Writing Contests and Information

Look here for more information about the three writing opportunities we are discussing this week and next in LA class.

PTA Reflections - Final date for entry is October 31.  Please follow this link for details:

http://mmspta.com/files/2018/09/reflections_20182019_heroes_around_me_flyer_8.5x11.pdf



Do the Write Thing - This is a national contest that publishes student writing yearly.  We've had students from the district as national winners before.  The entry process is multi-level and has firm dates starting in March.

http://www.dtwt.org/the-challenge/instructions




NANOWRIMO - National Novel Writing Month - this is for my serious authors!  Ms. Smith is administering this opportunity to write the first draft of your novel during the month of November! If you are interested, see me and I will send you to Ms. Smith during Activity to get signed up!

My Name Means Poem

“What My Name Means”

By Jennifer Dignan 

Published in “Scope” September 2018

My sister thinks my name means

“sharer of back seats and secrets.”

My mom thinks my name means

“needs a lot of rides to gymnastics” and

“loves comic books, like me.”

My dad thinks my name means

“weirdly obsessed with that band Imagine Dragons” and

“loves corny jokes like me.”

My cat thinks my name means “always good for a snuggle.”

My best friend thinks my name means

“tells me the truth no matter what; best giggle in the world.”

My art teacher thinks my name means “gifted.”

My music teacher thinks my name means

“definitely tries hard.”

My neighbor thinks my name means

“kid who cuts the grass.”

My dentist thinks my name means

“kid who needs to floss.”

I think

There’s some stuff that they left out, like

“dreams of life in a big city” and

“lies awake at night sometimes,

Worrying about the whales” and

“having doubts about gymnastics” and

“loves nothing more than to close her eyes

And listen to the rain.”

Independent Reading and Classically Inspired List

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. And, of COURSE, feel free to read MORE!

1^st Nine Weeks: Open Choice due 9/11; Classically Inspired due 10/4*

2^nd Nine Weeks: 2 Open Choice

3^rd Nine Weeks: 1 Bio Book; 1 Open Choice

4^th Nine Weeks: 1 Classic; 1 Open Choice

*Below is a list of suggested reads for your Classically Inspired, but I will be happy to approve other books if it is classically inspired!  What do I mean by “classically inspired’?  The book is either inspired by or a retelling of a classical and traditional story such as a fairy tale, myth, legend, tall tale or folk tale.

• I want you to read something you have NEVER read – something new and interesting!  
• MOST of the books on this list are the first book in a series, or one of a collection of books with a similar theme by the same author.  You are welcome to read ANY book from these series/collections if you have already started the series.
•  All books on this list are recommended for 6^th grade, 10-12 year olds, but I always encourage kids and parents to check out books on Amazon and Common Sense Media to get more detailed reviews to make sure it’s a good book for YOU.  See footnotes below.
• I have copies of many of these, and our library has even more!  You will need a copy in class by Monday, Sept. 17. (I can be a little flexible on this date if you are not getting from me or the library.)  You will need to bring the book to class each day.  You will need to finish reading the book by Thursday, October 4.
• I will get assignments to you soon.  Right now, just procure a book!

Anything by Rick Riordan ! ^

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marrisa Meyer + ! ^

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine * 

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman ^

Just Ella  by Margaret Haddix ^

Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School)  by Jen Calonita +

Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer + ! !

Red Rider’s Hood (Dark Fusion Series #2) by Neil Schusterman *

A Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy +

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz *

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin (or Jack or Red) by Liesl Shurtliff *

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer +

Breadcrumbs   by Anne Ursu and Erin McGuire

Cronus Chronicles by Anne Ursu +

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by L Kessler + (in second book ^)

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey + ! !

