6th GradeCurriculum Night

Presentation

A Day in the Life of a Sixth

Grader

6th GradeCurriculum Night

PresentationMrs. Lisa Burke, Reading & Writing

(LA)Mrs. Dawn Michaelson, Social

StudiesMrs. Nikkol Palmer, Science

Mrs. Staci Ortega, Math

Science Camp: Feb 24- 26th SCIENCE CAMP PREVIEW MEETINGSEPT. 3rd @ 5:00 in Media Center

Reminder notice will be sent home with students•Chaperones must have Tier III clearance which includes fingerprints and background check.

Clearance must be complete by time we return from winter vacation in January

Location: Prescott Pines (www.prescottpines.org)•Student Cost: $140 includes housing, meals, & transportation.•Fundraisers to defray expenses.•Use tax credit to pay camp expenses.

P.A.C. 15The Principals’ Student Advisory Council (PAC-15)

consists of 15 students from grades 4, 5, and 6 who meet with Mr.Cover monthly

to talk about school improvement.  This leadership experience allows the students to have a direct voice with the Principal in making Cortina a better

school.  Among the areas the PAC-15 advises in are:

• security •school events

• recognizing teachers• school web page

• facilities• school discipline

• and other areas related to the mission, vision and core values of the school. 

Principal’s Award

To recognize excellence in 5th – 6th grade students at Cortina

Elementary School in the areas of academics, citizenship, service

and extra -curricular activities. In May there will be a recognition

night for the award recipients and their parents.

More information will be sent home with specific requirements.

TIGER PRIDE STUDENT AMBASSADORS

Program encourages students to:•Help other students•Keep Cortina safe•Help problem solve issues•Assist in welcoming new students and visitors to school to our campus•Volunteer to give back to community

Applications accepted to Mrs. Papke by Friday, August 21st

• Purpose: To help students organize learning, become creative, and independent thinkers and writers.

• Grading – A scoring rubric will be used to grade the notebooks periodically.

• How Parents can help? Review it with your child one or two times a week to make sure they are staying on track.

• Benefits - Allows students to have everything they need in one place, and easily attainable. Student always have material to study from.

• Allows students to interact with the materials, activities, and class examples.

Interactive Notebook

A Day in Language Arts

•Bell work- start the day with short reading passages and questions that target on skills to support our new standards. Review with class when finished. These readings and questions align with the ACCRS and spiral all year. Bell work also include mini grammar lesson which is incorporated in their writing. •DEAR /Independent Reading – students have 10 minutes of uninterrupted reading time for their independent book. Not intended to work on other classwork, etc., including reflections in journal (HOT responses) •Vocabulary – work with the root word of the week. (Games, review) Test on Friday•Lecture – standard/concept taught or reviewed using interactive notebook. Encourages students to reflect their understanding of lesson in their own way•Whole Group Reading – Whole group reading on anchor text and other text, including non-fiction, poetry, short stories to connect and compare with anchor text. Students will participate in Socratic Seminars•Writing- Imbedded daily, and through Writers Workshop

LA and Changes with Common Core

• Increased emphasis on more challenging text which requires students to re-read and do “close” reading - a deep analysis of text

• Read to Compare/Contrast various pieces of text and respond with a comparative writing piece

• Citing textual evidence in reading and writing, prove your response

• Writing will occur across the curriculum, DBQ in SS and writing in Science.

