DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT

Sixth Grade/Chinese Immersion

Mrs. Monson

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Sixth Grade! I am looking forward to an exciting and progressive year with you. A lot is expected from sixth grade students in order to prepare them for the responsibility and independence needed to move on to middle school. Please read this document together carefully to familiarize yourselves with what is required and expected this year.

ABSENCES AND TARDIES: Each day in sixth grade builds upon the day before. When students are absent they will miss valuable teaching and discussions that cannot always be made up. However, students will be expected to complete any work that can be made up. Once they have returned, they will have one day for each day they were absent to complete the work. Students need to take the initiative to check Google Classroom to find what they have missed.

Our school’s rule regarding attendance is ater three consecutive absences, parents will be notified by me. When your student has 10 absences, a letter will be sent home from the school and principal. If your student has a cumulative amount of 20 absences: students, parents, administration and a social worker will meet to discuss the absences. If a student is more than thirty minutes tardy, it will count as a half-day absence. If your child is checked out thirty minutes to an hour before school ends, it will also count as a half day absence. These tardies will be accumulated over time and will be counted to the absences explained above.

While on vacation, classwork should be finished when they return. Again, once a student has returned, s/he will have one day for each day they were absent to complete the work. Generally speaking, I will not give work in advance due to the fluidity of education. I will, however, be glad to share the month’s curriculum guide. The list of what we do in 6th grade is staggering!

DISCIPLINE: Students are treated as capable people and expected to act responsibly and respectfully. They are expected to accomplish their work, contribute to the classroom environment, and conduct themselves as responsible citizens. Behavior issues that arise will first be dealt with between students and myself.. If the issues continue they will be brought to the attention of parents, then to Mr. Finlayson, if needed. Any serious problems will be referred to the principal immediately. Students will receive personal points every day for positive behavior. These accrue to weekly/monthly celebration/choice activities.

GRADING POLICIES: This year, we are turning to Standards Based Grading. Students will be graded on a proficiency level rather than a traditional grading scale. For each subject there are multiple standards. Each standard will correlate with a proficiency level 1-4: 1 (red) Emerging, 2 (yellow) Below Grade Level, 3-(green) Mastery, and 4-(blue) Highly Proficient, meaning 7th grade level. Students will be able to see growth in specific areas through this grading system. Students will also receive points for assignments which will help determine their proficiency level.)

I post grades for both ELA and Math weekly on skyward.

The following areas are graded and compiled for the learning habits section on a student’s report card:

• Follows directions

• Uses time wisely

• Completes and returns homework

• Shows respect and fairness toward others

• Accepts and responds to authority

• Follows classroom guidelines or rules

SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM

LANGUAGE ARTS: We follow Alpine School District’s plan for reading instruction called Balanced Literacy with the Wonders as well as Scope Scholastic magazine program. Students will be participating in many activities that will help their fluency, accuracy and comprehension in reading. Our class will be working on a 40 Book Challenge! They will be required to read at least 100 pages at home per week. Students will try different genres to expand their comprehension. Much of our nonfiction reading and writing will be done in tandem with Social Studies and Science in order to develop specific research, organizational and vocabulary skills. Your child should be reading DAILY and should be establishing his/her own reading schedule. I expect at least 30 minutes a day at home. This is the ONLY regular homework assignment! Unfinished class work will naturally become homework.

Students will be writing every week and will keep a portfolio of their writing throughout the year on their Google Docs account. They will learn the writing process by doing pre-writing activities, rough draft, revision, editing, and publishing. We will be using Utah Compose for our online grading portion as well as student, parent, and teacher edit components. There will also be running grammar games, activities, and quizzes both online and hard copy where prudent.

MATH: Sixth Grade follows the Utah State Core for Mathematics by using iReady by Curriculum Associates. We will also use other materials as we strive to help the students master the key concepts of sixth grade math. Students will explore number sense, fractions, computation, estimation, problem solving, measurement, geometry, probability, algebra, statistics and patterns. Please note that we will be using the online portion of iReady to supplement class math work.

SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES: The English side will be reinforcing the vocabulary specific to the Science and Social Studies units.

P.E. In Physical Education, we try to develop basic sports skills, intermediate sports, endurance/speed/strength, sportsmanship, and dance or movement. PLEASE WEAR APPROPRIATE PE SHOES EVERY DAY! We have a flag football unit, physical fitness, dance unit, and wiffle ball unit throughout the year. Students are graded on participation, attitude, and effort. Students will also be working on other forms of exercise weekly: the mile run, crunches, etc.

MUSIC: We will be developing music skills throughout the year by participating in vocal music which will include folk, country, 2-part harmony and rhythms. Students will be participating in other musical activities which include performance and music appreciation taught mostly by a music specialist.

MOVEMENT: Students will study art through movement. Movement will be taught by a Beverly Taylor Sorenson specialist in the gym where they will learn forms of movement that correlates with the sixth grade curriculum.

ART: Art will be taught by an art specialist where they will learn forms of artt that correlates with the sixth grade curriculum.

COMPUTER STUDIES: Computer skills will be taught by the computer specialist but will be practiced in other class periods as well. In our classroom, we will be using Google Classroom, emails, Utah Compose, and many other websites. It is important for students to work on their keyboarding and typing skills.

SUPPLIES AND Donations:

.

Notice: The items on this list will be used during the regular school day. They may be brought from home on a voluntary basis, otherwise, they will be furnished by the school.

Monson/Kuo (Chinese Immersion)

Please bring the supplies on the first day of school. Thank you for doing your best to provide these supplies; I know back to school items add up quickly!

We will try really hard, with your help, to limit the transfer of supplies between student-home and student-student. Please plan on your student to leave the supplies at school for the whole school year.

1 Large Spiral notebook (multiple subject) (Chinese)

1 colored vinyl folder (English)

1 different color vinyl folder (English)

2 Theme Books (English)

1 pencil pouch (Easier to fit in desk box than a pencil box)

1 12-pack of colored pencils (In Pencil Pouch)

2 highlighters/2 colored pens/2 black sharpies (In pencil pouch)

3 expo markers

Personal scissors

Earbuds (basic white--not large headphones) labeled with student’s name

Personal size hand sanitizer

Pop top (only) water bottle- labeled with student’s name

2 containers of disinfectant wipes (1 for English, 1 for Chinese)

2 boxes of Kleenex (1 for English, 1 for Chinese)

*$25 for class parties, field trips, etc. in cash or check.

(Checks written to “Alpine Elementary”)

If you have any additional questions and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to speak with me. I try to answer emails as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your support,

Mrs. Monson

miriammonson@alpinedistrict.org

801-368-6731 (text only)