7th grade ELA updates lesson plans weekly. While we are all headed in the same direction, specific class or student needs drive the specific pace for each teacher or class.
7th Grade Bell Schedule
Advisory 8:30-8:40
2nd Period 8:43-9:38
3rd Period 9:41-10:38
LUNCH A 10:40-11:05
LUNCH B 11:05-11:30
4th Period (RA) 11:37-12:24
5th Period (RA) 12:28-1:14
6th Period 1:18-2:14
7th Period 2:19-3:15
2025-26 Syllabus
Beck Vision Statement
Our vision is to inspire, educate, and lead all learners in a creative environment that focuses on the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and cultural development of each individual student.
Instructor: Bronwyn Grant
Room: 711
Planning Times: 4th period (11:7-12:24) and 5th period (12:28--1:14)
Available Conference Times: Email teacher for specific times
E-Mail: brgrant@greenville.k12.sc.us
School Telephone: 864-355-3096
Course Title: Studies: English/Language Arts
Textbook: HMH Collections/Grade 7
Course Description (Focus and Purpose):
English Language Arts 7 is a rigorous core course aimed at teaching students skills in reading, writing, research, vocabulary, word analysis and communication. We use a balanced approach to teach writing through our reading analysis. Under the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards (SCCCR), all units are integrated to include: short stories, poetry, drama, music/ media, art, reading, writing, grammar/vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. This year, our students will participate in independent reading studies, writer’s workshops, and literature circles to learn strategies to become more fluent readers and communicators.
Learning Levels:
In grade seven, students integrate and apply their knowledge and skills of literature and language arts. Studies classes concentrate on the fundamentals of reading and writing and involve more in-depth research and advanced reading coursework than in sixth grade. Differentiation is made for the individual student based on quarterly benchmark tests, Lexile levels, and SC Ready results.
Goals:
It is our mission to create independent thinkers. They must question, infer, predict and relate their learning to their personal lives and to the larger world. Students become more responsible for their assignments and more accountable for their work product. It is our goal to nurture and encourage students to explore and inquire as we prepare them to be college and career ready. It is also our goal to encourage our students to become readers and writers.
At the completion of 7th grade, students will have succeeded if they:
Improve the use of their vocabulary and learn new vocabulary
Understand context (connotation ,denotation, historical, etc )
Identify structures of literature/genres
Understand how an author’s style (craft) elicits emotion from the reader, how character and plot development are used to support a central conflict, how visual images are created through language (tone) and how the main idea grows into a universal theme.
Extend grammar knowledge and use correctly
Apply organization, appropriate transitions and depth of detail to writing
Become engaged readers
Support their position statements in writing through the structure of Says, Means, Matters
Define “purpose” and the support structure for all types of writing: persuasive, expository, essay, research, poetry, narrative
Course Outline/Instructional Focuses for the Year: Studies
Each nine week period this year, we will be engaging in the four (4) areas of study below:
Focus
Literary Study: Narrative
Anchor Text: Various short stories and HMH Collections Textbook
Writing Focus: ELA.7.AOR.1.1 Analyze how lines of dialogue, specific events, or descriptive details develop the plot, reveal aspects of the characters, and/or create meaning.
Focus
Informational Text: Research
Anchor Text: HMH Textbook and various collaborative texts.
Writing Focus: Informational Writing/Presentations
Focus
Informational Text: Argumentative / Persuasive and Argumentative Writing
Anchor Text: Various articles and texts and HMH Textbook
Writing Focus: Argument Writing
Focus
Literary Study: Poetry
Anchor Text: Various Poems and HMH Textbook
Writing Focus: Literary Text Analysis; Poetry
Teaching Methods and Strategies:
We integrate learning in the following ways: Our grammar exercises teach the necessary skills to improve each student’s ability to communicate well in writing and in speaking. Our stories and novels are used to teach and reinforce classroom learning. Our poetry is used to teach and reinforce figurative language terms. An appreciation of poetry as a means of personal expression is critical to the student’s growth in writing. Writing and research is used to give each student a voice and to aptly express the voices of others. Higher order thinking skills are infused throughout the year to assess learning and allow for reflection and evaluation.
