Curriculum Night7TH GRADE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

KYRENE AKIMEL A-AL MIDDLE SCHOOL

About Ms. Wicks

Born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the great state of Virginia.

Graduated from James Madison University with BS in Poli/Sci

20 years experience in corporate (sales) finance/internet finance

Masters Degree from ASU in Curriculum and Instruction/Education

Teaching for 9 years/ Kyrene for last 6 years

Have an amazing daughter entering Desert Vista this year.

Email (best method): mwicks@kyrene.org

Website: good for weekly agenda, resources, and homework

myPerspectives by Pearson

Newly adopted English Language Arts resource

Adopted to align with the new Arizona State College and Career Reading ELA Standards

Students will have a book that they CAN write in

This textbook will stay in the classroom/ 3 ringed binder will have portion of the book that we are working on so that it can go back and forth from school to home.

Students will have a username/password to access resources online or on their mobile device

myPerspectives Design Broken up into 5 units. Each unit has an essential question that relates to all of the passages

Whole-Class Learning Read 1-2 passages together as a whole class

Small-Group LearningStudents work together in a group of 3-4 to read passages and complete assignments

Students will also work on Performance Task with their group. This is usually a presentation of some kind

Independent LearningStudents are assigned 1-2 passages to read and complete assignments individually

Performance-Based AssessmentStudents will individually produce a paper, presentation, or both.

7th grade units and essential questionsUnit 5: How do we overcome obstacles?o Explanatory/Informative Essay

Unit 2: Should we make a home in space?o Argument Writing

Unit 3: What can cause a sudden change in someone’s life?o Explanatory/Informative Essay

Unit 4: What effects do people have on the environment?o Argument Writing

If time allows:

Unit 1: What can one generation learn from another?o Write a Nonfiction Narrative

TradebooksA Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

And Then There were None, by Agatha Christi

Robot Dreams by Isaac Asmiov

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Advanced ELA (GATE)Trade BooksA Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Additional novels may be included if there is time

GradesGrades will be posted on ParentVue regularly. Please check student grades there on a regular basis.

Found on Kyrene.org, Parents, ParentVue

In 7th grade the students grades are weighted.

80% of your child’s grade will be assessments, projects, and writing.

20% of your child’s grade will be practice work which is classwork and homework.

Rounding: Students grades can be rounded up if they are .5%

away from the next letter grade and they have NO missing assignments.

ZAP Wednesday afternoon program(Zeros Aren’t Permitted)

• Assigned by teachers for missing assignments

• Every Wednesday afterschool from 2:00-3:30 (students

must stay the entire time, no early release)

• Parents will be notified ahead of time & will need to pick up child promptly at 3:30

ELA & ALA Work at a Glance

End of Selections tests for group and individual texts

Reading Log due every two weeks

Quarterly Spelling Tests

Formal writing assignments (all in 12 font/Times Roman Numeral)

All assignments will be on the calendar and students will be responsible for being prepared and turning assignments in on time.

ELA/ALA students should expect the following type of work

Weekly vocabulary 5-10 words will be tested on through various ways

Reading from text on a daily basis, basic comprehension questions and text structure assignments 2-3 a week

End of Unit Performance Task

Two Mid Unit Performance Tasks

Literary Analysis for Trade book one per quarter

Student Materials

2.5 inch 3 ringed binder (to be used for all content areas)

RED plastic two-pocket folder

College RULE Composition Notebook (will stay at school)

Pencils (Replenish frequently, please!)

Hi-lighters

Reusable water bottle

School issued Agenda

Discipline & Behavior Expectations

7th Grade Refocus Policy

A student who is disturbing class or not following class rules will be given a refocus.

A student can receive only one refocus per day. If a student has already been refocused and is disruptive in any more classes that day, the student will be sent to ISI for a time-out. Parents will be notified of the ISI visit.

A student can receive a maximum of two refocuses per week. The refocuses do not have to be from the same teacher. If a student is considered for a third refocus at any time that week, the student will be instead sent to ISI for a time-out. Parents will be notified of the ISI visit.

If a student has received 6 refocuses total at any point during the school year the student will have a conference with the teachers & administration, and from that point forward the student will go directly to ISI for a time-out instead of being refocused.

Once a student starts to receive ISI time-outs, Akimel A-al’s progressive behavior policy for ISI kicks in.

You will receive detailed behavior sheet during the first week of school (signature required)

• YOUR CHILD’S SCHEDULE LOOKS LIKE THIS (VERY CONFUSING!)

• HERE’S HOW YOU READ IT AND WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING NEXT…

How to read the schedule…where do I go next?

Second Period (core) ------------------- 4th Period (Monday)

Third Period (Core) ------------------ 4th Period (Tuesday)

Sixth Period (Core) ------------------ 4th Period (Thursday)

7th Period (Core) ------------------ 4th Period (Friday)

Thank you for attending. It’s going to be a great year!Questions?MELISSA M. WICKS