ELA 7
Syllabus 2023-2024 school year
Seventh Grade Language Arts
Contact Information:
Michelle Stein- mstein@greenville.k12.sc.us or 864-355-6958
Please feel free to contact me at any time in order to discuss your child’s progress in language arts. I welcome your communication.
Google voice # - 864-214-5176 (can call or text this number and it goes directly to my phone)
Extra Help Times (Tutoring): After school Mon-Thurs upon request.
Overview: The purpose of this course is to provide the foundations and to further hone the skills of academic and personal composition and reading comprehension. The students will be asked to participate in a number of different kinds of activities aimed to expose them to new and different kinds of academic and argumentative writing, explore their ideas and opinions through writing, expand their vocabulary, and increase their understanding of the nature of the writing process. In addition, they will be asked to read a variety of texts and develop their reading skills to an advanced level.
Materials Needed for Class:
➢ Pens and Pencils, highlighters, glue
➢ Headphones/ear buds
➢ Composition book, loose leaf paper, folder
Grading Policy:
50% Major (3 assignments):
● 50%: Major grades-
➢ Summative Assessments (Unit Tests), Projects, Formal Writings, Research-based products, Culminating projects
50% Minor (10 assignments):
➢ Quizzes (vocabulary, reading, skill-based), Small writing assignments, Write to learn assignments, Informal presentations, Classwork- anything started during class time.
Benchmark Testing Dates TBA: October -November, January - February, and March - April
Grading Scale:
A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F below 60
Units of Study
Q1 Literary Study/Poetry/Figurative Language/Text-Dependent Questions/Narrative Writing
Q2 Informational Texts/Research/Informational Writing
Q3 Literary Study/Literary Text Analysis/Novel Unit
Reading "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne
Q4 Informational Texts/Research/Argument Writing
Classroom Conduct
Students are expected to demonstrate respect, responsibility, and integrity at all times. When students enter the classroom, they are expected to immediately retrieve the required materials and proceed to their seat to begin the opening activity. Arriving tardy to class is disruptive and interrupts the learning process. Dress code violations, zero tolerance issues, profanity, fighting, or direct insubordination will face immediate disciplinary action and will be referred to administration.
ABSENCES
Students are responsible for asking the teacher for any classwork, homework, assignments, quizzes, or tests missed due to absence from class. This includes absences due to school events, such as field trips, testing, meeting with a school staff member, etc.
COMPLETION OF WORK
Each student must do his/her own work as required by the GCSD Code of Conduct. Cheating or copying another student’s work is not permitted. Students who cheat or copy or who assist others in doing so will receive a GFA for the assignment and teacher will take appropriate disciplinary action.
CLASSROOM GUIDELINES
Students will be held to the NWMS and GCSD Code of Conduct. In order to create the best learning environment possible, students should follow these guidelines for success:
- Be Prepared: bring your required materials every day.
- No phones are allowed in any classroom
- Show respect for your teacher, your classmates, and all property.
- Be a good listener/learner.
- Believe in your ability to think and learn, and keep an open mind.
Make-Up Work Policy
Students are responsible for missed work in the event of an absence. In accordance with District policy, students have 7 days upon returning to school to complete missed work within the quarter the work was assigned. Missed assignments will be noted in the gradebook as missing until complete. For example, if missing work occurred during the end of Q1 and Q2 has already started and the 7 days allowed overlaps from Q1 to Q2 the work will be accepted during Q2 because the days allowed fall within the 7 days make up time frame. If the 7 days ends on a Saturday or Sunday the assignment will be due the next school day the student is present. Recap: students have 7 days from the absence to submit missing work, no more than 7 days unless admin approval.
Re-do Work Policy
Any student can redo a major assessment one time, if the request is within five school days from the date they received their grade/returned assessment.
A teacher does have the discretion to allow a redo more than five school days if they choose, but a student should be allowed at least five days to request a redo.
A type of remediation activity, determined by the teacher, must be completed by the student prior to the assessment retake.
The grades for the 1st and 2nd attempts of the assessment will be averaged together (regardless of whether the 2nd attempt is higher or lower than the 1st attempt). If either assessment score is below a 50, the teacher will use the grade floor of a 50 to average into the final assessment grade.
Redo attempts should happen outside of class time (i.e.,advisory, tutoring time, Panther Success, etc.).
The teacher should receive a parent/guardian written note, email, or phone call prior to the student being granted a redo attempt. A teacher can waive this requirement at their discretion if the parent/guardian is unreachable via phone or unable to return a note/email granting permission for the test retake.
Late Work Policy
Schools will accept late work with no penalty to the student up to 5 days after the original due date or the end of the grading period, whichever comes first. A teacher may extend the late work acceptance deadline upon administration approval of extenuating circumstances but may not reduce the time. The work, although submitted late, will not receive a point reduction. Assessments must be about mastery of content and if graded, the goal is to assess mastery, not behaviors. Work can be accepted late across grading periods by special exception and approval of administration.