Welcome to 7th Grade
 English Class with Ms. Van Fleet





Reading,  Writing,  Speaking,  Listening
Our goals are to develop thinking and decision-making skills, and to clearly communicate thoughts orally and in writing.  My approach is to foster a love of reading and communicating as an exciting, interesting and integral part of growing up. Most importantly, I strive to make learning relevant to students’ lives –- both today and throughout their future.



Week of Nov. 2-6

State reading standards to be addressed this week:
-  Determine the meaning of figurative language, including similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms in prose and poetry.
-  Generate clarifying questions in order to comprehend text.
-  Analyze plot development (e.g., conflict, subplots, parallel episodes) to determine how conflicts are resolved.
-  Recognize multiple themes in works of prose, poetry, and drama.

State language arts standards to be addressed this week:
-  Apply and practice the six writing traits for expository writing.  This week we focus on organization of persuasive writing.


Mon., Nov. 2:
Recall:  Summarize ch. 10 and 11 of Dragonwings.
Lesson:  Distinguish homophones: Identifying parts of speech for spelling words.
Activities:  Reading groups discuss conflicts and theme of our novel.
Read final chapter 12 and Afterword.
Complete blue vocabulary sheet.
Work on Dragonwings final project.
Optional Homework:  Extra credit make-up for last week's spelling/vocab quiz.
Tues., Nov. 3:
Periods 1, 4 and 7 will be held in the computer lab.
Activities:  DEAR Time
Assign roles, read Acts 1 and 2 of teleplay, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

Final reminder:  Dragonwings projects for p. 1/2 and 4/6 are due tomorrow and worth 40 points.  Period 7/8 projects are due on Friday.
Because this assignment was made more than  weeks ago, and we have spent significant classtime and computer lab time on this project, I will not accept late assignments.

Weds., Oct. 4:
Lesson: Take Cornell notes on elements of drama.
Assessment:  10 words from Spelling List I, plus Dragonwings matching quiz.
Activities:  Finish reading teleplay, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.
View video of classic and updated Twilight Zone episodes of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.
Homework:  Make Double Bubble Map to compare the two versions.

Thurs., Nov. 5:
Lesson:  Intro to persuasive writing.  Take notes on types of persuasive techniques.
Activities: Practice persuasive techniques by writing/presenting 30-second radio ads.
Read The Eternal Frontier, pages 463-466, as an example of a persuasive essay.
Assignment:  Make a Tree Map of reasons why you agree and disagree with the authorís opinion (at least three per side).  This becomes homework if not completed in class.

Fri., Nov. 6:
Activities:  Philosophical Chairs discussion on the U.S. Space Program. (per yesterday's Thinking Map)
Play Dragonwings Jeopardy! to close out our novel.

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Choices for final Dragonwings project -- due on Nov. 4 (Nov. 6 for p. 7/8) and worth 40 points.
-  invention of the airplane
-  San Francisco earthquake of 1906
-  Contributions of Chinese-Americans to the United States


*  Important information about Study Island
Study Island web-based lessons are available for 7th grade reading and writing subjects.  We have limited class time available in the computer lab, but your student also may use this learning tool from any computer at any time.  All you need is a computer with an Internet connection. Students simply logon to www.studyisland.com with their assigned i.d., and they will access their own file at the level they last completed.

I require that students first read the lesson on each topic, then answer 10 questions in test mode.î Once they earn a ribbon (either blue or white), they may choose from a dozen game modes for that topic.

Study Island enables students to interact with thousands of questions, then automatically and instantly corrects, grades and records all student work. I also have access to detailed real-time progress reports for individual students as well as each class as a whole.  Study Island topics cover and directly align with all of the standards that are tested through Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards.

I have chosen and calendarized the appropriate reading and writing topics for my English classes.  Students earn 10 points for each Study Island ribbon in assigned topics according to this schedule:

First Semester:

Reading (Pretest must be completed before accessing topics.)
Part 2.  Reading Process (Strand 1)
a.  Root Words and Affixes
c.  Multiple Meaning Words
d.  Determining Figurative Language
Part 3.  Comprehending Literary Text (Strand 2)
a.  Analyzing Plot
c.  Describing Characters
h.  Identifying Genres
Part 4. Comprehending Informational Text (Strand 3)
c.  Distinguishing Fact and Opinion
k.  Understanding Persuasive Text

Writing
Part 2.  Writing Components (Strand 2)
h.  Parts of Speech

Part 3.  Writing Applications (Strand 3)
b.  Letters
c.  Persuasive Argument
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General Information about
 7th Grade English with Ms. Van Fleet


Formatting Guidelines for Writing Assignments

If typing:
Grades are assessed through a variety of methods.  

English grades comprise both Reading and Language Arts subjects.  Graded assignments may include:
        -  comprehension and analysis of various reading genres
        -  participation in reading circles, pair-share and group activities
        -  vocabulary skills
        -  research, summarization and note-taking from written materials
        -  a choice of final reading projects when we conclude a class novel
        -  writing assignments, including essays, stories, letters, poems and reports
        -  weekly spelling and grammar quizzes

Note:  A student who fails an English test has an opportunity to make up points by correcting mistakes on the test or completing a worksheet that reinforces the skills assessed in the test.

In addition, students may earn up to 100 points each grading period for keeping a neat, complete English notebook.  This should be a separate spiral notebook used daily for:
        -  warm-up work at the beginning of the period
        -  note-taking during class lessons and research projects
        -  vocabulary and spelling lists
        -  pre-writing and rough drafts of writing assignments
In addition to being part of students’ grades, English notebooks often may be used for open-book tests.


Homework is assigned two or three times each week, and is weighted in students’ quarterly grades.  They usually don’t have homework on weekends, but may have make-up work.

Late homework is not accepted, except in cases of excused absences.  Students have one extra day per each day of absence to submit missed homework.  Students should pick up assignments from the drawer marked “Make-Up Work” when they return to class.

Daily assignments are posted on the board in the classroom.  Students are responsible for recording homework, class assignments and test dates in their planner.  In addition, assignments are updated on my Home Page each Monday.


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Webmaster:  Barbara Van Fleet, 7th grade English

Last Updated: Oct. 26, 2009