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6th Grade All Class Syllabus 2007-2008
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Instructor: Heidi Bucholz Room:
104
Foothills Middle School Prep
Period: 3rd
School Phone: 664-8961 x2104 Subjects:
Science
School: bucholz.h@mail.wsd.wednet.edu
advanced math skills. During the year, students will prepare
and present demonstrations showing efficiency in problem solving,
communication, reasoning, and making connections. Technology will be woven into instruction and into studentsÕ
work as they present their mathematical thinking to the class. Their coursework this year will include
units in measurement, geometry, statistics, probability, and beginning algebra.
There will be direct instruction
of skills, group and individual problem solving as well as assessments and
journal writes. Students will complete
daily homework in three ring math binders. Daily work will count for 40% of a studentÕs quarter grade,
while problem solving and assessments will account for 60% of the grade
respectively.
Textbook/ Supplemental Materials:
Connected Math Project 2 published
by Prentice Hall
In addition to regular Math class,
your student may have an opportunity to have an Extension Class in Math. This class
will enrich your childÕs experience with mathematics. Projects will be hands-on and interactive. Grades will be
based on effort and your studentÕs skill in communicating mathematical
thinking. This class will be
scheduled during 3rd Period.
Social Studies: Social Studies at 6th grade is a year-long course in
WashingtonÕs geography, history, civics, and government. As students examine texts, documents,
and artifacts, they will make connections between the past and the
present. The students will begin
by taking an intensive course on how to access resource information in our
library. These are skills they will be using all of their academic lives. A wealth of resources (printed texts,
atlases, and electronic technology) will aid the students in integrating the
disciplines of Social Studies with their own reality. Students will also participate in a state recommended
Classroom-Based Assessment on the Causes of Conflict.
Textbook/ Supplemental Materials:
Washington in the Pacific
Northwest, Gibbs-Smith Publishing (supplied)
Language Arts: Students will continue to practice using the Writing
Process with emphasis on applying the Six Traits of Writing. Students will focus on state standards
and write in the following forms: Narrative, Expository, and Persuasive. Quarterly assessments are scored to
chart student growth. Students
will keep track of their growth as writers. All aspects of Language Arts will be covered throughout the
year including Listening and Communication.
In addition to regular Language
Arts class, your student may have an opportunity to have an Extension Class in
Writing and a Speech class. These
classes will enrich your childÕs experience with the writing traits and public
speaking. Students will work
toward state standards by writing and publishing with focused attention from
the teacher. These classes will be
scheduled during 3rd and 4th period.
Textbook/Supplemental Materials:
Literature and Language,
McDougall/Littel
Write Source 2000 Handbook,
Great Source
Daybook of Critical Reading and
Writing, Great Source
Reading: StudentsÕ comprehension skills, vocabulary, and analysis
will be monitored through classroom assessment. An emphasis on skills relating to informational text will be
given. The Active Reading
Strategies (Thinking Strategies) will also be taught. Students will engage in further critical thinking about
reading in order to supplement their regular reading class. Students will track and monitor their
progress in relation to state grade level expectations.
Some students will also have an
opportunity for reading enrichment through Jr. Great Books and shared inquiry.
Students will engage in further critical thinking about reading in order
to supplement their regular reading class. Students will work individually with
the teacher as well as in small groups for the semester as part of reading
extension.
Textbook/Supplemental Materials:
ReaderÕs Handbook, Great
Source
Junior Great Books, Great
Books Foundation
Science: In order to meet new state standards in Science, 6th
graders will study from two science units from STC/MS, (Science and Technology
for Children/Middle School). This program is district-wide and is the
districtÕs new curricula for middle school science. The two units we will be
covering are Earth in Space and Catastrophic
Events. These units are built around kits
and will be comprised of hands-on labs and the theory of inquiry-based
learning, in which students ask questions, perform experiments and look at
Ôreal lifeÕ applications. This is a new curriculum and should be very exciting,
but will also be a learning process for all.
Homeroom: This 7th period class was created with the goal of
enabling students to make the transition into middle school successfully. The teacher will require students to
demonstrate consistent use of the Planner to organize and manage their
learning. Teachers have the
freedom to extend class lessons in terms of their own expertise. Spelling and conventions, time
for reading and study, and enrichment in Homeroom teachersÕ area of expertise
will also have a focus, Citizenship, cooperation, community, and mutual respect
will be fostered in this learning environment. Grading will be on a scale of O,S,U instead of letter grades because curriculum may vary
slightly from one classroom to another.
Effort and participation will serve as criteria of studentsÕ growth.
Late Work Policy: Foothills Middle School has a ÒNo Late WorkÓ policy that
spans all grade levels. Students
receive a Òhomework busterÓ for some classes at the beginning of the year. These may be used on one late
assignment per class only! The
buster may be used to get an additional day to turn in the assignment. After that, late work may be turned in
for correction, but there will be no credit given for the assignment. In case of an excused absence, illness,
or emergency, the student will have as many days to make up the work as he or
she was absent or the teacher determines.
Parents wishing to pick up student work can contact the office and make
arrangements with the school secretary to pick up homework. We encourage you to do so!
Parent Involvement: The
following suggestions to parents will
help students be successful and have a positive experience in the 6th Grade
Social Studies class.
¥
Read notes and assignments on units that are recorded in your
studentÕs planner.
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Monitor progress during units by checking your studentÕs work.
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Encourage and support homework and all unit assignments.
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Talk with your student on a regular basis about what he/she is learning.
¥
Create an atmosphere at home where your student has a designated
study space and study time.
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Offer help with homework or make sure your student asks for help
before or after school.
Classroom Supplies: Students
will need the following: pencils,
3-ring binder/notebook, lined paper, pen, colored pencils, 2 portfolio folders,
and a spiral notebook.
Attendance: Attendance
is required in accordance with Foothill Middle School's policy (See FMS
handbook). Attendance will not be
a part of a student's grade.
However, the student will be more successful if absences are kept to a
minimum.
Classroom Management: Make Your
Day is a citizenship program that
encourages students to "Do what is expected" and to "Do your
best" each period of the day.
Students may earn points that will enable them to have "Made Their
Day" each school day.
Assessment/Evaluation: Grades will be
given at the end of each quarter.
Progress reports are available via teacherÕs web sites or students may
print them off at school and bring them home. The grading scale is as follows:
A 100
- 95
A- 94 -
90
B+
89 - 86
B 85
- 83
B- 82
- 80
C+
79 - 76
C 75
- 73
C- 72
- 70
D+ 69
- 66
D 65 - 60
F 59 - 0