English Curriculum

Mr. Pickett’s 6th Grade ELA Syllabus


What will students learn in English class?

Students will learn to think critically about what they read (both fiction and nonfiction). They'll learn to cite evidence from the text to support their analysis of what they read. They will expand their skill in the main three types of writing: narrative (storytelling), explanatory, and argumentative. We will focus on attending to using correct grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. Students will learn to prepare for and participate in academic discussions and presentations to classmates. They will improve their listening skills through discussions and audiobooks. Finally, students will learn about figurative language while reading and writing poetry. For a more in-depth look at what we'll cover this year, scroll to the bottom of this page.


Where do I find assignments, links to class meetings, and grades?

All assignments will be posted on SchoolLoop and Google Classroom with directions and due dates. You will complete the work on Google Classroom. You can see your overall class grade on SchoolLoop.

How do I contact Mr. Pickett?

dpickett@brssd.org. Expect responses within a day or two on weekdays between 8 am and 4 pm.


Grading Categories

· Formal Evaluations - tests, essays, projects, & quizzes (50%)

· Informal Evaluations – class assignments, practice work (50%)

Grading Guidelines

· On-time assignments get full credit, late assignments are deducted 50%

· Students will get full credit on the first three late assignments per semester

· Contact Mr. Pickett for extra time on assignments in case of emergency, sickness, or other circumstances

· Students will get a rubric when starting formal evaluations and be graded based on that rubric

Grading Scale

A 93-100 C 73-76

A- 90-92 C- 70-72

B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69

B 83-86 D 63-66

B- 80-82 D- 60-62

C+ 77-79 F 59 and below


Here is a more in-depth look at what students will learn.


Reading Literature

  • Cite evidence

  • Theme, Plot, Character, and Point of view

  • Write a summary

  • Determine unknown words & connotation w/ context clues, Greek/Latin roots, & reference materials

  • Compare audio/written/video

  • Figurative language

Reading Nonfiction

  • Cite evidence

  • Main idea

  • Write a summary

  • How is an idea elaborated

  • Text features and structure

  • Evaluate an argument, claim supported by evidence?

Writing

  • Argumentative

  • Narrative

  • Explanatory

Writing Skills

  • Research

  • Evaluate sources

  • Cite evidence & avoid plagiarism

  • Revise / edit / collaborate

  • On-demand writing

Speaking & Listening

  • Collaborative discussions

    • Come prepared

    • Follow rules

    • Ask questions

    • Review key ideas & reflect

  • Present narrative, explanatory, and argumentative

Written Conventions

  • Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar

  • Pronouns