Welcome! I'm Ms. Acosta
6th Grade ELA & Social Studies | Palm Springs Unified School District
"Students don't rise to meet low expectations. I design classrooms where rigor is scaffolded, inquiry is central, and every learner is empowered to build knowledge — not just receive it."
Interdisciplinary Educator • Constructivist Curriculum Designer • Data-Driven & Trauma-Informed
B.S. in Psychology | TK–8 IB Arts Background | Advocate for ELL & Students with Gaps in Learning
Ms. Acosta
Creating a classroom where every student can thrive through inquiry, creativity, and critical thinking.
Welcome Video
Welcome! I'm Ms. Audrianna Acosta
6th Grade ELA & Social Studies | Palm Springs Unified School District B.S. in Psychology | Focus: Research Methodologies
I teach because I believe in the transformational power of learning — especially for students who have been underestimated, under-supported, or interrupted.
My classroom is built on the idea that every student has something brilliant to say — my job is to design the right conditions for them to find their voice. I use an inquiry-based, constructivist approach, which means I treat learning as something students build through exploration, conversation, and creation — not just something delivered to them.
Before moving into general education, I taught Visual Arts across TK–8th grade in an interdisciplinary, International Baccalaureate PYP setting. In that role, I used art as the access point to teach reading, writing, science, and social studies through hands-on inquiry. That foundation now shapes my entire teaching philosophy: every lesson is an invitation to think, to connect, and to create.
My background in psychology and research fuels how I interpret student behavior, engagement, and progress. I view classroom data not as numbers, but as stories — signals about how to better scaffold, adjust, and re-engage. This lens is especially critical in my current context, where many of my students:
- Are English Language Learners
- Have experienced trauma
- Struggle with chronic absenteeism
- Are working 2+ grade levels behind
To meet those needs, I design learning that is:
- Multimodal and visual to support diverse language backgrounds
- Self-paced and modular so that students who miss class can re-enter without shame
- Emotionally anchored, validating student identity and creating safety for risk-taking
- Digitally accessible, with centralized tools for both students and families
This website is more than a reflection of my induction journey — it's a living classroom hub:
- Students can access digital content, lessons, and tools
- Families can review expectations, policies, and updates
- Colleagues can explore how interdisciplinary, trauma-informed, data-driven teaching works in action
Above all, this space reflects my belief that every student deserves a classroom where their potential is not just believed in — it's visible, measurable, and celebrated.
Developing as a Professional Educator
CSTP Reflection
My Growth Journey
Reflecting on my growth this year across the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTPs), I've seen marked development in both instructional practice and professional identity. My most significant growth areas include Assessing Students for Learning (CSTP 5) and Developing as a Professional Educator (CSTP 6), where I demonstrated a shift from early implementation to consistent, reflective application. In CSTP 1, Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning, I gained clarity and confidence in scaffolding for diverse learners, particularly English Language Learners and students with interrupted academic backgrounds. I also saw improvement in CSTP 2, Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments, as I refined my classroom management strategies to support a trauma-informed, inclusive space. Growth in CSTPs 3 and 4 further reflects my evolving ability to design interdisciplinary curriculum grounded in standards while remaining responsive to student needs. Collectively, this trajectory illustrates a deepening of both instructional rigor and personal efficacy as an educator committed to equity and impact.
Professional Goal
Goal: Build a scalable, visual writing framework for multilingual students and those far below grade level.
Why
Traditional writing structures exclude many of my students. But when they illustrate, storyboard, and talk through their ideas first, writing becomes possible — even joyful.
Actions
- Expand multimodal writing pathways
- Collaborate with specialists on scaffolds
- Build a digital resource library for writing support
- Track growth through portfolio-based rubrics
Remaining Connected
- Participate in inquiry cycles
- Present/share work through teacher networks
- Use Twitter and PD communities for collaboration
Sustaining Energy
- Design meaningful content — not just compliant lessons
- Build a classroom culture where joy is strategic
- Protect evenings and model balance
Advice to New Teachers
- Your classroom is a lab — experiment and reflect.
- You won't reach every student every day — but you will matter.
- Don't water down the content — make the path wider.
- The kids who push hardest against structure often need it most.
Contributing to the Profession
I believe great teaching isn't about delivering content — it's about designing experiences. My classroom tools are built to serve real students: learners with unfinished academic foundations, inconsistent attendance, language barriers, and big potential. Below are three resources and strategies I've developed or refined that reflect what I value: access, rigor, and inquiry.
