Welcome to 7th Grade Language Arts
We are a THINKING classroom
This year will be a rewarding experience for all of us as we continue to journey through our Language Arts and Literacy curriculum. The Standards are set high, but our students can and will meet them. In doing so they will not only increase their skills, knowledge, writing, and analytic abilities, but they will also experience the intrinsic satisfaction that comes with every hard-earned achievement.
Students will be analyzing, evaluating, and responding critically to many types of text, both fictional and informational. There will be a significant amount of reading and writing, along with the analysis, deductive and inductive reasoning, and problem-solving inherent in the material. To allow for more discussion, activities, and skill building, many of the reading assignments will be continued at home. The students will be working individually and in cooperative groups. The students will also have frequent opportunities in writing for pleasure, exploration, purpose and creativity, and mastering multiple critical reading and thinking skills.
Teaching ourselves and others for UNDERSTANDING
There will be a heavy emphasis on writing. The written word is a fundamental and increasingly utilized form of communication. It is essential for the students to be able express themselves through writing and its various styles. To enhance writing skills, I will conference individually with each student as they compose various essays, vignettes, and responses. Additionally, they will have ample opportunities to explore their interests and expand their minds as they discover new insights, craft their own words, and find their written voice.
Responsibilities are few, but significant. In addition to appropriate behavior, the students must also:
Complete all reading and writing assignments as scheduled.
Hand in all homework and long-term assignments on time.
Meet the specific criteria for each assignment.
Bring Chromebook everyday
I expect this to be a year filled with much learning, frequent humor, improved reading, writing, thinking, and communication skills, and a dedication to the students' ever-expanding thirst for knowledge and intellectual accomplishments. Ultimately, it is my goal that along with the students mastering the required Standards, I aim to infuse a love of learning, an appreciation for the written word, and instill the qualities that create engaged, life-long learners.
Terry Yanoff Co-cluster Leader