Throughout the 14 week semester, students will be taught reading comprehension, writing, listening, and speaking skills based upon Common Core standards by a certified Language Arts instructor with more than 19 years of professional teaching experience.  *Semesters can be taken in any order, as each will provide thorough coverage of 5th and 6th grade level ELA skills. *

My classes are highly engaging, thought-provoking, and above all, educational!  Students will actively practice a full semester of English/Language Arts standards with direct instruction, assigned weekly homework, class activities, and detailed feedback for EACH assignment (both homework and classwork!).  I work with each learner at their individual level to build Language Arts skills and strategies, assisting students to be able to apply this knowledge independently.  This course will be a great fit for either students who homeschool or students in regular school who need extra practice and support.  *Assignment/Final Grades will be provided upon parent request.*

I make learning exciting by providing a plethora of activity types to demonstrate mastery of the ELA standards, while providing extensive support, guidance, and individualized feedback.  I will use slideshows, graphic organizers, projects, class discussions, games, hands-on activities, HUMOR, and multiple means of writing throughout the semester.  

After each class session, I will post a detailed description of skills we've learned, recommended next steps, homework instructions, and multiple screenshots from our lesson for review.

Students will be required to complete homework each session and submit it to the classroom for prompt feedback.  I will provide detailed, personalized feedback for each assignment within 3-5 days.

General Class Session Format
3-5 minutes: Class community building/icebreakers/news
10-15 minutes: Skill-based lesson via direct instruction – students are strongly encouraged to take notes
20 minutes:  Independent/group practice via whole class instruction or via breakout rooms depending on class size and learner dynamics (I will be checking in with each student/group throughout this time to provide specific, individualized feedback on learner progress!)
3-5 minutes: Review/go over homework assignment for next session

Novel: Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins; Non-Fiction articles

Week 1:  Building Background Knowledge and Close Reading Strategies (book preview and non-fiction articles) (Ch 1 and 2)
Week 2:  Setting and Text-Marking (Ch 3 and 4)
Week 3:  Characterization and Inferencing (Ch 5 and 6)
Week 4:  Vocabulary (Word Parts and Context Clues) (Ch 7 and 8)
Week 5:  Text Structures: Cause/Effect, Sequencing, Problem/Solution, and Description (Ch 9 and 10)
Week 6:  Paraphrasing and Central Idea/Supporting Details (Ch 11 and 12)
Week 7:  Summarizing and Text Connections  (Ch 13 and 14)
Week 8:  Visualizing and Imagery (Ch 15 and 16)
Week 9:  Structured Paragraph Writing and Prediction (Ch 17 and 18)
Week 10: Conflict (Ch 19 and 20)
Week 11: Analyzing Text (Ch 21 and 22-23)
Week 12: Theme and Elements of Plot (Ch 24-25 and 26-27)
Week 13: Hero's Journey and Synthesizing
Week 14:  Synthesizing and Presentations

Book Synopsis:
When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it -- until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.