Other Course Information

Course Description

Reading and writing will be separate classes.  We will start the school year with reviewing the basics of each subject, and then build on those foundational skills.  Course content will include the following:

1st Six Weeks – Literacy Essentials

Reading:  

• Review of basic skills, including using context clues and dictionaries; making connections; making inferences; main idea and details; using information to create new understandings; responding to texts; using text evidence; paraphrasing and summarizing; author’s purpose; and making predictions

• Practice other basic skills, such as listening actively and asking questions; following and giving instructions; working in groups and providing constructive feedback; reading fluency; selecting texts and reading independently; establishing a purpose for reading; generating questions about reading material; creating mental images while reading; monitoring comprehension and making adjustments; interacting with sources through notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating; understanding meanings of texts

Writing:  

• Review of basic skills, including parts of speech

• Types of sentences

• Planning, structuring, and organizing a first draft

• Including facts, details, and examples in writing

• Short Constructed Responses

2nd Six Weeks - Fiction and Literary Nonfiction; Drama and Poetry

Reading:  

• Applying the basic reading skills from the first six weeks to fiction and literary nonfiction texts

• Analyzing characters, conflict, and plot; determining the meaning of root words; theme; text structure; figurative language; point of view; and author’s mood, voice, and tone

• Elements of poetry 

• Character development, dialogue, and staging in drama

Writing:  

• Using writing skills from the first six weeks in fiction and nonfiction writing

• Revising, editing, and publishing a draft

• Composing personal narratives and poetry

• Extended Constructed Responses

3rd Six Weeks - Informational Texts

Reading:  

• Applying the basic reading skills from the first and second six weeks to informational texts

• Controlling idea and thesis

• Text organization patterns

• Analyzing characteristics and features of texts

Writing:  

• Using writing skills from the first and second six weeks in informational writing

• Complete, complex sentences with correct subject-verb agreement

• Verb tenses

• Spelling commonly  confused words

• Using conjunctions in sentences

• Capitalization and punctuation

• Letter writing

• Using resources to write informational texts

• Short and Extended Constructed Responses

4th Six Weeks - Argumentative Texts

Reading:  

• Applying basic reading skills from the first three six weeks to argumentative texts

• Identifying the claim in an argumentative text

• Evidence and support for arguments

• Identifying the intended audience for an argumentative text

• Rhetorical questions and generalizations in argumentative texts

• Characteristics and structures of argumentative texts

Writing:  

• Using writing skills from the first three six weeks in argumentative writing

• Composing multi-paragraph argumentative texts

• Using conjunctive adverbs

• Prepositions and prepositional phrases

• Pronoun-antecedent agreement

• Paraphrasing vs. plagiarism

• Faulty reasoning in argumentative texts

• Short and Extended Constructed Responses

5th Six Weeks - Making Connections Across Genres; STAAR Review  

Reading:  

• Using reading skills from the first four six weeks to compare texts from different genres

• STAAR review by skill

Writing:  

• Using writing skills from the first four six weeks to compose texts from different genres

• STAAR Review of revising, editing, and constructed responses

6th Six Weeks – STAAR Testing; Research

The 7th Grade STAAR Reading Test will cover both reading and writing.  After completion of the STAAR test, we will be analyzing research articles, conducting research, and writing research texts.

Class Rules and Expectations

In order to maximize learning, as well as student and staff safety, the following rules and expectations will be in place:

• Be responsible

  • Have your supplies.

  • Do your work.

  • Be a leader.

• Be respectful

  • Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

  • Speak kindly.

  • Respect others’ space and property.

  • Wait your turn to speak.

• Be resourceful

  • Use your time wisely.

  • Work hard.

  • Do your absolute best.

If what you are doing interferes with learning, hurts someone’s heart, or prevents you from being your best self, then you shouldn’t be doing it.

Supplies and Materials Needed Daily

We will combine supplies for Reading and Writing so that students do not have to get separate supplies for each one.  You will need the following for English Language Arts (Reading and Writing):

These supplies will be kept in the classroom for daily use, but may be taken home if needed:

• (1) 2-inch, 3-ring binder (any color)

• (1) package of 8 dividers with tabs

• (1) 3-subject, wide-ruled spiral notebook (any color)

These supplies will be used daily in Reading and Writing, but may be kept in your 

backpack for use in other classes:

• Pens and pencils

• Colored pens

• Highlighters

• Scissors

• Glue

Grading Policy

Per district policy, students’ grades will consist of 55% major/test grades and 45% daily grades.  Also per district policy, we will have a minimum of 6 daily grades and 3 major grades per subject. 

I will also give one or two participation daily grades each six weeks.  This will be done to give students a chance to boost their grades while still practicing skills that we are working on in class.

Assignments, Assessments, and Projects

Reading and Writing grades will be separate.  Students will be given ample time to complete and prepare for all assignments.  We will have a mixture of daily grades and test grades.  

Reading

• Daily grades will consist of vocabulary lessons, topic quizzes, classwork assignments, and AR comprehension average.  

  • Your main homework for Reading will be to read your library book daily.  This is especially important to help you with reading comprehension and achieving your AR goal – do not wait until the last minute!  We will have some reading time in class, but you will need to read at home as well.

