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Click the arrow to view the Humanities Course Overview
6th Grade Humanities Course Overview
Welcome! We are so pleased to invite you into the John Adams Middle School Humanities community. In this course, each student will develop an identity as a middle school reader, writer, historian, and thinker. To reach this goal, we are committed to creating a student-centered space rich in literature, discussion, and authentic learning experiences. In turn, students will be held to high standards of active engagement and personal responsibility. We have an exciting year ahead, and with your partnership, we are confident that each student will make significant academic and personal gains.
Class Structure
Humanities is a unique course that integrates both English Language Arts Common Core State Standards and History Social Science Content Standards. 6th grade humanities students are provided with a rigorous literacy program that integrates social studies content. At JAMS, 6th graders see their humanities teacher daily in a “double block” class.
Course Objectives
Students will develop stronger academic language and grade-level vocabulary.
Students will develop critical thinking skills by forming ideas and supporting those ideas with evidence.
Students will strengthen independent reading habits.
Students will mature through the writing process by engaging in a variety of short and sustained narrative, informational, and argument writing experiences.
Students will learn about ancient cultures and explore their connection to our daily lives.
Student Expectations
Be Ready: Be on time and open to learning each day with required materials.
Be Present: Be engaged, studious, and prepared to put great effort into each task.
Be Respectful: Listen and speak at appropriate times, follow directions with awareness, use thoughtful language, and respect the resources of the classroom.
Textbooks
Students may access textbooks online via Clever.
California Collections
History Alive! The Ancient World
Possible Reading Experiences
Short Fiction: realistic fiction stories, myths, legends, folktales, poetry
Short Nonfiction: history and science picture books, articles
Novel Study
*Students are expected to be reading a self-selected independent book at all times. Students may read an independent book from home, the classroom library, the JAMS Library, the public library, or choose from a variety of free eBooks and audiobooks through SORA, Epic!, or Learning Ally. Students can also add Santa Monica Public Library accounts to access even more books through SORA.
Social Studies Units
Unit 1: Early Humans & the Rise of Civilization
Unit 2: Ancient Egypt & the Middle East
Unit 3: Ancient India
Unit 4: Ancient China
Unit 5: Ancient Greece
Unit 6: Ancient Rome
Work Expectations & Grading Policy
Each week, students will complete a variety of work products: Google Classroom assignments, projects, assessments, and quizzes. All graded work products will be entered into the Aeries grade book on a 100-point scale. Students and families are expected to check Aeries at least every two weeks to track scores.
Letter Grades, Percentages, & Descriptions
A 100-90% Exceeds Standards
B 89-80% Meets Standards
C 79-70% Approaching Standards
D 69-55% Does Not Meet Standards
F 54-0% Missing (did not turn in)
Students and families should work with their teacher to make a plan to resubmit assignments, projects or assessment before the end of the grading period.
Students enrolled in John Adams Middle School are not required to pay any fee, deposit, or other charge for participation in an educational activity offered by the school or the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, except as authorized by law and consistent with the California constitution and Hartzell v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal.3d 899. Donations are sought and accepted for various activities and supplies, and are at times critical to the continued success of classes and activities, but donations are always voluntary, and no child will be denied the right to fully and meaningfully participate in any activity because he/she has not donated money or supplies. For more information, go to http://www.smmusd.org.
Click the arrow to view the Reading Improvement Course Overview
Reading Improvement Course Overview
Welcome! We are so pleased to invite you into our classroom community. In this course, each student will develop an identity as a reader. To reach this goal, we are committed to creating a student-centered space rich in literature, discussion, and authentic learning experiences based on reading standards. In turn, students will be held to high standards of active engagement and personal responsibility. We have an exciting year ahead, and with your partnership, we are confident that each student will make significant academic and personal gains.
Course Objectives
Students will strengthen independent reading habits (text selection, monitoring comprehension while reading, using tools to reflect after reading).
Students will practice daily fluency with STARI to increase accuracy, reading speed, and expression.
Students will receive instruction in phonics using the PhonicsBoost! program.
Students will share ideas about texts and support those ideas with text-based evidence in a guided reading protocol.
Students will develop stronger academic and grade-level vocabulary using InferCabulary, Academic Vocabulary Toolkit routines, and morphology study.
Over time, each student will make progress in reading as measured by STAR Reading assessment data.
Class Structure
Reading improvement students will participate in 45-minute blocks three times per week. Students will engage in a longer 90-minute block once per week.
Student Expectations
Be Ready: Be on time and open to learning each day with required materials.
Be Present: Be engaged, studious, and prepared to put great effort into each task.
Be Respectful: Listen and speak at appropriate times, follow directions with awareness, use thoughtful language, and respect the resources of the classroom.
Possible Reading Experiences
Short Fiction: realistic fiction stories, myths, legends, folktales, poetry
Short Nonfiction: history and science picture books, articles
Reader’s Theater
*Students are expected to be reading a self-selected independent book at all times. Students may read an independent book from home, or choose from a variety of free eBooks through SORA, Epic!, or Learning Ally. Students can also add Santa Monica Public Library accounts to access even more books through SORA.
Work Expectations & Grading Policy
Each week, students will complete a variety of work products: journal entries, Google Classroom assignments, partner tasks, workbook assignments, and assessments. Students will be graded entirely on participation in these tasks, in addition to the student expectations set at the beginning of the year. A weekly participation grade will be entered into the gradebook on a 100-point scale. Students and families are expected to check grades at least every two weeks to track scores.
Letter Grade, Percentage, and Description
A 100-90% Exceeds Standards
B 89-80% Meets Standards
C 79-70% Approaching Standards
D 69-55% Does Not Meet Standards
F 54-0% Missing (did not turn in)
Students and families should work with their teacher to make a plan to resubmit assignments, projects or assessment before the end of the grading period.
Students enrolled in John Adams Middle School are not required to pay any fee, deposit, or other charge for participation in an educational activity offered by the school or the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, except as authorized by law and consistent with the California constitution and Hartzell v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal.3d 899. Donations are sought and accepted for various activities and supplies, and are at times critical to the continued success of classes and activities, but donations are always voluntary, and no child will be denied the right to fully and meaningfully participate in any activity because he/she has not donated money or supplies. For more information, go to http://www.smmusd.org.
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