Welcome to Language Arts!

Welcome to Language Arts! • Find your assigned seat. • If you have a supply pack, please check to make sure you have all materials, and get out a pen or pencil. • Please complete the information form on your desk.

Welcome to Language Arts!2012-2013Mrs. Shaw Patterson Park Public Charter School

Agenda Books • Must be brought to school every day • Use agenda books to record daily assignments • Teachers will use the agenda book to communicate with parents • Inside your agenda book, please turn to the first page and find your schedule.

Middle School Handbook Highlight these headings in your handbook: • Expectations • Consequences • Uniform Policy • Tardiness • Locker Policy • Hallway Policy • Academic Coach Class

Mrs. Shaw’s Classroom Rules 1. Respect yourself and others. 2. Come to class on time and prepared. 3. Exercise safety and cooperation at all times. 4. Leave all food, drinks, and electronics outside the classroom.

Classroom Expectations: • Courtesy - Respect everyone and everything. Use appropriate language. Encourage and support peers. No food, gum, candy, beverages, hats, electronics, or personal grooming in class. • Attention - Be ready to listen and follow directions the first time. Raise your hand before speaking. • Responsibility - Be in your seat and ready to begin when the bell rings. Come to class prepared with everything you need to be successful. Be responsible for your work and workplace. • Effort - Do your assignments on time and ALWAYS do your best. Maintain a positive attitude at all times!

Consequences • Failure to do homework- lunch, after school detention, or phone call home. Receive partial credit for late assignment. • Caught cheating- on homework, test, or quiz and you get a ZERO • Disrespect- towards teacher or a classmate • 1st time- Phone call home • 2nd time- Detention after school • 3rd time- Parent conference • Tardiness- lunch detention • Of course, these punishments may change due to the severity of the offense.

Materials • Good attitude • Polite, positive behavior • 3-ring binder w/ dividers • Lined notebook paper • 2 pencils with erasers • 4 blue/black pens • 1 highlighter • Large box of Kleenex to share with the class

Beginning Every of Class: • Walk in quietly, sit down, and be prepared to work. • Write down the homework and get started on the daily warm-up. • You will be considered tardy if you’re not in your seat and working when the bell rings.

Absent or Missing Work • If you miss a test or quiz, you will be asked to take it the day you return. There are a few ways to help you avoid getting a zero on an assignment: a) Checkhttp://shawpppcs.weebly.com/ b.) All students can contact Mrs. Shaw by email, atjshaw@pppcs.org during their absence. c.) Come to Coach Class YOU are expected to take responsibility for any work or information you miss.

Important Sites • We will be using the following websites in this class: • http://shawpppcs.weebly.com • www.edmodo.com • www.kidblog.com • www.classdojo.com • You will have your own username and password for each of these sites. Please feel free to go home tonight and familiarize yourself with them.

Weekly Reading • Every week you will be responsible for practicing oral reading of an assigned piece of literature. • In order to be prepared to perform this reading on Friday, you must read the piece OUT LOUD at least twice every night. Once you have practiced, you must have a parent initial the sheet below for every time you read the passage. • Example: If you read the passage twice, you should have two initials. You must complete the form and get initials each night in order to get complete credit.

Discussion: • What is poetry? • What are some different types of poetry?

Making Personal Connections • Finish the one of the following in relation to the poem: • I can relate to this because… • This reminds me of a time when… • One recommendation I can make is… • After I read this poem I felt…

Now it is your turn to create a poem! • Bio Poem Directions: Poems come in all shapes and sizes, and today you will be creating one all about YOU! • In order to help us get to know one another, you will be creating a Bio Poem using the template below. • It’s important to remember that poetry is not just meant to be written on a piece of paper and tucked away; poetry should be read aloud and shared with everyone. • For this reason, this first poem will be shared with the class. You will complete this activity on the back of this sheet. When you are finished, you may create a visual, or image that shows one, or more, parts of yourself described in the poem.

Bio Poem Template The first and last line of the poem should go like this: I am___________________________________ (First Name) (Last Name) • In between the first and last line of the poem, you are going to write four true things about yourself and four lies. The idea is to mix these eight things up and write lies that COULD be true so that it’s hard to separate the truth from the fiction.

Mrs. Shaw’s Example • My name is Mrs. Shaw I am a Language Arts teacher I have been teaching for two years I have traveled to Africa I have a puppy named Houston I love horror movies My favorite food is spinach I was born in Maryland I have a 18 year-old step-son My Name is Mrs. Shaw

Pop Quiz! • What are the first three things you will do when you enter Language Arts tomorrow?

Homework (Copy in Agenda!) • Handbook signature • Language Arts Course Outline signature • Minor/Elective Form • Code of Conduct/School Forms Completed (White Packet) • Syllabus Scavenger Hunt • Weekly Reading Practice and Parent Signature

Welcome to Language Arts!