Materials for LA

Glencoe Writer's Choice
Students are required to provide the following materials for language arts: journal for class, pens, pencils, highlighters, markers and other art supplies, loose leaf paper, and note cards. Portable drives are recommended.

 Materials for Literature

Independent reading books for SSR (silent sustained reading)
Glencoe Reader's Choice
Students are required to provide the following materials for literature: independent reading material, journal, note cards, pens, pencils, highlighters, markers and other art supplies, and loose leaf paper. Sticky notes are useful.

Although it is impossible to outline everything that we will be doing this year, I want to share a few highlights.

Writing

We will focus on learning and using the writing process throughout the year. I will strive to complete the writing process by providing opportunities for students to publish their work. Developing voice and more sophisticated sentences and paragraphs will be a focus as well as using detail and support. We will also focus on text structure, organization, cohesion, and coherence. We will practice several types of essays including narrative, expository, and persuasive. Essays will be balanced with more creative writing pieces, such as a miscommunication dialogue and a short story. Students will also participate in two special units. During the newspaper unit, students will learn about the newspaper writing style and will publish their own front page. During the poetry unit, students will write and illustrate their own poetry books.

Speaking and Listening

Students will also have several opportunities to develop and refine their speaking and listening skills. An important component of this classroom is  for students to share work that they have written with the rest of the class. Students will  also have the opportunity to present a word of the day each quarter. During the poetry unit, they will learn to  present their poetry as drama to the class. At the end of the year, students will participate in a public speaking unit.

Grammar

Much of the grammar we learn will be applied to writing, so throughout the year I will present mini-lessons on common writing errors that I am finding in the students writing. The parts of speech, punctuation, and mechanics will be reviewed and used to make writing more clear and more powerful. I also will require students to memorize certain components of grammar so that they are easily recognized and will expect students to learn many of the grammar terms in order to communicate better with future English teachers.

Spelling

The emphasis in this area of the class is on learning strategies and rules to improve spelling. We will also study common Latin and Greek word parts to aid students in understanding and spelling larger, more complex words.

Reading Materials and Activities
I feel that it is important to provide students with opportunities to read. Much of the research in reading indicates that the more a child reads, the better reader he or she is.  This is why I ask students to read at least 200 minutes a week and to complete reading logs in addition to reading in class.

Developing a love of reading in students is also important to me. To that end, I use a variety of strategies to get students to enjoy reading such as choices in books, projects, and book reports. I use a variety of teaching methods including literature circles and reader’s theater. We also hold both small group and large group discussions. This year we will be conducting a murder trial of a character from one of our books and producing movies complete with an awards ceremony for another.  

Students will read and experience a variety of literature including novels, short stories, drama, poetry, and expository texts. Reading is more than just decoding words; it’s interacting with the text and connecting it to themselves and their experiences, so students will be expected to participate in class activities and discussions.

We will also be practicing the active reading strategies and applying the elements of fiction and nonfiction as well as some new elements such as suspense, point of view, symbolism, and foreshadowing. Vocabulary and comprehension will also be an important part of the class.

The following are some of the titles and/or genres that we will read this year in literature:

2009 Rebecca Caudill Nominees
Alabama Moon (read aloud)
Project Mulberry (read aloud)
The Landry News (read aloud)
Love that Dog (read aloud)
Frendle (read aloud)
*Where the Red Fern Grows
*The Cay
Mildred Taylor Unit
Song of the Trees
The Friendship
Mississippi Bridge
The Well
*Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Asian Novel Unit
So Far from the Bamboo Grove
Children of the River
Shadow of the Dragon
When They Called Me Keoko
Little Brother
Year of Impossible Good-byes
Project Mulberry 
Seventh Grade Text Set and Historical Fiction
Novel Study Glencoe Reader’s Choice Units:
Theme 1 “What I am, What I Want to Be”
Theme 2 “Winds of Change”
Theme 3 “Facing Challenge”
Theme 7 “A Different Dimension”

Not all themes will be completed in their entirety; supplemental materials will be used from other themes or from other published work.

