Ms. Rice - ELA

Teacher Bio

Ms. Rice

7th Grade Language Arts

ashleigh.rice@acsgmail.net

ELA Canvas Course Link <-- Click here!

Hello! Welcome to 7th Grade Language Arts on the Pirates Team! I know these are weird and unpredictable times, but I am certain we are going to have an awesome year!

I am a native to the Asheville area. I attended Enka High School and UNCA where I majored in Mass Communication and 6-12 English Education. This will be my 7th year at AMS teaching 7th grade ELA. Outside of school I spend most of my time chasing my two-year-old daughter around and keeping her entertained. In my free time I enjoy reading, listening to music and podcasts, and arts and crafts.

Email is the best way to communicate with me at this time.

• If I receive an email within school hours I will respond to that email before 5:00.

• If I receive an email after 5:00, I will respond the following morning when I arrive to school.

Google Meet Link

https://meet.google.com/?hs=197&pli=1&authuser=2 <-- Click the link here to join a Google Meet.

To join a synchronous class session go to google meets and click on "join or start a meeting" then enter the code for the block you are about to attend. *these codes do not work if... you are not logged into your ACSgmail or if you try to join the session when the teacher is not in the video conference.*

Block 1: (8:45-9:25) Nickname: amsrice1

• Synchronous on Monday & Thursdays

• Office Hour on Tuesday & Fridays

Block 2: (10:45-11:25) Nickname: amsrice2

• Synchronous on Monday and Thursdays

• Office Hour on Tuesday and Fridays

Block 3: (12:10-12:50) Nickname: amsrice3

• Synchronous on Tuesdays and Fridays

• Office Hour on Monday and Thursdays

Block 4: (12:50-1:30) Nickname: amsrice4

• Synchronous on Tuesdays and Fridays

• Office Hour on Monday and Thursdays

Course Syllabus

Standards Based Grading: Student work this year will be assessed using standards-based grading. We will use this model of grading all year long.

A rubric will be provided for assignments and we will discuss the differences in these levels as they apply to the various assignments students will complete.

Attendance Policy for Virtual Learning:

In order to be counted “present” for each at home learning day you must complete a check-in google form that will be made available to you at 8:30 each day. The form will be due at 1 pm each day. If you complete your work or attend the daily meets for that day but forget to fill out the form you will also be counted present. If you decide not to participate or are unable to participate your parent or guardian will receive a direct message or phone call from your teachers for each class on the day you were unable to attend. If you are able to finish your work or complete the work assigned to you within 5 days. you will be marked present for that day.

What is Inquiry Based Learning?

This year we will be asking lots of questions but we will be guided by one:

How can we (meaning YOU) affect change in the world?

Inquiry-Based Learning is all about you and what you are curious about. It's not about me, your teacher, telling you what is important or what you should take notes on. It's kind of like being an investigator (CSI-style) where you have a starting question and a project to complete at the end but have to figure out what you need to know to do the job and find the answers in the middle.

I hope you're excited about this idea. I know I am! But don't worry if you're freaked out by it either. This is a journey we will take together. We will pull our ideas, brainstorm to solve problems, support and encourage one another, and value each unique voice and skill. We ALL bring something special to "the table."

Our objective is to be able to successfully present our ideas to our community because your voices matter!

Description:

Each quarter will begin with a new inquiry question to spark curiosity. As a class, you will use this question to create essential questions that are meaningful to YOU that we will use to guide our search for answers. As we search, we learn.

The first inquiry question we will use to help us navigate through all of the information at our fingertips and figure out where to find answers and what affects our thinking and understanding as we search for them. We will also learn the inquiry process through this unit and finish by completing an authentic project that will be used in 5th-grade classrooms in ACS!

Within every unit, we will be:

• reading literature, poetry, informational texts, biography/autobiography

• analyzing the structures, the parts, and the types of language used in each genre of reading

• polishing our writing skills, learning new writing techniques, use pre-writing, and reflective writing to help organize our thinking and practice peer editing

• learning new vocabulary (and use it!) and the importance of connotation/denotation of words and figurative language

• most importantly, we will be practicing how to have civil discussions and think critically!

My goal for the year is that you all grow to become citizens who question and think critically about the world around them. You all have a very powerful voice and I hope to provide you with authentic learning experiences that puts your voice into our community. I have high expectations for you, but know that I will not let you fail. There is growth in the struggle. When this pandemic ends, we will be even stronger and more resilient than we ever were before.

I am here for you!

Cougar Pride!

First Two Weeks Assignment

All assignments will be posted and completed through Canvas. Click on the link below to access our Canvas.

https://acs.instructure.com/courses/22150

August 17-21 Assignments:

• "All About Me eBook"

• Letter to Ms. Rice

• Parent Assignment: Letter to Ms. Rice

August 24-28 Assignments:

• "Where I'm From" Poem & Flipgrid