6 Grade English Syllabus

Ms. Xu Animo Western Charter Middle School Green Dot Public Schools STUDENT NAME: _________________________________________________PERIOD: _______

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INTRODUCTION
WHAT WILL I LEARN? Welcome to English class! My name is Ms. Xu (pronounced "Miss Shu") and I will be your English Language Arts or ELA teacher for this year. I'm excited to get to know everyone and I hope we have a wonderful year of learning and growing together. We will focus on reading, discussion, writing, and presenting skills throughout the year to prepare students for not only the state tests, but for high school, college, leadership, and life! I believe in the potential in all my students to not only be great readers, listeners, and writers, but to use these skills to be great people. WHAT WILL I READ IN ENGLISH? Students will be reading 4 books throughout the whole year. Students will be asked to respond, discuss, write, and present on various topics related to these books as well as study grammar and academic vocabulary.
Many other texts! Another novel! Your own essays!

WHAT WILL I NEED FOR ENGLISH?EVERY DAY IN CLASS YOU WILL NEED TO BRING:

Sharp pencils and black pens

Eraser

Red Pen for corrections

Lined Paper

1" 3-Ring Binder

Binder dividers

EXPECTATIONS
CLASSROOM RULES It is easy to remember the rules in my classroom! Remember to LEARN! Also school rules still apply in the classroom.

Follow CHAMPS !

L
CLASSROOM RULES

isten and follow the instructions.

SLANT !

Uniform on, supplies ready, and game face on!

nter on time and prepared to

learn.

In your seat by the bell with your Agenda out.

No slacking off. Always try the actvity.

A R

lways be on task.

Stay on topic!

Treat Ms. Xu and classmates with kindness.

espect all people and property.

Keep hands, feet, objects, and hurtful comments to yourself.

Asking great questions!

ever give less than your best.

Be responsible by coming to office hours.

BATHROOM/WATER BREAKS FOR EMERGENCIES Students are to use their 5-minute passing periods to use the restroom. The teacher will give you 3 passes per quarter to use in case of emergencies. Any unused pass at the end of the quarter will become a raffle ticket for prizes.

CONSEQUENCES
My job as a teacher is the make sure that all students are following the rules so that everyone can learn and be successful in a safe and positive classroom. If students are not following these expectations, these are the consequences.

1st OFFENSE:

WARNING
Teacher warns the student by name Teacher reminds student to follow the rules.

2nd OFFENSE:

TEACHER CONSEQUENCE
Teacher will choose and give a consequence.

DEMERIT

Automatic Demerit: - Tardy - Cursing - Play-fighting/Pushing - Throwing objects - Running in class

3rd OFFENSE:

BEHAVIOR ESSAY
Student will need to copy a Behavior essay and Behavior reflection form due the next day.

4th OFFENSE:

PARENT/FAMILY CONTACT
Teacher will write up the behavior and call the family of the student after school or during class.

5th OFFENSE:

OFFICE REFERRAL
Teacher will write up the behavior on a referral. This referral will be sent to the office.
Automatic Referral: - Electronics seen or heard in class. - Extreme disrespect - Fighting/hurting others - Other extreme misbehavior

REWARDS Students who are able to follow directions consistently or go above and beyond proper expectations will be rewarded if they are caught doing the right thing! Now, Ms. Xu does not have Super Eyesight or Super Hearing, and is, of course, a human being. She will not always be able to reward or acknowledge everyone who is following directions, but if a student is caught, she will do her best to reward that person!

Raffle Tickets for Small Prizes Dojo Points Student Job Rewards!

Group Quiz Points Group Competition Points Group Reward!

Class Points Competition with other Periods

INDIVIDUAL REWARDS

GROUP REWARDS

CLASS REWARDS

CLASS DOJO POINTS Class Dojo is an online system in which each student if given an avatar online. For example, here we have some sample students, Michael and Spongebob.

If a student, like Michael, is caught doing the right thing, the avatar will receive a positive point!

If a student is, like SpongeBob, is not following the rules, the avatar will receive a negative point.

ACADEMICS
GRADE BREAKDOWN
Your grade will be divided in five parts: WHAT IS IT? HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH? 5% 10% 35%

The school wide grading scale at nimo Western is as follows: 100%-93%=A 92%-90%=A89%-83%=B 82%-80%=B79%-73%=C 72%-70%=C69%-63%=D 62%-60%=D59% and below=F

Homework Classwork Essays/Projects

Tests/Quizzes

35%

Final/Midterm

15%

LATE/MAKE UP WORK

It is your responsibility to get any assignments or notes you missed after school, during Office Hours or during lunch. All assignments (homework, essays, quizzes, tests) must be turned in within two days of your return. (This policy includes absences by suspension). Only turn in late assignments after school, during Office Hours or during lunch. You will receive only a maximum of 80% for the late assignment. After two days, YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO IF YOU DO NOT TURN IN YOUR MISSING WORK/ASSESSMENTS.

