Middle School Language Arts: The BIG Picture
What's completed DURING CLASS and counts towards the students' grade:
- Writer's notebook work and writing mini-lessons. Writer's notebook will be monitored. Students are required to freewrite for 10 minutes each class period. Students may write about any school appropriate topic they choose or use a suggestion.
- Writer's workshop tasks, including drafting, responding, revising, and publishing. Students who don't use class time to work on their writing when it's assigned will be expected to complete it as homework, but students should have ample time in class to work on the writing assignments I will give.
- Project-planning and project-implementation. Again, students who choose not to use class time to work on projects will be expected to complete as homework, but students should have ample time in class to complete work.
- Grammar Assignments- Students will have grammar notes and mini-lessons in class. IXL will be used to practice grammar skills.
Classwork & Homework: THIS WORK WILL BE COMPLETED IN CLASS THIS YEAR FOR THE MOST PART. STUDENTS MAY HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF WORK TO FINISH IN HR.
- Weekly Vocabulary. We are using a new Vocabulary Program this year, Sadlier Vocabulary. Students have a workbook and they also have a student account to a website that provides support for them as they learn the new words. Students have received their log in information in class. The website is linked on the menu on the left.
- Each vocabulary unit is broken up into 2 parts. Parts A and B introduce 10 new words. Each unit consists of 20 new words. After every 3 units, students will have a review unit.
Each week students are working with 10 new TIER 2 vocabulary words. What are Tier 2 words? Glad you asked! Here's a definition: Tier 2 words are robust, academic vocabulary words that students are likely to encounter across all topics and content-areas. These words are used by mature language learners. They're not the words students are likely to learn in everyday life without some direct instruction.
Vocabulary Schedule:
Week 1 of Unit
Monday- Students read the unit selection, review the definitions for List A, and complete classwork to refinforce
Tuesday-Thursday- Remaining exercises are completed independently and reviewed in class. This may be a combination of classwork & homework..
Friday- Students review definitions for List B words of the unit.
HOMEWORK ALL WEEK- STUDENTS SHOULD UTILIZE THE WEBSITE AND PLAY GAMES TO PRACTICE LIST A WORDS.
Week 2 of the Unit
Monday- Thursday- Students complete exercises working with List B words. (Students should continue to review List A words for homework.
Thursday- Students complete exercises reviewing List A & B words.
Friday- Students complete a pretest on website in preparation for the graded test on the following Monday. (This will be assigned as homework.)
HOMEWORK ALL WEEK- STUDENTS SHOULD UTILIZE THE WEBSITE AND PLAY GAMES TO PRACTICE LIST A & B WORDS.
Parents, please help me help your students be successful by:
- Checking the homework portal with your student to keep on track with daily assignments.
- Reviewing vocabulary pages with your student to make sure they are utilizing resources to properly complete assignments. Encourage them to utilize the website with the support tools.
- Be willing to listen to your student read written work aloud. This is a great way for them to catch mistakes and increase their writing fluency and flow. Do NOT just read their work and make corrections. I'm sure you can rock middle school, but I want them to ROCK!
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.
~William Wordsworth