Supplemental materials will also be used with the novel units. 

* Indicates novels that all students will read.

Grading in Language Arts and Literature

I try to assess the students in a variety of ways in both literature and language arts. Whenever possible, I give students choices in the projects and writing assignments that they complete. I also try not to emphasize one area of my classes over any other because some students simply are not good test takers. They demonstrate their learning in other ways such as through projects and writing assignments. Using a variety of assessments seems to give me a more accurate picture of my students’ learning.

 Language Arts and Literature Breakdown of Grades

Low test and test scores

In an effort to keep parents informed of what is happening in the classroom, students will be expected to take home low test and quiz scores and discuss them with their parents. They should bring back the test or quiz signed by their parent.

Extra credit is available to students in the form of extra reading time on reading logs, completing the real world grammar assignments or doing other extra credit writing assignments.

Language Arts Assignments

Literature Assignments

Work Policy

Homework is the word most seventh grade students dread. However, homework can enhance learning by extending class work through assignments outside the school setting.                      

The purpose of homework assignments is to improve learning and mastery of skills, to create and stimulate pupil interest and to develop good work habits. It can encourage students to be self-directed and to have a sense of responsibility.

Since these are two separate classes, students should expect homework in literature and language arts.

 Work Format

Late Work
Students are expected to turn in work on time. If a student does not have the work, then he or she will turn in an Academic Accountability Notice which includes the name of the student and teacher, date, description of missing assignment(s), and date of academic detention. Theses slips should be shared with parents and will be kept on file. Unexcused late homework (smaller assignments) will receive no more than half credit on the first day and will receive a zero after that. Late writing assignments, projects, and larger homework assignments will be lowered one letter grade for every day the assignment is late.

“Printer problems” are not acceptable excuses for not having an assignment completed. Assignments may be emailed as an attachment. Please use Microsoft Word. Students may also use a portable drive, but it is their responsibilities to print the assignment out before class and to not let “printing” disrupt the day’s activities. In this case, assignments may also be hand-written if the student does not have access to email or a portable drive.

Academic Accountability
If students turn in the late homework during the next day’s class period, they will receive the appropriate credit and are excused from the detention. During academic detentions, students will complete late work and receive help from the teacher. These detentions will be scheduled at the teacher’s convenience. If a student does not show up for his/her academic detention, the teacher will issue a behavioral detention that must be signed by a parent and will be kept on file in the main office.

Examples of excused late homework might include absence, illness, or a family emergency.  Parents should send a note or call me to explain the situation.  I understand that “life” sometimes happens.

Absences

While absences are sometimes unavoidable, students are encouraged to be present in class as much as possible. When a student is absent, he or she does not receive the full benefit of the class.

It is the student’s responsibility to make up any notes, homework, quizzes or tests he or she may have missed. Upon return, the student should check the homework binders and with the teacher for the material covered that day. It would be an excellent idea for the student to make friends with someone in the class who can act as a  “homework buddy.” The student should also make an appointment with the teacher to discuss what was missed and to make up tests and quizzes. This should take precedence over other activities. 

In general, the student has two days for the first three days missed to make up work. After that, it is a one to one ratio. See the Student Handbook (1-2).

If possible work will  be provided for the student before an extended absence. It is the student’s responsibility to make up the work upon his or her return. 

Classroom Expectations

Be seated and ready to work when the bell rings.

Raise your hand before talking.

Respect yourself, others, and the classroom environment.

Conduct yourself in a manner to allow teaching and learning to take place.

Bring all needed materials to class.

Consequences For Student Behavior

When a student does not meet classroom expectations, first he or she will receive a verbal reminder. If the behavior continues, he or she will discuss the behavior with the teacher. Next, the student will serve a detention w/ teacher and parents will be contacted. Further misbehavior will be referred to the office.