7th GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS SYLLABUS



7th GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS SYLLABUS

Ms. Jillian Johnson

Walton 977-5615

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am excited about beginning a new year in seventh grade language arts! Many challenging and engaging activities have been planned that will correlate with Albemarle County's goals as well as the end of year SOL assessments. The year has been planned around the concepts of Coming of Age, Honoring the Historical and Cultural Past, Cooperation vs. Isolation, Tolerance of the Atypical, Myths, and Author’s Craft. In addition to learning specific objectives, the students will learn lifelong learning standards that can be used beyond seventh grade language arts.

I encourage an open communication policy with parents and students. I can be reached by calling Walton (977-5615) or by email: jjohnson4@. Together, we will have a fantastic year!

Objectives

• To develop ownership of language by using communication in meaningful and purposeful ways.

• To develop concepts, skills, and positive attitudes in each of the following areas: literature, speaking, listening, media literacy, fluency, reading comprehension, research, spelling, study skills, word knowledge, and writing.

Classroom Rule

• Respect yourself, peers, and adults. Be ready to learn. Be responsible for yourself and your work.

Discipline Plan

• Step 1 Verbal warning

• Step 2 Hall chat with teacher

• Step 3 Lunch/Break Detention, phone call home

• Step 4 FOCUS/Call home

• Step 5 Behavior Review involving guidance and/or administration

• Step 6 Severe Behavior: Discipline Referral.

Homework Policy

Homework is expected on the date that it is due. When absent, it is the student's responsibility to get any and all missing work from the teacher. With the addition of Walton Wildcat Warm-up (formally 5th Block) into the daily schedule, students will have an opportunity to work on homework and/or receive additional help from us.

On-Going Assignments

Students are expected to read 30 minutes nightly from a book of their choice. Part of the nightly reading can come from newspapers or magazines, but students should always have a book they are interested in reading. In addition to reading, students should study Word Study affixes & roots for at least 10 minutes. Students will be responsible for Reader’s Response Logs at least twice a month. Expectations will be given in class. This year, students can also expect to have common assessments in Language Arts.

Grading

Albemarle County Grading Scale

100-90% = A 89-80% = B 79-70% = C 69-60% = D 59% and below = F

Class Grading Percentages:

40% Tests & Projects 20% Class work 20% Homework 20% Participation

Curriculum

|First Quarter |Second Quarter |

|Procedures/routines expectations |Active Reading Strategies (continued) |

|Active Reading Strategies (review) |Novels |

|Short Stories |Themes in Novels (Coming of Age, Honoring Historical Past, Endurance) |

|Story Elements |Story Elements (Conflict) |

|Character Traits |Figurative Language (continued) |

|Figurative Language (beginning) |Persuasive Writing |

|Narrative Writing |Theme Projects (Assessment) |

|Creating Short Stories (Assessment) |Mid-Year Assessments |

|MAP & Beginning of Year Assessment | |

|Third Quarter |Fourth Quarter |

|Active Reading Strategies (cont) |Active Reading Strategies (review) |

|Cornell Notes |Mythology: Research & Presentations |

|Non-fiction reading |Author’s Craft |

|Expository Writing |Poetry |

|Literature Circles |Narrative Writing (revisited) |

|Themes: Isolation vs. Cooperation, Tolerance of the Atypical |Coming of Age Projects (Assessment) |

|Research Projects (Assessment) |MAP & SOLs |

Typical Daily Schedule

1st 15-20 minutes - SSR/Journal Writing & Homework Collection

2nd 5-10 minutes - Sentence Correction (Grammar) & Analogies

3rd 15-20 minutes - Word Study (roots, prefixes, and suffixes)

4th 40 minutes - Reading/ Writing/Strategy/Skill Building

M, W, F = SSR T & Th= Journal Writing

Th= Class Discussions, Homework Due

F= Assessments, Games & Literacy

Common Homework & Class Assignments

*All things are subject to change

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Reader’s Response Logs

A Reader’s Response Log is a student’s own personal response to literature. Students will be given an article and be asked to answer specific questions. Class discussions will take place after the responses are completed.

RAFT: Head-to-Pen Writing

RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) is a writing strategy we will use throughout the year to complete some head-to-pen writing. Head-to-pen writing is practicing organizing your thoughts on the paper in one draft.

One-Pager

1. A one pager is a single-page response to your reading. It is a way of making a pattern of your unique understanding. It is a way to be creative and experimental. It is a way to respond imaginatively and

honestly. It is a way to be brief and compressed.

2. The purpose of a one-pager is to own what you are reading. We learn best when we can create our own patterns.

3. A one-pager connects the verbal and the visual; it connects the ideas in what you read to your thoughts. It connects words and images. The one-pager becomes a metaphor for the reading you have done.

4. When you do a one-pager, you must:

A. Draw a picture

B. Write two captions from the story that represent the picture.

C. Critique the literature in NO less than 3 sentences.

Reader’s Workshop

We will be completing Reader’s Workshops (aka book reports) once a marking period. You will be allowed to choose a book and you will read it during SSR and at home. After finishing the book, you will need to complete the Reader’s Workshop packet.

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