Miguel Juarez Middle School 2012-2013 Class Syllabus 7th Grade Communications Teachers: Mrs. Rachelle Rosecrans Email: rspulber@wps60.org Mrs. Sandy Rosenberg Email: srosenberg@wps60.org Mr. Paul January Email: pjanuary@wps60.org CLASS START DATE: 08/20/2012 CLASS END DATE: 05/30/2013 SPECIFIC SUPPLIES NEEDED: Paper (loose-leaf or notebooks) Pens Pencils 2 folders 1 binder Scissors Coloring Utensils Agenda USB drive Kleenex (for Advisory teacher) White Copy Paper (for Advisory teacher)
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK(s): BOOK TITLE CONCEPTS AND SKILLS WE WILL COVER Prentice Hall Literature Making Predictions Author's Purpose Comparing and Contrasting Making Inferences Main Idea Fact and Opinion Context Clues Paraphrase Drawing Conclusions Cause and Effect Summarizing Purpose for Reading Team Availability Our team time is 7th period, 12:13 PM - 12:54 PM each day. We are sometimes available to meet with students before or after school. Parents wishing a conference may call to set up an appointment. The Schedule Each Communications class meets Monday through Friday for 2 periods. Class Description: In 7th Grade Communications, students will improve their writing skills using writing strategies and applications; students will work on perfecting conventions in writing; students will enhance their listening and speaking skills; and students will improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, and literary response and analysis.
Class Goals and Concepts: (From the Common Core Standards) Literature: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6 8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Reading: Informational Text: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6 8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Writing: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Speaking and Listening: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. Language: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Attendance CLASS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Attendance is taken daily in each class. It is important that you are in class on time each day so you will not miss any instructional time. If you are absent for any reason please have your parent call 847 599-4200 to report your absence. Expectations for Success It is expected that each student will do their best work in each of their classes. To be a successful student at Miguel Juarez Middle School you must: come to class prepared to learn. be an active participant in class by contributing to class discussions and projects. be in school each day at 7:30 am. turn in all of your assignments by the due dates. be in each of your classes on time. if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Project Updates Project specifics and requirements will be given closer to the Project start date. Many of the projects will have components that need typing. Students will need to work on these projects as Homework to finish them in a timely manner. Please contact us for any additional information. Juarez Week Project (August) Waukegan Project (May) The Outsiders Novel *Other projects are at teachers discretion. Academic Integrity Plagiarism is the misrepresentation of someone else s research, thought or writing as one s own. Plagiarism occurs when a student uses the ideas or phrasing of another individual or group and presents the information as their own without giving credit to the original source. If you have any questions about any of the information contained in this syllabus, or about any other aspect of this class, please do not hesitate to ask! Numeric grading scale A 100-90 B 89-80 C 79-70 D 69-60 F 59 and below Grades are calculated as followed, according to Waukegan District Policy: Daily Work and Classroom Participation 25% Projects 20% Homework 5% Tests and Quizzes 25% Quarter Exams 25%
Grade Descriptions A Excellent The grade A is given to students: Who consistently show superior knowledge of the subject matter. Who are consistently thorough in their preparation. Whose work is always done promptly, neatly, and to a large degree, independently. Who takes a constructive part in class discussion, expressing themselves correctly and completely. Who are regular in attendance Who are orderly and cooperative in the classroom. B Above average The grade B is given to students: Who indicate that they have a very good knowledge of the subject matter. Who usually are thorough in their preparation Who are prompt, neat, and to some extent, independent in their work. Who usually enter actively in class discussions, making fairly accurate and complete recitations. C Average The grade C is given to students: Who indicate that they have an average knowledge of the subject matter. Who do have an average amount of preparation. Who are reasonably prompt and neat in their work. Who usually enter positively in class discussions. D Below Average The grade D is given to students: Who indicate that they have some knowledge of the subject matter but less than the average student. Who are careless in preparation of assignments. Whose work is often late and irregular. Who participate in some class discussion but make less contribution than the average student. F No Credit The grade F is given to students: Who fail to achieve minimum standards. I Incomplete An incomplete grade may be given to the student who has been absent a prolonged, consecutive length of time, due to hospitalization or documented personal illness. All work for incomplete grades must be completed within 39 days of the following grading period. Incomplete work not made up will be changed to F by the teacher. In no case may a grade of INCOMPLETE be issued to a student who neglects to turn in required work when due, unless accompanied by the illness factor described. Remember Miguel Juarez Values and earn your PAWS! Respect Learning Respect Yourself Respect Others Respect Property