Homework and Grading Policies

Reading class homework is almost always the same: to read for 20 minutes or more each night. Progress will be checked daily in class during Reading class attendance. There will be vocabulary and spelling homework as well.

Longer or “weekly” assignments will be given as homework.

Assessments (formative and summative)

Formative assessments will include daily work, in class work, and work done leading up to a bigger project or test. For example, in the Literature Circle unit, the work done prior to the Literature Circle will be formative and generally count for 3 to 5 points. The summative assessment would be the actual Literature Circle and will be a separate grade-usually 20 points. Another example would be the vocabulary weekly assignments that would be considered formative, while the vocabulary test would be a summative assessment.

You will also notice in the Infinite Campus portal that certain tests, projects, even homework or in­-class assignments may receive more than one grade. The grade book is divided into several categories: Reading Comprehension, Reading Vocabulary, Writing/Mechanics, Spelling, Speaking and Listening, and Habits of Mind. An example of this will occur during the second week of school when we will ask students to identify one connection from their reading (text to text, text to self, or text to world) and to write one paragraph about it. Students received two grades for that assignment: one grade for the quality and thoroughness of explaining their connection. That part went in the Reading Comprehension category, and students received a second grade for attention to writing including sentence structure, basic editing, and basic spelling. This second grade went into the Writing/Mechanics category.