SYLLABUS 2019-2020This syllabus will serve to guide you through this school year to inform you what will be taught and important testing dates and information.
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This syllabus will serve to guide you through this school year to inform you what will be taught and important testing dates and information.
Mrs. India Cunningham-Ratliff Syllabus Seventh Grade Language Arts Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Classroom website: http://indiaratliff.weebly.com/ Tutoring: Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:40 pm -3:10 pm (parent note required to stay) Conference Times: Monday-Friday 9:30am-10: 15 am Second Period Please feel free to contact me in order to discuss your child’s progress in ELA. I welcome your communication. I look forward to a great year. Textbook: HMH- Let's Get Into Literacy, Grade 7 Writing Coach Book Course Description: In seventh-grade Language Arts students will read independently for extended periods of time. They will analyze the connections between the texts they read and the real world. They will demonstrate how to paraphrase, evaluate, and summarize the information they read. They will further analyze the differences between fact and opinion. Students will also continue to detect bias in the texts they read. Seventh-grade students will further analyze conflict and will continue identifying imagery and symbolism. In addition, they will evaluate point of view and analyze figurative language and identify elements of poetry. Students will apply objective criteria for evaluating texts. Students will analyze the meanings of complex words by using their knowledge of roots and affixes. In grade seven, students will hone their prewriting strategy skills based on specific audiences and/or purposes. They will revise their work using collaboration, conferencing, and self-evaluation. They will edit for language conventions such as syntax and word usage. Students will develop skills in writing for various formats, including expressive and informational pieces as well as the argument. In grade seven students will also hone their writing skills to explain and inform. They will continue to learn, entertain, and describe through writing as well as begin writing to persuade analyze, and transact business. They will respond to texts both orally and in writing. In grade seven, students will listen for meaning in conversations and discussions and effectively summarize them. Students will listen more attentively as group members continue and use critical analysis to formulate appropriate oral responses. In grade seven students will continue asking questions to investigate a topic. They will also enhance their ability to access information from a variety of sources as well as hone their skill in conducting independent research and summarizing the information they gather. Daily warm-up activities are planned to allow for mini grammar lessons, the use of higher-level thinking skills, and to review previous objectives. Fluency and conventions are taught through mini-lessons that incorporate actual student writing. Content teachers work with the language arts teacher to instruct using the International Baccalaureate Organization’s Areas of Interaction. Learning Objectives: The objectives of language deal with both language and literature. The various language skills--speaking, listening, reading, writing and viewing---are all covered by these objectives. At the end of the course students should be able to: · Understand and comment on the language, content, structure, meaning, and significance of both familiar and previously unseen pieces of writing · Demonstrate a critical awareness of a range of written and visual texts · Use language to narrate, describe, analyze, explain, argue, persuade, inform, entertain and express feelings · Compare texts and connect themes to show similarities or differences across genres · Express an informed personal response to literary and non-literary texts and demonstrate the ability to approach works independently · Understand connotations within a language in order to interpret the author’s or speaker’s intentions · Express ideas with clarity and coherence in both oral and written communication · Structure ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing, in a sustained and logical way, and support them with relevant examples · Distinguish the main ideas in a text from the secondary ideas · Use and understand an appropriate and varied range of vocabulary and idiom · Use correct grammar with appropriate and varied sentence structure · Show awareness of the need for an effective choice of register suited to the audience in both oral and written communication Materials Needed for Class: Three-ring binder with dividers Loose-leaf paper Blue or black and red ink pens Pencils Highlighters Grading Policy: 35% of Summative Assessments 30%: Check For Understanding Major grades- Unit tests, formal writing, and unit projects 35%: REvelant Application Warm-up packets, informal writing, mini-projects, and quizzes\ Daily work, skills, and enrichment activities Important Dates: Benchmarks: October, December, SRI: September 21-10/2, December 7-11, STAAR-March 29-30 (writing) May 10 (Reading) ABSENCES- If your absence from class at any given time, please come to any tutoring session on Monday/Wednesday from 2:30-3:10 to make up the missing assignments. Thank you Grading Scale: A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 F below 70 COURSE OUTLINE Overview: The language arts curriculum is a balance of writer’s workshop (topics and genres based on literature selections or self-selected) and the writing projects listed below. Daily read aloud and the discussions they evoke are used as a springboard to this personal writing process. Mini-lessons based on individual student’s needs are offered in addition to the ones that follow. Vocabulary is taught in context. Units of Study: 1st Nine Weeks Theme: Poetry & Fiction Writing Personal Narrative While reading literary texts, such as novels and short stories, students will investigate how an author intentionally develops plot by using the logical progression of events, foreshadowing, and suspense to both forward actions and establish mood. Students will also consider the point of view impacts the reader's understanding of the story. After reading, students will engage in the writing process to craft personal narratives that utilize the literacy genre characteristics concerning plot development. In addition, students will examine the structure and craft of poetry by noticing the effect of rhyme, meter, graphical elements, and figurative language. Through this multi-genre collection, students will have various occasions to explore the thematic idea of Taking Action DPM- 10/9-10/16 2nd Nine Weeks Theme: Reading Argument & Drama Writing Argumentative Essay Through this unit of study, students will explore the structure and craft of argumentative writing as they re reflect on an author's claim and take into account his evidence, consideration of other views, and rhetorical use of language to build an argument. Students will then enagage in writing an argumentative essay displaying an understanding of the associate genre traits studied through their reading. In addition, students will study drama with particular attention given to how the playwrights use devices such as dialogue and staging to further an understanding of the character. Through this multi-genre collection, students will have opportunities to gather information related to the thematic idea of Reality Check. DPM- 11/4- 11/22 DPM 12/9- 12/13 3rd Nine Weeks Theme: Reading Informational & Literacy Writing Informational Text In this unit, students will investigate structural elements of informational text to discover how the author includes and utilizes a controlling idea, organizational patterns, text features create an understanding in the reader. Students will apply these techniques when composing a multi-paragraph informational essay. Additionally, students will examine literary text such as novels, and short stories to asses the impact of characters' qualities, setting, and point of view. Through this multi-genre collection, students will have the opportunities to gather information related to the thematic idea of More Than A Game. DPM-1/27-1/31 DPM- 2/19-3/4 4th Nine Weeks Theme: Writing Occasion Writing Reading Multi-Genre & Sust ained Inquiry This unit is an opportunity to bring together the learning students have done, making connections between writing the task and reading genres. Most importantly, it is time to celebrate the progress made over the year. During this time, students will revisit the various modes of writing considering their common traits and how they can support success on the occasion of STAAR writing, Next students will revisit non-fiction texts to study how authors craft, support, and organize a message for an intended audience. Finally, students will engage in sustained inquiry during which time they will gather information and reveal findings via a product of choice. Through this multi-genre collection, students will have opportunities to investigate the thematic idea of Change Agents. STAAR TESTING: 7th Grade Writing April 7th 7th Grade Reading May 12th |