SYLLABUS
LANGUAGE ARTS
GRADE 6
MRS. KELSEY ZEHR
My goal is for students in this course to develop mastery of the 6th grade language arts standards
set by the state of Indiana. It is also my goal to encourage my students to think, learn, and
develop a love and passion for both of these life skills. Students will be encouraged to think
imaginatively, critically, creatively, and responsibly each and every day.
COURSE AND GRADE LEVEL
 Language Arts
 6th Grade
COURSE DESCRIPTION
 Language Arts is a vital course for academic success. The components of reading and writing are
implemented in all academic subject areas as well as any occupation one might choose. The
purpose of this course is for all of my students to develop the language arts skills necessary to
succeed in this course as well as all academic courses in the future. We will read from a variety
of genres, including works of fiction, such as folktales, fables, fairytales, drama, historical fiction
and various others. We will also work with some nonfiction texts, researching biographies,
autobiographies, famous speeches and other factual texts. In addition, students will respond to
the literature as it is read. Short writing assignments will be given to give students a chance to
reflect on the texts read, and a reading journal will be kept. Weekly spelling and vocabulary
lessons will be implemented and will connect with reading and writing lessons.
COURSE MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
 Materials:
o 1 ½ Inch 3-Ring Binder
o 5 Dividers
o Loose-Leaf Notebook Filler Paper
o Pencils
o Black or Blue Ink Pens
o 1 Red Ink Pen (Provided by Teacher)
o 1 Spiral Notebook (Provided by Teacher)
o 1 Pocket/Bracket Folder (Provided by Teacher)
 Resources:
o Elements of Language: Introductory Course (2001, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston)
o Prentice Hall Literature, IN Edition (2007, Prentice Hall)
o The following books and novels will be read throughout the course of the
semester either by the teacher or by the class, and will be supplied by the
school/teacher:
 Holes – Sachar, Louis
 Bridge To Terabithia – Patterson, Katherine
 Number The Stars – Lowry, Lois
 Hatchet – Paulsen, Gary
 Jason and the Argonauts – Osborne, Mary Pope
COURSE OBJECTIVES
 Reading
o Students will read works of fiction, nonfiction, and various informational texts.
o Students will develop in:
 Word Recognition
 Fluency
 Vocabulary Development
 Comprehension
 Literary Response and Analysis
o Students will read, comprehend, identify, analyze and evaluate 6th grade level
materials from all the previously stated genres and texts.
o Students will identify the meanings of unknown words through context clues,
vocabulary development, and the identification of root words, affixes and word
origins.
 Language
o Students will understand and describe the use of figurative language.
o Students will exercise narrative and expository compositions. They will also
participate in writing poetry, persuasive composition, research reports, responding
to literature, short stories, and other various compositions. All of these
compositions will display an efficient understanding of “The Simple Six” traits of
good writing:
 Stick to the Topic
 Logical Order
 Interesting Words
 Different Sentence Patterns
 Descriptive Sentences
 Audience
o Students will develop their communication skills in written form.
o Students will develop in and focus on:
 Organization
 Focus
 Research
 Technology
 Evaluation
 Revision
 Sentence structure
 Grammar
 Punctuation
 Spelling
 Capitalization
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
 Students will be on time for class.
 Students will bring all necessary supplies to class:
o Notebook
o Textbook
o Pens
o Pencils
o Agenda/Planner
o Highlighter
o Spiral Notebook
o Etc.
 Students will complete assigned work. All late work will be cut ½ a letter grade of 5%
points for each day it is late.
 Students will follow all school and classroom rules.
 Students will participate in class discussions and activities.
 Students will set academic goals for each grading period.
TEACHING METHODS
 Instructional methods will vary. Student interests and needs will be considered greatly
throughout the course and will be used as a starting point for many assignments. The
schedule will be flexible and we will spend more time on more difficult concepts and
tasks if the need is presented. Pretests may be implemented, as well as bonus activities,
minilessons, group work, and re-teaching.
 We will read at least one novel each grading period as a class.
 Students will read independently on a regular basis and keep a reading journal.
 Selections from the literature textbook will be implemented to connect to the novels read
each semester.
 Spelling lessons will be assigned each Monday and a test will be given even Friday.
 Worksheets, tests, quizzes, writing assignments and projects will be assigned at various
times throughout the course.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS
 Classroom Rules:
o Be in your seat when the bell rings.
o “The Golden Rule” – Show the same respect to others that you expect in return.
o Raise your hand to speak.
o Come to class prepared.
o Be kind and considerate to others.
 If a rule is broken, one conduct mark will be recorded. All students begin the semester
with an A in conduct. After three conduct marks, a student’s conduct grade goes down
one letter. The following format will be used to track each student’s conduct grade:
AAABBBCCCDDDDFFF
TEACHER ASSISTANCE AVAILABILITY
 I will be available before and after school, as well as during my plan period, for any extra
assistance students may need. If any student or parent would like to speak with my for
any reason at all, feel free to contact me at school or home. My home number is 812583-4495. Please never hesitate to contact me or voice any concerns.
EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
 Student’s will be engaged and involved in their own assessment in this course.
 Student/Teacher conferences will be implemented to go over certain writing assignments.
 Students will be given grade updates each Friday, which will tell the student what their
grade is currently and will indicate any missing work, upcoming assignments or projects,
and/or opportunities for extra credit.
 All late work will be cut ½ a letter grade of 5% points for each day it is late.

