SMS teachers believe pleasure reading is critical to improving reading and writing skills, as well as general knowledge. Therefore, one of the main components of Literature and English will be reading in the classroom and at home.  You should get in the habit of reading at least one-half hour each night, and testing on AR books as soon as you finish them. 

     We will also be correlating Language Arts assignments to Social Studies content whenever possible.  Hopefully, you will often be able to turn in one paper for credit in both classes.  :)

      Homework counts for about 50 percent of your grade.  You will be given time in class to begin many assignments, but expect a minimum of two homework assignments each week (in addition to reading).  Turning work in on time is also critical to success.  Late assignments receive 75% credit (an “A” becomes a “C”...).

     Many times I am asked the question, “What can I do for extra credit?” Here is the answer: you may bring in articles and illustrations from newspapers, magazines, or the Internet which enhance our current curriculum. You may also do extra activities from the stories we have covered in our literature book.  Extra credit must always be high quality to earn points. You may also find extra credit assignments on my blog: The Baker's Oven.

     I want you to feel proud of your work, so please employ all your creative and intellectual skills on every assignment.  Neatness counts.  You will need to re-do assignments if they are messy, illegible and/or incomplete.  After you receive a score on an assignment, if you feel you have not done your best work on it, you may revise the assignment for a better grade.

     If you are not interested in doing a project I have assigned, suggest an alternate assignment which requires the same skills, and the same amount of effort, and I will probably let you do that project instead.

     For Accelerated Reading this year, you will need to read and test on two fiction and two non-fiction books each quarter, give brief “book talks” occasionally, and participate in other reading response assignments (usually on Wednesdays).  (A book of 10 or more points counts as two books.)  You will set reading point goals based on your own reading level.

     The literature books are amazing, packed with incredible writing and projects!  They are also very expensive.  You will take your literature book home, and leave it there for reading and homework assignments.  We will have a class set to use at school.  The textbooks cost $50.  Be careful with yours!  Social Studies books you will need to carry to class each day.  

Language Arts teachers have two rules that we feel will promote learning:

A. Come to class prepared to learn.  

B. Respect all people

     We also have some class procedures we will be using daily to help you stay organized and learning efficiently:

 1. Use the proper heading at all times (first and last name, due date, period number and Baker) in the upper right hand corner of the page. The title of the assignment should be in the center of the top line on the page.

2. Upon entering the classroom, get materials ready and begin copying the agenda and homework into your “Agenda Book.”  

3. Wait for the teacher to dismiss the class.

4. Use the restroom between classes.