1. 7 th Grade Language Arts Room 301

2.  Every six weeks each student will take a summative test assessing a current skill being taught. These assessments are used to help me design instruction that focuses on the different needs of the students.  Exercises in grammar, punctuation, and language conventions.

3.  Focus on the 6 traits of writing: organization, sentence fluency, word choice, voice, conventions, and ideas.  Types of Writing: Multi-paragraph essay, Response to Literature and Persuasive writing.  Writing Conventions such as: 8 Parts of Speech, simple and compound sentence structure, spelling, subject-verb agreement.

4.  Every student will be required to complete four Book Projects during the year.  Choose books that you want to read.  In class we will be reading The Giver, Midwife’s Apprentice, short stories, and other novels that we will be choosing based on interest during the school year.  Students will be tested on vocabulary and for comprehension.

5.  Help each student become a critical reader who can analyze different styles of texts.  Explore different types of texts so that each student can choose which they enjoy the most.  Differentiate the instruction to meet the individual needs of each student.

6.  Read a book of your choice for at least 20 minutes each night.  Complete four Book Project activities. Guidelines are on my website, and students have a copy in their notebooks.

7.  http://www.smusd.org//Domain/1872

8.  Students receive grades every six weeks.  You may access grades at anytime by logging into www.mygradebook.comwww.mygradebook.com  Homework, Classwork, Tests & Quizzes  Late work is accepted for a reduction in grade.

9.  Please update parent email address in mygradebook.  This will allow me to send emails regarding updates in grades, etc.

10. There will be zero tolerance for compromising the learning environment. We have a large amount of material to cover and do not have time to waste. The following consequences will result for disruptions:  1. Verbal warning  2. Action Plan  3. Phone Call and/or note home that requires parent signature  4. Escort out of the classroom

11.  Verbal praise  Positive phone calls, emails, notes home  Raffle tickets for drawings to win:  Homework passes  Sit by a friend pass  Notebooks  Mechanical Pencils  Erasers  Other various school supplies Donations Welcome!

12. Each student will be expected to have the following items in class each day.  3 ring binder with 4 tabs for our class.  Pencils-mechanical or wooden  Loose-leaf paper  Silent reading book of their choice  Agenda or planner to write in HW

13.  Red correcting pen  Markers- 10-12 colors  Flash drive  Pocket or notebook dictionary/thesaurus

14.  No gum please!  Tardies/Lock outs  Electronics  Cell phones  ipods  Kindles/Nooks

15. San Elijo Middle School Phone: 290-2800 X3801 Email: sarah.barrera@smusd.org