Contact information: Email: sbruce@mid-del.net Google: sbruce@mid-delonline.net Phone: 405-739-1771 ext. 5737 Planning Period: 3rd Period JARMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL 2018-2019 MS. BRUCE S 7th GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS Welcome back 7th graders!!!! This course is designed to develop student communication skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to develop an appreciation and understanding of good literature of all types, and to motivate students to read for information and for recreation. Progress will be assessed through homework assignments, tests, writing samples, and class participation. GENERAL CALENDAR First quarter: focus on elements of fiction using short stories and a novel Second quarter: focus on writing and research skills Third quarter: focus on literary techniques using a variety of poems and a novel Fourth quarter: focus on OCCT preparation and literary genres Independent book projects: one per quarter SUPPLIES You will need the following materials for class every day: Pencil (remember lead if you choose to use mechanical pencils) with eraser Loose leaf paper and/or notebook BASIC PROCEDURES/EXPECTATIONS 1. Students will bring their own paper, pencil/eraser, assignment, and any other supplies (as needed) on a daily basis. If you do not have paper and pencil, you cannot do your work. Come to class prepared!!! 2. Students will enter the room, take their assigned seat, and begin working on the warm-up activity 3. Students will raise their hand to share information with the class or to ask permission to get out of their seat (sharpen pencils, bathroom, etc.). 4. Students will actively engage in class on a daily basis, being respectful of information or opinions shared by classmates, teacher(s), or other adults. 5. Students will complete and turn in all assignments on time. 6. Pencil is preferred, but blue/black ink pen is acceptable. Any paper turned in with writing in pen other than blue/black ink will be handed back and it will be your responsibility to rewrite and turn it back in on time. If you do not have time to rewrite before the assignment is due, then the late policy will apply (see Late Policy section). 7. Students will clean their desk area and exit the room quietly when dismissed by the teacher. 8. Follow all other school and Team procedures.
DISCIPLINE Behaviors that disrupt the teacher while teaching or your classmates while learning WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. A variety of consequences will be used should you choose to disrupt the learning environment. These include: loss of privileges, calls home, parent/student/teacher conferences, lunch detention, after school detention, and/or behavioral referrals to the administrators. Refer to the student handbook for how these disciplinary actions will be carried out. GRADING The grading in this class will be according to a Total Points System. Daily assignments, projects, quizzes, and essays will make up the largest percentage of your grade so do your work!! Tests will make the remainder of your grade so studying outside of class is important! Students who hand in daily assignments on time and score below a 70% are given the opportunity to correct their work and hand in again for a re-grade. It is the student s responsibility to take care of this. I will not allow you to re-do the assignment if it was originally turned in late. Tests with scores below a 50% will be allowed to be corrected for a re-grade not to exceed 85%. Assignment Headings: Students will turn in all assignments with the following heading in the top right corner: First and Last Name Points may be deducted on assignments turned in without the correct heading! No Name Assignments: Assignments that are turned in with no name will not be graded. They will be posted on the door and will remain there for only 5 days. If an assignment is not claimed after 5 days then it will be trashed. Any assignments claimed will be subject to the late work policy (see Late Work section of syllabus). Homework: There will be a workbook sent home to be completed weekly. Although I recommend completing it in small chunks nightly, you may complete it however you choose. It will be related to the work done in the classroom and will count as a grade in class. Regular homework should not take you more than 15-20 minutes to complete. If it is taking you longer than 30 minutes on Language Arts homework then you are not doing what you are supposed to in order to utilize class time! The exception to the 15-20 min. time limit will be when you are working on independent reading assignments (book projects). Late Work: I will accept an assignment to be turned in late, per IEP accommodations. However, after 5 days late, ten percent (10%) of the grade will be deducted per day that the assignment is late for no more than a maximum grade possible of 50% up to the end of the quarter. Late work will not be accepted once grades are finalized for the quarter. Turning in late work can very quickly drop your grade so turn in your work on time!!
Make-up Work: Per the district policy, as stated in the student handbook, only excused absences will be allowed to make up work. The time allotted to make up missed work will include the total number of days you missed plus one. For example, if you miss one day then you will have two days to make up the work. Your make-up work can be found in your folder in the clear tub beside the computers. You are responsible for getting your own missed work out of the folder and turning it back in accordingly. Do not ask me what you missed unless you have looked in the folder and could not find your work! If a test or quiz is missed, it is the responsibility of the student (you) to make arrangements with me to come before or after school to make up the test or quiz. Tests/quizzes cannot be made up during lunch. If a student does not make up a test or quiz within the allowed time, they will receive a zero for the assignment. The district policy will be applied for make-up work for students who have been suspended. MISCELLANEOUS Cell Phones: Per school policy, cell phones and other electronic devices (including earbuds) are not allowed to be out or in use in the classroom during school hours. If you have any device out in class, I will take it away and turn it in to the office for your parent to pick up after school. Hall Passes Hall passes for the restroom, office, or counseling office will only be given in emergencies and will not be given at all during instruction time. If you do have an emergency and need to be excused from class, please wait until there is a stopping point in the lesson before asking for a hall pass. Students will be required to complete the hall pass sheet of their agenda any time they leave the classroom. Students will have 10 passes per quarter for all classes combined. Once the hall pass sheet is completed, then a hall pass (orange slip) will be given to the student. The student must have it signed with time before returning to class except for the restroom. PowerSchool APP Parents and students may sign up to monitor student grades/assignments via I-Phone or Android PowerSchool App. Please see the school counselors office for details. School Lunch Money may be added on-line to student lunch accounts. See Cafeteria Manager for details. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions/concerns regarding this syllabus or regarding anything else throughout the school year. I am here to facilitate your learning and want this year to be a positive experience for all of us!! Thanks! Ms. Bruce Email: sbruce@mid-del.net Phone: 405-739-1771 ext. 5737 Google: sbruce@mid-delonline.net
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Ms. Bruce s Syllabus Acknowledgement Form Students, please sign the below form, have your parents/guardians read this syllabus and sign the below form, and then bring this page back to me by the end of this week (Friday, August 24). Students will not receive their agenda and hall passes until it is returned signed!! I, (Student print name), have read and understand Ms. Bruce s syllabus. Student Signature I, (Parent/Guardian print name), have read and understand Ms. Bruce s syllabus. Parent/Guardian Signature Parents/Guardians, while we do have contact information on file for your student, sometimes that contact information is not up-to-date or is not accurate. Please fill out the right-hand side of the form below in order for me to more easily contact you regarding your student. Parent/Guardian name(s) please print Mother: Father: Guardian (list relationship): Phone number(s) please list all possible phone numbers that can be used to contact you and anyone else you approve me to contact if you cannot be reached. Mother s phone number: Father s phone number: Other numbers (list who the number belongs to): Email address(es) Mother: Father: Other: What is your preferred method of contact? If you prefer phone calls what time is the most convenient for you? Contact via: Best time to contact: