WAHLQUIST JUNIOR HIGH
Mrs. Espinoza
2014-2015
Welcome to 7th grade Read 180! I am looking forward to a great year at Wahlquist and am excited to get to know my students and their parents. This year we will be focusing on the following core objectives:
Standard 1: Students will use vocabulary development and an understanding of text elements and structures to comprehend literary and informational grade level text.
Standard 2: Students will write informational and literacy text to reflect on and recreate experiences, report observations, and persuade others.
Standard 3: Students will understand the process of seeking and giving information in conversations, group discussions, written reports, and oral presentations.
Read 180 Skills
Read 180 is a comprehensive reading intervention program that follows a specific instructional model. Students are exposed to a variety of instructional techniques including whole group, small group, and individualized teaching. Students rotate among various stations including independent reading and using the Read 180 topic software on the computer.
Students may choose from a variety of books based on his or her personal Lexile number for independent reading. While on the computer, students strengthen their fluency, vocabulary, and spelling skills through various zones. All of these skills gained through this program are personalized for each student to measure his or her own success in order to become engaged, independent, and successful readers.
Format of Class
Read 180 is comprised of various workshops or themes. Students will read a variety of text including short stories, newspaper articles, biographies, poems, and magazine articles centering on various themes appropriate for 7th grade.
We follow the Read 180 instructional model but we also incorporate our own extensions and activities within the workshops including:
● Language Arts grammar lessons
● Various writing assignments, including narrative and expository writing
● Vocabulary reviews/Bingo
● Internet research, Webquests
● Novel studies
Future skills/assignments
Since this class takes the place of both Reading and Language Arts, we will continue to reinforce and teach those skills throughout the remainder of the year by using the Read 180 program and engaging the students in different writing activities.
Please refer to this website (Moodle) for any additional information that may come up during the remainder of the 2013-2014 year.
Classroom Discipline Policy: My classroom rules will be reviewed with the students the first week of school. My philosophy is such that the consequence will depend on the unique situation and student. I will involve parents as necessary unless otherwise requested by the parent. Please let me know if you have anything specific you’d like incorporated into your student’s school year.
Citizenship: There are two things that affect citizenship in my classroom: tardies and classroom behavior. Citizenship grades will be given based on the number of infractions over time.
For example:
BEHAVIOR TARDIES (school policy)
1st Offense: Warning 3rd Tardy: “N” grade
2nd Offense: Student/Teacher Conference 4th Tardy: “U” grade
3rd Offense: Phone call to Parent
4th Offense: “N” grade and parent notification
5th Offense: “U” grade and parent notification
Interventions for inappropriate behaviors exhibited during a particular class period may include: Warning, Student/teacher conference, think time, lunch with the teacher, phone call to parent, Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), and/or office referral.
Curriculum Support: During the course of the school year, students may be shown video-clips with a PG Rating. Students may be asked to complete assignments based on these video-clips. By signing this disclosure, you authorize your student to watch these clips.
CLASSROOM REQUIREMENTS: Each student will need to supply their own pencils, notebook paper and ear buds (earphones) for use at the computer. I will have a storage space available to students that wish to leave their ear buds (earphones) in the classroom. These can be purchased at Wal-Mart for about $5. Each student will also need one Composition Notebook (at least 100 pages).
Sincerely,
Mrs. Espinoza
______
I have read and agree with the information provided on the above disclosure statement.
Student Name: ______
Student Signature: ______
Parent Name: ______
Parent Signature: ______