Class syllabuses 

If your child has me for math, we use the ConnectEd Math book for PreAlgebra. We do the chapters consecutively through the year. 

All assignments will be found on the Google Classroom for each semester. Students who lose a hand-out or miss a class for any reason  are expected to print the assignments off and complete them in a timely manner. All information is on Google Classroom and it is the student's job to keep track of his/her work.  

By October, I follow the district late work policy: one day late, 90 percent max; two days late 70 percent max, three or more days late, 0 percent. Students have as many days to turn in work as they were absent. So if you missed three days, you have three days upon return to school to turn in the work. For planned absences, work is due upon your return. 

I.                 First semester – nonfiction

A.    Informational text

1.      Elements of nonfiction

2.      News site critique

3.      Writing like a reporter

4.      Class newspaper on Kennecott

B.     Propaganda unit

1.      Types of propaganda and their purpose

2.      Slogans and speeches 

3.    Election propaganda and local candidates

4.      Student choice book, book presentations and project.

5.      Reading groups and presentation techniques 

C.     Argument and debate unit 

1.      Overview and debate techniques

2.      Flowing an argument, or note taking

3.      Practice public speaking

4.      Analyzing and comparing information

5.      POIs - taking and giving

6.     Competition and class debates

II.               Second semester – fiction (subject to order adjustment)

 A.    Short stories 

1.      Middle school anthology – student and teacher choice

2.      Identifying tone, voice, atmosphere, etc., or elements in fiction

2a. Gothic radio hour audio project - adaptation from page to script; creating a radio play via podcast.

B. The Tempest

1. The language and history of Shakespeare

2. Class production, responses and movie 

D. Class books: Two Old Women/Call of the Wild and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

1. Two Old Women/Call of the Wild plot chart showing positive character arc. 

2. Creative writing – elements of plot, character arc via dialogue in script project

3. Dr. Jekyll plot analysis and negative character arc.

3. Class quote sheet/graphic novel representation of Jekyll & Hyde

  E. Poetry

1.      Types and technique of narrative poetry 

2.      Core knowledge selection

3.      Poetry writing and analysis

E.     Dystopian unit

1. Student-choice books

2. Literature circles

3.  World building and elements of dystopia 

4. Book trailer 

Seventh grade social studies covers a HUGE amount of history in a short amount of time. We start in the golden age of invention and industrialization about twenty years after the Civil War, and end with World War Two. 

Our resource is Discovery Education's Social Studies Techbook, an online textbook with multimedia apps and links to primary source interviews, videos, interactive maps, role playing assignments and document searches.  Your student will have his/her own login and access to the Techbook from any mobile device or computer.

Our year will look like this:

First semester

I. America becomes a world power

   A.Inventions/inventors of the Industrial Revolution and impact

   B. The Spanish-American War

        Cuban war for independence

        Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

        Spain sells the U.S. Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philipines

   C.  Complications of  industrialization: wealth gap, unionization vs. owners, immigration and racism

   D. Building the Panama Canal 

II. Russian Revolution

   A. History - Tensions between classes, Revolution of 1905, the last czar, WWI impact, Revolutions of 1917 (March & October), Civil War, Beginning of Communism

III. World War I, 1914-1918

  A. History - The British Empire, imperialism and rivalries in Africa, Allies vs. Central Powers, Western/Eastern front, German nationalism, Treaty of Versailles, 

B. Key battles, shifting of poetry & art, Tuskegee airmen and women in the workforce

C. Read and respond to WW1 graphic novel: Treaties, Trenches, Mud & Blood.

 B. World Geography - WW1 Europe map

Second semester

IV. Roaring 20s

 A. History: isolationism, the "lost generation", Women's rights podcast project and the 19th amendment, Prohibition, Scopes trial, industrialization, the Harlem Renaissance. 

V. The Great Depression

 A. History: Wall Street crash, mass unemployment, the Dust Bowl and states involved, FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, New Deal programs.  

VI. World War II

  A. History - Japan, Hitler's rise to power, Allies & Axis powers, Russia's response, FDR, Churchill and Stalin

  B. America's involvement - Pearl Harbor, initial response, Japanese internment, Manhattan Project

  C. The Holocaust 

  D. European and Pacific Theater battles

  E. Surrenders - the Bomb 

  F. Creation of United Nations, Nuremberg war crimes trials (if time)