Sucess Express Team
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.
Lessons & Assignments
Formatting Guidelines
Homework
Grades
AVID
Study Island
Contact me
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Lessons & Assignments for Week of Dec. 1-5
State reading standards to be addressed this week:
- Determine the meaning of vocabulary using linguistic roots and affixes.
- Describe the historical and cultural aspects found in works of literature.
State language arts standards to be addressed this week:
- Write a response to literature that presents several clear ideas and relates your own ideas to supporting details in a clear and logical manner.
- Use literal and figurative language where appropriate to purpose.
- Use effective and natural dialogue when appropriate.
Mon., Dec. 1
Pre-reading activity: Create Grab Bag stories with pictures and words from Out of the Dust.
Introduce English words with Greek origins. Add to list of clues.
Evaluate selection from Six Way Paragraphs.
Tues., Dec. 2:
Lesson on elements of poetry; compare with elements of fiction.
Distribute vocabulary check-off list for new novel.
Extra credit: Rewrite the lyrics of a favorite song.
Weds., Dec. 3:
Lesson on metacognitive listening/reading; pair share for index card activity.
Review figurative language; identify in poems from our textbook.
Make a Double Bubble Map to compare the two poems by Robert Frost
Read song lyrics as poetry. (John Lennon, Billy Joel, student selections)
Thurs., Dec. 4:
Periods 3, 6 and 7 to the Computer Lab Internet research on the setting for our new novel: Out of the Dust.
Weekly spelling quiz, plus word origins test
Finish reading first chapter of Out of the Dust.
Fri., Dec. 5: (with guest teacher)
Review setting as an element of fiction.
Students present and self-score the Internet quiz from yesterday.
Listen to next chapter of our new novel.
Lesson and practice on writing haiku.
Reminder: All students are required to keep a reading log that shows a minimum of 90 minutes of independent reading each week. This may be in Dragonwings or a DEAR* book. I check student logs each Friday, and they are worth 10 points per week – a total of 90 points each grading period.
* Drop Everything and Read
General Information about
7th Grade English with Ms. Van Fleet
Double space (use dots as reminder to skip lines!)
Margins on both sides and at the bottom
Name and date in upper right corner
Title on top line
Pencil, blue or black ink only
If typing:
- Double space
- Flush left (except for centered title)
- Arial or Times New Roman font
- 12 or 14 point size
- Fancy type or larger font may be used only for title
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 genres
- participation in reading circles, pair-share activities and discussion groups
- 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, news articles, poems and reports
- contributions to class projects
- spelling and grammar tests
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.
Reading Logs make up another 90 points of a student's grade each quarter. Students are expected to record at least 90 minutes of independent reading weekly. This time includes DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) Time during class, as well as reading completed at home.
Parents may access their child’s current grades online. If you do not have a password to check your child's grade, you may e-mail or call our 7th grade counselor, Ms. Bragg.
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.
Weekly assignments are posted on a chart 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.
Students who fail to turn in three homework assignments during a grading period are assigned lunch detention in my room to make up their work. Late work will be eligible for half-credit.
Study Island web-based lessons are available for 7th grade reading and writing subjects. We have an introduction to Study Island and schedule monthly sessions in the computer lab. Meanwhile, your student also may use this exciting learning tool from any computer at any time. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection. Students simply logon with their assigned name and password (I wrote these on the inside cover of each student's English notebook) to access the program. Students will access their own file at the level they last completed.
Study Island enables students to interact with thousands of questions, then automatically and instantly grades and records all student work. In addition to allowing students to learn at their own pace, Study Island lets students choose their style of learning. They may choose between a standard test format and several interactive games for their study sessions. Don’t worry if it looks as if your student is playing computer games; she actually is learning English skills –- and having fun doing so!
Study Island topics cover and directly align with all of the Arizona Content Standards that are tested on the AIMS. Each topic contains a straightforward lesson and assessment questions, with detailed explanations that provide automated instruction. I will have chosen the appropriate reading and writing topics for each English class. I also have access to a private page to view detailed real-time progress reports for individual students as well as each class as a whole. Using these reports, I can identify deficiencies and better plan English lessons.
Please encourage your student to take advantage of the Study Island resource.
I have chosen and calendarized the appropriate reading and writing topics for my English classes. For the second quarter, 10 ribbons, totaling 100 points, are to be completed by Dec. 15. Students who complete these topics as well as the six assigned in the first quarter will attend a movie party on Dec. 19 as a reward.
Reading
Part 2. Reading Process (Strand 1)
a. Using Root Words and Affixes
b. Using Context
d. Determining Figurative Language
j. Cause and Effect
Part 4. Comprehending Informational Text (Strand 3)
a. Restating the Main Idea
c. Distinguishing Fact and Opinion
k. Understanding Persuasive Text
Writing
Part 2. Writing Components (Strand 2)
a. Relevant Details
b. Organize Writing
Part 3. Writing Applications (Strand 3)
b. Persuasive Argument
Disclaimer for hot links: When you leave Ms. Van Fleet's web page and the Paradise Valley School District server, PVUSD has no responsibility for the content beyond this point. The Internet is a highly volatile place and pages change suddenly and rapidly. Because we believe that everyone has the right to exercise personal freedoms, we make no attempt to control or even monitor another person's values or tastes. It is not unusual to find information or images that are objectionable. Proceed at your own risk.
Contact me
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Webmaster: Barbara Van Fleet, 7th grade English
Last Updated: Nov. 24, 2008