Mr. Stone’s

 7th/8th Grade Advanced SEI Classes

Web Page

     The purpose of this web page is to provide a basic description of Mr. Stone’s SEI classes, as well as up to date information about class assignments, grading scale, and expectations.

    Each student is expected to give their best effort at all times and follow the school rule, which is posted in each classroom. “Everyone must respect the learning and safetry of others.” Students whose behavior violates this rule will be addressed through the ABC Discipline Program or through a conduct referral to Mr. Callahan, our asisstant principal.

    We wish to provide every opportunity for each child to be successful here at Vista Verde Middle School. Somethings parents could do that would be very beneficial to your child’s education and supportive of our efforts here at school include;

(1) Checking your child’s student planner each day for homework assignments as well as teacher correspondence.

(2) Structuring a set time and place for study, so your child can complete homework assignments,

    study for tests/quizzes and to spend time reading at home.

Course Description

These classes are designed to further develop each student’s English acquisition skills in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. through a variety of student centered activities.  

    Grading Information

90%  - 100% = A

80%  -   89% = B

70%  -  79%   = C

 60%  -   69%  = D

59% and below = F

Academic Help

Students may receive additonal academic help if needed by:

          1.  Requesting teacher assistance before school, during lunchtime, or after school.

                                                2.  Sign up for one or more of the before/after school academic clubs

                                               3.  Sign up for the Peer Tutoring Program

                                                      

                                             Assignments for the weeks of 11/09/09 to 11/20/09

              Seventh Grade:

          I.  Reading, Vocabulary, and Speaking - with Ms Crawford during periods 7 & 8

             

 II.   Writing -  Students will learn to create a Fantasy story of their own.

                         Developing Story Elements

                         Fantasy Story models

                         Story Map

                          Learning How to Show instead of tell.

                         First Draft

                         Peer Conferencing - Revision

                         Editing

                          Final Draft

                         Sequential Illustration of story

                         Students share their completed Fantasy story with class or small group.

                         Fantasy stories posted in room

                         

                          Writer's Notebook"  10-15 mins. daily       

                          

III.   Grammar - Multi-sensory Grammar - Introducing Pronouns, Linking Verbs, Adverbs and Conjunctions

                              

, Eighth Grade:

   I.  Reading - High Point Level C

                           Space Exploration by Carole Stott

                          Think About What You Know pg 98

                           Vocabulary - Practice Book pg 39

                            Character Traits - synonyms/antonyms

                            Reading Strategy: How to Skim and Take Notes

                           Preview and Predict - discuss Genre

                           Read story as whole class and discuss - popcorn

                           Students Reread story with partner or small group

                           Space Words and Phrases - T100

                           Key Points Reading - M25 - Space Exploration -  Sequencing Activity

                           Create Timeline of "Space Exploration"

                           THINK IT OVER pg 108

                           Test

                           

   II.  Speaking - pair/share discussions of AR books and High Point ,  oral practice of grammatical  

                         structures, class presentations

III.  Writing -  "Writer's Notebook" 10-15 mins. daily

                            Space Adventure Personal Narrative pg 109

                       

IV.  Grammar - Multi-sensory Grammar - Prepositions, Pronouns, Adverbs

                              High Point Grammar - Subject/Object Pronouns, Possessive Nouns and Pronouns,

                                                                      Active and Passive Verbs, Prepositional Phrases

                            

      Fast ForWord - Both 7th and 8th grade students will be attending Fast ForWord one period each day, which

                                   provides additional practice in phonics, reading and grammar.       

         

      Read to Class Time - Short stories and picture books to provide examples of various reading/writing genres                                                            

      Accelerated Reader - Students self select books at their independent reading level and take a matching  quiz   

                                               on the computer upon completion of the book. When pasing the quiz they are

                                              awarded points which are used towards reaching their quarterly reading goals.

        

      Character Traits - relating to story characters stengths and weaknesses       

      Study Island - A computer program focused on preparing students for testing on reading and writing skills.

                                    It will be used periodically as time allows.  

Ed Stone

ELL Dept. Chair

Vista Verde Middle

Last Update

11/6/09