M/J Language Arts 1 – Grade 6

Credits: 1
Estimated Completion Time: 2 segments/32-36 weeks
Earliest Start Date: November 2018

Pre-Requisites:

Recommended for 6th grade

Description

Using a motif of Heroes, Helpers, and Hope, students in the MJ Language Arts 1 course will acquire the reading, writing, language, and speaking/listening skills necessary for success in college, career, and beyond.  Students will become critical readers and thinkers as they delve into fiction and informational texts within the course.  They will also learn to effectively write narrative, informational, and argumentative pieces and present their ideas clearly and cohesively.

Access the site link below to view the course description from the Florida Course Code directory.

Regular course description: http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewCourse/Preview/13162

Advanced course description: http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewCourse/Preview/13163

 

 

Major Topics and Concepts

Segment 1

Reading Comprehension/Informational & Expository Writing/Narrative Writing

Developing an idea

Identifying theme

Plot pattern

Comparing and contrasting mediums

Using context clues

Thesaurus and dictionary skills

Implicit and explicit meaning

Finding the main idea

Writing an effective summary

Assess internet sources

Why writers choose words

Reading informational texts

Researching and organizing information

Avoiding plagiarism/citing sources

Writing an introduction

Connecting and supporting ideas

Writing a conclusion

Revising writing

Using formal language in writing

Recognizing point of view

Identifying the narrator

Planning narrative writing

Beginning a narrative

Writing dialogue

Writing the body of a narrative

Using commas

Writing effective transitions

Segment 1 Advanced

Novel Study

• Changes in language
• Analyzing major characters
• Mood and point of view

Segment 2

Reading Comprehension/Argumentative Writing

Determining the central/main idea

Paraphrasing a text

Writing a summary

How authors express ideas differently

How word choice affects meaning and tone

Using spelling rules

Using diverse media formats

Determining relevant information

Interpreting figures of speech

Literal and figurative meaning

Comparing/contrasting texts

Using context clues

Ancient foundations of democracy

Interpreting implicit and explicit meaning

Identifying poetic devices

Looking for connotative meanings

Analyzing plot pattern

Protagonist and antagonist

Determining point of view

Finding and interpreting symbols

Determining theme in a text

Using pronouns correctly

Pronoun/antecedent agreement

Creating a commercial

Elements of an effective claim

Effectively supporting a claim

Identifying reliable sources

Organizing an argument

Writing a strong introduction

Correcting run-ons and fragments

Using transitions and signal phrases

Maintaining formal style

Writing a solid conclusion

Revising and reflecting

Proofreading and editing

Segment 2 Advanced

Elements of drama

History of drama

Language patterns in historical texts

Soliloquy and monologue

Mood in drama

Required Materials

All students select ONE novel below:

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Schooled by Gordon Korman

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engel

Storm Runners (book 1) by Roland Smith

Advanced students select ONE additional novel below:

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

Knots On My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli

OR, choice of an autobiography or biography of a person born after 1850

 

Course Grading

Besides engaging students in challenging curriculum, the course guides students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their progress through a variety of assessments. Assessments can be in the form of practice lessons, multiple choice questions, writing assignments, projects, research papers, oral assessments, and discussions. This course will use the state-approved grading scale. Each course contains a mandatory final exam or culminating project that will be weighted at 20% of the student’s overall grade.***

***Proctored exams can be requested by FLVS at any time and for any reason in an effort to ensure academic integrity. When taking the exam to assess a student’s integrity, the exam must be passed with at least a 59.5% in order to earn credit for the course.

Communication Policy

To achieve success, students are expected to submit work in each course weekly. Students can learn at their own pace; however, “any pace” still means that students must make progress in the course every week. To measure learning, students complete self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, projects, discussion-based assessments, and discussions. Students are expected to maintain regular contact with teachers; the minimum requirement is monthly. When teachers, students, and parents work together, students are successful