEPENDENT READING: Unlike elementary school when you may have had an entire class period to read, independent reading becomes a self-sustained task throughout 6 th grade. How many pages you read, what you decide to read, and where you read may change, but there are two things that do not change: 1. Your homework for every night (Monday-Friday) is to read 20 minutes a day. This doesn t mean that once 20 minutes is up, you have to put down your book! But 20 minutes a night will help you to grow in sustained reading, it will build up your vocabulary, and it will help you to continue the flow of the novel. 2. You must pick a novel that you ve never read before that is age-appropriate! If you are unsure about a book, then please ask me before you continue to read it! Your choice of novel can vary. It can be of any genre: fiction, non-fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, mystery, action/adventure, and more. However, the only book I ask you to stay away from are graphic novels due to the fact that there aren t many words. READING CHECKS: On some days (at least for the first marking period), you will have a please do now up on the board that is related to your independent reading book. You will not know what the question will ask but you don t have to worry about this if you ve read! It will also ask you to record the number of pages you ve read (remember, this is not a race to see who finishes first. The numbers will help me to notice if you are advancing!). This independent reading sheet will be placed in your mailbox every day and it is your job to put it back in the mailbox when directed! After completing 5 in-class prompts, it will be collected and graded out of 10 points
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 5 HOW AM I GRADED?: Now, let s get to the topic that most 6 th graders are worried about: grades. Before we even start this section, let s get one thing straight: grades do NOT define who you are. Grades do not define your personality, character, or attitude. But in school, grades are simply a tool used by teachers and by you to see how much you ve learned and how much effort you put in. In 6 th grade, you are constantly building up your studentship skills. You will practice how to hand in your homework on time, how to stay organized, how to take notes, how to study for tests/quizzes, and how to stay persistent in your work. By setting these as your goals, your grades will eventually reflect it. Unlike any other classes, Language Arts is based on a point system: you collect points for every assignment and at the end of the marking period your grade is calculated as followed: the points you ve earned maximum number of points possible The amount of points that you can earn depends on the assignment. You can earn 1-5 points for homework assignments, 15-20 for quizzes and/or tests, and 30-40 points for heavy writing assignments. AS A RESULT: In the beginning of a marking period, if you forget to hand in a 3 point homework assignment, and it s the only assignment given, parent portal will automatically post that you have an F because you have accumulated a 0 out of 3 points. DO NOT PANIC! As more assignments come in, more points will be earned and your grade will continue to fluctuate depending on how many points you earn on the other assignments. MISSING CLASS: If ever you are absent for class, you may have to compensate for the lost time. Whether it is through my website or Mr.Eliscu s website, try to see what you missed so that you can come in the next day knowing what to expect. In the back of the classroom, you will also see a Missed Work bin. This bin is organized by dates. Look for the day that you missed and take a worksheet this is YOUR responsibility! If you ever miss a day when an assignment is due, you must submit your work the day you return no exceptions!
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 6 HANDING IN ASSIGNMENTS: Many days throughout the year, I will be coming around to check your homework assignments and I will be looking for completion (I will usually stamp it). However, there are many moments when I will ask you to hand in your assignments. If you look towards the door, you will see five bins. When directed, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to place your assignment into your class bin! If you forget to place it into the bin when it is due, your work will unfortunately be considered missing. Let s avoid trivial mistakes like this so that you can get credit for work that has been completed! When handing in an assignment, check to see that you have the following: Your student # (Everyone will get an individual student #) First Name & Last Name Name of Assignment # Due Date Period If your name is not on the assignment, it will automatically be displayed on the NO NAME board. If you have a Missing in the gradebook for an assignment that you handed in, check this board first! GETTING TO KNOW THE CLASSROOM STATIONS: CLASSROOM LIBRARY: Looking for a nice read? Head on over to our classroom library and choose a book to borrow. *Because this is a new addition to the classroom, the library is still in progress. We will be using an online library check-out system called booksource. I will explain how to use this system more during class and everyone will have a chance to use it!
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 7 SIGN-OUT SHEET: If you ever need to leave the classroom (bathrooms, nurse, office, etc.), choose an opportune moment to ask. This means that you shouldn t be asking in the middle of a lesson or during a class discussion (unless it is a complete emergency). When you sign out, you must write down your full name, date, time out, reason for leaving, and also you must sign back in once you return. This is very important because it will always let me know where you are if there is ever a school emergency or if someone is asking for you! TECHNOLOGY: Chromebooks are a type of laptop that you can use to connect to your Google Drive account. You will be assigned a number that corresponds to one of the Chromebooks in our classroom. This Chromebook is the only Chromebook you will have permission to use. Chromebooks are school property and can never leave the classroom. They need to be treated with the utmost respect and care. MUSTACHE BOARD: This station is ONLY open when we are in a writing unit. There will be time for me to conference with each of you about your writing during the writing process. When I am conferencing with another student, it is possible for you to have some questions about your own writing. If this is the case, please do not come to the back table and interrupt our discussion. Instead, you may quietly walk up to the mustache board, and post a question that you may have. Once I am done conferencing, I will check the board, and answer any of the questions on the board first before heading over for the next writing conference! But during this time, as you wait for my response, please continue to write other places of your writing! Do not just sit and stare YOU VE GOT MAIL: Graded assignments will be placed in the file bins (located in the back of the classroom). When you see the flag that states You ve Got Mail, I will call up each group individually and you will walk over and retrieve your graded assignment. During this time, there should be absolutely no sharing of grades or asking, What did you get? Your grade is your own so please respect others as well, as asking them a question may place them on the spot!
NAVY TEAM 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR PAGE 8 CONSEQUENCES: Notice that I didn t use the word punishment. Consequences are results or effects of inappropriate behavior and consequences will come to those who are doing something that shouldn t be done. The first sign I will give to unwanted behavior is a look. It s my I think you know that you shouldn t be doing that look. Next, I will ask you to leave the room. When you leave the room, you will have to sit where we usually line up in the beginning of class. I will come out to get you and will talk with you quietly about the disruptive behavior. If this still occurs, you will get an inclass detention and will meet with me afterschool. This in-class detention is mandatory so that we can discuss the behavior more in depth and come up with solutions to make it stop! Most likely, this will also tie in with an email home to your parents. IN CLOSING: I want you to know that I am so glad and very excited to have you in this classroom. I can t wait to learn about each and every one of you, and I have no doubt that you are capable of reaching success at a higher level than you had ever thought possible. This year, I wish to establish a classroom that encourages, motivates, and challenges each of you to start taking ownership of your own learning process, and I know that through your effort and through mine, it will result in your SUCCESS. Your voice, insights, and questions are valued in this classroom, so don t ever forget that what you do in the classroom matters. Sincerely, Please sign your name on the line below to indicate that you have read all these pages. Ms. Yi STUDENT: DATE