  • Vocabulary lessons will also be homework.  These will be introduced and discussed in class.  Students will be given ample time to complete the vocabulary lessons.  We will work on these in class when time allows, but students will need to work on them on their own time as well.  Vocabulary lessons will also be used as a resource when reading and writing.

  • Other daily grades may include quizzes over certain reading concepts as well as other classwork assignments.

• Tests/major grades will include vocabulary tests, unit tests, AR goal percentage achievement, and projects.

  • Vocabulary tests will be based on terms from the vocabulary lessons.  Students will know in advance when the tests will occur.

  • Unit tests will be given at the end of each unit.  We will cover at least one unit per six weeks.

  • AR goals will be assigned at the beginning of each six weeks, with an achievement due date for the last week of the six weeks.  Whatever percentage achieved will go in as a test/major grade.  For example, 100% of the AR goal achieved will equal a 100 as a test/major grade in the gradebook.

  • Projects will count as test/major grade and will reflect the reading skills being practiced in class.  We may not have a project every six weeks.  Some class time will be given to work on projects, but the projects will also require time outside of class.

Writing

Writing assignments will go along with skills being worked on in Reading class.

• Daily grades will consist of topic quizzes and other daily class assignments. 

  • Topic quizzes will reflect any writing topics that we are working on in class.

  • Other daily class assignments will also reflect what we are working on in class and may sometimes include writing samples.

• Tests/Major grades will include projects and other assessments.

  • Assessments will be based on skills worked on throughout the six weeks and may be given towards the end of the six weeks or at the end of a unit.

  • Projects will also be based on skills worked on throughout the six weeks and may include writing samples.  They will be due at the end of a unit.

Failing Assignments/Assessments

Per district policy, students will be given a reasonable opportunity to retake a test for which the student received a failing grade. According to district policy, before the retake is administered, the student shall:

• attend tutorials prior to the retake,

• correct the failed test,

• complete a reflection as to why he/she field the test, which must be signed by the student’s parent/guardian, and

• retake the test outside of the regular school day.

Students will also be given a reasonable opportunity to correct daily work assignments for which the student received a failing grade.  

Late Assignments

Late assignments will be accepted until the end of the six weeks, with a points penalty applied.  Students will be responsible for turning in the late assignment.  If a late assignment is not turned in by the time grades are due at the end of the six weeks, there will be a score of 10 applied in the gradebook for that assignment.  Detentions are usually assigned for an assignment that is not turned in on the due date.

Student Absent Work

There will be a designated place for any paper copies or instructions that a student may miss when absent.  There may be times when work is available on Google Classroom, but this will not be the case for every single day.  It is the student’s responsibility to get any missing work after being absent.  Students may also request work if they know in advance that they will be absent.

Homework Policies

Students will be given ample time to complete homework assignments and will be given some class time to work on them when possible.  Homework lab will also be offered before and after school each day.

Students will receive detention for not turning in a homework assignment on time.  At that point, the “late assignments” policy will be in place.

Tutorial Opportunities

Students will be given opportunities to receive tutoring for subjects or topics on which they may be struggling.  Each subject will have designated tutorial days and times to allow students to receive tutoring in any and all areas needed.  Students’ tutorial plans may change at certain times throughout the year, including after benchmark testing.

Grading Consequences

Consequences will be given for academic dishonesty.  This includes, but is not limited to, infractions related to cheating or copying the work of another student, plagiarism (including the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT), and unauthorized communication between students during an examination.  If any of these infractions occur, the student will receive a 0 for that particular assignment and an office referral.  If a student chooses to be academically dishonest, he or she loses the opportunity to correct or make up the assignment.

Remind

Important class information, including due dates and other grade-level announcements will be communicated on Remind.  I will also use this to communicate with individual parents as well, unless other forms of communication are requested.  Parents and students are encouraged to sign up for Remind.

7th Grade Remind code:  @wjh007

Google Classroom

We will use Google Classroom for some class activities.  There will also occasionally be assignments posted on Google Classroom for students that are absent, just not every single day.  It is best for students to get with me for any missed work when they are absent.  We will sign up for Google Classroom during class on the first day.  Only students need to sign up for Google Classroom and will need to use their school-issued e-mail address.

7th Grade Reading Google Classroom code:  fjbp4itf

7th Grade Writing Google Classroom code:  v6jt7o4o

Students' cell phones and other electronic devices, including smart watches, must be turned off and left in the designated location in the front office each day.  This includes cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices.  Some exceptions may be made if certain class activities or projects require an electronic device, but your child will be notified in advance if this is the case.  If a student is caught with his/her cell phone or other electronic device during non-designated times, the phone will be taken up and turned in to the office.  In this case, the student may get the phone back from the office at the end of the day for a $15 fee.  The cellular device policy is designed to decrease distractions in the classroom and to ensure student privacy and safety.

If your child is a car rider, the drop-off and pick-up location will be in front of the junior high in the drive-thru.  If your child is a bus rider, the drop-off and pickup location will be in front of the junior high as well.  Also, please remember that students will not be allowed into the building until 7:30am.  Dismissal is at 3:30pm.