Amelia County. Middle School

Transcription

1 Amelia County Middle School Mrs. Kelly Trump Grade 7 English TrumpK@ameliaschools.com team ACMS7thGradeTeam@gmail.com school phone: after hours phone: website and wikis: HW twitter: MrsKTrump Welcome to English 7! I am looking forward to an exciting and rigorous school year with you! Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have throughout the year. My contact information is listed at the top of this paper. is the most effective way to contact me, as I am able to check it periodically throughout the day; however, please do not hesitate to call with questions if needed. Grading Policy Nine-week grades are determined by the following*: Tests 20% Quizzes 20% Classwork 20% Projects 20% Homework 20% *Extra credit will be available throughout the year in small amounts. Required Daily Materials plastic-covered five-subject spiral college ruled 7 th grade binder, including English section tape or glue scissors pencil red pen highlighter reading book planner (given by the school) Course Objectives Virginia Standards of Learning for English 7 can be found at: These standards increase the rigor of the requirements for students compared to state standards in the past. The reading test in the spring will reflect this increased rigor; it will not be only simple multiple choice questions, but instead multi-step and technology-enhanced questions as well. Although the SOL measures reading advancements, this class also will cover the writing standards. Attend SOL night this year for more information concerning the end of year SOL tests. Weekly Schedule and Assignment Routines The following table details the weekly routines that we will follow this year in English class. The actual assignments are detailed more in the next section: Grading Breakdown and Explanation. Week Day In Class Materials, Assignments, and Tasks At Home Tasks Monday receive a the Word Part Set for the week receive a Word of the Week (WoW) and definition receive a Weekly Sheet to complete for homework go over the week s wiki prompt complete Weekly Sheet correct the previous Weekly Quiz complete the week s prompt on wiki page Tuesday practice filling in cloze sentences with 5 of the root words same assignments as Monday Wednesday practice filling in cloze sentences with 5 of the affix words same assignments as Monday Thursday make a study card for the WoW definition same assignments as Monday Friday turn in weekly sheet, corrected quiz, and wiki post complete a small review of the set words and the WoW take Weekly Quiz complete any work that has not been turned in 1

2 Grading Breakdown and Assignment Explanations Classwork (20%) Students will be sharpening their word breakdown skills by learning 30 word roots and 30 affixes. Each week, students will receive a word root with 10 vocabulary words and definitions, and a word affix with 10 vocabulary words and definitions Combined, this is will be referred to a Word Part Set. We will practice learning these words and definitions in class, to be culminated with a quiz on Friday. (This quiz is explained in more detail in the Quiz section below.) Similarly, we will have one Word of the Week (WoW) that we will focus on, starting Monday of each week. We will go over examples and create a study card of the definition. The chosen WoWs are high-frequency academic vocabulary words for the SOL. We will be creating Interactive Notebooks in English class this year. Since we will spend all year creating this valuable tool, I expect that students will put forth great effort in keeping their notebook neat, up-to-date, and thorough. I will grade the notebooks throughout each 9 weeks. Additionally, various assignments throughout the year will also count as classwork grades. These might include, but are not limited to foldables, Brain Pop work, book talks, and workbook or textbook assignments. Students will typically be permitted to finish classwork at home before it is graded. Homework (20%) This year, the bulk of the English homework will be comprised of 4 tasks: a Weekly Sheet, correcting the previous week s quiz, a wiki post, and reading from a chosen book. Each will be explained below. Occasionally, students will have to finish incomplete classwork assignments or have other items that will need to be assigned. Students will write down the homework on Mondays for the whole week. You can double-check what work was assigned by following my homework twitter account as listed at the top of the page, checking the school website, and checking my personal website. Weekly Sheet: On Mondays, Students will be given a Weekly Sheet, which include finding/creating an example for the Word of the Week (WoW), a small writing prompt from the Virginia Department of Education, and a reading comprehension section. These will be due every Friday. Late points will be deducted if the sheet is not turned in on time, as detailed in the late work section of this syllabus. Wiki Post: Each student will be given a secure login and password to my website, as well as assigned a personal page. Students will be asked to complete one thoughtful post to the week s question based on what he student is reading. Students will also be asked to comment on another student s post. All posts and comments will be monitored by Mrs. Trump. Students are expected to follow specific and secure rules, to keep all students anonymous and protected. This is not a social media site. All guidelines will be given to the student in writing as well as be posted on the wiki page. Students will be provided a lunch period each week when they can complete their wiki post at school, in the case of no internet at home. Weekly Quiz Corrections: These are explained in the quiz section below. Corrected quizzes will be accepted 1 week from the date they were returned. This assignment is not mandatory, but highly suggested. Personal Reading: The only way to become a better reader is to read regularly! One facet of homework this year will simply be keeping up with reading. Students will be encouraged to read at least 40 books this year! I believe that it is fundamental that students enjoy and have an interest in what they are reading; in all personal reading cases, student will get to pick their books. Students should bring their book with them to class every day, as there will be opportunities to read. Students can take Accelerated Reader (AR) quizzes based on their reading as well, but AR will be purely an incentive-based assignment. Quizzes (20%) Every Friday, students will take a Weekly Quiz. These quizzes will be in the same format with differing items. The quiz will cover the week s Word Part Set root and affix words, along with the Word of the Week (WoW.) The quiz is 12 multiple choice questions total, comprised of 8 word set items and 4 WoW items. There will be 4 questions of review material on every quiz; there will be 2 items about a root and an affix, and 2 items about previous WoWs. Students are expected to study for these quizzes. The students will take the quiz on paper, and also use a ZipGrade Scanner for instant feedback. Students will also be given the opportunity to correct their quizzes for up to full points earned back. They will be able to use any of their own materials to do so. When correcting a quiz, students should not erase their old answer, but instead indicate the new answer with a different color. Students will also write a one sentence explanation of the new answer. Students will turn the corrected quiz back in within one week of it being handed back. A pile of corrected quizzes at the end of the 9 weeks will not be accepted. 2

