Sixth Grade Communication Arts
by Jana Young
November 21, 2008
Reading
Since we have finished our Old Yeller unit, we have moved back into the literature book. This particular unit will focus on the characters and their character traits. We will be reading a mix of fiction and nonfiction in this unit. We will finish the story "Ta-Na-E-Ka" next week. This is an endurance ritual that Indian tribes used to make their eleven-year-old children go through. Your child should be able to tell you what was involved in the ritual.
English
We are doing some writing during English class now. The students first learned how to write a five-sentence paragraph using the 4-square organizer. Now we're working on writing a five-paragraph ESSAY using that same 4-square organizer. They're finding out how easy it is to write this essay when they've already written their thoughts in the 4-square. These essays will be completed before Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, the students will be writing a personal narrative. This narrative will be about something they've experienced in their own lives. They should be thinking about some ideas over Thanksgiving break.
The next spelling test will not be until Friday, Dec. 12, but I'll go ahead and give you the words. Maybe you can post them on the fridge! Tests will now have 16 words instead of 12. These words all have short vowels in them.
sack admit rapid glance contact contract advance depth
comment summit sketch nonsense splendid ethnic liquid impulse
