WELCOME TO SEVENTH GRADE

ENGLISH

http://www.norwellschools.org/norwellschools/site/default.asp

CONTACT INFORMATION• EMAIL: julie.needle@norwellschools.org• SCHOOL WEBSITE:

www.norwellschools.org• Find teacher pages and click. The team

websites are there under team pages. • AR WEBSITE:

www.hosted147/renlearn.com/8473• You can check AR titles, student quiz

scores, and print quiz grade reports here.• AR BOOK FINDER:

www.arbookfind.comYou can read summaries, search by genre, and choose your novels here.

• ROOM: 216• PHONE: 781-659-8814 ext. 4216• LATE NIGHT: WEDNESDAY• BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME: EMAIL

Additional Information

• An AR letter went home today explaining the procedures for outside reading. Please read this and email any further questions.

• This presentation can be downloaded and printed from your home computer through the school’s website on my webpage.

x2

• This year I am going to open my x2 grades.• It is important that you read my grading policy so

you understand and are aware of my system. Most of you have signed this policy already.

• I have 100 students so items will not be posted right away. I will post about every 2 weeks.

• If you have questions on a grade, speak with your student first, then contact the teacher.

GRADESStudents will be graded on homework (20%), classwork, participation, and cooperation(10%), Independent Reading quizzes (5%), grammar (20%), vocabulary (10%), literature/reading comprehension (10%), projects (15%), writing (20%). These will be averaged together for a final grade. Students may ask about missing or low work at any time. There are occasional opportunities for extra credit.

HOMEWORKI assign homework Monday-Thursday, I try not to assign homework on weekends. I view the weekend as a chance for students to catch up on Accelerated Reader novels, work on long term projects and writing assignments, and to make up any missing work. The students are expected to bring their agendas everyday. I spend 5-7 minutes explaining homework and allowing students time to copy homework into the agenda. Students may use the homework board, the running agenda I keep on my shelf, and the homework webpage. Many of this year’s activities can be printed directly from the website if needed. Homework is expected to be done efficiently, neatly, and to the best of the student’s ability. When absent, students may use the LOG FOLDERS to check missing work. The students ask questions of the log keeper first, then the teacher if clarification is needed.

I will keep a YOU OWE ME WALL for the month September, starting October 1, 2011 I will use homework slip EMAILS (a one day grace period), and starting after Thanksgiving (November 28, 2011), students must have their homework the day it is due or it can be turned in one day late for some credit. After one day late all homework will be a zero. Exceptions can be made if there is a family situation or other issue preventing a student from completing an assignment. Please make aware of any issues via EMAIL.

MCAS• MCAS will be scheduled between March 20th and April

2, 2012.• Tests include Long Composition (March 20, 2012) where

students will write a five paragraph essay on a given prompt.

• Tests also include Language and Literature taken over three days. Students will read short selections and answer multiple choice questions and short answer questions.

• We will work on these skills throughout the year.• Check www.doe.mass.edu for examples to practice.

Curriculum

READINGShort Stories:• “Miss Awful” Arthur Cavanaugh• “After Twenty Years” O. Henry

“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” Rudyard Kipling

MORE CURRICULUM• Plays:

• “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” Mark Twain• “The Monkey’s Paw” W.W. Jacobs• “The Necklace” Guy de Maupassant• “The Tell-Tale Heart” Edgar Allan Poe• “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” Washington Irving

• Novels:• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain• The Contender

Robert Lipsyte

• Poetry:• Various selections and creative writing

WRITING GRAMMAR VOCABULARYVOCABULARY:Assigned on Mondays, practiced

throughout the week, quizzes online on Fridays

Practice games are linked to teacher pages on the school website.

WRITING:This year’s main focus. Writing on the

computer using word processing is best for assignments. Always use 12 font, times new roman, double spacing. Our main focus will be five paragraph essays based on MCAS writing prompts.

GRAMMAR:The main focus this year is learning

the usage of all parts of speech. Other topics will be taken the frameworks and includes the study of mechanics, usage, and sentence structure.

FUN FACTS• Every term there will be a “MCASH” raffle. Students will earn raffle

tickets by doing their homework and receiving stamps for the assignments. I will draw between 5 and 10 raffle tickets each term and small increment giftcard prizes will be awarded at lunch.

• If you would like to donate to the raffle, please let me know.

• Chi Chi and Charlie are my chihuahuas and the mascots of the classroom. Each day, as a classroom opener “the dogs” ask the students to perform a task. It is a fun and creative way to get class started and make students’ transition from class to class a smooth and stress free experience.