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Mrs. Mason welcomes you to

Sixth Grade 

    What subjects do we study in 6MA?

 

In our homeroom, 6 MA, we study Literature/Reading, Religion, and Spelling. In addition, Mrs. Mason also teaches Language Arts.

 

Literature/Reading

Components:

 1. Literature –Prentice Hall text

          Tests include story vocabulary, comprehension, and essay.

 

2. Vocabulary Workshop- Sadlier

Unit: on index cards, write complete definitions for 20 words in unit

Test: various types, such as fill in the blanks, matching, synonyms, antonyms

Unit Mastery: every three lessons, i.e. Units 1-3; 100 multiple-choice questions

 

3. Accelerated Reader (A. R.) -independent reading program with computerized tests

          A.R. books (not short stories)  are listed on the computer.  Mrs. Mason must approve the book before you begin.

    Book reports may be assigned in place of an A. R. test. Specific directions will be given at that time.  

Summer Reading grade counts as one test for the first marking period.        

Literature/ Reading grade includes all three components.

 

  Religion

Components:

1. Text – Call to Faith

         Harcourt Religion Publishers

2. New American Bible

          Emphasis is on the Old Testament.

  

Spelling

 

Scott, Foresman Spelling, c. 1995

Friday – lesson is introduced  

Wednesday – The assigned pages are due.

Friday (Occasionally Thursday- I will announce it early in the week if the test is Thursday). – The test includes the 20 list words. The 5 challenge words are extra credit After the test, the words for the next lesson are introduced

     

 

    What are the procedures for 6MA?

 

Classroom Procedures:

 

Homework:  Students are expected to write their assignments in the school assignment pad and to bring the assignment pad home with them. As they do their homework, they should check the assignment pad for the correct homework. It is helpful for them check off each assignment as it is completed, and finally to replace everything back in the school bag.

Please send a note to me if your child has difficulty completing any assignment.

 

Test folders: every Wednesday the test folder will be sent home with tests, quizzes, and cover letter. Students must correct errors. Please sign each test, quiz, and cover letter. Thank you for your cooperation.  

Classroom Discipline Plan- Thank you for discussing this with your child and returning the signed plan. They are a wonderful class, and I’m looking forward to a wonderful year.

 

What are the requirements for Language Arts and the homeroom subjects?

Language Arts

 The Grade 5 text: and workbook are  McGraw-Hill c.2005.

The Grade 6 text and workbook: are Mc-Graw-Hill Language Arts c.2001

 Curriculum

We cover sentences, parts of speech, punctuation, capitalization, correct usage, and writing. Writing includes different types, such as journal writing, narrative, persuasive, and poetry. Within writing style, we study ideas and content, organization, sentence fluency, word choice, personal voice, paragraphing, and elaboration.

Diagramming sentences is taught to help students understand sentence structure, parts of speech, and their relationship with each other (adjectives modify nouns).

Handwriting in Grade 5 is practiced through poetry. I give the students a poem to copy. I focus one or two elements of good handwriting each time (letter formation, slant, spacing, alignment and proportion). The students are then required to memorize the poem. We discuss the author's meaning and poetic style. The students write a paragraph about the poem which is presented after the recitation of the poem.

Handwriting in Grade 6 is reviewed as needed either individually or as a group. Students have developed their own personal style by this age, but they are expected to write neatly and legibly. Group practice is done through our "Words, Words, Words" activity which also includes critical thinking.

 

Requirements

 

  1. Homework is given almost every night as practice for the material we have studied in class. Homework should be of good quality, done completely and neatly.

 

  1. Tests are given at the end of each chapter. They are sent home in the test folder. Your child must make corrections. Please sign the test and return it promptly. Thank you.

 

  1. Quizzes are given to assess part of the material being studied. 

 

  1. Notebooks are to be kept neatly and orderly. Students are required to begin with the page number (if applicable), title or topic, and the date. This helps with organization. I check the notebooks from time to time.

 

  1. Projects are given periodically. They count as a test grade when a longer  period of time is given to complete the project.

 

  1. Class participation is important. We can learn from each other’s questions and comments.

 

Helpful Hints

 

Songs are taught to help students learn topics such as prepositions, subjects and predicates, subject and object pronouns. Words can be found on my Web Page on the school website www.academyofourlady.org Go to Classes, to 6MA, then to the Songs button.

 

Poems can be found on my Web Page on the school website www.academyofourlady.org

Go to Classes, to 6MA, then to the Poems button. 

 

 

What is required in Reading?

Reading, aka Literature, has these requirements:

1.  Literature selections are in our text – Prentice Hall Literature. We read and discuss the selection together, study the vocabulary, answer questions, and take the test.

              2. Vocabulary Workshop

For each unit: students write the complete definition for each word on an index card,  and on the other side write the vocabulary word. We play Bingo game to help us learn the definitions. Our book has definitions, pronunciation, parts of speech, definitions, and example phrases. 

The test will have various types of  questions, such as fill in the blanks, matching, original sentences.

Unit Mastery: every three lessons, i.e. Units 1-3; 100 multiple-choice questions     

3. Accelerated Reader  - Each student must read three books ( no short stories)  from the A.R. list for each marking period . Mrs. Mason must approve the book before you begin. When you finish the book, you must take the test on the computer.        

             The Literature/Reading grade includes all three components.

The Summer Reading grade will be included as part of the first marking period grade.

 

What is  required for Spelling?

   

Scott, Foresman Spelling, c. 1995

Friday – lesson is introduced  

Wednesday – The assigned pages are due.

Friday (Occasionally Thursday- I will announce it early in the week if the test is Thursday). – The test includes the 20 list words. The 5 challenge words are extra credit After the test the words for the next lesson are introduced

 

What is in the Religion program?

 

We use the Loyola series Christ Our Life and the sixth grade text is God calls a People. We also use our New American Bibles. This year the emphasis is on the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures).

 

How are tests sent home?

Every Wednesday the test folder will be sent home with the tests and quizzes for Language Arts, Literature, Math, Reading, Religion, and     Spelling for the week. Students must make corrections.  Parent signature is needed on each test, quiz, and the cover letter which lists the contents of the folder for that week.