Grading Scale:
A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
D 69-60
F 59 and Below

This Language Arts course will be weighted and evaluated in the following categories:
o Literature – 40%
o English – 20%
o Writing – 20%
o Spelling – 20%

These categories consist of:
o Literature – Any quizzes, tests, projects, presentations or compositions associated
to the novels and other material read and covered in class.
o English – Any assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, presentations or compositions
associated with or involving language conventions, grammar, and/or the parts of
speech.
o Writing – Major and/or minor writing assignments including essays, letters,
prompts, journals, and any other form of composition.
o Spelling – Spelling worksheets, pretests, tests, or projects.
COURSE OUTLINE
 Grading Period #1:
o Literature:
 Introduction to the Folklore and Oral Tradition genre of literature.
 Folk tales, fairy tales, myths, legends, and fables will be read and
analyzed.
 Story Telling – Students will be assigned to groups of 4 and each
group will select a fable, folk tale, fairy tale, myth, or legend and
act that story out for the class.
 Novel: Jason and the Argonauts – Osborne, Mary Pope
 Students will write in reading journals after complete the novel.
 Students will to do a hands-on presentation of a novel of their choice. The
presentation can be a poster, scrapbook, PowerPoint, drawing,
composition, etc. The way the book is presented is up the each group.
o Writing:
 The “Simple 6” will be introduced, discussed, and placed visibly in the
classroom for future reference.
 Writing prompts and journal writing will be a part of our daily routine.
 Sentence structure and paragraph form will be covered extensively.
 Students will write a narrative essay.
o English:
 The parts of speech will be introduced and covered.
 Editing symbols will be introduced and students will practice editing and
correcting compositions.
 Editing focus will be on punctuation and capital letters.
o Spelling:
 Spelling words will be assigned on Mondays and will correspond with the
literature.
 Spelling tests will be given on Friday.

Grading Period #2:
o Literature:
 Introduction to the Historical Fiction genre of literature.
 We will learn about and research trade and text books in the genre of
Historical Fiction.
 Novel: Number The Stars – Lois Lowry
 Students will respond in their reading journals after we complete Number
The Stars as a class.
 Students will simulate the experiences the characters in the book
encountered. They will be broken up into groups and be assigned a
chapter or two from the book to act out. Together, they will create a
script, assign roles, and present the simulation to the class.
 Students will select an important theme from the novel. They will write a
short composition explaining why they chose that theme and why it played
an essential role in the book.
o Writing:
 Writing prompts will be assigned to correspond with Number The Stars.
 Students will write in journals daily.
 Students will write a 2-3 page paper on World War II and its connection to
the novel, Number The Stars.
o English:
 We will discuss how to conduct research for a paper.
 Students will be introduced to famous quotes and speeches by Hitler and
other prominent WWII figures. Students will study these speeches and
quotes, and give a presentation based on a quote or speech of their choice.
o Spelling:
 Spelling words will be assigned on Mondays and will correspond with the
literature.
 Spelling tests will be given on Friday.

Grading Period #3:
o Literature:
 Students will be introduced to the genre of Mystery and Adventure genre
of literature.
 Students will learn and discover the various aspects of Mystery and
Adventure and what characteristics make up the genre.
 Novel: The Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
 Students will make a T-Chart of as many examples of good and bad like
that Brian had in the story. We will discuss these findings as a class, and
then each student will write an essay about Brian’s luck and the role it
played in the story.
 Novel: Bridge To Terabithia – Katherine Patterson
 Students will reflect in their reading journals about both novels.
 Students will learn about descriptive writing through the words Katherine
Patterson uses in her novel to paint a picture of Terabithia for the reader.
o Writing:
 Short writing prompts will be assigned to correspond with The Hatchet.
 Students will respond to the novel in their reading journals.
 Students will learn about descriptive writing and will create a descriptive
essay using descriptive words and passages found in Bridge To Terabithia.
o English:
 Students will learn about the components and importance of persuasive
compositions.
 Students will learn how to compose persuasive arguments.
 Students will be broken up into teams. Each team will decide on a topic
and we will hold a class debate.
o Spelling:
 Spelling words will be assigned on Mondays and will correspond with the
literature.
 Spelling tests will be given on Friday.

Grading Period #4:
o Literature:
 Students will be introduced to the genres of Fiction and Nonfiction.
 We will learn the various aspects of both Fiction and Nonfiction.
 We will read from various informational and factual texts to discover the
genre of Nonfiction literature. (Magazines, Biographies, Newspapers)
 Novel: Holes – Louis Sachar
 Students will write in their reading journals after finishing Holes.
 Students will be given a writing prompt from a certain chapter in the novel
and will write freely for 25 minutes. Students will then get together in
literature circles and discuss what they wrote with their group.
o Writing:
 Students will research a biographical text and writing a research paper on
that biography.
 Students will be given a class day to visit the computer lab and conduct
research, as well as time in the library to research other informational and
factual texts.
 Students will write a letter to the person they are conducting their research
on. They will develop an interview type questionnaire and put it into letter
form.
o English:
 Students will practice editing their own paper in addition to their peers.
 We will discuss the various aspects of editing and review all previous
English lessons.
o Spelling:
 Spelling words will be assigned on Mondays and will correspond with the
literature.
 Spelling tests will be given on Friday.