3 Tests (20%) These will always be announced in advance. The material on each will be made clear, so students should take advantage of the notice and direction to study at home. Every 5 Word Part Sets and Words of the Week, we will replace the 5 th Weekly Quiz with a Review Test. These will be comprised of approximately 30 items, with 20 testing roots and prefixes and 10 testing Words of the Week. Students will also take countymandated benchmark tests; these will be longer and modeled after the SOL tests. Students will be required to analyze each benchmark test and answers when the test has been returned. This will also count as a test grade, as it will put into practice the test-taking strategies in SOL preparation. Projects (20%) Along with small projects throughout the year, students must read a book approved by the teacher for each of the nine-week terms. There will be opportunities for in-class, independent reading; therefore, students are expected to bring their reading choices to class each day. These assignments will be graded according to the quality of the project and the completion of the project per rubrics given at the explanation of the assignment. Book reports that are partially or fully copied from the book, the book cover, the Internet, or another student s project will receive a zero. It is important to note that projects are worth 20% of the nineweeks grade; failure to complete the project will certainly hurt a student s quarter average. *Extra Credit Various extra credit opportunities will be given throughout the quarters and year. Be sure to take advantage of these when assigned. A good way to stay in touch with these opportunities is using my website as it is listed in the beginning of this document. Advanced, collaborative, and regular classes will follow the same procedures and routines, although there will be different pacing in each. Advanced classes will have a larger number of assignments, as well as increased requirements. Make-up Work, Graded Work, and Late Work Policies Make-up Work Assignments that are late due to absence will be dealt with according to the school attendance policy. It is the student s responsibility to obtain and complete missed assignments. Students can find missed work in their period s folder in the classroom. Late Work As students must be held accountable for their academic responsibilities, please note that there is a grade penalty for late work: late work will be lowered a letter grade per day late. This penalty stops at -40 points, which is a letter grade of a D. This is so that even if students complete their assignments late, they can pass the term. The exception to this rule is on Wiki Post Reading Responses. Since reading is always valuable whether on time or late, Reading Responses will not be penalized more than 21 points. Graded Work Graded work will be filed in the English section of the student s 7 th grade binder and sent home with the student as it is graded. Students will also track their quiz scores in their binder on a log sheet. Parents have access to the online gradebooks at any time once they receive their Power Parent Portal login credentials. These can be given to you in the school s front office. Students and parents have access to grades at any time, so the interim and nine-weeks reports are more of a formality. Privileges Snack Time This year, the 7 th grade team has decided to implement flexible snacking. If a student needs to eat in the classroom. When needed, the student should hold up the snack, and the teacher will give permission. The snack should be something that can be eaten without any preparation. For example, do not send anything that needs to be chilled or microwaved as a snack. Secondly, please do not send anything that would require handwashing after it is consumed, but instead could be controlled with a paper towel or hand sanitizer. If you would like to send a drink, please only send water in a closable or resealable container. Reading Programs and Challenges Classroom Library A library of the teacher s personal books will be available to the students to check out throughout the year. This is a privilege and can be revoked if the library is abused. If books are not returned by the end of the year, students will lose an end-of-the-year privilege. To check out a book, the student will fill in their own index card with the book s title and date checked-out and file it with Mrs. Trump. Students will be asked to replace books that they lose or damage beyond repair by donating $2 per incident. 3

