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Grade Gifted Language Arts Course Syllabus
Inman Middle School
2014201!
Mrs" #eth $odd
mtodd@atlanta.k12.ga.us
$utorial% Monday morning &'%40(%40 am)
Mr" *e+in Co,n
kcown@atlanta.k12.ga.us
$utorial% $uesday morning &'%40(%40 am)
Mrs" Andrea -illard
adillard@atlanta.k12.ga.us
$utorial% $hursday morning &'%40(%40 am)
www.atlantapublicschools.us/inman
.hile email is the /referred method of communication0 teachers may also be reached by School +oicemail"
-ial &404) (0210002 ,hen /rom/ted0 scroll for teacher3s last name"
Class -escri/tion% This language arts class is designed to increase your communications skills through reading,
writing, speaking, and the study of the English language. Our primary focus in language arts class will be reading tets
critically and using those tets as a springboard for !arious writing styles, demonstrating the rules of grammar, and
epressing yoursel!es orally.
This year you can epect to read a !ariety of fiction and non"fiction including no!els, short stories, dramas, poetry, and
essays. These writing pieces will model the different writing styles we will be working on oursel!es. #riting
assignments will include timed responses, $ournal writing, essays, criti%ues, and creati!e pieces. &ocabulary, spelling,
and grammar assignments will also be an important part of this class. 'ecause we are a community of learners, please
also epect to work periodically in group situations and to present information to your peers in groups or indi!idually.
(tlanta )ublic *chools utili+es the ,ommon ,ore which emphasi+es rigor. -www.georgiastandards.org.
Im/lementation of gifted standards% The course content for (tlanta public school gifted classes is the same as for the
regular education classes at the appropriate grade le!el and sub$ect. *tate mandated ob$ecti!es are co!ered in all
classes. The gifted class instruction is enriched using the following guidelines/
1. 0ifted students will de!elop ad!anced research methods and independent study skills, which will allow for the
in"depth learning of self"selected topics within the area of study.
2. 0ifted students will de!elop and practice creati!e thinking and creati!e problem sol!ing skills with a !ariety of
comple topics within the area of study.
1. 0ifted students will de!elop and practice higher order and critical thinking skills in the area of study.
2. The curriculum acti!ities and deli!ery models used in gifted programming should 3a4 be sensiti!e to the uni%ue
social and emotional needs of gifted students, and 3b4 encourage the de!elopment of self"understanding.
4ur ma5or units of study ,ill include but are not limited to%
5arrati!e writing6
7nformational writing 3descripti!e, eplanation, comparison and contrast, problem/solution46
Technical writing 3friendly letters, thank"you notes, instructions, web pages46
(rgument writing/*peech writing and deli!ery6
8eading ,omprehension 3through poetry, short stories/ 5o!els 3The Outsiders by *.E. 9inton, The Diary of
Anne Frank, and a !ariety of science fiction no!els, plus weekly non"fiction articles4
*tandard grammar and mechanics 3including *entence :luency and ,onstruction4
6Throughout all of our writing, we will also utili+e the multi"step writing process to de!elop, re!ise, e!aluate, and
impro!e our products. 7n our course of study in all the units, we will address the !arious elements of specific genres
3including but not limited to organi+ation, purpose, audience, narration, conflict, sound, graphics, tone, and theme4.
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*tudents will not be issued a tetbook because no assignments gi!en will re%uire usage at home.
Inde/endent 6eading%
)lease understand that at"home reading is epected and is important for your growth as a reader. 7ndependent reading will be
assessed through (ccelerated 8eader %ui++es and %uarterly book pro$ects. 'ook pro$ect menus will be sent home soon ; This
is not a basic book report, so please wait to begin until you read the guidelines carefully.
-ue -ates% 10760 127(0 1780 !711
Infinite Cam/us%
<ou are able to see your up"to"date class a!erage at any time on the 7nfinite ,ampus website. <our parents must obtain a
username and password from the main office. ,heck this site often to see if you are missing assignments in =anguage (rts.
