Mrs. Kober & Ms. Kocar

Language Arts

2024-2025

• This is my 24th year of teaching
• It’s my 14th year at Dana
• I went to college at University of Vermont and San Francisco State University
• I have my multiple subject credential and a single subject credential in English

Readers and Writers Workshop:

4 Main Units:

• Narrative
• Expository/Research
• Argument
• Response to literature

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Students will:

• Read a variety of fiction and nonfiction
• Be focused on grade-level appropriate reading habits and strategies
• Be learning to “think like a writer”
• Build upon skills from the prior year
• Daily writing in an online writer’s notebook

Today is: Wednesday, September 4th

AGENDA

1. Magazine Monday: Scope article: “Sneaker Nation” Preview and Vocabulary
2. Reading Response Choice #1
1. Go over
2. Read examples
3. Questions
3. Short Story “Sweet”
4. Flocabulary

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TODAY’S SCHEDULE!

Period 1: 8:00-9:00

Period 2/3: 9:05-11:04

Period 4: 11:09-12:06

Lunch: 12:11-12:41

Period 5/6: 12:46-2:45

Word Study:

• Focused vocabulary development
• Supports work taking place in reading and writing
• Open Genre Study

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Grammar:

• Focused grammar instruction
• Common across grade level
• Purple/pink Easy Grammar

Reading Responses!

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Due Wednesdays! Once per month!

Click the couch for all of the details!

Upcoming Due Dates:

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Period 2/3: September 11th

Period 4/6: September 18th

Period 5/6: September 25th

Late Work

Late work should be turned in as soon as possible. I stop accepting late work one week prior to the end of each 6th week grading period. Accepted late work that is turned in will receive credit as long as it is quality work.   This policy allows for a culture of redemption at our school and allows for students to learn from their mistakes and recover their grade.  

Grading

SDUSD is moving towards standard based grading to more accurately reflect each student’s proficiency levels and understanding of the curriculum.

Grading Categories:

Reader’s Workshop 35%

Writer’s Workshop 35%

Word Study, Grammar 20%

Listening Speaking 10%

90-100% 4

80-89% 3

70-79% 2

60-69% 1

0-59% 0

Please disregard the numerical grade in Powerschool!

Join the COOLEST club at Dana!

Mondays,

Tuesdays,

&

Wednesdays

2:50 p.m.- 3:50 p.m.

in the

Dana Middle School Library

To sign-up, please have

your parent/guardian complete this form:

2024/2024 HW Club Application Form

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• Open to all Dana students on a drop-in basis.*
• Prime Time students have a separate tutoring program.
• No requirement to attend every meeting.

Sign up with google form!

Homework Club starts on

Monday, September 9, 2024!i

FODAC (Friends of Dana and Correia) are requesting a parent (or two) volunteer(s) to help pass out lap trackers and t-shirts in the classroom PRIOR to students taking the field on the day of the jogathon!

Save the Date:

September 26th!

Hi! I’m one of your child’s Language Arts teachers, Ms. Kelly Kocar!

Virtual Classroom

• Virtual Classroom
• Dana Middle website, Staff, Kelly Kocar, Website
• Syllabus, Links, First Chapter Friday

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Google Classroom

• Assignments and other information can mainly be found on our Google Classroom:
• Weekly Class Slideshows
• show what we discussed in class, any notes taken, assignments given
• updated daily
• Assignments, tests, projects

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Welcome and Happy Wednesday!

9/4/2024

On today’s agenda:

• Attendance
• Story Elements - Setting
• Short Story - “All Summer in a Day”

Please take time to settle in and make sure you have everything you need for class:

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Things to Do Now:

• Sharpen pencils.
• Have your yellow Reference Journal out and ready to go!

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example

Today’s Notes

example

A few platforms and applications we use regularly in class:

PowerSchool:

• Online access to assignment scores

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• How often do I update this information?

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• Same username and password as last year

Grading

Grading Categories:

Reader’s Workshop 35%

Writer’s Workshop 35%

Word Study, Grammar 20%

Listening Speaking 10%

90-100% A

80-89% B

70-79% C

60-69% D

0-59% F

Dana Middle School Citizenship Rubric

Use updated citizenship marks AND definitions:

• Exceeds (E) - Consistently exceeds expectations in work completion, preparation, and participation, and actively contributes to the learning experiences of their peers.
• Meets (M) - Consistently meets expectations: completes work on time, prepared to learn, participates regularly, shows respect for others, and contributes to building a positive community.
• Inconsistent (I) - Inconsistently meets expectations: occasionally completes work on time, not always prepared to learn, participates irregularly, and rarely works well with others.
• Unsatisfactory (U) - Does not meet expectations: work is habitually late, not prepared to learn, does not participate, and does not work well with others.

Contact Information

• The best way to contact us is through email: kkober@sandi.net

kkocar@sandi.net

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• (858) 988-2900 x.2204 (Kober)

X.2208 (Kocar)

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• Best time to connect is after school, Zoom is available