Maywood Middle School

Seventh Grade Advanced Language Arts Course Syllabus 2017-2018

Mrs. Tolonen

Course Description:

English Language Arts (ELA) with Mrs. Tolonen is a performance- and project-based learning course that follows a 'workshop' structure reinforcing 21st Century reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.This class integrates high-quality education standards for everytype of learner. Students will develop mutually reinforcing skills and exhibit mastery of standards for reading and writing across a range of materials and activities. Assignments and projects involve individual research, independent study, and a variety of collaborative exercises. All students are provided with challenging and enriching opportunities. Students will be presenting speeches, completing choice-reading projects, performing readers’ theatre plays, compiling MLA-cited research papers, using provided iPads and Surface Pros, and so much more! Issaquah School District is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) district; therefore, the use of personal devices in ALA class (laptops, tablets, and phones) will be encouraged following ISD agreements – See attached.

Overall Course Objectives:

  • Smarter Balance Reading & Writing
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • The Writing Process
  • Modes of Writing: Narrative, Informative / Explanatory, Argumentative
/
  • Elements of Literature
  • Reading Comprehension Strategies
  • Effective Communication Skills
  • Higher-level thinking skills
  • Greek and Latin Roots
  • Student-choice & ‘workshop model’

Textbooks/Resources:

  • Scope language arts magazine
  • Upfront news magazine
  • Reader’s Workshops: Courage to Be an IndividualNonfiction
  • McDougal Littell Literature*
*
Username: Tolonen Password:seventh /
  • The Seattle Times online articles
  • Habits of Mind
  • Lucy Calkins’ Writing Units
  • Writing Fundamental Writing Units
  • Great Books
  • Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet

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Expectations and Classroom Guidelines

Warm-Up / Opening of Class: The first three-five minutes of each class is for updating student planners with ALA agenda information and due dates. Class work (CW) and homework (HW) is written on a whiteboard in the classroom and also displayed via my Connect site on the ActivBoard for students to reference during the opening of class daily. Planners should remain ‘open’ for the ‘opening’ of class.

Advanced Language Arts differs from regular Language Arts: Did you sign-up for the right class?

Behavior Expectations: In Advanced Language Arts, we are expected to…

Be safe.
-Walk.
-Store items off floor.
-Be a responsible digital citizen.
-Make good decisions.
-Sign out of class; use hall pass in back of planner.
-Be aware of others’ personal space.
-Cite your sources.
-Use in-text citations, when needed.
-Consume food in the cafeteria. Many students in LA are allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, avocado, and fava beans! / Be kind.
-Accept others.
-Listen to others.
-Be patient.
-Open the door for others.
-Smile.
-Lend items.
-Return borrowed items.
-Welcome others.
-Use appropriate language.
-Acknowledge the success of others.
-As appropriate, help others. / Be respectful.
-Treat others how you truly want to be treated.
-Say please and thank you.
-Return items in better condition than received.
-Recycle.
-Clean up after yourself.
-Maintain eye contact with the speaker.
-Choose a good time to get up and move.
-Open and close the door quietly.
-Be prepared for class.
-Have your planner open before the start bell. / Be your best.
-Positive risk-taking
-Try.
-Collaborate and contribute.
-Challenge yourself to have a growth mindset.
-Get in the reading zone.
-Get in the writing mode.
-Grammar & spelling matter
-Legible handwriting
-Sentences vs. fragments
-Yes – It always counts!
-Complete work on time.
-Ask questions.
-Be an active listener and participant.
-Strive for excellence!
-Go beyond the standard or minimum requirements.
-Pay attention to detail.
-Revise and edit.

Student Attendance:

  • Students should arrive to class on time. A tardy will be earned when a student is not in his/her seat, quiet, and writing in his/her planner BEFORE the sound of the class start bell. Students with several unexcused tardies will receive a written disciplinary referral.
  • Regular attendance is necessary for continuity of presentations, discussions, workshops, and participation in classroom projects.

Assignment Tracking Expectations:Please bring a planner to class EVERY DAY!

  • Students are responsible for keeping their Student Planners updated and with them at all times.
  • Access Connect for a list of daily class and home assignments. Mrs. Tolonen updates her Connect site calendar daily.

Submission of Student Work:

  • Assignments that are turned in late, for any reason, should be placed in the appropriately labeled ‘LATE / MAKE-UP WORK’ drawer. Emailing Late Work is discouraged.
  • Students are responsible to schedule make-up tests and assignments, if they are absent.
  • Copies of handouts will be kept on the classroom round table, online via Connect and / or as an attachment in Skyward. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain necessary assignments, handouts, and/or materials that he/she missed during his/her absence. Please keep in mind, not all assignments have handouts and not all assignments are available online.
  • The No Name Wall is cleared several times throughout the trimester, as needed.

