WELCOME TO SIXTH GRADE VERBAL GATEPlease sign in and complete a survey.

Mrs. Ingargiola

FYI:

I have been teaching at Hammarskjöld for 10 years. This is my 4th year teaching a full schedule of 6th grade Verbal Gate.

I have extremely high expectations for my students, and I do not intend to lower them!

I never expect perfection; just excellence and effort.

This will be (and should be) a challenging, yet rewarding year for your child.

I promise that if your child works hard, he/she will see tremendous growth in both reading and writing.

I can’t do it alone - please help at home by encouraging your child to work hard!

THEMES OF 6TH GRADE VERBAL

Ethical Issues/Mystery -Agatha Christie’s - And Then There Were None

Justice - Harper Lee’s - To Kill a Mockingbird

Tolerance - Todd Strasser’s - The Wave

ADDITIONAL UNITS OF STUDY

Mythology – Students will read a variety of myths with a focus on Greek Mythology. Students will examine the purposes and structures of myths. As a companion to this reading unit, students will write an original “how and why tale”.

Pop Up Books: Within our unit on Tolerance, students will write an original children’s story with a theme of tolerance. Students will create a hard-covered pop-up book complete with a story and illustrations.

Trials - Students will participate in a mock trial using familiar fairy-tales. Students will learn courtroom procedures and complete an entire trial - start to finish.

ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS

Come prepared to learn and participate!

(5% of grade) Write down homework in agenda and

complete all assignments(10% of grade) Complete Words Their Way Activity (15% of grade: weekly word study quizzes -

Fridays) Reading & Writing Workshop (Each 35% of grade)

READING

Students must always have an IR book with them. They are required to read at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes.

Teacher & student conferences are held frequently. Each marking period, running records are completed during conferences.

Reader Response Journals - Entries and notes are completed on a nearly daily basis. Journals should reflect understanding of the concepts taught in each unit of reading instruction.

Throughout a unit of study and/or at the end of a unit of study, students will complete an assessment to show me their ability to apply/use the skills taught in class.

WRITING

Students write on a daily basis. Myth, Mystery, Children’s Story, Drama (trial

script) Open-Ended questions- done weekly, if not

more. Small moment personal narratives (timed)

(done each quarter, scored on a continuum) Research Paper - Civil Rights topics (January) Pen-Pal Letters - twice a year

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Scholastic Book Orders – Usually offered each month. You can order online-follow link from my webpage! Plan ahead for upcoming units of study (for now, look for mystery independent reading books). Orders due: September 30th.

Classroom Library/Media Center

POP-UP BOOK UNIT…

This year, Verbal students will have the unique opportunity to read their children’s stories at Barnes and Noble in East Brunswick.

An evening of tolerance stories will take place from 7-8:30 in May.

Stations will be set up throughout the store and students will have a schedule to follow informing them of where and when to read.

Book Fair - Vouchers will be distributed. Our program will receive a percentage of all sales from the evening to be used on purchasing new books for our classrooms

We hope you’ll help!

QUESTIONS? CONCERNS?

Please feel free to email me:aingargiola@ebnet.org