1. Inquiry-Driven Genially Slides with Embedded Supports
Technology + Pedagogy | Inquiry, Direct Instruction, and Universal Access
Genially became the home base of my instructional design. I build interactive lessons that combine inquiry provocations, embedded chunked instruction, and audio scaffolds. Students analyze artifacts, explore maps, solve digital escape room puzzles, and engage in critical thinking — all while listening to me walk them through the task.
Because instructions are embedded as audio clips, students can revisit any part of the lesson as often as they need — whether they're in class, absent, or catching up at home. These slides support universal design, making grade-level content reachable through visuals, audio, chunked directions, and interaction. Every student has an entry point.
2. Art-Integrated Projects for Conceptual Depth and Connection
Content + Expression | Creativity Anchored in Core Curriculum
With a background in visual arts and IB interdisciplinary teaching, I frequently use art as a thinking tool, not just an end product. Students have created concept-based collage timelines, illustrated mosaics based on Roman keystones, identity-based crest banners in early narrative units, and propaganda posters to understand rhetorical appeals. Art becomes a bridge into rigorous academic conversations, especially for students who struggle with traditional written output.
These projects allow learners to express comprehension through design, build vocabulary, and generate ideas that feed back into writing, discussion, or debate — all aligned to standards, but responsive to student voice.
3. Mastery-Based Google Forms with Auto-Feedback
Assessment + Data | Fast, Flexible, and Student-Centered
To support interrupted learners and provide fast feedback, I use auto-graded Google Forms as low-stakes mastery checks. These are embedded into lessons and allow students to see results instantly, retry as needed, and self-correct misconceptions before moving on.
As a teacher, I use this data to target small-group re-teaching and adjust pacing in real time. The tools remove grading bottlenecks and let me shift focus from evaluation to intervention — ensuring students know growth is always possible.
These tools don't just make my classroom run — they make it responsive. I'll continue refining and sharing them, because I believe part of being a professional is contributing to the profession itself.
Contributing to the Profession
I believe great teaching isn't about delivering content — it's about designing experiences. My classroom tools are built to serve real students: learners with unfinished academic foundations, inconsistent attendance, language barriers, and big potential.
1. Inquiry-Driven Genially Slides with Embedded Supports
Genially became the home base of my instructional design. I build interactive lessons that combine inquiry provocations, embedded chunked instruction, and audio scaffolds. Students analyze artifacts, explore maps, solve digital escape room puzzles, and engage in critical thinking — all while listening to me walk them through the task.
Because instructions are embedded as audio clips, students can revisit any part of the lesson as often as they need — whether they're in class, absent, or catching up at home. These slides support universal design, making grade-level content reachable through visuals, audio, chunked directions, and interaction. Every student has an entry point.
2. Art-Integrated Projects for Conceptual Depth and Connection
With a background in visual arts and IB interdisciplinary teaching, I frequently use art as a thinking tool, not just an end product. Students have created concept-based collage timelines, illustrated mosaics based on Roman keystones, identity-based crest banners in early narrative units, and propaganda posters to understand rhetorical appeals. Art becomes a bridge into rigorous academic conversations, especially for students who struggle with traditional written output.
These projects allow learners to express comprehension through design, build vocabulary, and generate ideas that feed back into writing, discussion, or debate — all aligned to standards, but responsive to student voice.
3. Mastery-Based Google Forms with Auto-Feedback
To support interrupted learners and provide fast feedback, I use auto-graded Google Forms as low-stakes mastery checks. These are embedded into lessons and allow students to see results instantly, retry as needed, and self-correct misconceptions before moving on.
As a teacher, I use this data to target small-group re-teaching and adjust pacing in real time. The tools remove grading bottlenecks and let me shift focus from evaluation to intervention — ensuring students know growth is always possible.
These tools don't just make my classroom run — they make it responsive. I'll continue refining and sharing them, because I believe part of being a professional is contributing to the profession itself.
Grading & Mastery-Based Learning
Welcome to our classroom grading philosophy — designed to prioritize growth, mastery, and student agency. In my classroom, learning is not a race or a one-shot opportunity. Instead, it's a structured journey where students move through content at their own pace with support, reflection, and purpose.
What is Mastery-Based Learning?
Mastery-based learning means students must show proficiency in specific skills before progressing. Each unit is broken into smaller skill-based mini-lessons that include:
- Direct instruction (often through interactive slide presentations with embedded audio)
- Notes and guided examples
- Formative practice tasks (multiple-choice, short response, art-integrated tasks, gamified, and group role play constructivist activities etc.)
- Reinforcement and extension opportunities (often creative or interdisciplinary)
- Summative assessments to show mastery of individual skills
Students must earn at least 3 out of 4 on each sub-skill assessment to move on. This ensures we don't rush past concepts before students are ready. Some students move quickly through material, while others may need more time and support — both paths are valid and expected.
