English Language Arts

Here's what we're doing in ELA:

Throughout the year:

READING

• In sixth grade this year we are beginning with a new reading program from the American Reading Company (ARC). This is a comprehensive reading program that includes curriculum as well as a wealth of resources for both students and teachers.

• Students will mostly be reading books that they have chosen, sometimes within a pre-determined genre or topic with goals that have been created by and for them. They will also participate in guided reading groups by level to help them improve their reading and work on the art of discussion as they help each other through reading texts.

• We are participating in the 100 Books Challenge to dramatically increase the amount of reading a student does. It provides each student with a selection of hundreds of books matched to their reading level . You can help with this! See FAQs from ARC here.

WRITING

Students write every single day in class both as response to their reading and as a way to communicate their own ideas. They will going through the writing process from pre-writing through published pieces. This year they will write personal narrative, argument, and informational research-based pieces.

REQUIREMENTS

• The reading program’s high standards require a minimum of 30 minutes of independent reading a day in school and an additional 30 minutes of reading at home.

• Students must come to book with an independent reading book or borrow one from the classroom library.

• Students must have a composition notebook to be used in class and at home for both reading and writing. (This can be one notebook or two.)