Welcome to English Language Arts

1. Welcome to English Language Arts Carole Pinkwasser 6C

2. A Little about me: • Grew up in New York and went to Brooklyn College where I received my B.A. in Education • Received my Masters in Education from NAU in 1994 • My husband and I moved to Arizona in 1979 • Have two grown children, my son is married and we have a 4 year old granddaughter • This is my 2nd year at Altadena • Previously, taught ELA at Akimel A-al for 13 years • Before that, taught Kindergarten in Mesa for 9 years • Also taught 6 years in a preschool in Tempe • Highly qualified to teach social studies but for the last 12 years I have only taught 6th grade ELA

3. Language Arts • Please have a 3 section spiral notebook just for ELA • Grammar, test prep questions, journals • Spelling/vocabulary practice- weekly Wednesday to Wednesday, test each week • Reading Skills- read it, understand it, think it through • Writing Skills- sentence structure, paragraphing • Students are expected to hand write drafts AND edit/revise their own work. Adult help will come after the student process.

4. Preparing for the future • Common Core State Standards/ ELA • Clear and consistent standards for teachers, students, and parents • Relevant, real world skills to prepare for college and careers • Be prepared to compete in the global economy • “I Can” statements, learning goals, check understanding • PARCC in the spring

5. Reading Skills • Lexile • Difficulty of the text is considered • www.lexile.com(6th gr. 850-1050 and 7th gr. 950-1075) • Informational Text* • Major basis of reading material across the core subjects • Literary Text • Genres, structure of stories, real-life connections, and perceptions

6. Common core reading • Key Ideas and Details • Read closely—cite specific textual evidence; make logical inferences • Determine theme and analyze development; summarize • Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact • Craft and Structure • Technical, connotative and figurative meaning • Analyze structure • Point of view and purpose • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas • Integrate and evaluate content • Delineate and evaluate claims • Analyze two or more texts

7. Reading • Reading will be more connected with written responses • Defending answers by citing the author/author’s purpose • Making arguments based on informational reading • Making connections to the importance of the story or text; to do this, students will practice Close Reading. • Close Reading Strategies: a careful and purposeful re-reading of the text to search for purpose, structure, words, ideas, and flow of the text. • Using annotation (highlighting, underlining, circling, writing in the margins, etc.) to help make connections

8. COMMON CORE WRITING • Text Types and Purposes • Support claims using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. • Informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately • Narratives to develop real or imagined experiences • Production and Distribution of Writing • Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task • Develop and strengthen writing • Use technology to produce/publish • Research to Build and Present Knowledge • Conduct short and long research projects • Gather relevant information from multiple sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each and avoid plagiarism • Draw evidence from texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

9. Writing Skills • Written Responses to reading text • Journals, notes, short responses • Writing Applications • Argumentative/Opinion • Narrative • Expository/Informational • Literary Responses 6 + 1 Trait of Writing will be used along with scales and rubrics to score teach and score writing.

10. Organization of text • Students will use the “stoplight” method to highlight information in a text. • They will use the same method to structure their writing. • Green- topic/concluding sentence • Yellow- main ideas/points • Red- examples, evidence

11. Typical Homework- YES, expect it. • Read each night (20-30+ minutes)answer questions on Reading Log • Re-read classroom stories, • Spelling/vocabulary practice (10 mins.) -Due each Wednesday • Grammar practice (10 mins.) • Unfinished class work (???) • Occasional time for research/writing if doing a project

12. Grading • Please use the Parent Vue Portal on Kyrene web site to check grade and work completion status. Usually updated weekly. • Student receive daily grades for class work and homework. This includes “walk-ins”. • Larger assignments such as projects, reader’s response, research, creative writing work will receive more points than daily work. • Grading: 80% quizzes, projects, assessments 20% classwork and homework

13. Other fun stuff • STEM Activities • Skits, plays, performances • Commercials/Advertising • School Spelling Bee • Word games/Brainteasers • Friendly competitions in class • Greek Mythology

14. Class website- resources and handouts • Team website- homework • The best way to contact me is through email cpinkw@kyrene.org • 480-541-6102 • Thanks for coming!

15. advanced language Arts • Placed if scored at or above the 97th percentile on national norms in one or more of three areas-verbal(language), quantitative(math), and nonverbal(spatial) reasoning. • Students should maintain a “B” or better average to stay in class. Will set up a parent meeting to discuss if an issue or problem occurs.

16. Ala-how is it Different? • Vocabulary program-Classical Latin & Greek roots • Introduction to Shakespeare • Above grade level stories (Literature book, novels) • Higher levels of comparing/contrasting • Challenge the views of the author and discrepancy between texts(literary analysis) • Higher level speaking skills(multi-media) • Kyrene website (Programs & Services-Gifted Programs)-organizations, resources, activities, and gifted web links