2024-2025 Ms.

Watson
[email protected]
6th Grade Challenge ELA 425-408-6347
Room 227

Welcome to Canyon Park and your first middle school language arts experience! I am excited to share this
year of learning with you. This year, our focus is going to be working on developing and strengthening our
skills in reading comprehension, writing, and spoken communication. In order for us to build these skills, we
will be practicing them every time we meet.

My hope is that this class is going to challenge you to work hard and express your ideas and thoughts on a
variety of topics. I will do everything in my power to make this class great. I am here to coach you, support
you, and help you grow as a student and as a person. I’m really looking forward to this year!

Bring these items to every class…

Communication

Reader/
Supplies Independent Reading Book
Writer Notebook

* Pencil w/ eraser A composition book used exclusively Students are expected to have an
* Glue Stick for this class, labeled “English”. This independent reading book with
* Colored pencils (upon request) will be kept in the classroom. them at all times.

Independent Reading Class Novels

Students are expected to be reading This year we will read, analyze,
independently for at least 100 minutes outside and write about the novel I Can
of class each week. Students should be selecting Make This Promise by Christine
a variety of text levels and genres to help them Day as well as award winning
grow as readers. They will be setting reading novel The Crossover by Kwame
goals and checking in with me about the books Alexander. Each student will be
they are reading. provided with their own copy of
the text to use in class.

Curriculum and Embedded Assessments

SpringBoard is our ELA curriculum. Each student will receive a workbook to use in class, as well as online
access to the text. The four units we will be studying are narrative, expository, argumentative, and
research/presentation. The first 3 units culminate in an Embedded Assessment (a formal writing
assessment) that students work on in class.. Essays are entered with a score for each row of the rubric;
there is no holistic score. Each row has an individual point value within a larger point value. Practice
assignments give students the opportunity to learn, practice, and prepare for the assessment.
 Communication Grading

Practice Work Assessments

Email Updates (majority of classwork and (scored using Grade Level
Emailed class updates will help families stay homework) Standards)
informed with unit goals, projects, due dates,
and how parents can best support their child. FC = Full Credit - 100% 4 = above grade level - 100%
Parents/guardians, please be sure you have a PC = Partial Credit - 70% 3 = at grade level = 85%
current email address on file with the school. NC = No Credit - 50% 2 = approaching grade level - 70%
1 = below grade level - 60%
Schoology 0 = not attempted/missing - 50%
This is our online learning communication venue.
Assignments, resources, and lessons will be Revision Policy
posted for students to access. Students will There is an opportunity for revisions on all Embedded Assessments
turn in all online assignments through and standards based assignments. Students can raise their scores
Schoology for grading. Grades will be posted up to a Level 3. There is a two week deadline after the initial grade
in StudentVue. is returned, with notification of revisions. Revisions will not be
accepted after the two week deadline.
Student Support
I am available to support students during Late Work Policy
Round Table, before school, and after school Late work will be accepted for full credit up to 1 week past the due
(by appointment). Outside of school, students
date. It will be accepted for partial credit up to the end of the unit
can seek help in Schoology or by email.
in which it was assigned. All assignments must be turned in prior to
StudentVue/ParentVue - Students can check the start of a new unit. Embedded Assessments will be graded
their grade at any time by visiting StudentVue. based on the work completed as of the due date. Students have the
Students and parents will be able to see the opportunity to revise Embedded Assessments within two weeks
overall grade, scores on individual assignments, after receiving their grades.
and any assignments that have not been
turned in or were turned in late. Extensions
Extensions for valid reasons must be requested, in writing, at least a
day in advance.
Contact Me! Absences
When class is missed due to an excused absence, students are
Email - [email protected]. Students and
expected to complete any work that was missed. It is their
parents are welcome to email me any time.
responsibility to make sure they get all the instruction, materials
Students, I will always Cc your parents when I
and assignments from the teacher. Steps to assure they are
email you.
properly caught up:
● Look at Schoology to view the class slides, class calendar,
Phone - The best times to reach me by phone
and assignments for that day
are before school from 7:25-7:50 or after
● Request a RoundTable pass so that we can go over key
school between 2:40-3:10. Please call
information and assignments
(425)408-6347.

NOTE: In order to assess YOUR knowledge and growth (the purpose of assignments), all work submitted by YOU should be completed solely by
YOU. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Cheating, copying, or plagiarism of any form will result in failure of
the assignment, disciplinary referral, and parent contact. Artificial Intelligence (AI) generators have a place in our future and in English class.
However, AI should not be used to write assignments that will be submitted for a grade. I need to assess your learning progression.