Work Guidelines:

  • Extra credit is not an option in this course.
  • Handwritten assignments should be legibly written or they will be returned to the student. Final draft is always in blue or black pen or typed 12-14 font.
  • Grade Book updates will be available often online to parents and students. I recommend checking gradesonly once a week.
  • Final class grades are based on the following percentage scale:

93-100 A80-82.99 B-67-69.99 D+

90-92.99 A-77-79.99 C+60-66.99 D

87-89.99 B+73-76.99 C59.99 & below F

83-86.99 B70-72.99 C-

  • Assessments (100%):The official grade in Language Arts will be determined solely by assessmentswhich include tests, quizzes, projects, learning checks/exit tickets, speeches, etc.
  • Test Retake Options: I will allow students to retake tests to raise their test score for any standard not met on a test, if prearranged with me and if the overall score is less than 80%. If students can show improved understanding, the original test score will be changed to reflect that improvement. Retakes should be timely – within 3 school days of the posted score.
  • Homework (0%):Most homework will be done in the Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook (RWN). Other homework may include ‘workshop’ readings and annotations, grammar/spelling/vocabulary exercises, etc. The teacher will give feedback on homework, but it will not be part of the student grade. The teacher will keep a record of homework assignments and will put them in the grade book with a score of 4 (yes), 3 (yes, but…), 2 (no, but…), 1 (no). This is just feedback for the student and parent to see how the student is progressing.
  • WICC (0%):I am participating in the Issaquah Grading Project (IGP). The IGP gives me the opportunity to communicate to you regarding four life skills that we see in our class. The four life skills that I will communicate to you are Work Habits, Initiative, Collaboration, and Citizenship. See the attached rubric to better understand how students will be graded on the life skills. There is also a video linked to my Connect site further explaining this project.

Reading Expectations: Please bring your journal and chapter book to class EVERY DAY!

Each week, students are expected to independently read at 3+ hours.Reading pages from novels and informational texts WILL count. (ActivelyLearn, Scope, and Upfront articles certainly count.) It is important to read books (material) that are just right, not too easy or too challenging. Books should be read cover-to-cover, for the first time, and BEFORE watching the movie!SDR novels should be the same choice-novel read in ALA and at home…In other words, only ONE chapter book should be read at a time.Here is a sample Reading Rubric, not the only one used:

Criteria / No
(1) / No, but…
(2) / Yes, but…
(3) / Yes
(4)
Quantity
Quality / Less than 1 hour of reading and less than 1 page of writing or drawing
Few or no responses with detail or meaning / 2 hours of reading and less than 1 page of writing or drawing
Some responses to life and reading, but could show more effort and thought / 2 ½ hoursof reading and 1 ½ pages of writing or drawing
Adequate responses and reactions to all that you notice in life and your reading / 3 hours of reading logged and 2 or more pages of writing or drawing
Exceptional responses and reactions to life and reading

Genre / Author Study / Must-Read Lists: Required for Tolonen’s ALA class

In order to broaden interests and knowledge, students will be assigned to read from a variety of genres and authors. To help with book ideas, there will be ongoing book talks, book passing activities, suggested reading lists, required reading lists, a school librarian to assist, online resources such as Teen Zone through KCLS, Reading Workshops, etc. .

Public Library Card:Recommended but not required

Students are encouraged to apply for a library card, if they do not already have one. Applications are online, via mail, or in person at your nearest branch. This is a great way for a parent to support their son / daughter as a reader, assuming the card and library resources are actually (and actively)used.

Bathroom Passes: If a student truly needs to use the restroom, he / she should discreetly approach me with his / her planner (pass in the back) filled out for me to sign. If he / she bring a pen at this time, the sign-out process will go more efficiently.

Supplies for Success in Advanced Language Arts:

  • MMS Student Planner in class EVERY DAY
  • Chapter book (novel)– once we visit the MMS library on 9/19
  • Ongoing supply of #2 pencils w/ erasers
  • Ongoing supply of college rule, loose-leaf notebook paper – not wide-rule or spiral note paper
  • (1) decorated (as shown 9/8) composition notebook with lines (college rule) –mainly kept in the ALA classroom
  • Highlighters – three different colors
  • Flash Drive, Office 365 account, email address, …to transport electronic assignments from home to school
  • Correcting and editing pens (red, green, purple)
  • Ongoing supply of pens for final writing assignments (blue or black only)
  • An organizer to use for ALA assignments and ALA homework
  • I will supply each student w/ a whiteliteracy portfolio (folder) for graded items, goal monitoring, etc. -mainly kept in the ALA classroom.
  • Donated supplies like tissue, post-its, gallon baggies, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, college ruled loose-leaf notebook paper, and/or Box Tops are gladly accepted ANY TIME!

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Mondays:
12:17-12:47
Unavailable
after school
Email 7:30-3:00PM / Tuesdays:
12:17-12:47
2:35-3:00
Email 7:30-3:00PM / Wednesdays:
3:30-3:45
Email 8:00-4:00PM / Thursdays:
12:17-12:47
2:35-3:00
Email 7:30-3:00PM / Fridays:
12:17-12:47
Unavailable after school
Email 7:30-3:00PM

I am available most school days during SDR (w/ a blue pass from me ahead of time), after school, and other times by appointment to assist students. (Before school is not normally a good time to meet with me.) Here are the times I am mostly available for students.

Thank you,

Mrs. Steph Tolonen

PHONE: 425.837.6922 -- after 2:35 (Wed.-after 3:30), please

EMAIL:

CONNECT:

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Please keep (and refer to) this syllabus in your language arts binder until June 20. 

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