ELA

English Language Arts isn't just my subject, it's my passion. It is my hope that I will inspire this generation to become young people who view reading as a favorable experience. It is my belief that kids who do not like reading tend to struggle with some aspect of making meaning of the written word. It is my responsibility to encourage and enlighten them to explore new genres that will intrigue their curiosities, and help them develop knowledge of the literary devices used in order for the students to gain a deeper understanding of the fictional stories they read. It is important to teach students text structures, and text features to help them be successful with informational text as well.

I further believe to produce better readers, students must read and write. It is my personal goal to have all of my students who walk through my door to be comfortable with reading for pleasure as well as become knowledgeable on reading for information. I hope to be the spark that will light their flame for a fabulous future.  

I have been specializing in teaching ELA for more than 18 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. 

Understanding the ELA Classroom:

This is an exciting year for our students as they transition from students "learning to read" to students who are "reading to learn." This year we will be navigating our way through the district-adopted Amplify CKLA program. We are keeping our syllabus less detailed this year as we are expecting changes and pacing to vary.

All students in ELA 5 and ELA 5+ will be completing the same core curriculum and anchor text. The initial reading for each unit in the Amplify program will be done in class. Each unit of study will consist of reading comprehension, reading fluency, vocabulary, spelling, and morphology. The units will conclude with a final piece of writing. We will continue to differentiate ELA 5 and ELA 5+ according to the student’s needs. One program that we will use this year to help with differentiation is ReadWorks. This is an online program that allows the teacher to assign leveled text based on the student’s reading levels. Our ELA 5+ classes tend to move at a faster pace, but all ELA classes will be appropriately challenged. 

In addition to the Amplify CKLA program, students will be expected to read outside of class. Students will be given a class novel to use as their independent reading. Students will demonstrate their reading accountability through the use of comprehension quizzes and group discussions. Independent reading will be assigned through Google Classroom in order for us to provide the students with additional support to help with the reading. Audiobooks will be provided for students to use while reading independently. The proper use of how to use audiobooks paired with the printed novel will be demonstrated in class. (More information and book lists will be provided at a later date.)

ELA Components:

Google Classroom - Students must use Google Classroom (GC) daily to keep up with all assignments. Class notes, videos, resources, and audio for our class novels are posted on GC. This is a must especially if the student has been absent. If absent, all assigned reading will need to be made up prior to the student returning to class whenever possible in order to be able to participate in discussions. 

ELA Binder - Students will use an ELA binder this year. The binder will be provided and in it students will have their Amplify workbook and other related material. There is also a plastic sleeve in the binder for students to use for storage of their team novel. Materials from the binder may be removed and taken home if needed. There are 5 tabs in the binder labled, Word Study, Spelling, D.L.R. (Daily Language Review), Writing, and Reading. Students will use these tabs to help organize all the parts and pieces of the ELA classroom.

Amplify CKLA Program - In Grades 3–5, lessons combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater emphasis on writing. Refer to the Curriculum Map posted below for details about the Grade 5 program.

ReadWorks - This is an online program that is recommended by Amplify at various times during each unit. It will be used to engage students in deeper thinking! Paired texts are two passages about a common topic, theme, or literary element. These will help students make connections, compare and contrast, build vocabulary across contexts, and identify patterns. 

Homework, Due Dates, & Late Work:

• Students can expect to have homework almost nightly. Most of the ELA homework will be in the form of reading and reviewing for quizzes. The chart below describes the need for additional reading. If class time is not used efficiently, students may take home incomplete class work to complete for homework.

  • Students should not spend more than an hour on WRITTEN work. If this happens daily, then let us know or stop at a good point and sign the planner with a note indicating how much time was spent on each assignment. 

• Why are due dates important? Together, we want our students to reach specific learning goals and due dates serve as deadlines to ensure students are progressing towards these goals. Recording homework assignments in our daily Troy planner and accomplishing tasks daily and nightly, are key to on-time completion. 

• Late work is acceptable with penalty up to three days after the assigned due date. Students are required to email the teacher upon completion of the late work as a score of zero may not be changed in PowerSchool unless the teacher is notified. In extreme extenuating circumstances, we work together to set up a plan for successful completion of school work.

  • Extra time is given for completion of classwork and homework when a student has an extended absence. *Google assignments are accessible at all times and we recommend “bookmarking” your child’s Google account and Google Classroom in order for parents to access easily. 

Retake Policy:

While it is always in the students best interest to learn the material before an assessment or complete assignments to the best of their ability, we understand that life situations come up that may cause undesirable results. Therefore, retakes and redos will be offered on an individual basis, at INDIVIDUAL TEACHER DISCRETION. However, we may refuse a retake for various reasons. For example, the student did not attend extra study sessions, did not complete the study guides, did not do the required daily work, and/or did not show any other effort to prepare.

Grading: 

Total Point System is used in 5th grade ELA and NOT percent weights. We try to create a balance between tests, weekly quizzes, writing assignments, classwork, and projects to give students more than one way to shine.