Welcome to Grade 7 English

1. Welcome to Grade 7 English With Mrs. McCaffrey candace.mccaffrey@pequannock.org

2. Teaching Background • Springfield College • B.A. in English, minors in education and dance • M. Ed, secondary studies • Teaching experience • Maternity leave-high school English teacher • 4 years-middle school English, grades 6 and 7

3. Curriculum The objective of this class is to help students grow in the following areas: • Reading: Recalling and identifying literary devices, exploring fiction and nonfiction pieces, etc. • Word Study: Context clues, dictionary and thesaurus skills, Vocabulary Workshop • Writing: Essay writing: persuasive, speculative, expository, quote response and narrative. • Mechanics: Grammar and usage

4. Daily Class Procedures • Do Now/NJASK question of the Day • Multiple choice, writing prompt, or skill • Prior knowledge or review questions • Large group instruction • Review previous day’s lesson, homework, quizzes, etc. • Direct instruction of new material • Small groups/partnering/Individual assignment • Working to master newly taught material • Practice skills • Revisit large group • Wrap-up activities, review of the day’s material, review homework

5. Grading Policy • Tests-50% • Quizzes/projects-35% • Homework-15% • Grades are entered weekly on Genesis • Late policy: 10 points deducted daily, half credit only after a week *Long term projects will not be accepted late

6. Assignments Types of assignments include: • Individual assignments/homework • Group work-in class • Group projects-in and out of class • Tests & quizzes • Independent reading & note-taking (homework) • Literature circles/group reading workshops • Pairing/partnerships • Choice projects • Presentations • Writer’s workshop/writer’s notebook • Vocabulary work • Fiction and nonfiction texts • Assignments are listed in three places: classroom chalkboard, Genesis, teacher webpage • All assignments are listed weekly • Assignments may change from what is listed when student needs arise or due to classroom/working conditions

7. Reading Expectations • Students will be reading in and outside of the classroom • Students will be quizzed regularly on reading material • Students should be taking notes in the “novel notes” section of their five-subject notebook for each chapter they read in their class novels. • Students may use their novel notes on their in-class quizzes

8. Websites • Pv.pequannock.org---Staff---Mrs. Candace McCaffrey • Teacher webpage • Weekly homework assignments including assignment sheets and rubrics when appropriate • Links to resources for homework and projects • Other pages as needed (check for updates throughout the year) • Email • Study Island • Study Island Site • At home and in-class assignments • Vocabulary Workshop • Vocab Site • 2005 version, Level B, Student • Games and puzzles flashcards (words & definitions)

9. Where We’ve Been • Introduction to class and establishing routines and procedures • Reflection on success and goal-setting • Writing similes • Autobiographical poems • Use of vivid and descriptive language • Reading and assessing narratives and their elements • Open-ended response review and practice • Moral/ethical debate (anticipatory activity for novel prep) • Narrative review and drafting • Vocabulary Workshop, Unit One

10. Email • Please contact me at my email address with any questions or concerns. candace.mccaffrey@pequannock.org

11. What Do You Want Me to Know? • Please write on your index card anything you want me to know about your son or daughter. • Include any information you think may help me help your child or any concerns about your child of which I should be made aware.

12. Sample Curriculum Questions What is the difference between a static and a dynamic character? Answer: a static character remains the same throughout a story while a dynamic character grows or changes over the course of the story

13. Sample Curriculum Questions Mood is considered part of a story’s setting. What is mood? Answer: Mood is the feeling created for the reader by the setting’s description.

14. Sample Curriculum Questions From which point of view is the following story told? It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened. No. Wrong word, Jonas thought. Answer: Third-person omniscient

15. Sample Curriculum Questions An adverb is a word that • Modifies a verb • Modifies an adjective • Tells where, when, or how • Often ends in ‘ly’ • All of the above

16. Sample Curriculum Questions The following sentence is an example of what? The crack of the bat was like thunder as the ball screamed into the sky. Answer: simile and personification