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DIRT GUIDELINES

THE DIRT PROGRAM

The Dirt Program is an important part of the Language Arts program at St. Margaret  School.  We have an entire period every week devoted to Dirt, and it is a substantial part of the Literature grade (20 points every week). 

 Please review the following about Dirt and student effort to ensure that the program is meaningful for you and that you are successful with it. 

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Choose books you will enjoy reading!  Try reading different types of books (historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, biographies, etc.).  Ask the librarian for help if you are having trouble finding a book.

bulletDirt Journals are completed daily (at least 5 days out of 7) and not done on just the night before they are due.
bulletDirt books and Dirt Journals must be brought to every class.  When I do spot checks on journals, if you do not have yours, you will lose 5 points on the next Dirt grade.  This will hold true even if your journal is in your locker or is left at home.  The requirement is very clear – You must have your Dirt book and journal with you when you come to class.  When I make the check, if you do not have any entries recorded, you will lost 5 points on the next Dirt grade.  Entries are to be done each day, not all on the night before.
bulletAll books read must be included with the book title written properly and underlined and the author’s name spelled correctly.
bulletEach entry must be dated, or I will assume you did all the reading on one day.
bulletWritten responses:
  1. Seventh Grade:  Read 100 pages per week.  A summary must be written for every 20 pages read.  They must be 2 or 3 sentences long and summarize what you read.  A summary does not tell unimportant and trivial events.  Instead, it talks about the important events and people, things that are important to the plot.  I should be able to read your summaries and understand the basic plot of the story.
  2. Sixth Grade: 1st Trimester - 80 pages read per week; one paragraph summarizing the 80 pages and one paragraph with your personal reaction and thoughts to what you read (paragraphs - 6-8 sentences long);  Second Trimester - 90 pages read per week; summarize each 45 pages in a paragraph; 3rd Trimester - 100 pages read per week; summarize each 50 pages in a paragraph
  3. The sentences must be of a sixth/seventh grade level and must be a complete sentence (capital letter, end punctuation, and complete thought).
  4. Summaries must be written in cursive and blue or black pen.  Sixth grade paragraphs may be typed and glued into journal.
  5. Entries must be written neatly and follow all rules of spelling and grammar.  You need to proofread your entries.  These things are true of any written work you do in Language Arts and all of your subjects.
bulletDirt journals must be turned in on time.  For 7M, they are due on Tuesday.  For 6S, they are due on Thursday.  Five points will be deducted for each day late.  This means that if the book is not turned in by Monday (7M) and by Wednesday (6S), you will receive a zero.