Mrs. Smith
English Language Arts
WELCOME TO MRS. SMITH'S WONDERFUL WORLD OF WORDS!
FILES & DOCUMENTS FOR CLASS
CLASS OVERVIEW/HIGHLIGHTS
MRS. SMITH: BACKGROUND



























ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WEIGHTED GRADING
Classwork: 15%
Homework: 10%
Tests/Quizzes: 35%
Essays/Projects: 40%
Total: 100%
CLASSROOM WISH LIST:
1) Reams of copy paper
2) Kleenex for classroom
3) Gift Cards from Lakeshore Learning Store in Pasadena www.lakeshorelearning.com
SLANT Song




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:
Students will complete modules from ERWC (Expository Reading & Writing Course). Each culminates with a writing project. 7th grade example:
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!
4) Short Story Writing :
The most compelling student narratives will be displayed 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 textbooks are published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. HMH Website: https://my.hrw.com
HMH passwords and usernames same as reading inventory login used to take the RI exam, but need to add @monroviaschools.net to the end of the username: Example Username: jsmith5609@monroviaschools.net
Example Password: 111115609
11) Honors Genre Recap: Honors students read at least one novel from each of the following 4 genres and write a book report on each one (fiction, non-fiction, biography, autobiography) by the end of the 1st semester. Book Reports to include title, author and one-page summary with exposition, rising action, climax,falling action, and resolution. Each book must be at least 100 pages in length. Honors students will read at least one novel from these 4 genres in 2nd semester as well.
ALWAYS SUPPORT YOUR CLAIMS WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT!
Congratulations to our 2019 Spelling Bee winners! All three trophies went to 7th grade Cougar Scholars:
1st place: Jose Dawis
2nd place: Stella Smit
3rd place: Gabriel David
And, congratulations to Jose for placing 28th out of 140 spellers at the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee in Hollywood Saturday, March 9th!
Monrovia Unified School District Facebook page…https://www.facebook.com/MonroviaSchools/?epa=SEARCH_BOX
Once there, click on Videos in the left margin or...
Santa Fe Seventh Grade Published Poets
Mrs. Smith may be emailed at jsmith@monroviaschools.net
RI link:
https://h100002735.education.scholastic.com/
Extra Credit : Read any of these middle school novels by Monrovia author Judy Ryan and post a review on Amazon!


MRS. SMITH: PROFESSIONAL
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in English
Master's Degree in English
Single Subject Teaching Credential in English
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
Pre-AP certification from Advanced Placement Institute, Rice University
Honors:
2017 Hometown Hero-of-the-Year for Santa Fe (voted by students)
2012/2013 Teacher-of-the-Year Award for Santa Fe
2009 Distinguished School Award
2008 Volunteer-of-the-Year Award: Santa Fe Village Program
2006 Founder's Day Honorary PTA Service Award
Career Highlights:
English Teacher: Santa Fe (2002-present)!
Walt Disney Company (8 years)
May Company (9 years)
MRS. SMITH: PERSONAL
Favorites:
Favorite novel: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Favorite author: Henry David Thoreau
Favorite movies: The Ultimate Gift, Pay It Forward, The Secret Garden
Hobbies:
Working on my family reunions
Working in my garden
Pets: I love cats & dogs!
Birthday: Christmas Eve
Married: Yes! (June 1991)
And, still smiling...
MONDAY IS ALWAYS A VERY IMPORTANT DAY!
STUDENTS NEED TO BRING THE FOLLOWING TO CLASS EVERY MONDAY:
1) Journal: Turn in the Journal homework assigned the prior week
2) Reading Log: Turn in 20 minutes of daily reading from the prior week (initialed by parent)
3) Wordly Wise Test: Weekly vocabulary & spelling test (Use the daily Proof Reading Warm-Ups from the prior week &/or the Wordly Wise workbook as a study guide)
MONROVIA BOOK STORE:
Excellence in Education
2640-A7 S. Myrtle Ave.
Monrovia, CA 91016
Phone: (626) 821-0025
www.excellenceineducation.com
Excellence in Education gives my students a 20% discount. They carry my class novels and the Wordly Wise workbooks.
To read/listen to novels online for free:
https://stories.audible.com/start-listen