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Humanities 6
Ms. Peeler

Email:jepeeler@seattleschools.org
Phone:206-252-8980
Available: 12:30-1:20; also before or after school.

Teacher Bio

This is my 20th year teaching sixth grade at Denny Middle School. The students, staff, and community at Denny are an important part of my life. I have a Bachelor in Education from Central Washington State College, now Central Washington University, in Ellensburg and my fifth year from the University of Washington. When I am not at Denny, I love to garden, boat, hike, and read. My personal goal this year is to exercise more, worry less, and enjoy my family, especially my granddaughter. My professional goal is to continue the Writer’s Workshop curriculum and reading conferences.

Washington State Standards Taught in This Language Arts Class

WRITING

READING

1. The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.

2. The student understands the meaning of what is read.

3. The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes.

4. The student sets goals and evaluates progress to improve reading.

Washington State Social Studies Standards Taught in This Class:

HISTORY

1. The student examines and understands major ideas, eras, themes, developments, turning points, chronology, and cause-effect relationships in United States, world, and Washington State history.

2. The student understands the origin and impact of ideas and technological developments on history.

GEOGRAPHY

CIVICS

ECONOMICS

1. Students understand the essential characteristics of past and present economic systems.

Language Arts Course Description

This course focuses on Writer’s Workshop and literature. Students will write narrative, expository, descriptive, persuasive essays. They will use the Denny writing rubric to score their writing. In order to develop a global perspective and support the 6 th grade social studies curriculum, students will read historical and realistic fiction novels that take place in Egypt, India and China and read a variety of non-fiction texts about issues facing people in our global community today. At home, students are expected to read for at least thirty minutes and keep a reading response log of their independent reading. Student activities include: Writer’s Workshop, Literature Circles, Independent Book Projects, Class Discussions, and Response Logs.

Social Studies Course Description

Social Studies at the 6 th grade is a full year course focused on the study of the ancient civilizations of Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Oceania, covering the history, culture, geography, socio-politics, and economy of the eastern hemisphere from ancient to modern times explored through a variety of perspectives. In order to develop a global perspective, students will focus on comparing and contrasting their lives with the lives of people from different global communities historically and today. We will discuss the challenges of living in a global community and challenges that face communities worldwide. In addition, students will explore their responsibilities as a world citizen and ways they take action to make positive changes in our world. As a result of taking this class students will be able to identify themes in history, geography, civics and economics as well as create and read maps and timelines. Students will develop skills related to the work of geographers and historians, such as conducting research, utilizing cartography (mapping), examining primary sources, and applying higher order thinking skills. Student activities include: map making, timeline creation, library and internet research, presentations, historical role-playing, artistic display making and interviewing. Our reference text is History Alive, by Bert Bower and Jim Lobdell.

Assessment

A variety of assessments will be used throughout the year, such as, a pre and post assessment of reading and writing skills, the Gates-MacGinitie reading test in September and June, the 6 th grade WASL in math and reading, as well as unit, vocabulary, and spelling tests. Daily assessment to check for student understanding of the curricula, materials, and strategies being presented will include quizzes and conferencing.