6th Grade English & History, Gifted Magnet

HELLO!

My name is Ms. Butterworth and I am thrilled to be teaching 6th grade English and History. I have been teaching in Porter's Gifted Magnet for about ten years. Teaching is a privilege and I look forward to meaningful learning with our students.

I am a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in Early Adolescent English Language Arts, holding both elementary and secondary English credentials and a master’s in Secondary English Education.

I strive to engage gifted learners by strengthening literacy skills and fostering critical & creative thinking. I believe positive relationships in an emotionally safe environment are essential to rigorous learning. Through student-led discussion, purposeful writing, and inquiry-based learning, students are challenged to think deeply, ask meaningful questions, and communicate effectively.

In addition to teaching English and History, I teach a Creative Coding course in the 6th grade Gifted Magnet elective wheel, and sponsor Porter's Spelling Bee Club. I also serve as a mentor to new teachers in the district's Teacher Growth & Induction (TGI) program.

ENGLISH

In this course, we work to inspire students to develop a love of reading and writing. By studying a broad range of texts, students explore global issues through lenses of empathy, multiple perspectives, and problem-solving. Additionally, students conduct research and write about these topics in a variety of genres. Students participate in structured discussions where they expand their thinking. We value authentic student ideas, inquiry, conversation, and the construction of knowledge through collaboration and creation.

HISTORY

Our History course covers the ancient civilizations from the Early Humans through the beginnings of ancient Rome. This includes Early Humans, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Hebrews, India, China, Greece, and Rome. Within those civilizations, we study how geography, historical events, culture, politics, and religious beliefs impacted the development of civilization. We study history through the development of student-driven inquiry questions, applying disciplinary concepts and tools, evaluating sources and using evidence, and communicating our findings. Our curriculum is enhanced by the use of a makerspace cart where we design and craft hands-on products to show our learning.

COURSE TEXTS

English

• Refugee, by Alan Gratz
• Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the
  Greek Myths, by Bernard Evslin
• Various informational texts & short stories
• Choice independent reading novels

History

• World History: Ancient Civilizations,
  by National Geographic 

SUPPLIES

Students are encouraged to come to class prepared with:

• a binder with six binder dividers
  OR six folders to organize materials for each class
• lined paper (plenty- it goes fast!)
• pencils (I suggest mechanical over wood)
• eraser
  

Many students choose to carry:

• colored pencils
• colored pens
• highlighters
• pencil case
• notebook

GRADING

Grades are available live on Schoology for students and families to view at any time. The best way to monitor your child’s progress is by regularly checking their grades on Schoology through the Parent Portal at lausdapp.lausd.net. You may also sign up for automatic updates emailed to you weekly. 

Progress reports are sent home about every 5 weeks that communicate student grades at that time, and final semester report cards are mailed home at the end of the semester. Academic, Work Habits, and Cooperation scores will be assigned on these reports.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s grades or progress, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s).

ATTENDANCE

Meaningful learning experiences happen in the classroom, often involving collaboration and discussion that cannot be completed at home. Therefore, regular attendance is essential for students’ academic success.

We understand that illnesses and emergencies may occur, so students are expected to miss no more than 7 school days across the school year.

Families are to contact the attendance office during/after an absence. Additional information and a digital attendance form is available on Porter’s website at porterms.lausd.org. Absences are excused for verified illness, medical appointments, or family emergencies.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact their teacher(s) about assignments from their absences. Students may message teachers on Schoology or speak to them in person before/after an absence. Students have a limited amount of time to complete their missed assignments without penalty.

Academic integrity means taking responsibility for your own learning and being honest about the work you submit. When students practice academic integrity, they build confidence and practice important values such as trust, honesty, and respect.

Students are to complete their own work authentically and give credit when using someone else’s ideas or words. Some work is collaborative, and students may work together and share ideas when appropriate.

Students may not copy another person’s work and claim it as their own. Additionally, students may not use generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) to write assignments.

Academic dishonesty, such as cheating, plagiarism, or use of generative AI, is not tolerated. Consequences for academic dishonesty include receiving a “zero” on the assignment, losing opportunities to redo/revise the assignment, and receiving a “U” (unsatisfactory) score on the next progress report.