English and Language Arts

Seventh Grade English and Language Arts Syllabus

2021 - 2022

Mr. Horton, Bryson Middle School (Room C136)

shorton@greenville.k12.sc.us

864-355-2100

Welcome to 7th grade English and Language Arts! My name is Reed Horton, and I am pleased and honored to embark on this educational journey with you! In this course, we will tap into the creative mindset and the writing skills necessary for students to become exceptional writers, and to further their understanding of literary terms and texts.

Students will be exposed to a wide variety of literature and authors through the use of the text and selected novels. Types of literature offered through the text include short stories, essays, poems, biographies, myths, and fables. There is a major emphasis on comprehension and vocabulary in this course, as well as other reading skills that are required to further the understanding of literary texts. This course will incorporate the standards outlined in the South Carolina College and Career-Ready Standards for English/Language Arts. The purpose of this course is to enhance student's knowledge of English and Language Arts skills, as well as cultivate an environment that encourages reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students will expectantly graduate from this course with a new-found appreciation for the world of literature, and a desire to continue the growth of their literary understanding.


Course Description

The focus of 7th grade ELA is to lay a solid academic foundation for high school College Prep. (CP) and career-focused courses. Greenville County School District aligns its’ English curriculum with the South Carolina College and Career Ready 7th grade English Standards. All students must be proficient in the fundamentals of reading, writing, and communication. Therefore, student engagement is essential and increases as students take ownership of their learning through personal understanding and implementation of the reading, writing and communication processes. Teachers will place extra emphasis on the following SC Standards to ensure academic success: Reading Literacy Texts: Meaning and Context; Reading Informational Text: Meaning and Context; Writing; Text-Dependent Writing. Students will write analytically and creatively with a focus on grammar, style, mechanics, and vocabulary.


Course Objectives

The 7th grade ELA curriculum is designed to enable, inspire, connect, and prepare all students for 8th grade English courses. During this course, students will be able to:

· Analyze concepts and ideas of others and articulately express their own ideas orally and in writing.

· Use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization in all forms of writing.

· Explain the significance and functions of the essential literary elements of novels and plays (i.e., character, setting, conflict, plot, climax, resolution, theme, tone, and point of view).

· Write effective text-based responses and essays using:

a. Language, information, style, voice, and structure appropriate for the purpose and audience.

b. Clear, understandable, and accurate language.

c. Incorporate sentence variety (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).

d. Incorporate varied sentence beginnings (prepositional phrases, adverbial clauses, adjectival phrases).

e. Smooth transitions between sentences, ideas, and paragraphs.

F. Appropriate organization and order of words, sentences, and paragraphs within an essay.


7th Grade English and Language Arts Standards

Click here to view the South Carolina English and Language Arts standards.

Textbook:

Collections: Grade 7. Orlando, Florida: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

(Close Reader the accompanying student workbook is used in conjunction with Collections)


Classroom Rules and Expectations

  1. Be Prepared

  • Have all necessary materials

  1. Be Respectful

  • Keep hands and feet to yourself

  • Listen when others are speaking

  1. Be Productive

  • Begin activities that are presented on the board

  • Remain seated unless you ask for permission to leave your desk

  • Always raise your hand and use indoor voices

  1. Be Responsible

  • Always do your best

  • Never stop trying

  • Believe in yourself

  • Always ask questions


Materials Needed

These materials are used for all courses in the 7th grade level.

  • Inexpensive earbuds or headphones

  • 1 “2-inch” binder (used for all classes)

  • 4 folders/dividers with holes to go in binder

  • Loose leaf notebook paper

  • Pencils

  • Colored pencils

  • Highlighters

  • Dry erase markers


Grading, Missed Work, and Make-Up Work

A: 100-90 B: 89-80 C: 79-70 D: 69-60 F: 59 and below

Homework

Homework may be assigned daily in academic subjects. It may be assigned to review and strengthen class work or to help students learn how to study independently. Some assignments may be spread out over a longer period of time so that students can show that they are able to gather and present information.

Homework and daily assignments will be posted on Google Classroom for student and parent access.


Missed Work and Make-Up Work

When a student is absent, school policy allows five days after returning to school to complete make-up work. Students are responsible for contacting each teacher for missed work. The request should be made immediately upon returning to school. A parent may request make-up work for extended absences. Make-up work may be accessed online, provided via email or picked up in the front office after making arrangements with school staff.


Late Work

Students are expected to follow classroom rules and complete assignments during the allotted class period. Any student off-task and not completing classroom assignments will receive a disciplinary infraction. However, if a student misplaces an assignment or needs to hand in any work after the assigned due date, then they will need to adhere to the following late work policy:

  • Students are encouraged to use time before school, after school, and during SAIL time to complete assignments to avoid late work. If a student is absent on the date an assignment is assigned, the student will have five (5) days without penalty to make up the assignment.


Cheating or Plagiarism

Please refer to the student handbook for Bryson Middle School's policies and consequences on cheating and/or plagiarism.

Model it. Give it. Earn it.