7 th Grade Reading/Language Arts

1. 7th Grade Reading/Language Arts Ms. Kathryn A. Hopkins khopkins@summithill.org 815.469.4330

2. About Me • Bachelors: DePaul University • 1st Year teaching • 3rd Year at Summit Hill Jr. High

3. About Ms. Kocna • Bachelors: Lewis University • Masters in Teaching & Leadership: Lewis University • 4th Year teaching at Summit Hill Jr. High

4. Reading Content Prentice Hall’s Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes • The reading curriculum will consist of the literature text, independent reading, novels, and essays. • Tests, daily assignments, book reports, reading logs, Accelerated Reading Tests, etc. will be assigned throughout the year. Point values for each will be announced beforehand. • Students are to have a novel with them AT ALL TIMES.

5. Books needed for class… • Chains-Laurie Halse Anderson • Chasing Lincoln’s Killer-James Swanson • The Outsiders-S.E. Hinton • To purchase these books I have set up a classroom store on scholastic.com-parents-shop-scholastic reading club. • Our class access code is NCY28

6. Language Arts Content Prentice Hall’s Writing & Grammar: Communication in Action • The Language Arts curriculum will consist of the text, a workbook, Vocabulary Workshop workbook. writing assignments/essays, journal writing, and stem derivatives • Tests, daily assignments, essays, etc. will be assigned throughout the year. Point values for each will be announced beforehand. • Students must ONLY use wide ruled loose-leaf paper and wide ruled spiral notebooks.

7. Resources for your child • Ms. Hopkins – Please encourage your child to talk to me and we’ll set up a time for me to help her/him after school. • Study Hall- Teacher supervised • Academic Assistance- Monday through Friday after school • Website- www.summithill.org • SHJH • Teacher Pages • Hopkins • Weekly events are on the website

8. Grading Policy • Homework will be assigned daily. • All unfinished class work is automatically homework. • Late work is graded as 70% the next day; and as a 0% the second day • If a student is absent, it is he/she’s responsibility to get the work they missed and complete it upon return. • Classwork/Homework is 15% of grade. • Quizzes (Formative) are 40% of grade. • Tests (Summative) are 45% of grade.

9. Stems • Tuesday/Thursday • 25 stems per list • Each list will be broken into fourths for the first few lists • Once the students get acclimated to their lists, the list size will be broken down into halves

10. Bell Ringers • Monday through Friday • Literary Term of the Week • Ethical Dilemmas • Quote of the Week • Video Journal • Silent Reading • Written in journal that is kept in class

11. Discipline Plan • Occurrence Chart (Academic/Behavior) • Occurrence #1-2 verbal warning • Occurrence #3 parent contact • Occurrence #4 reflection • Occurrence #5 detention • Begin each quarter with a clean slate • No checks by mid-quarter earns reward • PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) • Spartan Spirit

12. REMINDER • Check website on a weekly basis • usually ready for viewing by Friday afternoon • Emails sent usually every Friday with weekly events