Self-Paced Structure
Each unit includes a suggested pace, and class time is used to support students in meeting that pace. However, students who fall behind will need to complete unfinished work independently, as the class will eventually block forward into new units.
Earlier units can still be revisited and resubmitted — but that must happen outside of direct class instruction time.
All late or regrade requests must be submitted via a digital ticket form, and are graded as time allows. Priority is always given to current work, so students are strongly encouraged to keep up.
Art-Based and Real-World Integration
Many of our reinforcement and project tasks are art-integrated, interdisciplinary, and tech-enhanced — designed to:
- Deepen understanding through creative expression
- Connect academic skills to real-life thinking
- Build digital literacy for today's tech-mediated world
This supports multiple learning styles and honors different ways students show what they know.
How the Gradebook Works
ELA & Social Studies are graded with the following weight:
• 40% Summative Assessments
Final skill checks per unit; standards-aligned; re-engageable with feedback
• 40% Practice Skills (Formative)
Daily/weekly lessons and scaffolded tasks that build toward mastery
Two lowest scores are dropped each term to reduce pressure and allow for missteps
• 20% Bell Work
Ongoing foundational routines that reinforce essential skills
Two lowest scores are dropped to encourage consistency over perfection
About Bell Work
Our Bell Work routines are instructional — not just filler. They follow predictable weekly patterns that reinforce essential academic skills and help students start class with purpose.
In ELA:
- Grammar and sentence structure practice
- Reading comprehension and constructed response writing
- Vocabulary acquisition and review
- Writing practice focused on developing strong craft in response to prompts
These tasks spiral across units and are designed to build fluency, confidence, and academic language — especially for emerging bilingual students and those with writing gaps.
In Social Studies:
- Map and geography skills
- Sense of time and place through timelines and primary sources
- Compare and contrast analysis
- Critical reflection to build historical empathy and argumentation skills
Final Notes for Students and Families
Mastery takes time — and it takes consistency. Students will need to be engaged daily. Falling into the trap of "I'll catch up later" can lead to falling significantly behind. This model works best when students participate actively and take ownership of their progress.
Parents and guardians are invited to monitor grades and help encourage students to focus on current units first, rather than chasing late work. Please feel free to reach out with questions or concerns
What to Expect in 6th Grade
Welcome to 6th grade! Whether you're a new student or a returning family, this page will help you understand what learning looks like in our classroom — and how to feel confident and prepared for the year ahead.
Our Daily Flow
Each day follows a rhythm designed to support student independence, creativity, and critical thinking.
- Bell Work: We start every class with a short, skill-building task to reinforce reading, writing, grammar, or historical thinking.
- Direct Instruction: Lessons are delivered through interactive slides with audio narration so students can revisit content anytime.
- Practice Time: Students apply new skills at their own pace through scaffolded tasks, collaborative activities, and hands-on projects.
- Reflection & Mastery Checks: Before moving forward, students demonstrate what they've learned through short assessments and self-evaluation.
Every activity is designed to support mastery — not just compliance. Students are not penalized for needing more time to learn. The goal is growth.
Self-Paced Learning
Students move through lessons within each unit at their own pace, working toward mastery before progressing. While there is a suggested schedule, each student's path may look different — and that's expected.
- Mini-lessons include chunked instruction with visuals and audio support
- Practice tasks are designed to build confidence and skills
- Reinforcement opportunities are available for students who need more time or support
- Creative and art-based extensions connect learning to real life and help students deepen understanding
This approach helps students take ownership of their learning and ensures no one is left behind.
What You'll Learn
In 6th grade, students build the academic foundation for middle and high school success. Our curriculum is designed to meet California Common Core Standards in ELA and Historical and Social Sciences, while also helping students develop the real-world thinking and communication skills they'll need for life beyond school.
In English Language Arts (ELA), you'll learn how to:
- Read and analyze a variety of texts, including short stories, historical documents, and nonfiction articles
- Cite evidence to support your thinking in both writing and discussion (CCSS RI.6.1, RL.6.1)
- Write organized, detailed paragraphs and essays in response to prompts (CCSS W.6.1–W.6.4)
- Revise and edit your writing with feedback to improve clarity and structure (W.6.5)
- Use academic vocabulary and grammar effectively in writing and speech (L.6.1–L.6.6)
- Develop media literacy and digital communication skills through modern tools
You'll write:
- Narrative essays (telling stories with voice and structure)
- Informative/explanatory essays (explaining ideas clearly and thoroughly)
- Argumentative essays (taking a position with evidence)
- Short constructed responses (quick, focused answers with text evidence)
In Social Studies, you'll explore:
- Geography and map skills to understand how people interact with their environment
- The development of early human societies
- The rise and fall of ancient civilizations, including: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Kush, Israel, India, China, Greece, and Rome
- Belief systems, governments, economics, and cultural innovations from around the world
- How history connects to current events, identity, and global citizenship
We don't just memorize facts — we learn to analyze sources, think critically, and ask big questions like:
- What makes a civilization rise or fall?
