BACK TO SCHOOL 2011Mr. Ziegenfuss “Mr. Z”

Language Arts (Reading and English) Rm.112Explorer Team

Reading MaterialsReading MaterialsGrading ComponentsGrading Components25 book goal25 book goal

EnglishEnglishHomeworkHomework

Reading Materials Used by Students

•Reading Textbook (This text stays in the classroom, but will by able to be

accessed by students online)

•Novels (whole class, and literature groups)

•25 Book Goal (Student choice)

•Read Aloud Material

GRADES(Reading and English will be graded separately)

Weight Distribution

Assessments50%

Classwork30%

Participation/Homework

20%

*Test scores < 70% will need to be signed by parent

BOOK GOAL!• 25 Book goal for the year (6 books per quarter)

•Book equivalents are approximately 150 pages.

•Read-alouds, whole class novels, and the summer reading text are counted towards student goal.

•Each day, students should be prepared with their “free choice novel” for class. This will be an ongoing HOMEWORK assignment for the entire year, and can be logged in each night.

Reading Homework (and Reading Logs)

• Students are expected to read for 20 minutes each night!

• Parents – please sign you child’s reading log each night.

• Reading logs will be collected each MONDAY morning. This will be a homework grade for your child.

• New Reading Logs will be given to students at the start of each new month

• Reading Log sampleDate Title Author Pages read

Parent Signature

Ex. S.O.R. Losers Avi 1-30 D.K1/41/51/61/71/81/9*1/10*1/111/121/131/141/151/16*1/17*1/181/191/201/211/22 Logs due today Possible Points / 70 Extra / 20

…Other areas of focus

• Identifying critical story elements (Setting, plot, characters, author’s purpose)

• Increasing student reading fluency (132 wpm with 94% accuracy is considered “on grade level” for 6th grade)

• Reading and demonstrating an understanding of non-fictional text.

• PSSA prep

English • The Writing Process-

prewriting, drafting, revising (self and peer editing) and publishing

•Grammar- parts of speech, sentence structure, paragraph formation, and punctuation

Vocabulary- Students will be expected to understand challenging vocabulary specific to their reading materials

Spelling?• Spelling Pre-tests given each Monday

• Spelling homework due each WEDNESDAY

• Spelling Tests each FRIDAY

• Spelling Lists (#1-16) can be found as an attachment on my website

“How do I know what my child has done in class? How can I find out the homework each evening

without a fight?”

• Go to www.palisadessd.org.• Click on drop down menu “Palisades

Middle School”• Select “Teams”, then “Explorers- 6th

grade”• Click on “Calendar” on the left side of the

page

Contact Information

• E-Mail: zziegenfuss@palisadessd.org

• Phone: (team) 610.847.5131 extn.1108

• Phone: (classroom) 610.847.5131 ext.1112