Collegiate Academy Middle School/Room 126

Seventh Grade ELAR (English Language Arts and Reading)

2016 - 2017 Syllabus

Collegiate Academy Middle School/Room 126

Mrs. Keyane Jackson

(P) 469.272.2021 x:7838

(E)

Tutorials: Wednesday and Thursday, 3:45p.m. 4:30p.m.

Conference Time: TBD

Course Description

English/Language Arts/Reading

This course combines the study of English and reading and is a blocked (two class period)experience. Students will learn and practice reading comprehension through the study of theme, genre, literary texts, sensory language, and informational texts. Using the writing process, students will compose literary texts (poetry and imaginative stories), expository texts, and persuasive texts. Students will engage in a reading and writing workshop experience that includes the study of oral and written conventions, research and library skills, and teamwork.

The course also concentrates on word analysis, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension skills, literary response, and reading strategies. Targeted intervention closes gaps identified by diagnostic assessments. The multisensory approach of language establishes procedures for systematically teaching speech-sound, spelling-sound patterns, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension are also components of this year’s course work. Please understand that at-home reading is expected and is a component of our course. You will be held accountable for at-home reading by various methods.

7thgrade ELAR TEKS as outlined by the State of Texas. These TEKS can be found online at

Materials

It is imperative that students avoid being absent, come to class prepared and have all the necessary supplies. Daily supplies include:

✓Glencoe Literature Texas Treasures book

✓Usernames/Passwords for required in class and at home resources (Google Classroom, Pearson Online, etc.)

✓AVID Binder (Good quality 3-ring binder—2", 2½", or 3" with pocket inserts)

✓5–6 colored tab subject dividers to separate classes, including AVID Elective

✓Zipper pouch to store supplies (A 3-hole-punched, heavy-duty, re-sealable plastic bag will also work.)

✓Jump Drive

✓Earbuds/Headphones

✓2 or more pens (blue, black, red [red pens are for grading only])

✓2 or more pencils

✓1 or more colored highlighter pens

✓Notebook paper (Some notebook paper is now available in Cornell note style.)

✓Agenda/daily planner/calendar

✓Tutorial Request Forms (TRF)

✓Learning logs

✓Spiral Notebook (Interactive Student Notebook)

✓Folder (with pocket and pongs)

Course Requirements

Students will have ELAR for 50 minutes each day, during which they will be actively engaged in lessons designed to increase your student’s success.

Assignments

✓Individual lesson assessments

✓Quizzes – not a set number of quizzes per unit

✓Projects – not a set number of projects per unit

✓Test or Formal Assessment - not a set number per unit

✓Semester Examination – 1 per semester that will count for 20% of each student’s total semester grade.

Concepts/Topics/Skills

✓Critical Reading Strategies

✓Increased rigor

✓Study and analyze various multiple forms of literature: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama and expository

✓Vocabulary

✓Unit Projects

✓Skills specific to STAAR testing

✓Writing various types of paper (narratives, research, expository, etc.)

✓Enhancing and learning new grammar skills

✓Apply various mechanics to writing

Measurable Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

1. Identify, use, and describe eight parts of speech.
2. Identify, use, and describe the writing process.
3. Identify, use, and describe proper English grammar.
4. Identify, use, and describe proper English composition.
5. Identify, use, and describe literary elements.
6. Increase spelling and vocabulary proficiency.
7. Increase reading fluency and literary knowledge.

Content Objectives and Expectations

✓Students will write in complete sentences with capitals and periods.

✓Students will turn papers in on the due date.

✓Students will come ready with their supplies for class.

✓Students will ask and answer questions pertaining to their class and/or assignments.

✓Students will read 20 minutes outside of class each day

Evaluation and Grading Policy

Each nine weeks a minimum of 10 daily grades and 4 major grades are needed.Test grades include tests, projects, essays, research papers, and presentations.Daily assignments include class work and homework. Quiz grades include quizzes in class and online.

Number grades can be converted to letter grades using the following scale:

Grades will be scaled as follows:

Course Policies and Expectations

Assignment Heading:

All assignments are to be headed in the top right corner of your paper as shown in the example. Points will be deducted if your heading is incorrect.

Procedures and Policies:

Student Expectations:

✓Be on time, enter Classroom on Voice Level Zero and Be Ready to Learn with your materials out and prepared to receive instruction; Respect others and their property; Do your own work.

