Park Middle School English Language Arts and History 6 th Grade Syllabus Mr. Crouch: davidcrouch@antioch.k12.ca.us or through the Aeries Student Information System Class Description Welcome to the Sixth Grade! This will be an exciting year for your students as we will challenge ourselves to develop as readers and writers, to explore the Ancient World, and to grow as a caring and supportive community. You are no longer in elementary school. For students, this means this class will likely be one of the most difficult you have yet encountered. You may need to put forth more effort than ever before to master the skills necessary to become better readers, writers, test-takers, and thinkers. We will focus on developing your skills, not only to prepare for school, but to prepare for life itself. You will learn how to communicate more effectively on paper and through dialogue. If you come to class every day prepared to meet these challenges, you will emerge as a confident student ready to face seventh grade and beyond. Class Expectations As a student, we expect you to behave respectfully at all times. Your teachers will strive to ensure that the classroom is an environment that remains safe, encouraging, and productive at all times. However, we cannot accomplish this without the help of all of you. Below are the rules of the classroom that we expect will be followed by every member of the class. 1. You must be on time for class. This means you are in the classroom and getting prepared for the day, 2 Minute Drill. Anyone not in the classroom prior to the bell will be considered tardy and will be disciplined according to the school tardy policy. 2. You will not disrupt the learning environment. Procedures will be clearly explained during the first week of class. Any student not following those procedures will be considered a disruption for the day and subject to discipline according to the Park Middle School classroom disruption discipline policy. Every student deserves the right to the best education possible. 3. Grades are non-negotiable. The grading system I use is designed for optimum fair and impartial assessments of your English Language Arts and History skills. As such, all grades will be rendered final, unless a clerical error was discovered. 4. You will be respectful of any teacher, administrator, visitor and fellow student at all times. To maintain a safe and encouraging environment, we need to ensure that students
are never fearful of voicing their opinions in class. Teachers, including substitutes and visiting instructors, will be given the respect they deserve as well. 5. You will have your materials for each class. It is extremely difficult to be successful without the required materials. You will be expected to have, at minimum, a writing utensil, paper, your English packet, and your history textbook and workbook. You will also need to have colored crayons or pencils for the map work in history. This means you will bring your materials to class, not show up and borrow a teacher s, or fellow student s material. Not having the required materials will result in disciplinary action. Class Materials You will be expected to have the following materials to be prepared for this class. - Paper. This may be in a binder or notebook. Binder paper is preferred. - A writing utensil. Pencils are usually preferable because errors are easily fixed, but a black or blue erasable pen is acceptable as well. Students are expected to have a writing utensil each and every day. - Colored pencils or crayons. Please bring them to school every day. We will use them frequently throughout the year. - We may be working on some projects throughout the year. I will send home a notice if you need to purchase anything. English Grading Policy I will be using the same unique grading policy as the 7 th grade teachers. We have chosen this policy because it focuses on the student s ability to master a set of skills rather than simply memorize facts that will quickly be forgotten. This will ensure a greater understanding of the material taught and provide a boost for future learning. The system we use is called Standards Based Grading. The chart below shows the grading scales. *All tests, quizzes, and projects for English will be listed in Aeries as test/quiz. Percentage earned Term used Letter Grade Equivalent 100% - 85% Advanced A 84% - 75% Proficient B 74% - 62% Basic C 61% - 51% Below Basic D 50% - 0% Far Below Basic F
Grades: 20% homework/classwork (will be listed in Aeries as assignment ) 80% tests/quizzes/projects (will be listed in Aeries as test or quiz ) The basics of how to succeed are listed below. Students are allowed to retake tests. Approximately every Friday we will have a quiz on one particular skill learned throughout the week. If a student takes a test and does not score a passing grade, they may retake the test in class the following Tuesday. The most recent score, whether it is higher or lower, becomes the score listed in the grade book. Each week the student will also work on a packet that will assist them in mastering the standard. Each packet must be completed and submitted prior to the next standard. Even though we have become accustomed to the C grade being average, it is not so in this case. If you see a C from English, it means the student has not yet fully understood the necessary skill. In other words, a C shows that the student is preforming at a lower level than what is expected. Students that earn a C are encouraged to make the extra effort to become proficient. o * As you can see in the chart above, a C is between 62-74%. In most other classes that would fall in the C- or D range. History Grading Policy Traditional Grading Scale The chart below shows the grading scales. Percentage earned Term used Letter Grade Equivalent 100% - 90% Advanced A 89% - 80% Proficient B 79% - 70% Basic C 69% - 60% Below Basic D 59% - 0% Far Below Basic F Grades: 30% homework/classwork (will be listed in Aeries as assignment ) 70% tests/quizzes/projects (will be listed in Aeries as test or quiz ) The basics of how to succeed are listed below. After each History chapter, we will have a quiz. If you take a quiz and do not score a passing grade, you may submit a full page written summary of the chapter. This will raise your quiz grade by one letter grade (example: from D to C).
History workbooks will be kept in the classroom. When homework is assigned, students will take the workbook home and bring it back the next day completed. History textbooks will be staying at home. We have a class set to use at school. Extra Credit There is no extra credit offered in these courses. Students are expected to complete the assigned work on time. This helps students learn responsibility and self-reliance. Absences/Late Work Late work will only be accepted due to an excused absence. If an assignment is due on a day you are absent, you are expected to submit the assignment on the first day you return to class. If you are gone on the day an assignment is given, you will be expected to check Aeries or obtain a copy of the assignment upon your return to class. Misplaced Work/Papers If work/papers are misplaced, it is the student s responsibility to print out new ones. I will have all work posted in the Aeries Student Information System. It is the student s responsibility to print it out. There are computer labs and a library for every student s convenience. Aeries Student Information System Please sign up for parent access on the Park Middle School website as soon as possible https://antiochusd.asp.aeries.net/student/loginparent.aspx?page=default.aspx This will allow you to check assignments, grades, upcoming due dates, etc School Year Timeline (subject to minor changes) Quarter One: ELA standards RI/RL 6.1, 6.2, 6.3; L 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, 6.6; W 6.4, 6.5 Quarter Two: ELA standards RI/RL 6.1, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8; L 6.5; W 6.1 Quarter three: ELA standards RI/RL 6.1, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9; L 6.2; W 6.3, W6.9 Quarter four: ELA standards RI/RL 6.1; W 6.6, 6.7, 6.8
History-School Year Timeline (subject to minor changes) Unit 1- Early Humans and The Rise of Civilization Unit 2- Ancient Egypt and the Near East Unit 3- Ancient India Unit 4- Ancient Greece Unit 5- Ancient Rome Unit 6- Ancient China
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