Inman Middle School ,ebsite%
(tlanta )ublic *chools has websites for each teacher to use to post homework and other class information. This site is
www.atlantapublicschools.us/inman. >nder ?(cademics@ search for English/ =anguage (rts and then each specific teacher.
*tudents are epected to write homework in the agenda each day, as the website might not be updated daily with changes in
instruction.
6)lease note that not e!ery assignment is a!ailable electronically, and students are epected to keep up with all
handouts gi!en out in class. =osing a handout that is not a!ailable online will not be an ecuse for missing the assignment.
Grading 9olicy%
7n our class, you will be graded informally and formally each day, using se!eral different types of assessments.
9ere is the breakdown/ 69omeworkA1BC 6)ro$ectsA2BC
6Dui++esA1EC 6,lass workA1BC
6TestsA2EC
6e:uired Materials%
61@ 'inder 67ndependent reading book 65otebook paper
62 Fi!iders" sections/ #arm >ps, 9andouts/5otes, 0raded #ork, (rticles
6#riting >tensils 3'lack/blue pens or mechanical pencils are re%uired.4

6eturned .or;%
(ll work will be graded and returned in"class in a timely manner. )lease allow a while longer for lengthier writing
assignments. *tudents will ha!e an opportunity to re!iew their graded work, and fre%uently, they will be asked to file the
assignments into their class portfolios. )ortfolios are used to gauge student progress throughout the year, and the work will
be returned in Gay.
Assignments% (ll assignments must be submitted by the gi!en due date and are due at the beginning of the class period
unless otherwise stated. (ll homework is due the net day unless otherwise stated.
Late Assignments7Missed .or;% (ny assignments not recei!ed on or before the due date are considered late. Each teacher
may ha!e a !arying late work policy. <our teacherHs late work policy is/ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 67n
order to recei!e full credit for any missed assignments, students must ha!e an ecusable absence, tardy, or early dismissal.
It is the student3s res/onsibility to chec; ,ith the teacher regarding any late7missed assignments and their due dates"
Cheating79lagiarism
,heating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic grade of +ero. This includes copying
homework, classwork, test answers, talking during a test or %ui+, allowing someone to copy your work, and trying to pass
off someone elseHs work as your own.
)arents, please fill out the attached slip and return it to your childHs =anguage (rts teacher by the end of the week. The
email address you pro!ide is etremely important and will be used for general J
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grade announcements !ia e"blast.
Thanks !ery muchK
Mr. Cown, Mrs. Dillard, and Mrs. Todd
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9arents7Guardians%
7 ha!e read the *yllabus for the sith"grade Language Arts ,lass, and 7 understand the courseHs grading policy,
homework policy, intended units of study, re%uired notebook organi+ation, and items that my child must bring in daily
to be prepared.
)arent/0uardian 5ame 3)lease print4/ )arent *ignature/
9arent <mail &9lease /rint)/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
,hildHs 5ame 3)lease print4/ ,hild *ignature/
-ate% =====================================================
9arents7Guardians%
7 ha!e read the *yllabus for the sith"grade Language Arts ,lass, and 7 understand the courseHs grading policy,
homework policy, intended units of study, re%uired notebook organi+ation, and items that my child must bring in daily
to be prepared.
)arent/0uardian 5ame 3)lease print4/ )arent *ignature/
9arent <mail &9lease /rint)/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
,hildHs 5ame 3)lease print4/ ,hild *ignature/
-ate% =====================================================
9arents7Guardians%
7 ha!e read the *yllabus for the sith"grade Language Arts ,lass, and 7 understand the courseHs grading policy,
homework policy, intended units of study, re%uired notebook organi+ation, and items that my child must bring in daily
to be prepared.
)arent/0uardian 5ame 3)lease print4/ )arent *ignature/
9arent <mail &9lease 9rint)/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
,hildHs 5ame 3)lease print4/ ,hild *ignature/
-ate% =====================================================
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