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Ms. Antunes

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24-25 English 6 Syllabus

Welcome to Fisher!
Here is the Syllabus for our class.
 


August 20, 2024


Dear Parents/Guardians:


Welcome to 6th grade English and Fisher. As we move forward on the adventure of the 2023-20234 school year, I look forward to getting to know both your child and you. We must work as a team for your child's growth; communication between home and school should always be clear and constant, and I would like you to be part of the conversation. Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime you have questions, comments, and/or concerns. I can be reached at [email protected]  and the classroom phone number is 408-335-2305, although e-mail is by far the best way to reach me. In addition, if you or your student has questions about what we will be doing during the week, you may find an overview of the week and important links on my website.


Sincerely,

Lisa Antunes

About Ms. Antunes


I am a mom to two wonderful adult daughters.  My eldest daughter is 27 and works in the human resources field.  My youngest daughter is 24 and recently graduated from UCSB.


I earned my BA in English along with my teaching credential from San Jose State University. Some years later, I earned my Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.


I am in my 13th year of teaching English Language Arts at Fisher. For a few years, I taught a Theatre Arts course as well.


In my free time, I love reading, shopping, watching movies, and spending time with family.


Student Expectations


Classroom Rules


  • Be Respectful …we need to be respectful of our classmates and teachers. All voices deserve respect which means not engaging in side conversations, distractions on screens, or other behaviors while Ms. Antunes or other students are talking
  • Be Prepared … Complete assignments by the due date so you can engage fully in lessons and discussion. Bringing all materials to every class especially charged Chromebooks and independent reading books
  • Take Responsibility … be proactive when you have technology issues, use your prep time for classes wisely, and follow Ms. Antunes’ Classroom Expectations. And most importantly, admit when you make a mistake--we all will make mistakes--and accept the consequences of off-task behavior. Learn from your mistakes 

Rewards & Consequences


I know that all individuals at Fisher are capable of following the classroom rules. Such rewards include an enhanced learning experience through more creative, less structured assignments, positive emails and/or phone calls home, or leadership opportunities. While consequences for forgetting classroom expectations will vary by student and situation, in general, the following procedure will be followed: 


  1. First Offense: Verbal warning during class
  2. Second Offense: One-on-one conference directly after class with Ms. Antunes
  3. Third Offense: Parent/Guardian contacted with follow-up call or meeting scheduled
  4. Fourth Offense: Office referral

Grade Breakdown and Policy


All assignments should be completed to the best of your ability and submitted on time. Grades are calculated on a traditional point scale. Grades will consist of two categories: product and process. Product grades make up 60% of your grade and are assignments that assess a specific content area standard. Process grades are 40% of your grade and are learning processes/skills that are unrelated to a content standard but are still essential for academic achievement. 

At any time, you may view your grades on PowerSchool as grades are entered and updated as the year progresses. If you see a grade that has been incorrectly entered, please make me aware of the error as soon as possible, so I may promptly correct it.  If you have questions regarding a grade, please talk to me about it before/after school, during the break, or by appointment. 

Retakes/Rewrites

If you earn a grade you are not happy with, and you wish to improve your score, you may request to retake the quiz or resubmit the assignment/essay with changes. You are only allowed one retake per quarter, per writing assignment and quiz.  Assignments completed after the unit is completed will not be accepted (for example, turning in assignments from early September after the end of the first quarter)


Grading Scale

A+ to A-  =  100% – 90% B+ to B-  =  89% – 80% C+ to C-  =  79% – 70%

D+ to D-  =  69% - 60% F  =  Below 60%

Curriculum


Our curriculum is built on the four pillars of the Common Core State Standards: reading, writing, speaking/listening, and language. We will focus on different units that develop targeted skills from the Common Core State Standards. Students will engage in class discussions, Writer’s Workshop, a Socratic Seminar, and many other activities that will allow them to become readers, writers, and thinkers who can question, interpret, analyze, and synthesize various texts. Our major units of study include:


 Reading Units:

Middle School Short Stories (First Quarter)

Literature Circles (Third Quarter)

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang-Compestine (Fourth Quarter)




Writer’s Workshop Units:

Personal Narrative (First or Second Quarter)

Literary Essay (Third Quarter)


Nonfiction 

Argumentative Presentations


Independent Reading

Genre Study instruction from Fisher librarian, Ms. Bateman

6th Grade 10 Book Challenge

              Book Talks


Supplies


The following supplies will be needed specifically for English this year. Please bring them to class each day we meet.


