1. 7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Welcome to 8th Grade Critical Literacy through Shared Inquiry Ms. Theresa Federico Class Website: Why does #readingmatter? Check out the infographics about the benefits of independent reading on your tables

2. 7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Activity Alert!
Please write any questions that you have for me on the Post-Its that have been placed in the center of your desk
Please create a bookmark for your child on the BLANK side of the index card that is on your desk. This will be given to your child tomorrow to use with their IRB
(Make sure their name is on it) 

3. About Me Schooling: Long Island University SUNY Purchase College
MAS: Master of Science in Middle Childhood and Adolescence Education, English & Special Education (grades 5-12)
SUNY Purchase College
BA: Major in Literature
Certifications:
New York State Certification in English Education (Grades 5-12)
New York State Certification in Special Education (Grades 7-12)

4. What is Critical Literacy?
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
What is Critical Literacy?
An enrichment-based reading course
Students take CL2 in conjunction with their English Language Arts class.
Read short stories, articles, independent reading books, and graphic novels to develop a deeper analysis of texts and images.
Read to think critically by making inferences
Collaboration, creativity, and independence is fostered through creative projects and speaking opportunities.

5. How do we develop critical reading skills?
Annotation of texts
Creating and answering higher level questions
Fostering meta-cognition
Making text-self and text-world connections
Shared Inquiry Discussions
Public Speaking
Writing Evidence Based Responses
Researching Information

6. My Mission To build a nurturing and safe learning community.
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
My Mission
To build a nurturing and safe learning community.
To encourage your child to take educational risks in order to grow as learners and individuals when they feel safe.
To challenge your children as readers, writers and thinkers.
We are cultivating the whole child.

7. Some of our community building activities include…
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Relational Capacity
Some of our community building activities include…
The Daily Letter
CPR
Challenge Fridays
Learning Partners
Four Corners
Shared Inquiry Discussions
Team Huddle

8. What happens when you use it?
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Growth Mindset
What does it look like?
What does it sound like?
You never give up.
It is careful and neat.
You try and think.
You take the time.
It does not matter if it is wrong or right if it is your best work.
There is no fooling around.
It is quiet.
Asking for help
Thinking out loud
On task discussions
Working collaboratively
EFFORT
What happens when you use it?
You get smarter.
You get better at things.
You are proud of yourself.
You learn more.
You can finish your work.

9. Students in my class are expected to:
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Students in my class are expected to:
Come to class prepared to learn each day
Respect your classmates, teacher, and yourself.
Participate in all group activities
Complete assignments, projects, and take notes
Try their best 

10. Revised work is accepted until the end of a unit.
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Grading
Student Work: 60%
Classwork
Homework
Participation
Assessments: 40%
Tests/Quizzes
Discussions
Speeches
Essays
Projects
The Infinite Campus portal is a great tool to help you and your child keep track of their grades!
Revised work is accepted until the end of a unit.

11. Assignments This course has four units with a culminating project.
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Assignments
This course has four units with a culminating project.
Homework assignments are generally worth 5 points.
Students must read their IRB and bring it to class each day.
Classwork assignments are worth 10, 20, 50, or 100 points.

12. By the end of this course, your child will be able to:
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, your child will be able to:
Mark the text while reading fiction or non-fiction texts
Create higher level questions about fiction and non-fiction texts
Participate in Socratic Seminars and Shared Inquiry Discussions
Read and analyze at least four independent reading books
Share what has been learned from reading and analyzing texts through a variety of oral and written assessments including writing pieces, projects, skits, speeches, discussions and videos. 

13. Some of Our Texts 7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Splash of texts that we will use here

14. Important information (people, places, dates)
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Strategies
Questions
Important information (people, places, dates)
Summary
Add some of the strategies/tweak

15. Organization Folder checks in our class.
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Organization
Folder checks in our class.
Work in progress/work complete”
Most work stays in the classroom in their folders.
It is your child’s responsibility to take home what they need to complete by the specific deadline.
Benefits of the strategy…

16. Upcoming Assessments Scholastic Reading Inventory (Lexile Level)
7th Grade Critical Literacy 2- Ms. Federico
Upcoming Assessments
Scholastic Reading Inventory (Lexile Level)
September, January, Late May
New York State ELA Exam:
Sometime in April
Resources for Parents and Students: