Academics
- Accelerated Reader Link
- Homework and Study Skills
- Library
- Link It Student Access
- Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)
- Program of Studies
- PA Learning Standards
- Summer Reading
Accelerated Reader Link
Homework and Study Skills
Library
Link It Student Access
When administering an online assessment, students will go to the link below and enter the teacher generated assignment code.
Student Online Assessment Log-In
Students and parents will go to the link below to view teacher feedback on assessments taken in Link It. Students and parents can also view previous state and district administered assessment scores on this portal. Parents and students will log in using the student's school ID number as the username and the last name (all lowercase) as the password. Students and parents will be prompted to answer a security question and change their own passwords after logging in the first time.
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)
Our District began using MAP assessments in 2016-2017 in grades 2 - 10. Students take MAP assessments in Fall, Winter, and Spring. We will be using the Spring MAP results in our course placement decisions
MAP tests are unique in that they are adaptive tests your child takes on a computer. That means that the test becomes more difficult the more questions your child answers correctly. When your child incorrectly answers a question, the test becomes easier. Therefore, your child takes a test specifically created for his or her learning level.
Your child’s MAP results are reported in RIT scores. This is a different type of score than a typical test that provides a percentage correct. It is also different from many tests that provide results based on your child’s scores compared to others in his or her grade level. Instead, the RIT score is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches, that is independent of grade level. As a result, we can easily measure growth in learning. Your child immediately sees their score upon completion of the assessment.
MAP also determines a Lexile level. This is a measure a student reader's ability. A Lexile measure serves two unique functions: it is the measure of how difficult a text is OR a student's reading ability level.
Please see the resources below for additional information about MAP assessments and results.
Program of Studies
PA Learning Standards
PA State Learning Standards This page includes information about standards approved by the State of Pa related to all areas of Learning Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade.
Summer Reading
The Middle School English Language Arts teachers have prepared our Summer Reading packets and they are attached below for each grade level. Reading is a lifelong skill and research shows that adult readers establish their reading habits most strongly during their middle school years. Summer reading is a crucial component of the ELA curriculum and helps children maintain the progress they made during the school year. Please read over the packets attached below based upon the grade your child will be enrolled in for the upcoming school year. If you have any questions, please ask your child's current ELA teacher or contact the UPMS Office. Happy Reading!
A reminder to all students that your QR code for logging into your chrome book will be reset starting August 1st. If you choose to use your device for your book reports or writing, you would need to be finished with these assignments before July 31st. Students will receive new QR and log in information the first day back to school. This area of the webpage has all the information you need from book selection to directions for summer reading. You can do it by hand, but be sure not to lose any pages or notes as you complete your tasks!
Summer Reading Letters
6th Grade
Summer Reading - Upcoming 6th Graders
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Reading is a lifelong skill, and research shows that adult readers establish their reading habits most strongly during their middle school years. Additionally, any progress made during the regular school year is maintained when students read over the summer. Therefore, summer reading is a crucial component of the sixth grade curriculum.
Summer reading also allows students to prepare for the Accelerated Reader (AR) program that the middle school students will be required to utilize. The AR program provides students personalized reading practice by taking quizzes based on self-selected novels. Students earn points depending upon how many questions they answer correctly on the computer-based quiz. The number of points that a book is worth varies depending upon the length of the book and the book level. Summer reading will count towards the first trimester AR goal to help students get off to a positive start to the school year. With this philosophy in mind, we would like to share with you the summer reading requirements for students who will enter the upcoming school year as 6th graders.
In order to complete the summer reading assignment please do the following:
- Choose a book from the list of titles that the 6th grade teachers provided for you. Short summaries are provided to help you make a selection that truly interests you! Remember stick with the book! A copy of the book list may be found on the Middle School Website.
- As you read, complete a Summer Reading Log for this novel. Summer Reading Logs may be found on the Middle School Website. Students were also given a log at the close of their 5th Grade year. Give a short summary of what you read during each reading session. This will be turned in the first week of school for a grade.
- Also, within the first two weeks of school, you will discuss the summer reading and take an AR test on your book. The scores on these AR tests will count as a summer reading grade for the first trimester.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy a good book this summer! See you in the fall!
