Welcome to another exciting year in Mrs. Smith’s English/Language Arts class! The syllabus includes:

1) Essay Projects:

Students will complete multiple essay projects this school year to develop and hone essential writing skills (as well as to prepare them for the Common Core writing exam/SBAC Performance Task). The five paragraph essay genres will encompass:

A) Persuasive/Argumentative

B) Explanatory/Expository/Informative/ Response to Literature

C) Compare and Contrast

2) ERWC:

For the fifth year in a row, students will complete modules from ERWC (Expository Reading & Writing Course). Each culminates with a writing project. 7th grade example:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=bmF0b21hc3VuaWZpZWQub3JnfG1ycy1zYW5jaGV6fGd4OjFjODJhZTJlMGYyOTM5ODk

3) Poetry Writing Contest:

Exceptional student poems will be submitted to the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans in hopes of being published! As in previous years, we are confident that some of our talented Santa Fe poets will be selected for publication!

www.anthologyofpoetry.com

4) Short Story Writing Contest:

The most compelling student narratives will be published in my classroom. We anticipate that our creative Santa Fe writers will blossom with their short stories covering the walls of my classroom once again this year! (Noted that in prior years many of our Santa Fe writers have been published in the Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans.)

5) Wordly Wise Workbook:

As in the past, students will improve their academic vocabulary through daily practice and weekly exams. Each day class begins with a Proof Reading Warm Up (PRWU) based on a specific Wordly Wise vocabulary word! These are included on high-stakes exams such as the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. www.wordlywise3000.com

6) Core Literature:

Students will continue to read core literature this year! Each unit will be based on an award-winning novel that includes annotation, literary analysis, and vocabulary/spelling chapter tests. Units will culminate with an expository essay project.

First semester:

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. This Newbery Medal* winning historical fiction is set in 1687 Connecticut.

Second semester:

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. This Newbery Medal* winning historical fiction is set in 1943 Copenhagen during the Nazi occupation.

7) Journal Homework:

Common Core state standards are meticulously incorporated into the curriculum to ensure mastery of all foundational concepts. Therefore, students complete a nightly journal entry with grammar, parts of speech, affixes, homophones and/or Language Arts definitions and vocabulary. The specific homework is posted on Mrs. Smith’s Google classroom calendar each day.

8) Nightly Reading:

Students read a novel at least twenty minutes each night in the presence of their parent/guardian who initial the Reading Log. Students may read core literature for class (checked out from the school library) or a parent-approved novel at students’ reading level (determined by RI exam). Mrs. Smith also has a library in her classroom. Upon completion of each novel, students write a book report (which includes title, author, main characters, and plot summary: rising action, climax, falling action, resolution).

9) Classroom Spelling Bee:

Students study the Scripps National Spelling Bee word list to prepare for the classroom spelling bee in December. The top 2 winners in each class will be rewarded with a complimentary (FREE) Spelling Bee t-shirt and will represent our class in the school-wide Spelling Bee in January (in the gym during lunch)! The winner represents our school in the Scripps National Spelling Bee (regional competition)!

10) Textbooks: The literature and grammar textbooks are published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.