    • a charged Chromebook
    • earbuds/headphones
    • pencils
    • black or blue pens
    • a free reading book (This must be brought to school every day)
    • one composition book (about 50 pages) (Will be provided)
  • Folder (Will be provided)
  • Post-it notes
  • index cards
  • Colored pencils (optional)



Classwork/Homework


  • Classwork and homework are assigned on Google Classroom
  • In English, the amount of homework will depend on our current unit.
  • In addition to daily homework, you are expected to read for at least 20 minutes a night.
  • Assignments should be completed by the following class meeting unless directed otherwise.
  • **If you turn in a late assignment, you must email me the name and the screenshot of the late assignment.**
  • Late work = 75%
  • Late work is accepted during the unit only unless the quarter ends first

Absent?


Attendance will be taken at the beginning and end of class. Attendance at the beginning of class is submitted to the Fisher office. If you are late during 1st period, please go to the office for a late pass. If you are absent from a class for any reason, it is up to you to check Google Classroom or Ms. Antunes’ website.



23-24 Syllabus



August 17, 2023


Dear Parents/Guardians:


Welcome to 6th grade English and Fisher. As we move forward on the adventure of the 2023-20234 school year, I look forward to getting to know both your child and you. We must work as a team for the growth of your child; communication between home and school should always be clear and constant, and I would like you to be part of the conversation. Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime you are faced with questions, comments, and/or concerns. I can be reached at [email protected]  and the classroom phone number is 408-335-2305, although e-mail is by far the best way to reach me. In addition, if you or your student has questions about what we will be doing during the week, you may find an overview of the week and important links on my website.


Sincerely,

Lisa Antunes

About Ms. Antunes


I am a mom to two wonderful adult daughters.  My eldest daughter is 26 and works in the human resources field.  My youngest daughter is 23 and recently graduated from UCSB.


I earned my BA in English along with my teaching credential from San Jose State University. Some years later, I earned my Masters in Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University.


I am in my 12th year of teaching English Language Arts at Fisher. For a few years, I taught a Theatre Arts course as well.


In my free time, I love reading, shopping, watching movies, and spending time with family.


Student Expectations


Classroom Rules


  • Be Respectful …we need to be respectful of our classmates and teachers. All voices deserve respect which means not engaging in side conversations, distractions on screens, or other behaviors while Ms. Antunes or other students are talking
  • Be Prepared … Complete assignments by the due date so you can engage fully in lessons and discussion. Bringing all materials to every class especially charged Chromebooks and independent reading books
  • Take Responsibility … be proactive when you have technology issues, use your prep time for classes wisely, and follow Ms. Antunes’ Classroom Expectations. And most importantly, admit when you make a mistake--we all will make mistakes--and accept the consequences of off-task behavior. Learn from your mistakes 

Rewards & Consequences


I know that all individuals at Fisher are capable of following the classroom rules. Such rewards include an enhanced learning experience through more creative, less structured assignments, positive emails and/or phone calls home, or leadership opportunities. While consequences for forgetting classroom expectations will vary by student and situation, in general, the following procedure will be followed: 


  1. First Offense: Verbal warning during class
  2. Second Offense: One-on-one conference directly after class with Ms. Antunes
  3. Third Offense: Parent/Guardian contacted with follow-up call or meeting scheduled
  4. Fourth Offense: Office referral

Grade Breakdown and Policy


All assignments should be completed to the best of your ability and submitted on time. Grades are calculated on a traditional point scale. Grades will consist of two categories: product and process. Product grades make up 60% of your grade and are assignments that assess a specific content area standard. Process grades are 40% of your grade and are learning processes/skills that are unrelated to a content standard but are still essential for academic achievement. 

