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Ms. Calder, Language Arts, 6th

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October 28 - November 1

This week in ELA we will continue working in Module 3 Designing the Future. 
 
Reading:
We will be reading, "The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook" and "Lions No Match for a Young Boy and His Invention".
The skills that we are focusing on are retelling, summarizing, and literary elements. 
 
Writing:
The students will continue writing their opinion paper on the best of worst invention. 
 
We will also be having small groups focusing on grammar, decoding skills, vocabulary, and writing. 

October 21 - 25

We will only have 2 days of ELA this week as Wednesday through Thursday we will be participating in Outdoor Education. 
 
For reading, we will continue discussing the text, "The Boy Who Invented TV", and then complete a Quiz to check for understanding. 
 
In writing we will finish drafting our opinion writing for an invention, and then beginning writing the paper. 

October 14 - 18

Welcome back!  I hope that you had an amazing Fall Break!
 
We will be starting Module 3  - Designing the Future
 
HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about 
inventions and technology, with a focus on the informational text 
genre. We will read texts about inventors and inventions that have 
changed people’s lives in the past and will change our lives in 
the future. 

BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!
 
Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is 
learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about 
the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answers
 
Explore the Genre
The genre focus in this module is informational text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre. Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together. 
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• have a clear text structure
• help readers connect to science
 
Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words innovations, blueprint, manufacturer, and advances in everyday conversations with your child.
 
Use prompts like these:
What do you like about new computer innovations?
Explain an area of technology you would like to see more advances in.
What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 
 
Critical Vocabulary words.
Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the roots phon, electro, aero, sol, rad; and prefixes tele–, com–, con– in books, magazines, online
 
For writing the students will be focusing on Opinion Writing.  
We will begin by brainstorming and developing a plan for the foundation of their writing. 

September 23 - 26

This week the students will show their learning of Module 2 in the HMH curriculum for "What Makes a Great Story"  
 
They will take the end of the Module Assessment and finish their imaginative stories before Fall Break.  

September 16 - 20

We will continue with Module 2, week 3 working on Fictional text and what makes a great story.  
 
Reading:
This week's story is a play, and we will continue to work on reading comprehension strategies.  Also, the groups will be working on grammar, vocabulary and decoding strategies.  
 
Writing:
The students have all drafted their imaginative stories and furiously writing their stories.  They all appear to be excited to use their imaginations in their stories.  We are using the Writable writing tool in the new HMH reading program where they are able to edit, and peer edit each other's writing pieces.  I am thrilled to see how this tool aids in the student's writing. 

September 9 - 13

Module 2, Week 2
 
Reading:
The story this week will be "It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow or Springtime" which is persuasive text. 
The students will learn new vocabulary words: overcome, fleeting, miserable, demeaning, elope, conspiring, garland, outraged. 
Reading skills will be visualization, figurative language, and main ideas and supporting details. 
 
Writing:
Students will begin drafting their imaginative story. 
 
Small group rotations will be focusing on grammar, decoding, writing and vocabulary. 
 
 

September 3 - 6

HELLO, FAMILY!
Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about 
literature and storytelling, with a focus on the narrative text genre. 
We will read texts about fascinating characters facing challenging 
conflicts and learn what craft goes into a superb story.
 
BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. 
The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words voracious, discipline, 
persevere, and intrepid in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Tell me about a time when you had to persevere to 
achieve something. Describe a person you think is intrepid.
 
What Does It Mean? Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words. Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the root ject; prefixes gen–, trans–,
inter–, en–; and suffixes –y, –ly, –ily, –ful, –less, –ment, –ness in books,
magazines, online texts, and environmental print.

Explore the Genre 
The genre focus in module 2 is narrative text. Discuss with your 
child the characteristics of this genre. Ask your child to read to you each 
day and make time to read together.

Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• present interesting characters and settings
• have a plot that will keep your child engaged

Discuss the Topic
Set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is 
learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about 
the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has
learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic, and work together to find the answer.

August 26 - 30

This is our last week in Module 1, Eyes on the Prize. 
 
We will be reading, "9 Young People Who Changed the World" and focus on inferencing, text structures, author's purpose, and text and graphic features.  On Friday the students will be taking a performance task assessment over the last three weeks practicing the reading skills that they have learned. 
 
The second half of ELA class, we will be starting small group rotations.  Each day the students will have a different skill they will be focusing on and then rotate each day through these skills, grammar, decoding, vocabulary and writing. The decoding and writing rotations will be teacher directed with myself and Mrs. Bonal on Tuesday and Thursday and Mrs. Teresa on Monday and Wednesday. 
 
For writing the students will finish their personal narrative that they have been working on, "How a Mistake became a success", and will be sharing their writing on Friday

August 19 - 23

We are on Module 1 Eyes on the Prize, Week 2. 
 
Reading:
The story this week is: "The Dawn Wall/Meet the Climbers who made Yosemite's Toughest Ascent" and the reading strategy will be working on comparing and contrasting. 
 
Vocabulary focus words are: slum, principles, represent, sheer, ascending, rank, analysis, and variations.  We will work more with the strategy of context clues. 
 
Writing:
We will be exploring different types of sentences and continue working through the writer's workshop for the topic of the Personal Narrative, "When a mistake becomes a success". 

August 12 - 16

We will be using a new reading and writing curriculum which I am so excited about!

Over the next three weeks, our class will build their knowledge about goal-setting and personal accomplishments, with a focus on the informational text genre. We will read texts and view videos about exceptional individuals who have achieved greatness and what it took for them to do that.
 
The first Module is called Eyes on the Prize! Each Module is broken into three weeks, and each week has five lessons that work on reading, functional skills, vocabulary, writing and grammar.  Functional skills and communication will also be taught during our Academic Lab time on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. 
 
BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!
 
Discuss the Topic: set aside time daily for your child to share with you what he or she is learning. Use these ideas to help build your child’s knowledge about 
the topic: 
• Talk about the ideas your child has added to the Knowledge Map each week.
• Ask about the texts your child is reading and what he or she has learned from them.
• Share with your child your own questions about the topic and work together to find the answers.
 
Explore the Genre: The genre focus in this module is informational text. Discuss with your child the characteristics of this genre. Ask your child to read to you each day and make time to read together.
Look for texts that
• spark your child’s curiosity
• tie to the module topic
• present interesting ideas and information
• help readers connect to social studies topics

Build Vocabulary
Use these ideas to help your child build a rich vocabulary. The Big Idea Reinforce the topic words eminent, dedication, attain, and initiatives in everyday conversations with your child. Use prompts like these: Explain what is special about an eminent person you admire. Tell about a goal you want to attain this school year.
 
What Does It Mean?
Have your child keep a growing list of the 
Critical Vocabulary words.
Quiz each other on their meanings.
Word Hunt Look for words with the roots mis, chor, graph, tract, duc, trib; and prefixes ex–, sur–, semi– in books, magazines, online texts, and in environmental print such as signs and billboards.
 
We will be taking the MAPS test on Tuesday from 9:15 to 10:45.