Welcome
to MMS! I am glad we have class
together!
Teacher: Niki Pokladnik Connor Course: 6th Grade GT Language Arts
Phone: 713-251-3993 Conference Period: 12:28 – 1:15
Email: Jennifer.Connor@springbranchisd.com (nota bene: [.com] not [.org], [Jennifer]
not [Niki] )
6th Grade
Gifted and Talented Language Arts is no longer integrated with Social
Studies. However, we will still be
looking through a cultural lens as we read and write and think and
analyze. We will also continue to read
texts that support the learning kids will do in 6th Grade SS, World
Cultures, as all 6th graders take this class. We will read stories,
articles, poems, and novels that relate to cultural studies. The curriculum is advanced and accelerated
with an emphasis on higher level thinking skills. Pre-AP skills are included in the GT LA and SS
programs.
Students who like to
read and write, who have an interest in the world around them, and who exhibit
task commitment are successful in this class. Respectful, self-disciplined
behavior from each student is necessary for achievement of his or her personal
best – and expected as a member of a learning community.
You will need the following materials
and supplies EVERY DAY for this class:
- binder containing your
LA dividers ( VIP & WIP) and many sheets of loose-leaf paper
- agenda/planner
- independent
reading book
-
pencils, blue or black ink pens (No
fancy colors for class work – your words should sparkle, not your ink! However,
you may grade and take notes in any ink that makes you happy!)
-
highlighters and grading pen (colors
are up to you on these)
-
scissors
-
independent reading book and/or class
novel
Ø
There will also be two “books” that will have a place to live in my room
– Composition Book and Interactive
Reader (IAR). You may take them home
overnight any time you want or need to, but make sure they come back to school
each day.
Ø
Your Literature Textbook should
live at home.
Ø
All students are asked to purchase a subscriptions to our online vocabulary
program, Membean and our online writing and grammar program, NoRedInk. Please the last page for a letter about this.
Portfolios: You
will keep a portfolio in my filing cabinet.
When I return a paper to you, I
will go over it and then let you know where it should go – maybe in your
portfolio or composition book, maybe home, or even the recycling bin, but wait
for me to tell you where it goes! “No
paper left behind.”
Tutorials: During Activity and by appointment.
Please schedule non-Activity tutorials with me at least 24 hours in
advance as I attend many meetings and appointments each week.
Class Novels: This year, we are trying out
some new whole class novels. For sure, we will read: Colum’s
Children’s Homer by Padraic Colum and I Am Malala by
Malala Yousafzai. Both of these will be
available at the Back to School Book Fair in September. We are swapping out some other books TBD.
Independent Reading: While we will read
and analyze lots of texts in class, you are expected to have an independent
reading book going at all times. For
most of you this is your normal state of being. J The vast majority of the time, I want this to be completely a book of
your choice – fiction, non-fiction, manga, hieroglyphics – whatever you
love. Just read and bring it to class
every day.
A few times this
year, I’m going to ask you to choose a book from a list or genre to read independently. Every week or so, I’m going to
ask to see your independent reading book and ask you do something with it. If you are reading the book, it should be no
problem! Yes, this will count as a
grade.
Make-up
Work: Quizzes and tests may be made-up during
Activity and by appointment. Please
schedule non-Activity make-ups with me at least 24 hours in advance. If you are absent, check with me before
or after class or during Activity for make-up work. If you were absent on the day the assignment
was handed out, you have as many days as you were out (excused) to make up the
work. If you were present on the day the
assignment was handed out, but absent on the due date, it is due the day you
return to school.
Semester
Exams: You will take final exams in December and
June. The final exam will
count as 14% of the semester grade the remaining 86% is made up of the two nine
week grades.
Late Work: Work that counts
as a test grade or a daily grade* will be accepted one day late for a
maximum of 75 and two days late for a maximum of a 50.
*Membean and other time-sensitive assignments such as homework will
not be taken late.
