Welcome Letter
September 2021
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to English Language Arts! I am looking forward to a very exciting year with your child. Nottingham’s Language Arts standards are aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which focus on the following main areas:
Writing: The CCSS include 3 main types of writing: narrative,
explanatory/informative and argumentative, building toward an emphasis on
argumentative and developing skills on evidence-based writing and research.
Reading: Reading both literature and nonfiction texts.
Speaking & Listening: Comprehending, collaborating on, and presenting knowledge and ideas.
Language: Using the conventions of standard English in speaking and writing;
grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
All 7th-graders will read Lois Lowry’s The Giver; all 8th-graders will read S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. In addition to the designated grade level novel studies, students will also read many short stories and non-fiction articles.
Students should come to class prepared each day. They will need to have with them: a 3 ring binder, agenda book, writing utensils, charged chromebook and their independent reading book. If a child is absent, it is important for him/her to check in with me to see what he/she missed while out. Students are required to record nightly homework in agenda books. The homework is always posted on my board. The Parent Portal is always a great way for students and parents to check in on student progress.
Students will not receive homework on a regular basis in Language Arts. At times, a student might need to finish an assignment at home, if they are not able to finish during class. I encourage students to read as much as they can; students will keep a reading log of pages read (completed on the honor system) and will be required to read independently each week. Students are able to borrow books from the school library and my classroom library. Another great option is for students to borrow ebooks and/or audiobooks from the Sora app which the students can access on their Chromebooks. Thank you for any support and encouragement that you can provide your son/daughter in regard to having an independent reading book on hand, especially once he/she finishes reading a book.
Grades
Grades for Language Arts will consist of the following:
80% Summatives: projects, essays, tests and quizzes
20% Formative: homework and classwork
Assessments & Retakes
A student is allowed to retake a test, quiz or rewrite an essay, if he/she is unhappy with the grade. Follow these guidelines:
Meet with me so that you can review the areas that you need to improve when you redo the assignment.
Complete the assignment again within one week of the assignment being returned.
Submit both the original assignment and the new copy together.
Classroom expectations
Always try your best.
Come to class prepared with a positive attitude.
Be respectful and treat others the way you want to be treated.
Sit in your assigned seat.
Please contact me with any questions, comments or concerns that you may have. I am looking forward to a very productive learning experience with your child.
Sincerely,
Ms. Erin Elwood
679-5632 ext. 90