• Use the writing process incorporating the Six Traits of Writing

LA Overview of the YearQuarter 1 Reading and Writing Focus:

Literary Elements Anchor Text- Fiction –Stargirl

Writing Narratives (Incidental Narrative) and Responses to Literature Quarter 2 Reading and Writing Focus:

Non-fiction (Informational Text) and Text StructureWrite informative/ explanatory texts using strategies such as definition, classification,

comparison/ contrast, and cause and effect. Anchor Text -NF (Harriet Tubman- Conductor of an Underground Railroad)

Quarter 3 Reading and Writing Focus: Persuasive Text, Vocabulary and Persuasive Writing including

Formal Business Letter (Persuasive) and/or Persuasive/Argumentative Essay Anchor Text- Non Fiction – Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

Quarter 4 Reading and Writing Focus: Anchor Text –Undecided (Possible Literature Circles)

Writing Response to Literature ***Each quarter students will read from a wide variety of genre, in addition to the focus and

anchor text*****In addition to class novels, students will read from an independent reading book. Encouraging

students to read 3 books per Quarter

Social Studies~ Mrs. MichaelsonQuarter 1 & 2

Stone AgeMesopotamia

EgyptChinaIndia

Greece

Quarter 3 & 4Rome

Middle AgesRenaissance

AmericasWorld Religion

Grading – Semester Exam, Tests, Quizzes, Homework, Interactive Student Notebooks, Social Studies Writing, and DBQs

Social Studies

Warm-up: This is done each morning upon coming into class. Students have a warm-up that is a review of concepts or an intro to the daily lesson.Lesson: Students are introduced to new material (IAN).Activities: Students will be involved in various activities to enhance the curriculum. These activities may include hands-on activities, group activities, discussions, and short films.Homework: There is not homework each night. The homework and daily concepts are listed on the 6th grade calendar.

Science

• Scientific Method & Measurement

• Plants• Skeletal/Muscular

System• Cardiovascular/

Respiratory System• Digestive/Excretory

System

• Cells• Genetics• Diversity, Adaptation, &

Behavior• Ecosystems• Environment

A Day in Science• Agenda/Warm-Up: Students come in a fill-in their agenda;

then answer a simple question. Students are expected to correct their warm-up when we review it in class. These are collected and graded every two weeks.

• Notes: Each unit has 3-8 sets of notes. Students will copy the notes into their science spiral using Cornell format. They should review their notes at least once a week.

• Experiments: When we do experiments, students will write a lab report using the scientific method. They will do most of this in class. Usually only the conclusion needs to be written at home. Lab reports must be written (or typed) as a final draft and are graded.

• Activities: There will also be games and activities. These are completed during class time. Usually there is a worksheet, thinking map or written assignment that goes with these.

• Tests/Quizzes: A test is given at the end of each unit. It will cover everything from the notes, experiments and activities in that unit. Quizzes may be given 1-2 times in each unit depending on its length.

A Day in Math• Enter class and write in agenda• Partner Share Homework

• Discuss answers to homework questions with partner

• Review homework• Lesson

– All students are expected to take complete notes in their interactive notebook and on notes sheet.

• In-Class Practice• 5-10 problems in class to practice the concept

• Homework review• 5-10 min. to look at that night’s homework, ask

questions, and try a few

Math Overview of the Year

QUARTER 1 & 2•Unit 1- Arithmetic Operations Including Dividing by a Fraction•Unit 2 – Rational Numbers•Unit 3 – Expressions and Equations

QUARTER 3 & 4•Unit 4- Ratios and Unit Rates•Unit 5 – Area, Surface Area, and Volume

Gifted Services

• Services to gifted students will be provided by grade level teachers who will differentiate instructional strategies to meet the specific needs of verbally, quantitatively, and nonverbally gifted students.

• Students will remain in their classrooms as recent research in elementary education shows that children’s academic needs are

best met by highly qualified classroom teachers with the support of a gifted specialist.

• Ms. Carlucci will be working closely with gifted cluster teachers to ensure that they are making the necessary modifications in the curriculum to keep students engaged and challenged.

Sixth Grade Support Schedule(when requested by teacher email)

Monday Tuesday Wed. Thurs. Friday AM S.S. Science Math

PM Writing/ Readin

g

*Tutoring will also be available upon student request and needs.*

WEB SITESCheck Grade Level Calendar

The following information is available on each teacher’s web site.

HomeworkImportant Date (tests, deadlines,

holidays)Synergy for Grades and

missing assignments.