Yorkville School

Welcome to my Language Arts, Reading and Writing class! It is my goal this year to do several things. One is to teach your child the love of reading and good literature. Another is the correct use of grammar and how to be a proficient writer. Also a very important goal is to teach responsibility.

One important way to increase your reading skills is by reading books that YOU enjoy! (Imagine that!) Books are available in our classroom as well as the library. Students will be responsible for a novel grade each six weeks. This grade counts for 15 % of the final average each six weeks. Each book you read will be worth a certain amount of points based on the difficulty level, print size, and length of the book. The goal for each grade level is below:

5-6^th grade- 100 points

7^th-8^th grade- 200 points

For every 100 pages, a book is worth as follows:

5^th- 10 points

6^th- 15 points

7^th/8^th- 20 points

9^th/10^th- 25 points

11^th or above- 40 points

If it is a lower-level book it will be less for each 100 pages (points will vary according to book).

Students can find the book level on the spine of the book if they check it out in the school library. Books they read may be from home, public library, etc. They must be appropriate for school. A Reading Novel Worksheet should be filled out as they read the book then turned in when giving the oral book report.

35% Daily (bell work, class work, homework)

50% Tests

15% Novel/Independent Reading

100% Total

A= 93-100

B= 85-92

C= 75-84

D= 70-74

F= 0-69

3-ring Binder Sections (use tab dividers)

1. Bell work
2. Notes (Rdg.)
3. Vocabulary
4. Foreign Words (6^th-8^th)
5. Notes (Eng.)
6. Writing
7. Spelling

Bell work is a weekly grade (20 points per day); It is checked on the last day of the week. If a student is absent, they are not responsible for bell work that day, but they must write "absent" on their bell work sheet for each day missed.

Students will receive a Literature/Reading textbook, but not all materials we read will come solely from this book. Our grammar textbook is more or less just a reference book. Occasionally we will use workbook pages for practice, but certainly do not do the whole thing.

Most homework will consist of reading assignments. Remember your child is never too old to read aloud to you or be read aloud to. Other things for homework will be minimal and usually just a couple of days a week.