Welcome to Back to School Night! Presenting… Jana Palmquist, 7th Grade Core Teacher

My background… I taught in the corporate world as a manager of some kind for 15 years. At the age of 37 I went back to school and obtained my teaching credential and masters of education. I have taught 2nd, 4th, and 7th grades. My desire was to teach 7th grade Core at WCI. I am living my dream!

My Website Always (okay, 90+% of the time) completed by Friday for the following week. Contains some worksheets (if generated by me), but most importantly, it contains my agenda for the week that includes homework and work due. You can also find the teaching points for reading and writing workshops, book recommendations, student work, and all sorts of good stuff! For Social Studies Work – Have your child not only check my website but their Google Classroom.

My Agenda…. To access my website, please go to http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/wci/site/default.asp Select my name “Palmquist” Look at the left hand column and review all parts of my site.

Late Work Policy Late work will be accepted in accordance with the WCSD “Homework Policy.” Of note, I have built in extended time for ALL students. Nothing is due the next day. In general, if late work is turned in…your child will earn 60% of the total grade. Late Projects will earn a letter grade deduction.

Extra Credit Extra credit – No! But late work is always accepted within the quarter assigned. Bonus points can be earned by turning in exceptional work and sometimes on tests.

Social Studies Through the inquiry process, we will study the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe, Africa, and Asia…a VERY long time ago! We will examine the growing economic interaction among civilizations as well as the exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and commodities. Conceptual Threads: Agriculture, Religion, Achievements (connections to today), Social Structure

In an inquiry-based learning environment the teachers' job is not to provide knowledge, but to help students along their process of discovering knowledge. We will be studying…

Units of Study: Rome, Islamic Empire, Byzantine Empire, West Africa, China, Feudal Japan, Europe – Middle Ages, The Renaissance, The Reformation, & The Americas

Overarching Focus Questions: Quarters 1 & 2: What makes a successful society? Quarters 3 & 4: How do societies breakdown and rebuild?

Japan Day & Byzantine Bazaar We’ll need parent volunteers! Japan Day Date: Thursday, January 25th (Sign Up Genius can be found in the E-news starting sometime in November/December. Byzantine Bazaar Date: Tuesday, June 5th

English I teach English (reading & writing) in a workshop methodology (goes hand-in-hand with Common Core). Grammar: Reinforced through warm-up assignments, mini-lessons, and writing. Vocabulary – Membean vocabulary program geared to your child. Your child will eplore word families, meaning, and root words. If you would like to learn more, please go to: http://membean.com/educator/richness. We will also study vocabulary through school wide academic vocabulary, and from the Social Studies curriculum. Spelling/Word Study: Words are assigned on Wednesdays and are tested on the following Wednesday.

Read Aloud Books The Outsiders Crispin                                                             

Reading Workshop Reading is taught through a series of mini-lessons, student practice, conferring, read aloud, and discussions. Accelerated Reading or Reading Log (student choice) 10% of English Grade Reading correlates with test scores! Read, read, read!

Read Aloud Short Stories “What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?” by Avi “The White Umbrella” by Gish Jen “Zebra” by Chaim Potok “An Hour with Abuelo” by Judith Ortiz Cofer “Thank you, M’am” by Langston Hughes “War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara Science Fiction Unit: “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” by Rod Serling “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury Non-fiction: Names/Nombres by Julia Alvarez Excerpt from I Never Had It Made as told to Alfred Duckett Excerpt from Boy by Roald Dahl The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt

Writing Workshop Writing is taught through a series of mini-lessons, student practice, and conferring. Five Units Informative (Literary Essay) – Quarter 1 Argument – Quarter 2/3 Realistic Fiction/Narrative – Quarter 3/4 The Great Debates (Informational Text)– Quarter 4 Students will also write several on-demand pieces throughout the school year, in English and Social Studies.

Homework Homework is limited to reading, writing, and SS worksheets. A lot of work is completed in class or, at least, started in class. Any class work, not completed in class becomes that student’s homework. Please feel free to email me on a weekly basis to find out how your child is doing in regard to turning in their homework – they still need your help! There are a lot of magic backpacks!

To contact me… jpalmquist@walnutcreeksd.org – This is generally the best way to contact me. Telephone # 944-6840, x-8210 My prep period is 1st period.

Questions?

Have a great evening! Thank you for coming! I look forward to getting to know you and your child! Have a great evening!