Week of September 7-11, 2015

Third week of school already! The weeks are flying by!!! This week we will be taking our third week assessments. In 7th grade reading we will be taking a final novel exam on "The Secret Garden". This exam will be on Wednesday, September 9th. We will be also starting on our new novel "The Outsiders" by S. E. Hinton.

Reminders:

* turn in all homework when it is due. 

* study for Secret Garden exam

* Secret Garden exam on Wednesday 

* Thursday is college shirt day 

* Friday is spirit shirt day 

Let's have a fantastic week!!!

Welcome 7th Graders!

7th Grade Reading Syllabus

Mrs. Julissa Barrera

Ac2E Middle School

Room #7064

Grading Policy:

Class work, homework, class participation, quizzes, shall have the value of 45 % of the six-week grade.

Projects will be 15% of the six weeks grade.

Six Weeks or Novel Final Exam shall have the value of 25%.

A minimum of 2 grades per week will be given.

The semester grade will be the average of the three six-week grades.

Materials Needed:             

One 3 Subject Spiral Notebooks

One Composition Notebook

The assigned reading novel

One pack of crayons

Scissors

Elmer’s Glue stick

2 packs of No. 2 Pencils

One pack of Markers

 (*Students are required to have a pen or pencil to write with.)

                                               

Expectations:       

Throughout the course of the class you will be presented with various genres of literature. The material is designed to make you a more confident reader. Throughout the school year, you will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to excel, not only in middle school, but in high school and college as well. The class is designed to discussion based student participation is a priority.

Assignments:       

Students will be required to read a different novel every six weeks. The students will read one chapter to two chapters a night and be required to answer discussion questions for each chapter. Homework needs to be completed every night and brought back the next day for 20pts or 25pts depending on the week. At the end of the week the points will accumulate to 100pts and will be taken as an assignment grade. Class participation on chapters assigned and discussion questions, along with activities from the novel will also be graded.  

Every day the students are required to keep a journal, journal topics will be given by teacher, and be graded every Friday; this will also be a weekly grade.     

Projects:               

There will be several projects throughout the six weeks based on the novels we are reading. Students should be prepared to work on their own or in groups. Projects will consist of classroom activities as well as project that will be assigned to done at home. The students will be given the information for the projects ahead of time and will be given plenty of time to complete them.

Late Assignments:              

Being present in class every day is important. Every day will build on skills needed for completing assignments. Students are responsible for missed assignments/topics when they are absent. They may ask one of their classmates, or myself, for missed assignments. Missed assignments must be turned in within five days of the absence. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FIVE DAY GRACE PERIOD.

Attendance:        

It is imperative that you attend class on a daily basis, as failure to do so will result in you missing out on important information. *AFTER 3 ABSENCES, STUDENT WILL BE REFERRED TO AN ADMINISTRATOR*

Participation:       

Participation in all class activities is necessary to gain a better understanding of the material being covered. A grade will be issued for participation and on class discussions over topics and or chapter questions on novels.

Tardiness:

Be in (as opposed to near) your assigned seat when the bell rings and remain there until the teacher dismisses the class. In the event that another teacher or staff member detains you, a signed excuse should be brought to me as soon as possible.

The teacher will decide whether the tardy is excused or unexcused.  Tardies accumulate all day and start over at the new six weeks.  They will be referred to the office for the tardy.

                Tardies 1-4 Teacher records and warns to student

                Tardy 5 - Referral to administrator.  Parent contact.

                Tardy 6 – Referral to administrator.  Parent, Teacher, Administrator Meeting.

                Tardy 7 – Referral to administrator.  ISS at home campus assigned.

                Tardy 8+ - Referral to administrator.  Student will be transferred to home campus.

Hall Privileges:

You will have adequate time to take care of business between classes. I will allow you to make restroom trips as you feel necessary UNTIL it becomes an abuse. I reserve the right to take away restroom privileges. If you have a medical condition that requires you to need to go to the bathroom frequently please bring me a medical excuse so that I can be aware of it.

School Wide Violations:

School wide rules are strictly enforced. Violators will receive a warning as a first offense, a call home will be the second offense, and a parent/teacher conference request would be the 3^rd offense. At this point, if you are not making an effort to correct the inappropriate behavior, a disciplinary referral will be issued.

Cheating Policy:

Anyone who participates in cheating on a test, project or other assignments will receive a zero for that grade. There is no reason why cheating is ever excusable. If you did not understand an assignment, then let me know and I will explain it to you and grant you an extension.

