September, 2017
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to ELA 7. Our goal this year is to make each student a better reader, writer, listener, and communicator.
In literature, students will meet fascinating people, travel back and forth through time, and experience unbelievable events. We will go beyond reading for meaning as we interpret the author’s purpose, evaluate his/her writing style, examine the literature for character motivation and critical analysis, and connect the work to real-life situations and experiences.
Our literature units will center on full-length novels and will be supplemented by short stories, poetry, and articles which enhance the novel’s themes. Our nonfiction units will include literary nonfiction, full-length articles, editorials, expository texts, and autobiographical/biographical selections. Students will interact with each text and practice close reading to improve their comprehension, fluency, and critical thinking skills. Each unit will incorporate assessments such as creative writing, research projects, and literary essays designed to meet the Common Core Learning Standards and prepare students for the ELA state assessment.
In writing, we will explore narrative, expository/informative, creative, and persuasive/argument types of writing while focusing on organization, word choice, sentence fluency, and voice). Students will engage in evidence-based writing, bymaking and supporting valid claims, and will continually review and apply the rules of grammar, mechanics and usage to their writing.
Vocabulary words will be assigned throughout the year using our vocabulary workbook,Vocabulary Workshop B,as well as challenging words from our literature. Students will learn the meaning, spelling, and connotation of these words and use them proficiently in their writing.
In addition to literature, students will practice basic reading comprehension using several types of reading passages. Students will apply reading strategies such as: predicting, visualizing, connecting, questioning, clarifying, evaluating, determining word meanings, and inferring. Students will also learn to recognize the different types of questions for these passages such as literal, inferential, supporting detail, cause/effect, fact/opinion, sequencing, etc. This is essential preparation for the seventh grade assessment.
21st century skills will be emphasized throughout the year as students use their research, analytical, and critical thinking skillsin a variety of projects using Schoology, NewsELA, Google Slides, Google Classroom, etc.
Most assignments in ELA will be long-term assignments or projects. Projects, like tests, will count for 100 points. Late projects will have ten points deducted each day the project is late. Accepting projects more than three days late will be at the discretion of the teacher. Check Google Classroom, my website on maryvaleufsd.org, or Schoology to see what we are working on throughout the year. Regularly check e-school to keep apprised of your child’s progress.
This year we will meet for a block of eighty minutes each day which allows us to incorporate literacy into ELA. We will spend a significant amount of time each week reading. Students will read independently, in groups, with a partner, and as a whole class. Students will be expected to continually be reading an independent novel throughout the year.
Classroom rules are as follows:
Students are to come on time and be seated before the bell rings.
Students are to come prepared to class each day with all supplies.
Students are to keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves.
Students are to raise their hand and wait to be acknowledged before speaking.
Students are to follow directions the first time they are given.
My web-sitewill allow you to further review my rules, consequences, and expectations.
E-mail is the best way for parents to communicate with me. Please include your e-mail address on the next page.
I look forward to a wonderful year filled with creativity, reading and writing!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Pohrte
Parent Contact Information
ELA 7
Mrs. Pohrte
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