We use a variety of activities to build and extend skills. We address the need of our visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners to maximize learning and build retention. Our instruction is designed based on state standards and our district’s curriculum guide.
Assessments and Grading:
PROCEDURES for RECORDING STUDENT PROGRESS: Students are assessed using daily class work, homework, tests, projects, and quizzes. Projects and writing assignments are graded with rubrics which are distributed at the beginning of each major assessment project and/or paper. District benchmark tests are given quarterly to provide data in the areas of reading and writing. Scores help us to plan for re-teaching in areas that lack student mastery. The Beck Academy ELA Grading Policy is listed below.
100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
59-0 F
Grading policy for ELA-7 Studies:
Major Assessments: tests, formal writing, projects 50%
Minor Assessments: quizzes, classwork, homework(only things not completed in class) 50%
1st Quarter late work end date- 10/11/23
2nd Quarter late work end date- 12/20/24
3rd Quarter late work end date- 3/13/24
4th Quarter late work end date- 5/23/24
Homework Policy:
Each student is expected to complete unfinished classwork as homework that is assigned to them by their teachers.
Absences:
When a student is absent, it is best to check by the teacher’s Google Classroom to see missed assignments. It is the student's responsibility to ask for and pick up all missing work in addition to asking for help and completing the assignments by their due date (5 days from return to school). (In Ms. Grant’s class work that is more than 10 days late cannot receive full credit and can earn no higher than a 90 instead of the highest being a 100.
Makeup Work/Absence Policy:
Students must make up missed work within 5 days of returning to school. Students are responsible for making arrangements with teachers to make up work. Teachers should be contacted before or immediately after the excused absence. Students must complete and turn in the work on time to receive full credit. Parents may also request assignments through Guidance for an extended absence.
Beck Academy Student Handbook 2018-2019, pg 9
Turning In Late Assignments:
Online assignments - You MUST email Ms.Grant at brgrant@greenvilleschools.us and tell me the name of the assignment that you have completed. If you do not email, I have no way of knowing you have submitted a late job.
Classroom Expectations and Procedures:
Students are expected to be respectful of others and to be reasonable young adults at all times. There are several required expectations:
Students must wear an ID badge.
Students must abide by the dress code.
SCHOOL-WIDE DISCIPLINE PLAN 5 Step Plan
Beck Academy’s 5-Step Discipline Plan
Step 1
Warning to student
Step 2
Parent contact
Step 3
Detention with parent contact
Step 4
Detention with parent contact
Step 5
Referral
Additional student behavior guidelines may be found in the student handbook.
Beck Academy Student Handbook 2018-2019, pg. 5
Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines:
Students are expected to be on time and to have all assignments and materials needed for the class. Attendance is taken at the beginning of the class period. As students enter the room, they should get their materials needed for the day, sharpen their pencils, be seated, and begin completing the assigned bell work. Roll is taken at the beginning of the day and tardies are noted.
Honor Code Policy and Plagiarism:
I adhere to our school honor code and plagiarism policy.
Cheating or the copying of work belonging to another person is a violation of school rules as well as personal ethics. Both the lender and borrower will receive zeros on the work, and parents will be notified.
Plagiarism is cheating. Examples of plagiarism include:
Copying and pasting from the Internet or copying directly from books or magazines without properly citing the source.
Copying another student’s work, turning in another student’s work, or having another student do the work.
Buying papers on the Internet
Beck Academy Student Handbook 2018-2019, pg. 2
Parent Communication:
Parents, teachers, and students work together to promote learning. It is important to me to communicate with you on a regular basis concerning your child’s progress in learning required concepts and standards. Please feel free to call me at any time. Calls during the instructional day are directed directly to my voicemail. I will always respond within 24 hours. You can also reach me by email. Specific numbers and addresses are listed in the contact section of my syllabus.
I am always available for a conference. You can set up an appointment by calling me: 864.355.3096 or
emailing me: brgrant@greenville.k12.sc.us
You will be able to view PowerSchool daily to view your child’s grades. I most often put in grades over the weekend. You will also receive district interim progress reports and quarterly report cards about your child’s grades. Reading and writing are fundamental skills and concepts that promote success in education and self-actualization toward becoming a life-long learner and reader.