7 th Grade English

1. 7th Grade English Mrs. Jessica Powell

2. Quick Notes Classroom Rules: PRIDE Grading Grading Deadlines Show Perseverance (ask pertinent questions, be willing to make mistakes) Be Responsible (come prepared, turn in assignments on time) Have Integrity (do what’s right; respect yourself and others) Show Determination (do your best; stay on task) Strive for Excellence (do quality work; participate) Reading Logs 10% Classwork/Homework 45% Tests/Quizzes 25% Projects 20% 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 0-59 F Students will have until the end of a quarter to turn in late/missing work for full credit. I will post reminders of the deadlines starting three weeks out. If students miss the end of the quarter deadlines, they have two additional weeks to turn in work for 50% credit. Beyond that, they will receive no credit for the assignment, as per the school policy.

3. Quick Notes • Spelling and Grammar: Both spelling and grammar will be taught within writing. As common issues occur, we’ll do mini-lessons and have students evaluate their own writing for the specified topics. Dictionaries and thesauri are available at all times. • Vocabulary: Vocab will be taught with the reading, and through Greek and Latin root mini-lessons. Vocabulary building will also take place through writing when students are prompted to use a thesaurus to enhance word choice. • Reading Logs: Students need to read at least 400 minutes each quarter. This reading is meant to be enjoyable, so students can choose to read novels, biographies, sports articles, etc. I’ll give them a tracker at the beginning of each quarter for them to record their minutes. I will collect reading logs at the end of the quarter to award them their reading points (20 possible/ 10% of their grade).

4. Class Overview • 90 minute blocks – I teach literature and writing as one class so that the reading can influence the writing, and vice versa. • Quarter 1 – River of Change • Quarter 2 – Struggles and Injustice • Quarter 3 – Triumph over Trials • Quarter 4 – Beyond the Boundaries • My Website: http://www.meridianschools.org/LHMS/Teachers/LP/powelljessica/Pages/Powell,Jessican.aspx

5. Quarter 1: River of Change • In the process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, adolescents develop their personal belief systems, adapt to change, and explore different perspectives. • We will read Red Kayak, a novel about a boy who must make some decisions about his life, and the lives of his friends and family. Students will also read and analyze a variety of additional texts, and write informational pieces that will help them understand how change causes personal growth.

6. Enduring Understandings andGuiding Questions • Enduring Understandings • Personal values evolve. • Change causes personal growth. • Personal change can affect outlook. • Motivation for change can come from internal and/or external sources. • Guiding Questions • How does change cause personal growth? • What is self-discovery? • How do individuals develop a morality code? • What factors motivate change? • How do values change over time? • How does internal conflict lead to personal growth?

7. Quarter 2: Struggles and Injustice • The nature of society generates struggles and injustice. Some individuals within society face strife and injustice. Tolerance and acceptance are essential in overcoming obstacles. • We will read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, a novel about an African American family in the South during the Great Depression. This will teach students about societal struggles and injustice. In addition to this novel, we’ll do a research project about civil rights or the Great Depression (students’ choice). This project will include a 2-3 page informative paper and a speech, and is made to resemble the 8th grade PACE research and presentation expectations. We will also be writing some short argumentative pieces.

8. Enduring Understandings and Guiding Questions • Enduring Understandings: • Struggle and injustice are inherent in society. • Groups of individuals can perpetuate and eliminate injustice in society. • Guiding Questions: • Are we doomed to repeat the past? • How does society allow injustices to occur? • How might struggles be both beneficial and detrimental? • How does society strive to overcome struggles and injustices? • How does society change to address intolerances? • How does learning from the past help shape the future?

9. Quarter 3: Triumph over Trial • Everyone faces trials in life. Some trials are emotional; some are physical. • We will read Deathwatch, a novel about a young man who must overcome the difficulties presented by the Sonoran desert, as well as an enemy that is out to get him. This will show students how individuals triumph over their trials. In addition to this novel, we will write short narrative pieces and conduct a mock trial of the book’s characters.

10. Enduring Understandingsand Guiding Questions • Enduring Understandings • External conflicts help build the qualities a character possesses. • External circumstances can create internal changes. • Conflicts influence an individual’s point of view. • Setting plays a role in character development. • Narratives come in many forms. • Narratives can be used to explore the effects of conflict. • Guiding Questions • Why are stories important? • How can external circumstances cause internal changes? • How does the setting affect the outcome of the situation? • What is the difference between a conflict and a circumstance? • How does external change affect an individual’s outlook both positively and negatively? • How might imposed choices be handled? • Can all conflicts be resolved? Why/Why not? • How does one develop the skills necessary for survival? • How do individuals demonstrate perseverance? • How do authors’ use of literary techniques such as diction and imagery, flashback and point of view enhance the text and engage the reader?

11. Quarter 4: Beyond Boundaries • Literature can conquer all boundaries, explore the possibilities of imagination, and shape tomorrow’s realities. • We will be reading pieces of nonfiction about the Cold War, leading up to an analysis of “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street” (play and television versions). We will also be using all of the styles of writing from previous units to aid in analyses and explanations.

12. Enduring Understandings andGuiding Questions • Enduring Understandings • Reading and writing expand imagination and encourage innovation. • Writers create worlds where the unknown can be explored. • Literature is a reflection of the society in which we live. • Guiding Questions • How important are creativity and imagination? • How does literature expand imagination and encourage innovation? • In what ways can writers create worlds where the unknown can be explored? • How does exploration impact society? • In what ways does literature explore the possibilities of imagination and shape tomorrow’s realities? • In what way is literature (fiction and nonfiction) a reflection of our society?