English 7A/B (Period 6)

COURSE SYLLABUS: ENGLISH 7 A/B

Welcome to English 7 A & B. I’m looking forward to working with you this year on a rigorous and engaging academic program designed to help you develop as readers, writers, thinkers and speakers.

In this class we will have two primary goals: The first is to communicate more effectively by improving our grammar, spelling, vocabulary and overall writing and speaking skills. The second is to learn a new way to read. Most of you read fluently and easily, and I’m sure many of you love to read; but we will learn how to respond to what you read in a way that will increase your understanding and appreciation even more. You will become critical thinkers. Through writing, discussion, research, classroom projects and group activities, we will get at the deeper meanings behind stories, poems, novels, myths, articles, memoirs, speeches and essays, and we will learn how these texts relate to your own experiences.

More importantly, we will develop our mental muscles and train our emotional intelligence through reading, questioning, collaborating and, above all, writing. Writing helps us think in complex ways and contributes to self-knowledge. Though writing, we become better readers and better students. This year we will write every day in class. We will write journals, personal narratives, essays, stories, poems, responses to literature, research papers and persuasive presentations. We will also focus on proven academic strategies such as note-taking, using graphic organizers, annotating text, and collaborative learning. By the end of the year, I hope you’ll be more than ready to tackle high school English.

We will read a variety of fiction and non fiction work this year. The following core literature selections will be issued to you:

· The Outsiders
· The Other Side of Truth
· Call of the Wild

A fourth core text will be added second semester.

Homework and Grading Policy

Students should anticipate a reading or homework assignment after most class meetings. I expect students to turn in all assignments on time. Student work must be original, as well as neat and legible. Late assignments will receive a “C” or lower except in the case of illness. Any exceptions must be cleared with me before the assignment is due. It is each student’s responsibility to keep up with assignments, even when absent. I recommend that every student obtain the phone number of two classmates to call in the event that he or she misses a class. LACES enforces a strict no cheating policy. (Please review the Student-Parent Information Packet.)

Students will receive points for homework, quizzes, tests, formal and informal writing assignments, classroom participation, journals, etc. Essays, research reports, presentations, class projects and tests will carry the highest point values. Course grades will be based on the total points accumulated out of the total possible points.

The grading scale is as follows:

90 % – 100 % of total points earned = A
80 % – 89 % of total points earned = B
70 % – 79 % of total points earned = C
55 % – 69 % of total points earned = D
0 % - 54 % of total points earned = F


Materials:

Students will be issued the following materials:
· Prentice Hall Literature (course anthology)
· Core literature (listed above)

Students will be responsible for bringing:
· A composition book for journaling
· A three-ring binder with five tab dividers
· A supply of three hole, college-ruled notebook paper
· An agenda for recording homework assignments
· A supply of sharpened pencils and blue or black pens
· A book for SSR (silent sustained reading)
· Post-its for embedding notes in school texts

Students are required to bring ALL materials to class unless otherwise advised.


Classroom Rules and Procedures

Students are expected to exercise courtesy, kindness and respect in everything they do and say. During the first days of school we will review school policies, as well as classroom rules, routines and procedures.

Classroom Rules

· Show respect for people and property.
· Be in your seat when the bell rings.
· Bring all books and materials to class.
· No eating or chewing gum in class.
· Follow directions the first time they are given.

I will issue a warning the first time a student breaks a rule. For a second infraction, I will assign lunchtime detention. After the third offense I will call home or assign after school detention. If a student has three or more offenses per five week grading period, he or she will earn a “U” in cooperation on the report card. Serious rule violations (defiance, causing bodily harm to others, damaging school property, etc.) will be met with a referral to the office.

In addition to the posted classroom rules, all state laws, district rules and LACES school rules will be followed, including those relating to dress codes, possession of cell phones and other electronic devices, and plagiarism. Policy details, which will be discussed in class, can be found on the LACES website or in the Student-Parent Information Packet.


Parent Conferences

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this course or your child’s progress. Parents are always welcome to make an appointment for a personal conference or class visit.

If there is anything you would like me to know about your child that might assist me in making this a successful year for him or her, please let me know as soon as possible. I can be contacted through the school office at 323-549-5900 or by email at [email protected].

I look forward to helping your child experience a productive and enjoyable year in English 7.

Sincerely,

Ms. Lancaster


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Please sign below to acknowledge agreement with this syllabus and have your child return this tear-off to me.



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