Syllabus for 6th grade Language Arts

Instructor- Alyssa Luis

Instructor Contact Info:
Email: Alyssa_luis@knights.ucf.edu
Course Overview:
This course will focus on grammar usage, mechanics, spelling, vocabulary, research,
and literature. Reading skills will be deepened through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and
drama. Type of text chosen to improve reading skills will depend upon what is most
conducive to the unit of study within the course. Writing skills will focus on informative
and argumentative writing that will include academic language and textual evidence to
support claims.
Course Objectives:
Students will be able to recognize inferences and explicit textual evidence made within
a text.
Students will be able to identify the central idea and theme within a text, as well as how
this central idea and theme can be recognized through explicit details within the text.
Students will be able to summarize a text without the use of personal opinions.
Students will be able to describe how a particular storys plot unfolds as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
Students will be able to determine the meaning of figurative and sensory language
within a text including connotative meanings.
Students will be able to determine how a particular chapter, section, or paragraph fits
into the structure of the text and how it contributes to the ideas, theme, and central idea.
Students will be able to examine the authors point of view or purpose of a text.
Students will be able to determine the speakers point of view and how the point of view
is developed.
Course Requirements:
This course will require the use of the internet. All readings and other mediums of
resources will be provided for you within the course units. There is no specific book
associated with this course.
Instructor Expectations:

I have a love of language arts and above all else want to foster this same love and
appreciation for the written word within you.
Please feel free to email me at any time. I am usually good about answering quickly, but
ask for a 24-hour grace period to adequately respond to you or clarify information for
you. I will hold virtual office hours once a week via skype for two hours on Wednesdays.
Please feel free to utilize this time for clarification of course concepts and feedback. If
my regular office hour time does not work within your schedule, you can email me to
request an appointment for a time that better suits your needs.
Assignment Expectations:
All work is expected to be turned in on time with your first and last name at the top right
corner of the page. Each assignment will have explicit directions that I expect to be
followed. Any changes to the requirements must be approved by the instructor before
the assignment deadline.
Late work will be accepted for partial credit. One day late will result in a single letter
grade drop. Two or more days late will result in a two letter grade drop. No more than
two late assignments will be accepted throughout the course.
Plagiarism:
If a student has plagiarized, the assignment plagiarized will receive a zero (it will not be
scored). The assignment will not be able to be made up.
Language:
Correspondence between peers or on discussion boards can be informal. Sometimes
the use of emoticons is helpful in expressing yourself through digital media and will be
allowed.
All assignments submitted are expected to be your best work. These should reflect
academic language. This includes language that is written in complete sentences, free
of text-talk, and checked for spelling, grammar, and punctuation to the best of your
ability.
Furthermore, writing to your instructor must also be academic. There should be a
subject in the message and complete sentences within the body of the e-mail. Your full
name and course number should be written at the bottom.
Grading
Assignments: 70% of final grade
Participation: 10% of final grade
Tests: 20% of final grade
Final Grade by Percent

100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
59-0 F
Participation will be determined by discussions (which are added by unit) and group
work participation through assessment rubric.
Course Schedule:
Each unit will focus on a new learning goal and will contain a lesson and
assessment/assignments. Rubrics and directions will be given within each unit.
Unit 1- Central Idea and Theme
Unit 2- Evidence & Objective Summaries
Unit 3- Plot
Unit 4- Figurative and Sensory Language
Unit 5- Text structures
Unit 6- Authors Purpose and Authors Point of View
Unit 7- Characterization and Character Point of view
There will be two exams with multiple choice and short answer questions. The first
exam will take place after the completion of Module 3. The second exam is not
cumulative and will take place at the end of the course.