Extra Credit: Extra credit will always be an extension of
the current unit and come DURING the unit. Please, do not ask for extra credit
the last week of class; you will have
had opportunities. If you believe you may need extra credit, please do it
when it is offered. Late extra credit
will not be accepted.
9 Week Grades:
50% Tests, Process Papers and Projects (Major Grades)
30% Quizzes/Small Projects
20% Daily Work/Homework** **The single lowest daily grade will be dropped each
nine-week grading period.
General
Information:
- We will go to the
library every other Tuesday. You will be FABULOUS in the library because our
library and librarian are both fabulous!
- You are also
welcome to check books out from my classroom library – please bring the book to me when you want to check it out and
when you want to return it.
-
You are expected to record all homework, assignments
and due dates in your Agenda each day. I
will post big dates and important information of my blog. https://wordgirlniki.blogspot.com/
I suggest you bookmark it or sign up for email notifications.
-
Be sure that all
written work has the proper heading and title. Any work without the proper
heading will be returned, and therefore may be considered late. Pencil, dark
blue or black ink only.
First Last Niki Connor
Date August 27, 2016
-
Phones and any other electronic devices:
o
Must be TURNED OFF and in a pocket at
the front of the room unless I have given you express permission to have it out
and on.
o
If you want to use your phone on the break,
pick it up on your way out of the room and re-store it on your way in.
o
If I see or hear your phone during class and
you have not been given permission to use it, I will send it to Mr. Roth, and
you will have to get it back from her at the end of the day. L
o
All the rules you agreed to for school-based
technology apply to your personal phone when you are using it on campus –
including no picture taking unless you have express permission from an
adult.
-
Please make sure your desk is empty, the floor
around your desk is free of trash and your chair is pushed in or stacked at the
end of class each day. When this is
accomplished, I will dismiss you by group or class.
-
We have rotating jobs in this class:
The Passer – passes out things.
The Supplier – makes sure the book shelves and the
supplies are all returned and orderly at the end of class; deals with supplies
during class.
The Runner – takes anything that needs to leave the room for me
(no mazes or grieversJ).
The Tech-er – makes sure all technology devices have been shut down properly and
plugged into the appropriate spot before anyone can leave the room. Turns
on/off lights when needed.
-
We have a wonderful 6th Grade Eagle
Reader Book Club. This is a “just for
fun” book club that meets once a month during lunch in the library to pick out and
discuss books.
-
Ask (relevant) questions, enjoy, read, think, write
and play with words! Learning should be
fun!
-
This fall we have a “bonus teacher” in class,
Ms. Kim. She is a student teacher from
Texas A&M, and has already been a wonderful asset to our class!
Dear MMS Parents, August
24, 2018
The Language Arts Department at MMS
will be continuing their use of Membean, a personalized online vocabulary
system for grades 6-8. All returning
students and parents are familiar with the benefits of Membean. We are also starting a program called No Red
Ink, which is a personalized online grammar and writng program.
For those of you not familiar with
it, Membean is a fully automated,
differentiated, and multimodal vocabulary learning system which effectively addresses
each student’s learning style needs while building on his/her own level of
vocabulary expertise. Membean is fully web-based and uses a patented
Adaptive Reinforcement Engine which ensures that students will remember
vocabulary words, not just for a test, but on a long-term basis.
NoRedInk (stylized
as noredink) is an
online web-based
language-learning platform designed
to help students in grades 4-12 improve their writing and grammar skills. NoRedInk builds stronger writers through
interest-based curriculum, adaptive exercises, and actionable data.
Multi-tasking will
only slow down the learning process, so please ensure that your child is
“uni-tasking” while doing their Membean and Noredink!
Both programs cost $16
per student in total. You
may pay with cash or a check, but checks are preferable. Please make checks payable to MMS; you can
pay for both programs with one check.
Your child’s Language Arts teacher
will provide log-in instructions to your child upon receipt of the $16 registration
fee.
Thank you,
Amy Servat
