2016/2017 7th grade English-Language Arts (“Core”) Course Outline

Mrs. Shanna Garza

Please circle and fill in: I am enrolled in Mrs. Garza’s standard class (core___).

Honors class (core___).

Dear Parents and Students:

Welcome to my English Language Arts (“core”) class. This class is aligned with the rigor of the Common Core.

Texts: Holt Literature & Language Arts (“Big Green”), Holt grammar book (“Little Green”), NoRedInk.com (grammar practice). Short texts will also be made available via links on my Oak web page.

Novels: The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 (Christopher Paul Curtis), Beowulf: A New Telling (Robert Nye), excerpts from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain) and The Red Pony/The Pearl (John Steinbeck).

Students will read teacher-selected core novels as part of the literature requirement. These works have been selected from the seventh-grade core works list as established by the Los Alamitos Unified School District. These works cover only part of the assigned readings for the school year; students will also study poetry, short stories, and nonfiction, as well as self-selected works for independent reading. It will be assumed that the parent or guardian has approved of the works selected by the student for in-class and independent reading. (Please contact me if you have any concerns about the texts.)

Requested materials: In addition to a labeled three-ring binder or accordion folder (may be shared with other subjects), students will need a single-subject spiral, lined paper, pens, and pencils. Four-color pens (red, green, blue, & black) are especially helpful! In addition, students are to bring an appropriate silent reading book each day. (Kindles and other electronic reading devices are permitted with teacher and parent permission.)

Policies: Students are required to follow all established school rules and the following classroom rules:

1. Treat yourself and others with respect.

2. Finish food and drinks outside before entering.

3. Be in your seat on time.

Behavior: Students who do not show respectful behavior in the classroom will receive a verbal or written warning. If the same behavior continues, the next step is a detention. A third offense will result in an office referral.

Absences: Students who are absent due to an excused absence have one extra day per day of absence to make up the work missed. All handouts are available in the back of the classroom; it is the student’s responsibility to check the “What Did I Miss?” folder for missed work (or the web site) and obtain needed handouts. Major tests and deadlines announced in advance are to be completed on time if the student is present on the deadline or testing day. (For example, missing class on Monday or Tuesday doesn’t excuse a student from taking the test on Friday; the student has had time to make up the related work and study by the testing day.) Students need to make up any missed quizzes, tests, or in-class essays as soon as possible.

Late work: All assignments are due on time. Late work is not accepted for credit without an attached “late pass” from Mrs. Garza—these are a special, once-in-a-while privilege. Major assignments (such as projects or papers) may be accepted late with a penalty (10% reduction each day of lateness). Late passes are not accepted on major writing assignments or projects.

Writing: Final drafts of essays must be typed. Students without a home computer or printer are encouraged to use the computers in my classroom, at the Oak media center, or at a public library. Students are expected to adhere to rules of proper conduct when using classroom Chromebooks for writing and research.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism will not be tolerated. The assignment will receive an automatic zero, and the student will be issued an office referral. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying another student’s work or failing to correctly cite online sources. (Anytime another person’s ideas or information are used, he or she must be credited—even when the student puts the info into his or her words. The exception is common-knowledge information—such as the fact that Abraham Lincoln was our sixteenth president.)

Cheating will result in the same consequences mentioned above.

Grades: Grades and will be available on the Aeries Browser Interface (“ABI” or “Aeries”). Assigned homework and class work can be found on my page of the Oak Middle School web site (www.losal.org/Oak “Teachers”à “Garza” à “HW and CW Agenda”).

Evaluation: Grades will be based on categorized percentages that make up the overall grade (Reading is separate from Language Arts). Some assignments are weighted more heavily than others. The most up-to-date information can always be found online. The overall breakdown of percentages can be seen on Aeries.

Overall grading scale: 100-90%=A, 89.9-80%=B, 79.9-70%=C, 69.9-60%=D, 59.9% or below=F

If you have any questions regarding the course outline, please contact me, Shanna Garza. Though I prefer email (), you can also reach me by calling (562) 799-4740 x76215. I look forward to a great year with you!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Shanna Garza

(Do not detach)

Return with a signature by Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Extra copies of this are available on my Oak web page.)

I have read the English-Language Arts Course Outline and understand the requirements.

______

Parent/Guardian (print) Student (print) core # ____

______Parent/Guardian signature Student signature