Classroom Syllabus
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
-- John Dewey
Welcome to 7th grade English-Language Arts!! We are available before and after school, as well as during lunch if you ever need anything.
Course Description:
Language Arts is designed to help students become lifelong readers, writers, and communicators. We will explore the theme: Discovering Your Truth.
Required Materials: Every day, students need to bring the following materials to class:
Coursework will consist of:
Notebook: You are required to have one notebook for this course. It will be divided into two parts: 1) Warm-ups; and 2) Class notes, with a table of contents. If you are absent you must get notes from a classmate and write “Absent” for the warm-up.
Independent Reading/Accelerated Reader: : Independent reading is reading you do outside of school with a book of your choice. Choose books that interest you and enjoy it!! We will visit the library bi-weekly to check-out and renew books, and take AR quizzes (if your book does not have a quiz, please see Ms. Frederick for an alternate assignment). Furthermore, every other Friday, you will have a book share where you will get together with a group and discuss your AR book. As you earn points, you will be awarded raffle tickets. At the end of each quarter, we will hold an AR Reading Raffle where you can win prizes! The more you read, the better your chances!
Attendance Policy: Students with excused absences have three days to complete all missed assignments/tests. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain missed work and schedule make-up tests/quizzes!! There is an “absent” file in the classroom, which contains each day’s schedule and assignments.
Tardy Policy: If you are not in your seat when the bell rings, you are tardy. Six unexcused tardies for a semester will result in a “U” in the Work Habits grade and may lose their ability to attend school activities.
Late Work: Missing work will negatively impact your grade. Late assignments are lowered 10% of the total points possible! Late work will only be accepted until the end of the given unit (i.e. until the test or project). To pass each semester, a student must complete ALL projects, essays, quizzes, and tests.
Assessment Make-ups: If you do poorly on a test/quiz, you will have the option of completing test corrections and retaking the test for more points. I will accept the highest test score. You may not make up a test unless you complete corrections first. Test make-ups are done outside of regular class time. Writing assignments and projects may also be resubmitted for additional credit, upon teacher approval.
Bathroom Policy: You will receive four bathroom passes per quarter. It is your responsibility to keep track of these passes. You will not be dismissed during the first or final ten minutes of class, or during classroom discussions (except in case of emergency). You must carry the hall pass and sign in and out when you leave.
Plagiarism/Copying: If you submit an assignment that is copied or plagiarized from another source, you will receive a zero. Period. If you get information from another source, you must put it into your own words!
Grading Scale:
Class Expectations:
1. Listen and follow all directions.
2. Raise your hand before speaking or leaving your seat.
3. No food, gum, electronics, or projectiles in class.
4. Respect your classmates, teacher, surroundings, and yourself.
5. Be positive and do your best work every day!
Consequences if a student chooses to be disrespectful and disobey the class expectations:
4. Further or more severe offenses- Behavior Contract and/or Office Referral**
Additionally, if I see an item not allowed in class, I will confiscate it. On the second offense, the item will
go to the office and your guardian will need to retrieve it.
**Some behaviors will result in immediate elevated consequences
Course Description:
Language Arts is designed to help students become lifelong readers, writers, and communicators. We will explore the theme: Discovering Your Truth.
Required Materials: Every day, students need to bring the following materials to class:
- Pens/pencils and highlighters
- Loose paper
- School agenda to record assignments
- Independent reading book
- One composition book (provided by me!)
- Narratives
- Persuasive/argument essays
- Explanatory/Responses to literature
- Research reports
Coursework will consist of:
- Class work/Homework/Notebook: These include in-class work, warm-ups, journal responses, reading response questions, class discussions, and in-class notes notebook.
- Vocabulary: Bi-weekly assignments & quizzes. Assignments will be included in class work/homework grade. Quizzes will be included in tests & quizzes grade.
- Grammar: Weekly assignments & quizzes. Assignments will be included in class work/homework grade. Quizzes will be included in tests & quizzes grade.
- Participation/Attendance: Students will receive participation points each quarter. Loss of points can occur if the student is tardy, breaks a class rule, or fails to bring appropriate materials to class.
- Assessments: Regular quizzes/tests, midterms/final exams, essays and projects throughout the year.
Notebook: You are required to have one notebook for this course. It will be divided into two parts: 1) Warm-ups; and 2) Class notes, with a table of contents. If you are absent you must get notes from a classmate and write “Absent” for the warm-up.
Independent Reading/Accelerated Reader: : Independent reading is reading you do outside of school with a book of your choice. Choose books that interest you and enjoy it!! We will visit the library bi-weekly to check-out and renew books, and take AR quizzes (if your book does not have a quiz, please see Ms. Frederick for an alternate assignment). Furthermore, every other Friday, you will have a book share where you will get together with a group and discuss your AR book. As you earn points, you will be awarded raffle tickets. At the end of each quarter, we will hold an AR Reading Raffle where you can win prizes! The more you read, the better your chances!
Attendance Policy: Students with excused absences have three days to complete all missed assignments/tests. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain missed work and schedule make-up tests/quizzes!! There is an “absent” file in the classroom, which contains each day’s schedule and assignments.
Tardy Policy: If you are not in your seat when the bell rings, you are tardy. Six unexcused tardies for a semester will result in a “U” in the Work Habits grade and may lose their ability to attend school activities.
Late Work: Missing work will negatively impact your grade. Late assignments are lowered 10% of the total points possible! Late work will only be accepted until the end of the given unit (i.e. until the test or project). To pass each semester, a student must complete ALL projects, essays, quizzes, and tests.
Assessment Make-ups: If you do poorly on a test/quiz, you will have the option of completing test corrections and retaking the test for more points. I will accept the highest test score. You may not make up a test unless you complete corrections first. Test make-ups are done outside of regular class time. Writing assignments and projects may also be resubmitted for additional credit, upon teacher approval.
Bathroom Policy: You will receive four bathroom passes per quarter. It is your responsibility to keep track of these passes. You will not be dismissed during the first or final ten minutes of class, or during classroom discussions (except in case of emergency). You must carry the hall pass and sign in and out when you leave.
Plagiarism/Copying: If you submit an assignment that is copied or plagiarized from another source, you will receive a zero. Period. If you get information from another source, you must put it into your own words!
Grading Scale:
- Assessments (Essays/Projects/Tests & Quizzes) 70% of final grade
- Classwork/Homework/Notebook 25% of final grade
- Independent Reading/AR 5% of final grade
Class Expectations:
1. Listen and follow all directions.
2. Raise your hand before speaking or leaving your seat.
3. No food, gum, electronics, or projectiles in class.
4. Respect your classmates, teacher, surroundings, and yourself.
5. Be positive and do your best work every day!
Consequences if a student chooses to be disrespectful and disobey the class expectations:
- 1st -Verbal or Non-verbal warning
- 2nd offense-Name on the Board
- 3rd offense-Check next to name, 20 minutes of lunch detention, and/or separation from peers. ****In the event of a student getting separated from his or her peers, the student will still be required to complete all classwork, but will not be allowed to participate in class activities. The student must apologize for his or her actions to be reintegrated into the full class setting.
4. Further or more severe offenses- Behavior Contract and/or Office Referral**
Additionally, if I see an item not allowed in class, I will confiscate it. On the second offense, the item will
go to the office and your guardian will need to retrieve it.
**Some behaviors will result in immediate elevated consequences