Welcome to Gr. 6 P.A.C.E.

1. Welcome to Gr. 6 P.A.C.E.

2. Introduction Ms. McNaught-Symmes Training in Gifted Education (specialist) from OECTA, York University as well as other professional institutions Experience teaching grade 6 P.A.C.E. (last 6 years at SJM) as well as grade 5 P.A.C.E.

3. Characteristics Of The Program The Gr. 6 Program may include elements of the following: *creative problem solving – encourage students to come up with their own strategies especially in Mathematics although students will be taught and expected to use most efficient strategies. *traditional and non-traditional research skills

4. *critical higher level thinking skills (eg. “How might…?”) – This will be evident most in reading program this year. We will utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy where the focus isn’t on “what is…” but “how might…”. I will be asking students to conceptualize based on real life situations.

5. *advanced content, skills and concepts - For example, depth and breadth…eg. in Science regular 6 curriculum it asks that students learn about Canadian contributions to Space and various characteristics of planets, moon and sun….my class will spend a week solely focusing on constellations. - Students are able to explore things like dwarf planets etc. that go beyond curriculum expectations - A lot of the content is dictated by student interest. This is determined at the beginning of a unit through diagnostic assessment

6. *interdisciplinary units of study I will attempt to overlap concepts and subjects so that learning is meaningful to students (eg. Folklore and Oral Storytelling in Language and Aboriginal Peoples in Social Studies)

7. Mathematics • Follow the Nelson Mathematics Program (problem solving) and Envision Math (more skills based) which was purchased solely for the PACE classes • http://mathk8.nelson.com/ Can be accessed at home for study purposes • Must be assured that students understand the regular gr. 6 curriculum before we move on with enrichment • After students have had a chance to practice specific skill…given an assessment “for learning” to ensure that I can go on with that student. This means that they will have some form of an assessment for every lesson (online, key question, performance task etc). • This means that at times, students may be working at different pace….however it is expected that they are able to complete the regular curriculum and make an attempt at enrichment tasks. The enrichment component will be indicated in the comment section of the report card.

8. Mathematics • As P.A.C.E. teachers, cannot go beyond grade level, however, can introduce “different work”. Enrichment tasks are developed by the teacher. Some tasks are specified in the “enrichment” section of the Nelson Program. • Students will be assessed on grade level expectations. Enrichment will be marked and evaluation will be noted in the comment section of your child’s report card • I may facilitate an enrichment lesson (patterns in Pascal’s Triangle) or may have students using center-based approach on various enrichments problems or hands on tasks. • Enrichment in Mathematics can include learning new information (eg. Mayan counting system, Narcassistic Numbers), logic-problems in centers or unique culminating tasks (eg. developing WebQuests, using design software to build 3D structures)

9. Reading • Our program is different because of the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy. I will encourage higher level thinking when learning about various reading comprehension strategies. • Students will be given a variety of texts to explore • The focus will not just on novels but reading various genres and forms in an effort to integrate media awareness (magazines, websites, comic strips, posters, graphic novels, nonfiction). • Ministry is moving away from novel studies because they only focus on basic level reading comprehension. PACE program is looking for students who can implement critical reading strategies using real-world texts

10. Pre AP Program stresses critical analysis of texts. Having students using inferencing, applying the information they’ve learned to new concepts, a swell as making critical connections with the material. • We will not spend much time time on recall or summarization • This year we will have a balanced literacy program which uses modelled, shared, and guided reading as well as read alouds, discussion groups and literature circles. • Our main focus will be critical analysis, inferencing, synthesizing • Encourage students to read a variety of texts at home and not just novels The reading strategies explored will be assessed using CASI system or similar assessments that have been created. They will be ongoing and same format and types of questions that students will see on EQAO

11. Writing • Follow the Pre AP Program for Writing (gifted education program for PACE) • Why Junior Students Write: • communicate with others for a variety of specific purposes • Record and retain information • Express thoughts, ideas and feelings • Respond to material they have read • Identify and solve problems • Reflect on their own learning • Types of Writing in Gr. 6 P.A.C.E. • Letter - Report • Feature article - Review • Narrative - Expository • Persuasive text - Short story • Poetry - Summary • Procedural - Recount We encourage students to fully develop their ideas and to elaborate by adding detail to their writing!!

12. Writing Students will be given a level 4 exemplar (deconstruct together as a class) and are encouraged to look at the assessment sheet. Most major assessment pieces and instructions will be posted on the class Wiki for students to refer to at home. Exemplars of each of the levels can be found on the Ministry of Education website. Students will be marked against these standardized exemplars  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/writing18ex.pdf

13. Science • Space and Astronomy • Diversity of Living Things • Electricity • Flight

14. Social Studies • Aboriginal Peoples • Early Canadian Explorers • Canada and Its Trading Partners Each unit usually has a project component to it as well as a unit test. The projects may include collaborative or individual outcomes. I encourage students to create differentiated “product” outputs for projects…most assignments are open-ended and I enjoy seeing creativity!

