7 th Grade English

1. 7th Grade English Room 41 Kristi Smith

2. This year at a glance • Excited to be teaching 7th grade • Reading/writing skills stressed • Prediction, summarizing, inference, main idea, critical thinking, etc… • Teach skills through short stories, novels, independent reading books, literature book • Writing – Step Up to Writing and Six Traits

3. MSP/Curriculum • Standardized test measures growth…growth in skills needed for high school and beyond • Formative assessments throughout the year, grouping, regrouping, peer tutoring, etc. • Multi-grade grouping depending on particular skills • Three language arts teachers at JMS – very aligned – beneficial to student success

4. Reading Expectations • At home reading goal – 100 minutes a week • Bring a fiction book to class each day • Novels/stories are important – help kids practice skills • Main Idea • Draw Conclusions • Inference • Critical Thinking • Supports high school expectations – on a continuum • Skills assist across the curriculum in middle school and high school • Utilize independent choice books to practice

5. Vocabulary • Research showing vocabulary vital part of reading and comprehension • 5 strands of reading instruction – vocabulary is one of those • 25 - 30 words – focus on root words, suffixes, and prefixes • Quizzes every week and half or two weeks on average • Flashcards, practice in class, online review games, practice at home/in car, etc.

6. Spirals • CRITICAL part of English • Compilation of daily work • Graded every 3-4 weeks • Best organization method I’ve found yet • Allows you to look at work and student improvement over the year

7. Website • http://www.teacherweb.com/WA/JeffersonMiddleSchool/MrsSmith,6thGradeBlock/ • Link to website above – get there fromthe Jefferson Home Page • All students will be using this and know how to get to webpage as well • Helpful to know upcoming events, assignments, use review tools, etc.

8. Grades/Skyward/Progress Reports • Skyward updated often --- late work sometimes takes a few days • Progress reports – printed and sent home mid-quarter (usually more often) • Skyward – after the fact • Website – proactive – what is coming up? • Please be sure Skyward has current email – I use to send out reminders periodically

9. Homework Help • Monday through Thursday in library • Boys and Girls Club offers some homework help for the first ½ hour after school (and maybe more?) • I’m available most mornings and after school, but often have meetings --- kids should check with me when possible to be sure I will be in my room

10. Contact Information • Email is ksmith@osd.wednet.edu • Email quickest way to contact me…check each day at school and sometimes at home • Call 596-3200 if need to talk to me • Conferences are welcome – usually set up by Mrs. Cusack so all teachers can meet with you at once – you don’t have to come here 6 times • Call or email if any questions or concerns