4 Accelerated Reader This year, Accelerated Reader (AR) will not be a grade. Instead, participation will be voluntary and incentives based. There are two levels of rewards for AR; the first level is in the English classroom, and the second level is school-wide. In the English classroom, students will earn a sticker for every 5 AR points that they earn. School-wide, students can earn attendance on a field trip if they earn 50 points a semester. Each 9 weeks, students also have the chance of attending Chill and Chat based on reading 10 books and passing the AR quiz. Other prizes will be distributed throughout the year based on points and books read. 40 Book Challenge Students are encouraged to accept the 40 Book Challenge this year. It is voluntary, but a great way to read a variety of genres. All books are acceptable, and will fit into the challenge. Students will also choose their own books for the challenge. Students will track their reading on a challenge page, with their own personal page. School Library We will be visiting the library on our scheduled day. Students can also visit the library before 1 st period every day, occasionally during class, and during PRIDE period. Students will receive a grade for making a library transaction and leaving the library with a book, or showing Mrs. Amos their personal reading book. That means that the student will check out a book, return and get a new book, or renew a book. Ideally, students will always have a book to read! Passes To be permitted to leave the classroom for any reason other than being summoned by the administration, guidance, or the nurse, students must have a pass. Passes are something that the team will give out every 9 weeks. Outside of the given pass sheet for the 9 weeks, students can earn locker passes, sit anywhere passes, Get out of Fail Free passes, and more. When a student needs to leave the room or cash out a pass, they need to present it to the teacher. If a student does not have their pass sheet, they will not be permitted to leave the classroom. The pass sheet will be stapled to the student s agenda book, and the agenda book must be carried in the hallway. Students will also sign-out of the classroom on a class log. English Class Expectations We as a 7 th grade team expect you to Show your Raider P.R.I.D.E. at all times. Whether there is a substitute in charge, you are in the cafeteria eating lunch, you are on a field trip, or simply in the classroom, school expectations are to be followed at all times. These are the particular rules expectations for English class: P R I D E be Proactive be Respectful show Integrity be Dependable show Excellence Bring daily supplies to class. Be helpful to those in need. Stay positive with words and actions. Treat classroom supplies with care. Allow peers to learn. Think before you speak and act. Recognize learning even when mistakes are made. Accept feedback with dignity for the choices you make. Stay focused on instruction. Be in your seat, working, when the bell rings. Always be productive. Check your work before turning it in. Self-monitor your actions and work. In this classroom, much attention will be given to the positive behaviors being displayed, and little attention to the negative. Mrs. Trump will practice PBIS: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Students are ALWAYS expected to be on their best behavior and show their Raider P.R.I.D.E. In the event that disciplinary action is necessary, the student will be reminded of the expectation that they are not following. If the behavior does not stop, the student will be required to stay afterschool for a booster session of the class expectations. If behavior is immediate and severe enough, the booster session will not be held, but instead an office referral. There is a discipline matrix in the Student Handbook and any classroom discipline will follow it. See the Student Handbook for more information. All school and county policies will also apply, alongside the procedures listed above. 4

5 Please read, sign, and return the bottom of this page by August 28 th. It will be your child s first homework grade. To stay in touch throughout the year, it would be helpful to have your contact information. If you have already filled in the form online at open house through your child s homeroom class, that is all I need. If you have not filled that form in yet, please fill it out and return it to Mrs. Trump who is collecting them on behalf of the whole 7 th grade team. I have already filled in the form online at Open House. so. I have not yet filled in the form but plan to do I have read and understand the expectations and requirements of my child outlined in the course syllabus. I also understand that if I have any concerns or questions regarding my child, that I am asked to contact Mrs. Trump before problems escalate so that they may be dealt with in a timely, professional manner. Signature of Parent/Guardian I have read and understand the expectations and requirements of me outlined in the course syllabus, and I agree to work diligently and continuously in this class. Signature of Student Printed Name of Student Class Period: Please read, sign, and return the bottom of this page by August 28 th. It will be your child s first homework grade. To stay in touch throughout the year, it would be helpful to have your contact information. If you have already filled in the form online at open house through your child s homeroom class, that is all I need. If you have not filled that form in yet, please fill it out and return it to Mrs. Trump who is collecting them on behalf of the whole 7 th grade team. I have already filled in the form online at Open House. so. I have not yet filled in the form but plan to do I have read and understand the expectations and requirements of my child outlined in the course syllabus. I also understand that if I have any concerns or questions regarding my child, that I am asked to contact Mrs. Trump before problems escalate so that they may be dealt with in a timely, professional manner. Signature of Parent/Guardian I have read and understand the expectations and requirements of me outlined in the course syllabus, and I agree to work diligently and continuously in this class. Signature of Student Printed Name of Student Class Period: 5