15. Technology • Powerpoint/Prezi • Claymation, Animoto • Digital Comic Books • Videos • Math Trek • Wiki (gr6pace.wikispaces.com & gr6paceparents.wikispaces.com) • Blogging, Glogging, Vlogging, Tweeting • Nelson online activities • WebQuests • Developing Websites • SmartBoard and Promethean Board • Soundscapes • Podcasts/Voicethread

16. Communication with parents • May send any questions/concerns via a note in the agenda (respond to daily) • May call school (905) 474 –0284. • Wikis Student wiki http://gr6pace.wikispaces.com Parent Wikihttp://gr6paceparents.wikispaces.com----PLEASE JOIN!!!! • Send home progress reports with respect to learning skills and academic achievement each term. • All major assessment tools sent home to be signed in FRIDAY FOLDER. Students will record their effort and achievement. Please return the following Monday.

17. Communication with parents • I ask that parents check the agenda and/or Wiki every night to ensure students have completed all homework (as sometimes students don’t record everything). It lists homework for day, important information and reminders, upcoming events like Pizza Day, Missing Work section for late tasks or things that haven’t been signed and returned to school • All major assessment tools are sent home in the FRIDAY FOLDER each week. Parents are to sign off on the Effort and Achievement chart which is returned the following Monday (assessments must also be returned with the Friday Folder). • The Effort and Achievement chart helps the students keep a running record and it will allow them to self-reflect with respect to where they need to establish goals. Major concerns - I will call.

18. What our class wiki looks like ----

19. Class Wiki • Students use the classroom wiki web tool as a forum for discussion (interactive classroom) • All homework is posted on the Wiki daily so there shouldn’t ever be a comment that homework was not known. Also given 10 mins each day to write down work from the homework board. • Assignment instructions, exemplars and assessment pieces are posted on the class site • Students can post questions about homework to one another and receive responses online • There are pages for them to post their work online if required

20. Homework • Homework is used for reinforcement of skills taught during the day • The YCDB policy is approx. 60-70 minutes per night. Some students may have more or less depending on how much able to accomplish in class and ability. • Consequences for incomplete homework – note to inform parents, call home, meeting, administrator intervention • If know homework is late – must have a note signed from parents for legitimate reason(extracurricular activities are not a reason for work not being complete)

21. YCDSB Policies for Late, Incomplete, and Missed Assignments for Gr 6 • Two-day window of opportunity • placeholder of “0” for missed assignments • 5% mark deduction each day (excluding weekends) • A closure date will be established at which point assignments will not be accepted  encourage a culture of responsibility • Reflected in the learning skills and work habit section of the report card • May also result in insufficient evidence for evaluation York Catholic District School Board Assessment and Evaluation Procedures, 2011

22. Use of “I” and “R” • “I” = insufficient evidence is available to determine a grade. May be used because • Student enrolled in school very recently • Issues or extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control • “R” = indicates need for extensive remediation, in the absence of an IEP, program modifications, or other remedial programs • Achievement level is below Level 1 York Catholic District School Board Assessment and Evaluation Procedures, 2011

23. Reporting Student Achievement • Grades 1 to 6 student achievement of the overall curriculum expectations will be evaluated in accordance with the achievement charts in the provincial curriculum and reported using letter grades. • The following conversion chart shows the levels of achievement aligned to letter grades. York Catholic District School Board Assessment and Evaluation Procedures, 2011

24. York Catholic District School Board Assessment and Evaluation Procedures, 2011

25. Possible Trips/Activities • Astrology Presentation (Sept 25) • Scientist in the School in Feb (Electricity) • Aboriginal presentation? • Urban Quest in downtown Unionville • Dance program? • Toronto Marlies anti-bullying trip • Arts trip/Theatre trip (October) • Ski Trip • Camp Muskoka (overnight trip from Feb 3-5) (more details about this trip will be sent home with your child at a later date)

26. Education Quality and Accountability Office issues a standardized assessment that measures the achievement of students across Ontario in reading, writing and math • Written at the end of May or early June. Please ensure that your child is in school during last week of May and first 2 weeks of June, as they MUST write the test. • Important that they are present during the year so that they are well prepared for the testing. Please keep this in mind when planning family vacations this year. FORMAT • Reading – 4 short selections and one long reading selection followed by MC and open response • Writing – MC, one long response (2 pages) and two short responses (1 page) • Math – MC and open response that cover all five strands of math • www.eqao.com

27. Thank you for coming