Welcome to Open House 2012- 2013

1. Welcome to Open House 2012- 2013 Mrs. Diefert Language Arts Seminar Room 102 7th and 8th grade

2. This Year: Common Core Standards • Replaced the Arizona State Standards • International benchmarks played a significant role in developing the common core • These expectations for all grades have been adopted by 48 states

3. This Year: Common Core Standards • They will provide more consistency for students who move • They enable students across our nation to have a more equitable education • Developed by starting with the skills students needed to have to be college or career ready and worked backwards to kindergarten

4. This Year: Common Core Standards • The common core require more of a balance (at this grade level) between informational text and fiction, rather than heavily focused on fiction. Comprehending fiction is not necessary to succeeding in day to day life. • AIMS will be phased out in 2014-2015 and replaced with PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers).

5. Lexiles • Students received their lexile scores on Monday, but what does it mean? • Your students’ scores should be used as a starting point to find books on their level by going to lexile.com or scholastic teacher book wizard (both links are on Diefert.yolasite.com).

6. Lexiles • How do I use lexile and Scholastic websites? • Lexile.com=You may either search for the lexile of a specific book or input your student’s lexile and genres he/she is interested in and it will generate a list of books on their level. • Scholastic.com=You may either search for the lexile of a specific book or input a book your student is interested in and ask the website for books that are 3 grade levels higher or lower.

7. Lexiles • Should my student only consider reading books that his/her lexile number? • No. It can be extremely difficult to locate books that are in the range of one’s lexile (+/- 100 pts.) and still interest students who are above grade level. • In addition, there are other factors to consider such as difficulty of vocabulary. This is not always indicated by lexile.

8. Lexiles • My son/daughter is dying to read a book for his/her book project, but it is far below his/her lexile. Can he/she still read it? • Yes, they can still read the book and log it on their book account form; however, it probably should not be used for a book project unless it has some words that are new to the reader.

9. Lexiles • Reading over 1,000 pages independently each quarter will only help them improve their reading level if they are challenged. Reading easy books for enjoyment all the time won’t have the same effect.

10. Old Website (still in use)http://diefert.yolasite.com

11. Google Website Coming SoonFirst, go to the WESD website, and click on schools on the top right.

12. Google Website Coming SoonNext, click on Mountain Sky under “7-8 Schools”.

13. Google Website Coming SoonOn the left, click “staff directory”.

14. Google Website Coming SoonFind the teacher whose website you wish to view, and click on the website link.

15. Google Website Coming Soon

16. What will you find on the website(s)? • Copy of rules and expectations • Due dates for important assignments • Copy of quarterly book project rubric(S) & Copy of quarterly book pages paper • RESOURCES FOR Assignments that were not able to be completed in class

17. Homework When students do not have homework, they should be reading for their book account form and working towards completing their projects that are due each quarter.

18. Make-up Work • Students are responsible for making up any missed work. • Missed bell work may be found on the bulletin board. • Other assignments are written on the agenda and can be found on assignment table.

19. Incomplete Work When students choose to turn in work that is not finished, they will receive a grade and a comment on the grade printout that says “incomplete”. They are not allowed to redo the assignment and raise their grade. It simply informs you, the parents, that the low grade does not reflect their lack of mastery.

20. Late Work • Students have one school day for every day they are absent to complete make-up work. They should write assignments in their planner with their due dates. • No late work will not be accepted after more than 2 weeks after the original due date or date it would be due according to absences.

21. Late Work • Late work that is even one day late will receive a maximum of half credit (100%=50% F, 80%=40%, etc.). • This is intended to prepare students for Thunderbird High School, where the advanced English class does not accept late work at all.

22. Grades • Students will receive grade reports approximately every two weeks. I will usually send out an e-mail to inform parents when this occurs. Please ask your students about their progress.

23. Language Arts Seminar vs. Regular Language Arts Similar Different • We adhere to Common Core Standards. • Students’ assessments, lexiles, writing samples, AIMS, and WRAP scores are evaluated to customize instruction to students’ needs. • Higher level texts are used more frequently • Higher level thinking questions are used frequently • More rigorous requirements • Read over 1,000 pages and complete a book project every quarter outside of class.

24. Coming soon…gifted testing If your child is not already categorized as gifted, and you would like to have him or her tested, please contact program coach Nancy Wilson (896-6122) to see if your child is eligible. Students may only test one time in a year.

25. Thank you for coming tonight! • Should you need to contact me in the future, e-mail is the best way.  • Cynthia.Diefert@wesdschools.org