This may look like a messy shelf to many, but to me, this is a shelf full of the beginnings of masterpieces: humorous narratives, tear-jerking memories, emotional poems, and thoughtful reflections. These works need a platform to be heard, so I opened up a Guest Blogging opportunity on Google Classroom. Any student who would like to complete a piece they started during Write Time or anytime, can submit it and could be chosen as a guest blogger. I look forward to posting my first Guest Blogger soon! Prepare to be amazed.

Parents,

You may be concerned to see a “0” in the grade book for “RACE Paragraph, Melody’s POV.” Do not be alarmed! I am waiting on corrections in Googe Classroom before I post the grade on Skyward.

Your child has a grade for this assignment in Google Classroom, they can show it to you. Yesterday, we went over their grades, how it was scored and how to make a 100. Today I gave them instructions in class and on Google Classroom for how to correct this if they want to improve their grade. ALL kids have this option! If a student failed, they can get up to a 100 on their corrections. If a child made a 99, they can get up to a 100 with the corrections. These corrections must be resubmitted by Wednesday.

Since this is a heavily weighted assignment this 9 weeks, I strongly encourage students to make the corrections a priority. I will put the corrected grade in Skyward no later than Thursday!

Thank you,

Chesley Kelley

Next month we start an exciting project called NaNoWriMo. Each student will get a “special” workbook of their own. I am asking for a volunteer (or two, or three) to help spiral bind the books. If you are interested, please e-mail me at your earliest convenience. [email protected]

Thank you in advance!

This is the first year I’ve included 6-word memoirs, and your kids have made this one of my favorite projects! In order to write about a meaningful memory in such a concise manner, students had to participate in the brainstorming and drafting process. They learned how to quickly generate ideas and identify the ideas that were most significant to them. After doing a quick free write about the topic they chose, they had to find the heart of what they were trying to express and consolidate it into 6 words. They got to learn a bit about water colors to create the perfect backdrop for their final products. As you can see from the pictures, the experiences expressed in these memoirs range in emotion; some are light-hearted, while others are heartbreaking. I am so proud of what your kids have created and wanted to share them with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

 

Here you will find my October lesson plans.

        

Welcome to 6th-grade English with Mrs. Kelley

 

In 6th-grade English, we work on improving communication skills. We will write a lot! We will focus on learning how to organize our thoughts and express them in a way that effectively communicates what we are trying to say.

Here are some common Questions and Answers that 6th graders and their parents may have:

Question: How do I know what my child is doing in your class?

Answer: Check out my blog; subscribe to it. (kelleyc.wonecks.net) I will post my weekly lesson plans complete with due dates, tasks, and hyperlinks. In class, I will teach your child how to access and use my blog, but it is also a great resource for you to stay in the loop. If a student is absent, behind or just needs a refresher, they should be able to find most things they need to stay afloat in my class on my blog page. Students are also responsible for writing their assignments in their planner daily. If you notice they are not getting their assignments written in their planner, remind them of their responsibility.

 

Question: How will I know if my child has homework?

Answer: Check my lesson plan calendar on my blog or your child’s planner for due dates. I don’t typically assign actual homework. I give due dates for assignments that we work on in class. If your child does not complete them in class, they will need to complete them at home.

 

Question: How can I check my child’s grades?

Answer: You can check Skyward regularly to see updated grades.

 

Question: Why are you teaching my child “Quantity over Quality” in writing?

Answer: I had the same question when I started teaching writing! Deep breathe through the panic attack and know that your child will learn how to write correctly in my class! However, research shows that students need to write to just get thoughts on paper with no pressure at first. They will learn that in the drafting stage, just write. Write a lot. It is okay if it is not perfect; it is okay if it is actually really terrible at first. It is just a draft. As we learn writing skills such as organization, grammar, and punctuation, students will choose drafts to revisit and revise and edit. So hang in there with me, and please encourage your child to silence the inner critic throughout the drafting stage. We will let the inner editor out to play during the revision and editing process.

 

Question: Where is your room?

Answer: That is a GREAT question! My temporary room is 122, in the 7th-grade hallway. My permanent room, 118 in the 6th-grade hallway, is currently under construction and should be ready to move back into any day now. (Fingers crossed, but not holding my breath.) We will make sure 6th graders know where I am on the first day of school.

 

Question: What does my child need for your class?

Answer: Their brain… that is a given, but if they left it on vacation, or it has been sucked into the Fortnite battle, get it back and send it to school with your kid. They will need to charge their Chromebook in every night, so they can be prepared for class. We will keep English binders and composition books in my class unless they need to bring them home to complete homework. They also need something to write with.

 

Question: Why is my child so stressed out about their locker?

Answer: If your child is stressed about their locker, it is probably because they have too many things in it that should not be there. Students must be able to put backpacks, lunches, Chromebooks, school supplies and P.E. clothes in their locker and completely close and lock the door. Instruments should be kept in the band hall, huge zipper notebooks are not on the supply list, and students are issued electronic textbooks. Therefore, they should have plenty of space for the required items. While locker rugs, chandeliers, and shelves may be super fun, if they are preventing your locker from being FUNctional, leave them at home.

 

Question: Is my child going to be on their Chromebook all day every day?

Answer: No! The Chromebooks are an amazing resource that we are happy to have. However, just like any school supply, we use it sometimes, and we don’t use it sometimes. While in class, students are expected to have it put away unless the teacher specifically told them they need it for the activity they are currently working on.

 

Question: When can students use the restroom?

Answer: Students may use the restroom in between classes. This gives them an opportunity to go every 55 minutes. Unless it is an emergency, we do not dismiss students from class to use the restroom.

 

 

We celebrated super responsible 6th graders with cookies and game time!