"There is then creative reading, as well as creative writing." Ralph Waldo Emerson
What We Do in Reading:
There are two main areas of Reading in grades five and six which are prescribed in the B.C. Education System: Reading Literature and Reading for Information.
From time to time students may use a more standardized approach to build specific skills, such as vocabulary knowledge, grammar, and spelling. Every day we have some time for reading, sometimes reading as a class together, and sometimes reading individually.
How Students are Marked:
Student's reading mark is based on participation, assignments, and quizzes. Students are expected to contribute their thoughts and ideas in both whole class and small group discussions. Student assignments are both short and long term. Short term examples are reading responses, dialogue or double-sided journals. Long term assignments differ, and are designed for students to show their learning of themes or literary elements which we have studied in class. Some examples are Character Sketches, Story Maps, Venn Diagrams. There are many strategies which differ from book to book. At all times, students are given criteria ahead of time. For long term assignments, work is broken into chunks, and students will be required to bring in drafts in progress, long before due dates. This is intended to help student learn time
management skills and avoid procrastination!
Term One Reading Topics:
Short Stories - Literary elements
Class Novel Study
Independent Reading of novels
Reading information in other subject areas
What We Do in Writing:
The grade five and six writing curriculum is divided into three main areas: Personal, Impromptu Writing (responses to reading, experiences, current issues, Writing to Communicate Ideas and Information (reports, instructions and procedures, letters, speeches), and Literary
Writing (Stories, Poems).
How Students are Marked:
Writing assignments are often, but not always, related to other subject areas such as Reading or Social Studies. At all times, students are directly taught specific skills which are derived from the B.C. Writing Performance Standards. Students have in-class time to practise and develop these skills, and receive help for editing and proofreading. All students will be required to submit rough drafts along with their revised and edited writing. Teachers often use "quick scales" to assess student writing. These scales rate writing as: not yet within expectations, minimally meets expectations, fully meets expectations, exceeds expectations.
Term One Writing Topics:
Personal Impromtu Writing:
- responses to novels
- personal responses to issues (current events, Social Studies theme)
Information Writing:
- reports (related to Social Studies theme)
Literary Writing:
- Poetry - a variety of types relating to ourselves
- Short stories
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