✓Turn in Homework in the designated location and sharpen your pencils before and after class. If needed at any other time, teacher approval is needed.

✓Hold all of your trash at your desk until dismissed and food or drinks are not permitted in the classrooms. Only bottled water is allowed in class.

✓Teacher dismisses their class.

✓Cell phones, computers, iPad, other technology should be out of sight, unless otherwise instructed and acknowledge teachers and peers’ personal space and property.

✓Restroom Break is ONLY during the Passing Period; You are expected to be respectful, cooperative, responsible, and accountable for your work and actions at all times.

✓Wait in a straight line, quietly, on the wall/locker next to your teacher’s door until told to enter.

STUDENTS SHOULD STAY IN THE DESIGNATED Academy HALLWAYS ONLY!!!!

Restroom Policies

Each nine weeks students will be given three emergency restroom passes, once the student utilizes all of their passes, the student is to ensure they take care of all business between passing periods. Any emergency passes (3) that are not used by the end of the nine week period can be submitted to the teacher to replace the student’s lowest daily classwork grade.

Late Assignments

Students are responsible for completing all work as assigned by the classroom teacher. Students that fail to submit an assignment on time will be subject to the policies that the District has established for work not turned in on time. The highest grade a student may receive for work submitted after the due date is a 50%. Students may complete two (2) additional assignments per grading period in order to increase their course average due to missed assignments or unsatisfactory performance on chapter test or quizzes in classes which only CHISD school credit will be awarded (non-dual credit courses).

Routine and In-Depth Makeup Work Assignments

For any class missed, the teacher may assign the student makeup work based on the instructional objectives for the subject or course and the needs of the individual student in mastering the essential knowledge and skills or in meeting subject or course requirements.

The student will be responsible for obtaining and completing the makeup work in a satisfactory manner and within the time specified by the teacher. [For further information, see policy EIAB (LOCAL).] Students who do not make up assigned work within the time allotted by the teacher will receive a grade of zero for the assignment. Students will be permitted to make up tests and to turn in projects due in any class missed because of absence. Teachers may assign a late penalty to any long-term project in accordance with time lines approved by the principal and previously communicated to students.

When a student is absent with an excused absence or suspension, the student will be given the opportunity to make up the work missed. It is the student’s responsibility to get information from the teacher regarding missed work. The allowable time for make-up work is the number of days absent, plus one day.

A student’s grade for make-up work after an unexcused absence will be no higher than a 70%.No credit shall be given for make-up work following an absence where the student was identified as being truant.

Students absent the day before a major test/assignment may be required to complete the test/assignment as scheduled provided the test/assignment date has been announced in the student’s presence. Unless students make up the work missed within the allotted time, the student will receive a zero for incomplete or missing work. [For further information, see policy EIAB (LOCAL).]

Failed Assignments

The student may complete an alternate assignment to increase their grade on a failed daily assignment or project assigned over multiple days. The highest grade a student may receive for an alternate assignment is a 50%. Students may complete two (2) additional assignments per grading period in order to increase their course average due to unsatisfactory performance on in-class assignments which only CHISD school credit will be awarded (non-dual credit courses). It is the responsibility of the student to make the request within two days of receiving the failed grade. [In regards to the end of marking periods, students must notify the teacher no later than 2 days before the end of the last academic week. For example, a student must make a request by Wednesday if the final day of the marking period if Friday (or Tuesday if Friday is a no school day)]

Students at Collegiate Academy are given several opportunities to demonstrate mastery of concepts. Because of the advanced rigor and heightened standards, students will not be allowed to retest on any test with an unsatisfactory score. Students will be given other opportunities to supplement the unsatisfactory score at the teacher’s discretion.

Course Calendar/Schedule

This timeline is to provide you with what is expected of each student to do and bring for each class; for example, be prepared to discuss particular readings, bring a laptop to work on certain problems, be ready to work with others in a small group assignment, and so forth. The syllabus will be updated to include as many due dates as possible before each marking period, especially for assessments that carry great weight in the determination of your semester and final grade. If certain meetings will take place outside the classroom or if you will be expected to bring additional materials on a particular date, this information will be provided well in advance. If some dates cannot be set at the beginning of the class, there will be a note added to the agenda that I, the instructor, reserve the right to alter in the schedule, although only with full and fair disclosure to my students.

Disclaimer Reserving the Right to Change Syllabus:

The instructor reserves the right to amend this syllabus as necessary.