MONDAYS and TUESDAYS 3:30pm-4:30pm

MAKING UP QUIZZES AND TESTS We often have quizzes on Fridays. Tests will be given at the end of a Unit. If you miss a test or quiz, you must make it up during Office Hours within five school days of your return, OR YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO. Tests and quizzes can only be made up during office hours or, by appointment before school. If you take your test, and decide you want to improve your grade, you may also retakt it at any time during office hours to demonstrate your growth in understanding.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP
STUDENT JOBS
For responsible students who can not only follow directions but also lead, there are classroom jobs later on in the year!

CLASSROOM JOBS

Row Collector Team Captain

1 per row

1 per team

Supply Monitor 1 per team Stamper Phone Operator Greeter Timer

1 per class

Passes out the rBooks and folders for their row Collects rBooks at the end of class Makes sure that their group is cleaned up before exiting Uses a quiet hand signal to let the teacher know their row is ready to exit the class Passes out and collects supplies to everyone in their team

Helps Ms. Xu stamp everyones Do-Now and Homework after finishing his/her own Silently walks around the room to stamp When the phone rings, this person calmly walks to answer the phone Must speak clearly and in complete sentences Opens the door for visitors Welcomes newcomers and takes them to sit at the table to wait for Ms. Xu Times various activities. Gives notice to the class in a level 2 voice.

1 per class

1 per class

1 per class

(There may be more jobs later in the year!) In the beginning of the year, students will be assigned the job by the teacher. Afterwards, students may apply to jobs during office hours with an application, starting in October. If a student does well at her student job as well as follow directions in class and from his or her job, the student will be rewarded each week with a small prize! However, if a student cannot handle his or her responsibilities or is caught being unfair at his or her job then the student may be fired and/or punished.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _

SAMPLE STUDENT APPLICATION FORM FOR OCTOBER

Student Name: _______________________________________________________________ What are the top two jobs you would like to have in Ms. Xus class? First choice : _________________________________Second choice : _________________________________________ What personality traits do you have that will make you a good fit for your first choice? Please write in a complete sentence. If you have a teacher or an adult who would recommend you, have them write a recommendation letter to me on the back of this sheet of paper. 6

TO PARENTS/FAMILY
MS. XUS INFORMATION
Dear Parents/ Queridos Padres, I, Ms. Xu, promise to hold high expectations for all of the students entering my classroom this year. Yo, la Seorita Xu, prometo tener altas expectativas para todos los alumnos que entran en mi clase. In addition to my commitment to their education, I would love for you to get involved in your childs progress throughout this year. Thus, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your childs progress in my classroom, feel free to contact me through any of the following means. My goal is to respond within 48 hours. Adems de mi compromiso con su educacin, me encantara que usted participe en el progreso de su hijo/hija durante este ao. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud con respecto al progreso de su nio en mi clase, no dude en ponerse en contacto conmigo a travs de cualquiera de los siguientes medios. Mi meta es responder dentro de 48 horas.

Office Hours/ Horas de oficina: Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:30pm 4:30 pm E-mail/ Correo electronico: lai.xu@animo.org Phone/ Telefono cellular: 858-254-9007 PARENT/FAMILY INFORMATION

Please fill out your contact information. Por favor, llene su informacin de contacto. Thank you! Gracias!

_____________________________________________________________________________ Parents or Guardians Names/Nombres de los Padres o Guardianes

_______________________________________________ ______________________________ Home and Cellphone Number/Numero de Casa y Cellular E-mail

______________________________________ Preferred Date and Time of Contact/ Fecha y Hora de Preferencia de Contacto

___________________________________ Indicate preferred method of contact Indique mtodo preferido de contacto

STUDENT INFORMATION Students, after reading this packet with the teacher, you must sign here to indicate that you agree with the expectations of this class as indicated on this syllabus. _____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Student Name (Print Please) Student Signature 7

DONORS CHOOSE

Photography-release permission form

I am the adult participant or the legal parent or guardian of the child participant named below. I hereby give permission for the participant to be photographed (with or without other classmates in a particular picture) in this teachers class and to write thank-you notes to the donor(s). I understand, agree and give permission for DonorsChoose.org to: (1) make and send copies of the photographs and the thank-you notes to the activities donor(s), (2) display the photographs and/or thank-you notes on the DonorsChoose.org website, and (3) otherwise use the photographs and/or thank-you notes in promotional materials for DonorsChoose.org.
STUDENT NAME (Please print):_______________________________________________________________ STUDENT SIGNATURE:_________________________________________________Date:_________________

PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME (Please print):______________________________________________________ PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE:________________________________________Date:_________________