Mrs. Hollingworth’s  Classes

 

Dear Parents,

 

I am excited to have your child in my reading class.  I want to make you aware of some of the expectations of this class.

 

Communication

Email: shollingworth@graniteschools.org

School phone: 385-646-4816

My cell phone: 801-897-3633

If you have questions or concerns, please see me directly.  I will make every effort to resolve any problem

 

Classroom Rule

 

You may do anything you want as long as it does not cause a problem for yourself or others.

 

Students who choose to break the classroom rule will first be warned, second time they will flip a card and then on the third offence will need to fill out a Choose to be Responsible Form that documents what happened. 

This is a tracking system to help me remember all that happens.

 

Depending upon their behavior, students can earn awesome activities that will be attended by the whole grade level.

 

Sixth Grade Awesome Activities – The activities have been very successful for us in a positive discipline system for sixth grade.  At the end of each trimester an Awesome Activity is planned.  The first is bowling, the second is roller skating, and the third is an outdoor games day.  The students who have not earned 15 “penalty points” for the trimester are invited to attend the activity.

 

Rewarding Positive Behavior – My emphasis is on positive behavior in my classroom.  There is an incentive program in place whereby students may earn “Awesome Tickets” for good behavior, responsible actions, and quality work

 

 

Language Arts

 

Reading – We will be using the text book for our course of study.  It has a wonderful selection of stories from books that will interest your child.  Usually there is a reading test every week and a half to two weeks.  Students are also graded on their verbal reading, projects, listening skills, and outside reading.

 

Outside Reading – Reading must be practiced.  Good students read a lot!  Thirty minutes of outside reading is required each school night (or 5 nights a week). Students need to turn in a reading calendar at the end of each month for credit. 

 

Accelerated Reading – Students will have the opportunity to participate in the school-wide accelerated reading program. It involves reading selected novels and then taking comprehension tests on the computer.  Students need to read a minimum of 10 points a month.  This works in conjunction with their outside reading.  Students are rewarded with an AR Store once a trimester where they can spend their points to earn prizes.

 

Book Reports – will be every other month, thus giving the student the opportunity to plan and prepare a great presentation. The First Book Report will be the Wax Museum on Oct. 21, 2008

 

Spelling – Students will have a spelling and Vocabulary list on Monday.  We will work on spelling  during the week in class on the computer. The work needs to be finished by the end of the week. (Due to days off, some weeks end on Thursday.)  The final test will be on the last day of the week. 

 

Language – Students have a language book that they will be using to reinforce grammar skills.  Assignments will happen two or three times a week.  Tests on grammar are about once a month.  There will also be some fun language projects where students where students can demonstrate their skills through multimedia. 

 

 

 

Writing –We will be focusing on Writing.  We will be involved in the writing process daily.  Most essays will be a minimum of five paragraphs.  The purpose is to get the students to think more critically about their introductions, reasons and purposes for their writings, and creating closure to their thoughts. 

 

Junior High Testing -- In early January any student interested in being considered for the gifted and talented programs at the junior high level take the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test.  You will see more information coming home about the testing as we hear the final decision regarding junior high options and testing dates.

 

 

MATH

 

Math Assignments – Are usually given on a daily basis.  We will work out of the book and do a lot with computers and programs that are found on the internet.

 

I have found that children need a lot of practice doing math problems and working math games is one way for the children to have fun while practicing the work.  Internet games provide immediate feed back to the child if they getting or not getting a concept. 

 

Please ask your child regularly what they are working on and have them show you what they are doing.

 

Students can earn 5 bonus points daily if you will look over their work for accuracy and initial their paper.

 

Task Cards – These are assignments that are done on the computer.  Each paper will give directions on how to get to the website.  The students are to write the problem on their paper and solve for the answer, then they check to their answer.  If it is right they put a star in the box, if it is wrong they put an x.

Math assignments are located on my website in the Daily Homework folder for each day. 

 

Tests -- Tests will be given as we finish each area of study.

 

YPP -- YPP (Yearly Progress Pro) is a computer program that evaluates your child’s progress as they learn the required sixth grade curriculum.  Students will be taking this test weekly.

 

Aquity Testing – Aquity is a trimesterly test that check up on students understanding of the materials taught for that particular time period.

 

 

Junior High Testing

Students will be taking a math placement test in early January.  You will see more information coming home about the testing as we hear the final decision regarding junior high options and testing dates.

 

Homeroom

 

Social Studies -- We will be learning about Ancient Civilizations.  Students will read about China, Greece, Egypt, and Rome.  Students will also learn many of the European Countries and Capitols. If any of you have any experiences in these areas that you would like to share, we would enjoy having you come to class and share them.

 

Science -- We will be doing a lot of science through study and experiments. We study microorganisms, heat, light, sound, and space.

 If you have any experiments or information you would like to present to the class please let me know and we will schedule you.

 

If any of you have any experiences in these areas that you would like to share, we would enjoy having you come to class and share them.

 

Birthday Treats

Students may still bring birthday treats in sixth grade.  Treats need to be store bought instead of homemade.  We have 22 students in class

 

Golden Eagle

Students in this class have the opportunity to try for the Golden Eagle Award.  The Golden Eagle is earned by completing 15 of the 27 items required.  The list has been included in this packet This is not the same as the Hope of America Award.  Students may earn both awards if they choose. 

 

Hope of America -- Sixth Grade Students have the opportunity of earning the  Hope of America Award done by the Kiwanis Club.  The Hope of America packet is sent home as soon as we receive it.

 

A student may earn one or both of the awards if they choose.    Both awards have specific requirements that need to be completed by the student. 

 

My Webpage -- I put as much information on my webpage as I can so that you have access to the work the children are doing and to know what is coming up next.  Please check “Daily Assignments” on my web page for what we are doing in class. 

 

To get to my website go to http://www.graniteschools.org/el/eastwood/

 

click classrooms,

click Mrs. Hollingworth’s daily assignments. 

 

Add this page to your favorites list and then the process is a lot easier

 

Make Up Work for Absences -- Students are responsible for completing all makeup work after an absence.  Every absent student will receive a note listing work they missed.  You can also go to my Web Page, to find out what they missed before they come back, to help remind your child what they need to bring home or to find a backlog of information on what was done on a particular day.

 

Completed homework should be attached to that note and returned to their teacher within one week.

 

Late Work -- Being responsible for one’s own assignments is a vital skill students need to develop now while they are young and turning work in on time is a big part of that skill.

School policy is that late work taken the following day can receive up to ½ or 50% of credit possible for the assignment.  If the work is more than one day late, no credit is given.  For further information, read Eastwood’s homework policy in the folder you received at registration.

 

Grading Scale

95 – 100	A	80 – 83	B-
90 – 94	A-	77 – 79	C+
87 – 89	B+	74 – 76	C
84 – 86	B	70 – 73	C-

N/G = Below 70% the student’s work is inadequate, incomplete, or missing.

 

 

Thanks for all you do to encourage child to do their best in School!

 

Kay Hollingworth