- How do belief systems shape a society?
- How do geography and technology affect culture?
What You'll Need to Succeed
- A charged Chromebook every day
- A composition notebook or folder for notes
- Writing tools
- A growth mindset and a willingness to try
- Daily participation — even when things feel challenging
A Final Note for Students & Families
6th grade is a big step — but you're not doing it alone. My classroom is built to help you grow as a thinker, writer, and person. You'll have chances to reflect, revise, and improve — and I'll be here to support you along the way.
Let's make this year meaningful, empowering, and full of progress.
Classroom Culture & Norms
How We Learn Together
In this classroom, students don't just come to learn content — they come to build identity, confidence, and community. I take seriously the responsibility of creating a space where all students feel safe, seen, and supported. That means we establish clear expectations, not to control students — but to protect learning time, affirm dignity, and create a safe, inclusive environment for every learner.
Our Core Agreements
These are the values we live by in Room 708:
- Be curious — Ask questions, try new things, and explore ideas
- Be responsible — Manage your time, tech, and materials with care
- Be respectful — Of yourself, your classmates, and our learning space
- Be brave — Mistakes are part of learning, and growth takes effort
- Be reflective — We learn from feedback, not shame
These norms are co-created with students at the beginning of the year and revisited often.
Behavior, Boundaries, & Safety
All students are supported with clear, kind, and consistent redirection when needed. I use:
- Quiet, non-disruptive cues
- Private conversations
- Reflection forms and restorative check-ins
However, certain behaviors require immediate escalation due to safety concerns. These include:
- Physical aggression or threats
- Profanity or vulgar language directed at others
- Sexualized behavior, sounds, or gestures, including those that are implied or disguised
- Targeted harassment, intimidation, or repeated boundary violations
These actions will result in immediate referral to administration, and students may be escorted by security and subject to suspension in alignment with district policy.
We are building a learning community where every student and adult can feel emotionally and physically safe. These boundaries are not just rules — they are the foundation of a respectful and productive classroom.
Classroom Participation
- Students are expected to be engaged every day, even on difficult days
- Technology is used for learning only — personal devices must be silenced and put away unless allowed for a task
- Group work is built on shared responsibility and kind communication
- Discussion is an essential part of learning, and everyone's voice matters — even if you're still developing your ideas
A Safe & Inclusive Space
We honor all identities in this classroom. Discrimination of any kind — including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or ableism — has no place here. Students are taught how to:
- Communicate with care
- Repair harm when needed
- Advocate for themselves and others respectfully
We also support students who've experienced trauma, instability, or disrupted schooling. This is a classroom where students are allowed to start fresh, build trust, and find success in ways that feel meaningful to them.
Families as Partners
I believe families are essential partners in student success. If something is affecting your child's well-being or ability to focus, please feel free to reach out. I will always do my best to respond with empathy, consistency, and communication that supports your child's growth.
Weekly Updates
Keep up with our classroom activities, upcoming assignments, and important announcements.
Student Portal
Access your assignments, resources, and important information for the current week.
Contact & Support
I believe communication is key to student success. Whether you're a student, parent, or colleague — I'm here to support learning, growth, and clarity. Below you'll find how and when to reach me, as well as what kinds of support are available.
How to Contact Me
- Email: aacosta1@psusd.us
- ParentSquare: For all official school-home communication
Please allow 1–2 business days for a response. I respond during my contract hours and will get back to you as soon as I'm able.
Office Hours & Meeting Times
- By Appointment (Before School): I am available for scheduled meetings from 8:00 to 8:30 AM most weekdays.
- Mid day I am available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — 9:45 AM to 10:30 AM
Tutoring & Academic Help
Tutoring may be available through the district. In class, students are always welcome to ask for help — and are encouraged to develop self-advocacy skills by taking ownership of their learning progress.
We use a discreet help system in class so students can request support privately without fear of embarrassment. Students can submit:
- Digital regrade or late work requests through our classroom form
- Private support requests using Ligurian (our classroom help platform)
Let's Work Together
My goal is to make sure all students feel supported, challenged, and safe in their learning journey. Families and students are encouraged to reach out early and often — not just when there's a concern. Let's partner in helping students thrive.