Loki’s Wolves by  K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr  +

Middle World (The Jaguar Stones Series) by J & P Voelkel +

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs ^ +

Book of the Dead (TombQuest, Book 1) by  Michael Northrop +

+ first in a series

*part of a set of related books that don’t necessarily need to be read in order

! violent

^ smoochies alert

First Nine Weeks Big Dates

This post will be a regularly updated list of major grades and events for the first nine weeks.  You will notice some dates are not set yet, so I gave a window.  I will revise the list as dates firm up. 😀


8/21 - Summer Reading Assessment in class
9/3 - Labor Day Holiday
9/6 - Final Copy of "My Name Means" poem due, major grade moved to 9/20
9/11 - first Choice Book due
9/13 - Capitalization, Dictionary and Thesaurus Quiz - push to Friday, one more day to practice!
9/24-28 - Book Fair
9/25 or 9/27 - Literary Devices and Elements Quiz
9/27 - Open House
9/30 - by midnight Sunday the 30th, kids should have 90 minutes of Membean practice from 9/4/18
10/4 - Classically Inspired Choice Book Due
10/8 - no school for kids
10/11 - Nine Weeks Test: Literary Devices and Elements
10/12 - Last day of the 1st Nine Weeks

Membean:

• For the first nine weeks, the kids will have one daily grade for Membean.  That will be the 90 minutes of practice with 80% accuracy between 9/4 and 9/30.  
• We will have the first quiz towards the end of that window, but the quiz grade will go into an average with the Membean quizzes for the 2nd Nine Weeks.  That quiz grade will be on the 2nd Nine Weeks average.  
• Practice windows for the rest of the semester are: 10/1 - 10/21, 10/22 - 11/9, and 11/19 - 12/7. Each window is 3 instructional weeks.  
• A week runs from 12:01 am on Monday to 12 midnight the following Sunday.

Welcome to the 18-19 School Year!

Welcome to MMS!  I am glad we have class together!

Teacher:  Niki Pokladnik Connor                    Course:    6^th 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] )

            6^th 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 6^th Grade SS, World Cultures, as all 6^th 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 6^th 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!

If you’d like to try either of these programs yourself to get an idea of what your child will be doing, please visit http://membean.com/products/personal/plans  and/or https://www.noredink.com/about/product. 

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

Final Exam Overview

Non-Fiction Analysis, Text Structure and Text Features: Study VIPs and Quiz

Structures that might be on the test: cause & effect , compare & contrast, sequence, problem & solution, chronological, description. Be able to identify literary and story elements and support with evidence,

Grammar: Study Grammar Book and Composition Book, quizzes

Be able to identify on test: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, simple subjects, and simple predicates. Be able to find and correct basic punctuation and capitalization errors.

Literary Analysis: Study Literary Lexicon, Classical and Traditional Stories Packet, Archetypes/Hero’s Journey Packet

Be able to: read and analyze a Classical and Traditional story and tell what kind of story it is and support your answer with evidence, identify literary and story elements and support with evidence, identify a cultural value in the story and support it with evidence.

Argument and Rhetoric Analysis: Debate Packet

Be able to: identify a claim and supporting ideas of an argument, identify logical fallacies, identify persuasive techniques and their purpose and target audience, recognize a concession, revise an argument.

4th Nine Week Important Dates

As always, this is a work in progress. 😊

Thursday, 4/5 - Membean Quiz* & probably Personal Narrative Due   (looking at Mid-April)
Monday, 4/16 - Bio Book Due (new date), BOC
Thursday, 4/19 - Bio Book Extra Credit Due, BOC
Thursday, 4/26 - Membean Quiz*,  Grammar Quiz Part One
Week of May 1st  7th - Debates will be held
Monday, 5/14 - STAAR Math
Tuesday, 5/15 - STAAR Reading
Week of May 21 - Students will perform play scene
Thursday, 5/17 - Membean Quiz*  (Last one of the school year!)

Tuesday, 5/29- We will take the Spring Final Exam during the 8th period final from 2:00-3:30.  We will NOT have a final exam during the 7th period exam time on Friday, 6/1.  That day, we will go over the graded exams and get our portfolios ready to turn over to 7th grade. ^


*Membean 90 minuted checks will run from: March 19- April 5, April 6-26, and April 27-May 16, JThese dates are a little different because they don't always start on a Monday and end on a Sunday, but they still start at 12:01 a.m. on the start date and end at Midnight on the end date for each of the three windows.


^ In case you want more detailed info about exams: Tuesday - Friday, 5/29-6/1 - Final Exams - On Thursday, it is a normal schedule until 5th period, and then they skip Activity and go directly to 8th period for the exam. On Wed. - Fri., 6th grade has two exams each day followed by lunch then Activity with a 12:30 dismissal.
Wed. 1st and 4th     Thu. 2nd and 5th    Fri. 7th and 3rd (yes, in that order) 😀