7th Grade Language Arts
Bellefonte Area Middle School
Mrs. Leah Markert
2011-2012
Language Arts instruction focuses on the skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. For this instruction to be most effective, all of these components should be integrated; that is, taught in connection to one another. Pennsylvania has set specific academic standards for each of these skills and it is our goal to prepare our students to meet and exceed these standards. To do this, we will use a variety of literature, writing workshops that develop and enhance writing skills, and special projects which combine speaking and listening activities.
Course Materials:
The textbook that we will be using is Literature. It is available on-line. We will learn how to access the on-line version of the book during the first week of school. In addition, we will also read novels written in a variety of genres.
Areas of Study:
READING:
Folklore Poetry Informational text
Autobiography Biography Drama
Fantasy Mystery Adventure
Literary Elements Reading strategies
Reading comprehension
WRITING AND SPEAKING:
Note taking Personal narrative
Five paragraph theme Paragraph development
Compare/contrast Friendly letters
Business letters Report writing
Poetry Writing process
Listening Speech activities
EXTENDED READING AND WRITING:
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Book Projects
Library Use Book Clubs and Fairs
ENGLISH:
Social Rules of Language Dictionary Use
Spelling Grammar
Sentence Development Paragraph Development
Punctuation Capitalization
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR):
The Bellefonte Area Middle School uses the Reading Counts Program. Students are expected to read and test on Reading Counts books each marking period. The Reading Counts Program requires that students read a Reading Counts novel and then take a computer test on that novel. Each novel is assigned a point value. A list of Reading Counts novels and point values can be found in the classroom and in the library. Each marking period, the students will be required to earn 25 Reading Counts points and will be graded on the following scale:
A = 25 points
B = 20 points
C = 15 points
D = 10 points
F = 9 points or less
Each marking period, Reading Counts will be worth a total of 100 points. I will simply take the amount of Reading Counts points earned and multiply by four (4). For example, if a student earns 20 Reading Counts points, they will have earned 80 out of 100 points for the marking period.
Any student earning over 25 points for the marking period will receive extra credit points. There will be a limit of 20 extra credit points allowed per marking period. All students are required to have a silent reading book for every Language Arts class.
Grading:
In seventh grade, Language Arts is a single period class with a single report card grade. Students will be made aware of all assignments that are to be graded when the assignments are given. Often, grading rubrics are used to grade projects and writing. This shows a student what is being evaluated and how many points each area is worth. All assignments will be based on a point value system. For example, a spelling test might be worth 20 points and a grammar test might be worth 50 points. Final grades will be determined by a percentage of total points earned divided by the number of total points possible.
i.e. 750 points earned 750 = 75 % C
1000 points possible 1000
LATE WORK:
Any assignment that is given and is due within one week of the date assigned can receive full credit if handed in on time and the assignment is completed. If the assignment is one day late, it automatically can receive a maximum score of half credit (50%). For example, if a spelling assignment is worth ten (10) points and is handed in one day late, it will not receive a grade higher than a five (5). If the assignment is not turned in one day after it is due, it becomes a ZERO.
For long term assignments, such as stories, projects, or other writings, ten percent (10%) will be deducted from the total score each day. For example, if a story is due on Monday, and is turned in on Tuesday, a maximum score of 100% falls to a maximum score of 90%. Each day that the assignment is late, an additional 10% is deducted.
Supplies:
Students should have the following items at school:
3-Ring binder notebook - 1.5 inches
Two Pocket folders with holes
1 pack of dividers with tabs (5 per pack)
Book cover
Loose-leaf paper or notebook
Students should have the following items at home to help with project and homework completion:
Markers Colored pencils
Scissors Construction paper
Glue Dictionary/thesaurus
Homework:
You should expect to see homework each weekday and occasionally on weekends. Time is allotted during class for the students to begin their homework. Additionally, students have a tutorial period each day to work on homework and receive help from teachers if needed. Students may also use tutorial time to access the library and computer labs.
The amount of time a student takes to complete homework depends on several factors including, but not limited to, the individual student’s: 1) ability, 2) understanding, 3) work style and pace, and 4) effort and personal performance standards. Homework should generally not consume more than 40 minutes of a student’s time in any given evening. Large projects and papers may take longer, but will be assigned over an extended time period. Otherwise, homework will be assigned and expected to be handed in the following day. ANY ASSIGNMENT ONE DAY LATE WILL BE WORTH HALF CREDIT IF COMPLETED. ASSIGNMENTS AFTER THE SECOND DAY WILL RECEIVE A ZERO GRADE. In the case of an absence, the homework is due the day after the student returns to class. It is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed during the absence and to make up that work in a timely fashion.
CONTACT:
Please keep the lines of communication open! I can be contacted at 355-5466 ext. 5215 or at . (E-mail is the easiest way to contact me).
All assignments are posted weekly on my webpage on the school website, www.basd.net.