At any time, you may view your grades on PowerSchool as grades are entered and updated as the year progresses. If you see a grade that has been incorrectly entered, please make me aware of the error as soon as possible, so I may promptly correct it.  If you have questions regarding a grade, please talk to me about it before/after school, during the break, or by appointment. 

Retakes/Rewrites

If you earn a grade you are not happy with, and you wish to improve your score, you may request to retake the quiz or resubmit the assignment/essay with changes. You are only allowed one retake per quarter, per writing assignment and quiz.  Assignments completed after the unit is completed will not be accepted (for example, turning in assignments from early September after the end of the first quarter)


Grading Scale

A+ to A-  =  100% – 90% B+ to B-  =  89% – 80% C+ to C-  =  79% – 70%

D+ to D-  =  69% - 60% F  =  Below 60%

Curriculum


Our curriculum is built on the four pillars of the Common Core State Standards: reading, writing, speaking/listening, and language. We will focus on different units that develop targeted skills from the Common Core State Standards. Students will engage in class discussions, Writer’s Workshop, a Socratic Seminar, and many other activities that will allow them to become readers, writers, and thinkers who can question, interpret, analyze, and synthesize various texts. Our major units of study include:


 Historical Fiction Novels:

The Watsons go to Birmingham: 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis 

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang-Compestine 


Writer’s Workshop Units:

Personal Narrative (First Quarter)

Literary Essay (Third Quarter)


Nonfiction 

Argumentative Presentations


Independent Reading

Genre Study instruction from Fisher librarian, Ms. Bateman

6th Grade 10 Book Challenge



Supplies


The following supplies will be needed specifically for English this year. Please bring them to class each day we meet.


    • a charged Chromebook
    • earbuds/headphones
    • pencils
    • black or blue pens
    • a free reading book (This must be brought to school every day)
    • one composition book (about 50 pages) (Will be provided)
  • Folder
  • Post-it notes



Classwork/Homework


  • Classwork and homework are assigned on Google Classroom
  • In English, the amount of homework will depend on our current unit.
  • In addition to daily homework, you are expected to be reading for at least 20 minutes a night.
  • Assignments should be completed by the following class meeting unless directed otherwise.
  • **If you turn in a late assignment, you must email me the name and the screenshot of the late assignment.**
  • Late work = 75%


Absent?


Attendance will be taken at the beginning and end of class. Attendance at the beginning of class is submitted to the Fisher office. If you are late during 1st period, please go to the office for a late pass. If you are absent from a class for any reason, it is up to you to check Google Classroom or Ms. Antunes’ website.



2018-2019 Reading List

This list contains some books that have not been vetted. Please make sure to speak to a parent or guardian before reading.  This list offers suggestions only.
There are fiction and nonfiction titles.

Book Reminder

Hello,
 
This is a reminder that every Young Scholar should bring a book to class each day.  There will be occasional book checks worth process points.

Annotating Text

 

Annotating Text

Definition:

Annotating text goes beyond underlining, highlighting, or making symbolic notations or codes on a given text. Annotation includes adding purposeful notes, key words and phrases, definitions, and connections tied to specific sections of text.

Purpose:

Annotating text promotes student interest in reading and gives learners a focused purpose for writing. It supports readers’ ability to clarify and synthesize ideas, pose relevant questions, and capture analytical thinking about text. Annotation also gives students a clear purpose for actively engaging with text and is driven by goals or learning target(s) of the lesson.

 Annotating text causes readers to process information at a deeper level and increases their ability to recall information from the text. It helps learners comprehend difficult material and engage in what Probst (1988) describes as, “dialogue with the text.”

Procedure

  1. Purposes for annotation based on learning target(s) and goals. Some examples include:

    1. Locating evidence in support of a claim

    2. Identifying main idea and supporting details,

    3. Analyzing the validity of an argument or counter-argument

    4. Determining author’s purpose

    5. Giving an opinion, reacting, or reflecting

    6. Identifying character traits/motivations

    7. Summarizing and synthesizing

    8. Defining key vocabulary

    9. Identifying patterns and repetitions

    10. Making connections

    11. Making predictions

Modified

One Community Los Gatos