Sincerely,
The Sixth Grade ELA Department
Mrs. Burgy
Mrs. Rambo
Dr. Colapietro
Mrs. Wehr
7th Grade
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Reading is a lifelong skill, and research shows that adult readers establish their reading habits most strongly during their middle school years. Additionally, any progress made during the regular school year is maintained when students read over the summer. With this philosophy in mind, we would like to share with you the requirements for summer reading for students who will enter 7th grade for the upcoming school year.
The 7th grade English Language Arts teachers have compiled a list of titles for summer reading options. Students are to choose one of these titles to read over the summer.
- Choose a book from the list provided below.
- Click here to see a list of the books with online links
- As you read, complete a Sticky Note Book Report about this novel. Directions for this assignment are on the back of this letter. You will submit this assignment on the first day of school.
- Within the first two weeks of school, you will discuss summer reading and take an AR Test on your summer reading book. The scores on these AR Tests will count as a summer reading grade for the first marking period.
- You will also complete a text-dependent analysis within the first two weeks of school. The TDA will require students to provide evidence from their summer reading book.
Historical Fiction
- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
- Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
Fantasy
- The Maze Runner (Book 1 of the series) by James Dashner (or any other book from the series)
- The Capture (Book 1 of the series) by Kathryn Lasky (or any other book from the series)
- Bad Magic (Book 1 of the series) by Pseudonymous Bosch (or any other book from the series)
Science Fiction
- Uglies by Scott Westerfield
- Cinder (Book 1 of The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer (or any other book from the series)
- Matched by Allie Condie (or any other book from the Matched Trilogy)
Sports
Any of the following Mike Lupica books:
- QB 1
- Summer Ball
- The Batboy
- Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
Horror
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaimen
Mystery
Any book from the following Margaret Peterson Haddix series:
- The Shadow Children series
- The Missing series
- Children of Exile series
- The Palace Chronicles series
- Under Their Skin series
Any book from the following Stuart Gibbs series:
- Spy School series
- Belly Up series
General Interest
Any of the following Meg Cabot books:
- How to Be Popular
- Avalon High
- Jinx
Any of the following James Patterson books:
- Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life (or any other book from the series)
- Any book from the Treasure Hunters series
The Sticky Note Book Report
Click here for printable version of PDF Sticky Note Report
As you read your summer reading novel, you will note your metacognition (reading strategies) on sticky notes, thus creating a Sticky-Note Book Report which is due on the first day of the school year.
Supplies needed:
- A copy of the novel you chose from the list
- A pack of standard size sticky notes (any color; no designs because your writing will be difficult to read)
- A PEN (blue or black ink only). Please do not use a pencil!
- Several pieces of unlined 8 ½ x 11 paper (any color)
Procedure:
- Write 18 sticky notes.
- Use all SEVEN of the reading strategies.
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Clarifying Confusion (CC)
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Write down what you are wondering. PLEASE attempt to include the clarification to your confusion, especially if it is a vocabulary-level question.
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Evaluation (E)
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Write down what just happened AND include your emotional response. FOCUS ON IMPORTANT EVENTS.
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Prediction (P)
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Guess what will happen next in the story AND give evidence to support your prediction
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Text-to-Self Connection (TS)
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Compare a character or an event to yourself.
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Text-to-Text Connection (TT)
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Compare a character or an event to another text.
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Text-to-World Connection (TW)
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Compare a character or an event to what might be going on in the world.
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Making Inferences (I)
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Based on the author’s writing, what can be concluded, suggested, or implied; draw a conclusion based on reasoning- read between the lines.
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3. Label your sticky notes with the DATE, the page number, and the type of reading strategy that you are using (CC, E, P, TS, TT, TW, I).
4. You must use each reading strategy at least twice. For the remaining four required sticky notes, you can choose the strategies you want to use.
5. When you have finished reading the book, create a title page (featuring the title and author) and place all sticky notes in order, by chapter, on 8 ½ x 11 paper. Clearly label each chapter at the top of a piece of paper.
Grading:
The project is worth 45 points. Each sticky note is worth two points. Your arrangement of notes on the labeled chapter pages is worth 9 points.
Example of one sticky note:
link to document to complete 7th Grade Summer Reading Assignment