Inroduction

Class Information and Expectations:

      Welcome to 7th grade ELA!  The purpose of my class is to expand students' reading, writing, speaking, listening and research skills, as well as strengthen critical thinking skills. Grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary will be taught as essential elements of writing. 

     One of the top priorities for my class  is for students to improve their ability to express themselves in both their written and oral work, and to earnestly think about the stories they read, and in turn, about their own lives and the meaning in both.   Class participation and group work are central to the success of our class. Writing assignments are designed to teach the rudiments of essay construction. The focus on the formal essay format benefits students in their daily writing process; it also helps in their preparation for life after high school.  

     Students read a wide variety of literature including essays, short stories, nonfiction articles, memoirs, poetry, and novels. These are used for the development of reading strategies, literary interpretation, and appreciation, as well as the models for good writing. We also complete work in websites like commonlit.com, noredink.com, edpuzzle.com, and quizziz.com. These sites are used as extra practice in answering TNReady questions, grammar, and weekly review.   

      Please be sure your child reads every night for at least 20 minutes.  We will visit the library every three weeks, and it is REQUIRED that students read the books they choose to check out.  Silent sustained reading on a daily basis greatly increases a child's brainpower.