CoursePoliciesandRequirements EnglishLanguageArts7thGrade Mrs.AmandaPadgett,Room8 20112012SchoolYear Syllabus DearStudentsandParent(s)orGuardian(s), Welcometo7thgradeEnglishLanguageArtscourse.Inorderforourclasstohaveasuccessful year,ourclasswillbefollowingtheseclasspolicies,requirementsandprocedures.Itis importanttohaveapositive,productiveandsafeenvironmentforeveryone. Tomakecommunicationaseasyaspossible,Ihaveaclassroomwebsite.Thesepolicies,an overviewofthecurriculum,homeworkassignments,projectassignments,andstudentworkwill allbeposted.Pleasevisitthesiteatmrspadgettela.weebly.com PreparationandHomework: StudentsshouldbepreparedwiththesesuppliesEVERYDAY.

2pensorpencils Abinderwithtabbeddividers(HandoutsandNotes,Projects,BlankPaper)andapage Protectorholdingreturnedwork Freereadingbook StudentPlanner

Itisfurtherhighlyrecommendedthatthefollowingsuppliesbekeptathome: 1dictionary 1thesaurus 1computerwithprinter 1OaklandPublicLibrarycard

Forthisclass,thefollowingshouldalsobebroughttoclassEVERYDAY! Homework: Studentsareresponsibleforreadingabookoftheirchoicefor30minuteseveryday.Thisbook maybecheckedoutfrommyclassroomlibrary,theschoollibrary,thepubliclibrary,apersonal libraryathome,ormaybepurchased.Studentswillreadnightlyandwillkeeparecordofwhat theyread,howmanypagestheyread,andwillhaveaparent/guardianssignature.Students willberequiredtoread30minuteseveryweekend.Note,thedaily30minutereading requirementisinadditiontothe15minutesofschoolwideSustainedSilentReading. Ourgoalasaclassisforeachstudenttoread20booksthisyear(includingthetworeadas summerhomeworkandthethreewewillreadduringtheschoolyear) Occasionally,studentswillreceiveadditionalworkforthenightontopoftheirrequired reading.ThiswillbereferredtoasPlusWorkandwillbepostedontheclasswebsiteand assignedduringclass.

NOTE:Allhomeworkmustbedoneinpencilorblue/blackink.Anyothercolorinkwill resultinanimmediatezerofortheassignment.Studentsmayalsotypeandprintworkona computer. ClassWork: Studentsareexpectedtopromptlybeginandcompleteallclasswork.Theyareexpectedtobe courteousandrespectfultoteacherandstudentpresentations;participateinclassdiscussions andgroupactivities;andcompleteallclassroomassignments.Mostclasswork,intheeventof anexcusedabsence,doesnotneedtobemadeupbythestudent,unlesstheteacherspecifically saystheworkmustbemadeup. TestsandProjects: Foreachunitstudied,therewillbeawritingassessmentaswellasanobjectiveassessment (shortanswer,multiplechoice,true/false,etc.)Theseassessmentsarerequiredofallstudents.If astudentisabsentonthedayofoneoftheseassessments,thestudentisresponsibleformaking ituptheday(s)hereturns.Informationanddateswillbeupdatedontheclasswebsite. BookReports: Whenstudentsfinishafreereadingbook,theywillberesponsibleforcompletingabookreport foreachbook.Studentsshouldbereadingatleast2or3bookseachmarkingperiodand completionofbookreportswillcountaspartoftheirgrade.Bookreportformswillbereadily availableintheclassroomandwillalsobepostedontheclasswebsite. Textbooks: Inthisclass,wewillbeusingtheSpringboardbyCollegeBoardcurriculuminconjunction with2novelsand1playandtheHoltEnglishLanguageArtsTextbooksforthe7thGrade. StudentswillberesponsibleforbringinganynovelsaswellastheirSpringboardworkbook daily.TheymayalsoberequiredtobringinHoltTextbookssporadically,butthebookmaybe keptintheirlockerforeasyaccess.Moreinformationaboutthisrigorouscurriculumcanbe foundontheclasswebsite. CourseofStudy: Overthecourseoftheyear,wewillbediscussingtheideaofchoice.Wewillreaddifferenttexts thatforcestudentstothinkaboutthechoicesthattheymakeandaskthemtoanalyzethe consequencesofourchoices.Wewillbegintheyearbyexaminingpersonalnarrativesandthe waysinwhichmythologyandstorytellingshapesaculture.Thenextunitwilllookat nonfictionaltextsandadvertisementsandaskingstudentstothinkabouthowadvertiserstryto influenceourchoices.Inthethirdunit,wewillbereadingthenovelTangerineandwritingan analyticalessay.Inthefourthunit,ourprimaryfocuswillberevisingwrittenworktomakeit stronger.WewillalsobereadingthenovelTheDevilsArithmetic.Thefinalunitwillfocuson speakingandtheimpactthatourwordscanhave.ThefinalreadingwillbetheplayARaisinin theSun. GradingPolicy: Inthisclass,agradeof68%willbeconsideredpassing,withanygradebelowthisfailing. GradesofDwillnotbegiven.Thebreakdownofgradescanbeseenbelow. 2

