1. Back to School Night
Mrs. Tran

2. Language Arts
• Focus
 Vocabulary
 Spelling
 Oral presentations
 Text analysis
 Informational text
 Writer’s Workshop
 Grammar
• Goal setting for all content areas
• Teaching methods and materials
 Vocabulary workbook and handouts
 SCOPE magazine

3. Language Arts and 1:World
• Google Drive
 Presentation
 Document
• Glogster
• NewsELA
• SCOPE Magazine
• Spelling and vocabulary study aides
 Spelling city
 Quizlet

4. Literature
• Focus
 Reading fluency
 Informational text
 Comprehension
 Text analysis
 Vocabulary development
 Writing
• Informative / Explanatory
• Response to literature
• Narratives
• Arguments / Persuasive
 Writing process

5. Literature
• Teaching methods and materials
 Textbook (student copy stays at home)
 Interactive Reading Guide (IRG workbook)
 Core literature books (Maroo of the Winter Caves)
 Literature projects and essays
 Reader’s Workshop
• Student selected novels
• In-class reading
• Monday – during Literature
• Tuesday & Friday – during Literacy (6th period)
• Expectation is 20+ pages per night, 140 pages per week
• Must have a book at school EVERY day, EVERY period
• Status of the Class taken weekly
• Part of the Literature grade

6. Literature and 1:World
• On-demand research opportunities
• Google Drive
 Presentation
 Document
• Voice thread
• Blogger
• Interactive curriculum websites
 SAS Curriculum Pathways
 Discovery Education
• Formative assessment measures
 Socrative
 LAN Student / Teacher

7. Social Studies
• Topics covered – Ancient Civilizations
 Early Man
 Beginning of Civilizations
 Mesopotamia
 Ancient Israelites
 India
• Focus
 China
 Egypt
 Greece
 Rome
 Expository reading
 Expository writing
 Summary writing
 Note-taking
 Integration of technology and the arts

8. Social Studies
• Teaching methods and materials
 Textbook (student copy stays at home)
 Interactive Reading Guide (IRG workbook)
 Teacher Curriculum Institute (TCI) lesson plans
 Document Based Question projects (DBQ)
 Internet research
 Map work
 Cornell notes
 Projects
 Educational videos
• Spiral Notebooks
 Mead 5 STAR single subject (or similar) recommended
• Can be purchased from Mrs. Tran for $2.00
 Organizing notes, worksheets, maps, etc.
 Used to prepare for tests and quizzes
 Will be graded at the end of each chapter

9. Social Studies and 1:World
• On-demand research opportunities
• Google Drive
 Presentation
 Document
• Glogster
• Voice Thread
• NewsELA
• Webquests
• Powtoons
• Interactive curriculum websites
 SAS Curriculum Pathways
 Discovery Education
• Formative assessment measures
 Socrative
 LAN Student / Teacher

10. 21st
Century
Skills
and
1:World
Images from Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/our-work/resources/for-educators/1007)

11. Literacy
Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday Tuesday & Friday
Band / Choir for those students enrolled
in a music elective
Literacy for students not enrolled in a
music elective
Focus:
• Reading literacy
• Math literacy
• Computer literacy
Activities may include:
• SRA Individualized Reading
• Literature circles
• Math enrichment activities
• Compass Learning (individualized
online reading and math activities
based on MAPs data)
Literacy for all students
Focus:
• Reading literacy
Activities:
• Book talks (15 – 20 minutes)
• Reading Zone

12. General Classroom
Information

13. Communication
• Email: stran@powayusd.com
• Phone: (858) 538 – 5478 x3736
• MyConnect
 Announcements
 Homework
• MyPlan & Synergy
 Grades (updated on Fridays)
 MAPs data
 Attendance
• Are you receiving my weekly emails?

14. Homework
• Plan for 1-2 hours to complete homework
• Must be turned in on the due date, unless
absent
• Late homework –
 1 day late: 50% credit
 2+ days late: no credit
 Contact me for special circumstances
• Absences
 2 days to make up work for every 1 day
absent
 Better sooner, than later

15. Grading Scale
98 – 100 A+
97 – 93 A
90 – 92 A-
88 – 89 B+
87 – 83 B
80 – 82 B-
78 – 79 C+
77 – 73 C
70 – 72 C-
68 – 69 D+
67 – 63 D
60 – 62 D-
59 and below
F
• Grades are weighted as follows
 Classwork* – 50%
 Homework – 20%
 Tests, quizzes, & projects – 30%
* Assignments started in class and finished at home
are categorized as “classwork”

16. Conferences
• October 6th – 10th
• Minimum days on Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, and Friday
 School dismisses at 12:07
• Late start day on Wednesday
• Required for students not meeting
proficiency
• Optional for students at or above proficiency
• Scheduling will begin in late September

17. Donations
• SCOPE Magazine – donation of $5.00 per child enables each
student to have a copy of their own
• Visiting Poet – donation of $13.00 per child is greatly appreciated
and will help to pay for 5 lessons
• Please make checks payable to MVMS. One check for both items
is permissible. Make sure your student’s first and last name are
on the check.
• Students may start bringing checks tomorrow morning.
Upcoming Donations
• Natural History Museum field trip: $23, Early 2015
• Outdoor Education (aka 6th grade camp): $380, March
• Olympic t-shirts: April
• Playwright project: Late winter / early spring
• End of the year event: June

18. Dates to Remember
• 9/19 – Progress notices for 1st quarter
• 9/22 – No school, Professional Growth Day
• 10/6 - 10/10 – Parent teacher conferences
 Dismissal at 12:07 on M, T, Th, F
 Students can attend
• 10/22 – End of Quarter 1
• 11/3 – Quarter 1 report cards go home
• 3/2 - 3/6 – 6th grade Camp
• 5/22 – 6th grade Olympics