Journals
This is the same as Writer's Notebook, but I just call them journals. We just do them on regular binder paper so I can read them without having to take home notebooks. They will have a file in their class portfolio to store them. They are also welcome to type them and send them to me.
They are given twice a week, generally on Mondays and Wednesdays and due no later Fridays. I'd prefer if they give them to me as soon as they are done so I have time to read them. It's up to them to adjust when they want to do them according to their schedule. I've given them some leeway, so it should not be difficult. This will always be homework. If they are behind on journals, they will be making calls home until made up.
They can also make up missing journals at any time. The ONLY thing they are graded on is writing the correct number of words. So, even if they don't write about the correct topic, it's OK (though the purpose is to learn to do that and they SHOULD be trying.)
The ONLY rules for journal writing is AT LEAST 20 minutes of writing NONSTOP. The first quarter I expect a minimum of 250 words, about one page. Each quarter it will go up 50 words and 1/2 page. If they do this as directed, they will easily be able to get much more written.
As the year goes on, I should stop seeing them trying to "fill" a page by making a really big heading, large margins, big writing, or really big spaces between paragraphs. (Yes, I'm aware and make comments as such according to their ability.) They should not stop at a page or number, but keep writing the 20 minutes.
Also, if they're not doing the requirements in 20 minutes, they need to keep writing until it's correct.
The reasoning behind this is to teach them to write and not worry about having it perfect. This is a problem with a lot of kids who get "stuck" in writing and won't put anything down until it's perfect. This forces them over that until they can learn to just start writing. It teaches them they actually DO have something to write if they just sit down and do it. It also strengthens their hand and increases the speed of their writing. Students will note how much faster they can get things down very quickly if they do as I direct.
If they are really stuck, or you notice them not keeping the pen moving, they need to write ANYTHING. The can write, "I don't know what to write. I don't know what to write." You'd be surprised how quickly they will figure out something to write if they just keep moving the pen. If they need to do that, that's fine.
PLEASE write in pen. I read every one so I can assess and make comments so they know I am reading. Pen is MUCH easier for me to read, and since being perfect is not encouraged here, mistakes are just fine.
Everyone is working on different skills. Hopefully, as their skills increase, it becomes easier and easier to fill the page, and they are not only doing that, but writing better. As they year goes on, I start trying to get them to focus more and more on writing in paragraphs by topic, using suggestions from WAGS in their writing, improving their voice, experimenting with different styles of writing, etc.
So, this should be an easy A+ grade. I will keep a chart in class of what they have done. If they haven't written enough or long enough, I will hand it back to them unstamped, and they should do more and hand it in again. If they did enough, they get a stamp with a number on it, showing how many journals I have on record.
Independent Reading/SSR (silent sustained reading)
Every child in this school should be reading a MINIMUM of twenty minutes a day. Every 7th grader in this school should read a minimum of 600 pages a quarter. This should be read as a MINIMUM, meaning the very least of what any student should do. Successful students and readers always do much more. Struggling students need to do more to help catch up on skills.
I require that 300 pages of COMPLETED book or books be turned in before the Monday of deficiency. So the LAST day to turn in the reading is that day, which means it really should be done MUCH sooner. (ANY student can read a 300 page book over a weekend, so the four or five weeks they have is a LOT of time. )
If a students waits until the last day to do something and forgets or does it incorrectly, they have trapped themselves. They SHOULD NOT wait to turn in books. This is a constant problem of students who try to catch up at the last minute and can't get it done.
They must turn in a completed book with either the summary sheets for each chapter, or the book review sheet done correctly with the book and talk to me for a few minutes. It's really very simple. They can do it in class when they are working independently, before school, after, break, etc.
If they are reading on Kindle, they need to bring it in so I can see the book on Kindle.
It's one of the easiest grades, and the number one reason for failing students.
They need to pick a book of an appropriate level and length for them so they feel they can finish it easily well before the due date. I have plenty of books they can borrow in class, and the library is full of them.
These should be turned in AS SOON as they finish the book, either before, during, or after class. DO NOT wait until the last day to turn them in.
WAGS (Writing and Grammar Skills)
This is the grammar program that I wrote that we do first thing in class every day of the year. I designed it to be easy, laddering skills on each other as we go along, and sometimes fun. In the fifteen years I've been using this, it has been an overwhelming success with all levels of students. All of them improve their writing and understanding through this.
They should have a WAGS section in their binder. Their WAGS stays in there and never comes out. A small notebook works well for this. Each week should be titled, such as "Nouns, Sentences, Similes, " etc. They are five days each week, and should be titled "Day One, Day Two," etc. Most kids have this down really well.
All I do for the grade is to check what they have on Friday and see that they did ALL of it. If they did, they get a stamp at the end of the week on their paper. They MUST do all if it. If they don't finish something for some reason, they can finish it at home. If they missed something, they can copy from someone. If they are absent on Friday, they just need to get it copied and come to me to get it stamped.
If they did not do one little part, they will not get the stamp for the week. There should be no reason why anyone would not get a stamp for the week. I will not count the stamps until the end of the quarter, and if they have them all, it is yet another easy "A+" grade.
The biggest problem with this is losing the papers. Organization is the key. If they keep it in their binder and never take it out, they should not lose it. Some students keep this in a thin notebook in their WAGS section to make double sure they don't lose it.
We will have a small quiz each week on EXACTLY what we did in WAGS. They may stumble on these quizzes initially, but pretty quickly should be able to do consistently well.