A+: A: A: B+: B:

98100% 9397% 8892% 8587% 8184%

B: C+: C: C: F:

7880% 7577% 7173% 6870% Below68%

Gradeswillbedeterminedbasedonworkcompleted,effort,qualityofwork,andscoreson assessmentstoindicatelearning.Thebreakdownofgradingcategoriescanbeseenbelow. WritingAssessments ObjectiveAssessments Homework Classwork Participation 30%oftotalgrade 20%oftotalgrade 20%oftotalgrade 20%oftotalgrade 10%oftotalgrade

SchoolandClassExpectations: OurclassroomExpectationsarethebehaviorsthatallstudentsareexpectedtodemonstrate. TheseexpectationsareinplaceinordertomakesurethatRoom8isapositive,respectful,and productivelearningenvironment.BelowaretheExpectations. 1.Follow directions. 2.Be on-time, prepared with class materials and school uniform, and engaged daily 3.Keep hands, feet, offensive remarks and objects to yourself. 4.No food, gum, or personal items (cell phones, mp3 players, scented lotion, lipgloss, etc.) 5.Respect our school, teachers, classmates, and selves. Consequences: Theconsequencesofnotmeetingtheseexpectationsareasfollows: 1st Offense Verbal Warning/ Name on Board 2nd Offense Think About It Sheet 3rd Offense Phone call home/ After-School Detention 4th Offense Office referral Studentsnamewillalsobewrittenontheboardasconsequencesareearnedasavisual reminderofconsequences.Theboardwillbeerasedattheendofeachday. Seriousdisrespectordisruptionmayresultinanimmediatereferral. Rewards: Everytwoweeks,ahomeworkpasswillbegiventostudentswhomeetthefollowing requirements: NoConsequences 3

NoTardies Nomorethan1absence Nomissingassignments Studentsstartfresheverytwoweeks. Inaddition,studentsmaysporadicallyearnpositivephonecallshome,noteshometoparents,or otherperkstobedeterminedbyme. Studentswillalsobeabletoearnwholeclassrewardsbycomingtoclassontime,followingall Expectations,andcompletinghomeworkdaily.

ToReachMe: Ifyouhaveanyquestions,concernsorwouldsimplyliketospeakwithmeaboutyourstudents academicprogress,pleasedonothesitatetocall.Icanbereachedinthefollowingways: Youmaycallmeonmycellphoneat(209)6048068anytimebefore8:30pm. Youmayemailmeatamanda.m.padgett@gmail.com.Icheckmyemaildailyandyouwill receivearesponsefrommewithin24hours.

Besuretocontinuallychecktheclasswebsiteforadditionalupdatesconcerninghomework, importantdates,currentwork,etc.mrspadgettela.weebly.com Also,pleasefeelfreetovisitourclassroomatanytimetoobserve.Youarealwayswelcome.I lookforwardtoworkingwithyouandyourstudentthisyearandsharingintheiracademicand socialgrowth.Thankyouverymuchforyourpatienceinreadingthisletter.Pleasesignand haveyourstudentreturnthebottomhalfofthispagetomeassoonaspossible.20pointsof creditwillbegiventoyourstudentifthisformissignedandreturnedbeforeFriday, September2nd.

Mrs.Padgett,Room8 Ihaveread,discussed,andunderstandtheabovepolicies,rules,and consequences. StudentName______________________________________________ Parent(s)or Guardian(s)________________________________________________ Date____________ TelephoneNumber__________________________ PleasetearoffandturninbeforeFriday,September2.Thankyou!