Class Rules:

•Be prepared to apply yourself

•Be respectful of yourself and others

•Be responsible for what you say and do

•Be Diligent with your time

•Be safe for yourself and others

Daily Arrival Procedures:

I expect you to abide by the following procedures without me having to call your attention before I make my way to the front of the room:

• Come in to the classroom. If the door is unlocked and I am not inside, please make a line outside the door and wait until I arrive. This prevents accidents from occurring inside the room while it is unsupervised.

• Grab your journal, and interactive notebook from the appropriate shelf.

• Take a seat.

·         Start journal topic for 5 -7 minutes (DO NOW)

• Have a pencil to write with. Not having a pencil is no excuse to not be ready for class. If you need a pencil, find one BEFORE I start teaching.

When We Have a Visitor:

- When we have someone come into our classroom that is not part of our class (teacher, administrator, student, parent) you are expected to follow the same classroom rules and procedures. You are expected to be polite to the visitor. Do not talk to the visitor unless he/she is talking to you directly. Continue working on your assignment as usual.

- If the visitor needs to speak to me privately, I expect you to remain in your seat without talking until I finish speaking with the visitor.

Two minute dismissal checklist:

To have things run more smoothly, I expect you to do the following when I say “2 minutes” & you hear the appropriate alarm:

• Put your unfinished homework away; Turn in any completed assignments.

• Put away your binder and journal in the appropriate shelf, neatly.

• Gather all of your belongings; Throw away any trash around your table and chair.

• Stand by your desk and wait to be dismissed. This does not mean to crowd the classroom door waiting for dismissal.

Cluster Planning:

If you have any questions feel free to come in and see me during my 8^th and 9^th planning periods which are from 1:50p.m. to 3:35 p.m. You may call me at 352-6324.

Blog

This class will have a blog where I will be posting reminders, due dates, discussions questions, quotes to discussion, and other topics that pertain to the class. Sometimes it will be daily and sometimes it will be weekly depending on the information that needs to be given. Students should check the blog daily to make sure that no new information has been added. Students will be able to comment on blog and participate in discussions on blog. www.ac2emsj.barrera.blogspot.com.

Tentative Schedule for 7^th Grade Reading:

Required Novels:               

1.       The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

2.       The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

3.       Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

4.       A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

5.       Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

*Students are required to purchase their own novels. They may purchase novel on electronic device. However, they may NOT purchase audio version of novel *

(If you have any questions or concerns please let me know)

Farewell photo with 'DUKE' homeroom

My homeroom class wanted a farewell picture right before I go on maternity leave. Good luck to all my students and have a great year and summer! 

Week of April 27 - May 1, 2015

Welcome to another great week at Ac2e Middle School.  This week we will be polishing up any projects that we have worked on throughout the school year.  These projects will be selected to be displayed at the Gifted and Talented Parents night at the MPC on April 29, 2015.  We will also begin working on a new novel: Tuck Everlasting.  We will begin our interactive notebook for this novel.  Don't forget to of bring your novel to class everyday.

Reminders:

• Monday - Tuesday
• Homework: read prologue and chapters 1-5  Tuck Everlasting

• Wednesday 
• Bring your novel to class
• GT parent night @ MPC
• Wear your autism shirt
• Homework: read chapter 6
• Thursday 
• Wear your college shirt
• Homework: read chapter 7
• Friday 
• Wear your spirit shirt or autism shirt
• Homework: read chapters 8-10 
• $25 for Peter Piper lock in is due!

LET'S HAVE A FABULOUS WEEK!

Week of April 20-24, 2015

Welcome to the Sixth Six Weeks!!!!!!
This week is an extremely busy week! It is STAAR time and I know all of you are ready for these assessments.  .
REMEMBER:
Stay focused
Take small breaks
Answer carefully
Always use strategies
Review your work

Monday:
Review for STAAR assessment

Tuesday:
7th Grade Math STAAR

Wednesday:
7th Grade Reading STAAR

Thursday:
Field Day

Friday:
Autism Walk

Week of April 13-17, 2015

Welcome to another great week at Ac2E Middle School. This is the last week of the 5th six weeks, make sure all missing work is turned in ASAP. Only 5 more days for the Math and Reading STAAR assessments. This week in 7th grade reading we are going to review extremely hard in order to be very well informed and prepared for the STAAR assessment. We will be reviewing with the 'STAAR Master' practice test all week long. We will continue to use reading strategies as well. 

REMINDERS:

7th grade STAAR Math - Tuesday, April 21,2015

7th grade STAAR Reading - Wednesday, April 22,2015

Wednesday wear your Autism Awareness shirt 

Thursday wear your university shirt 

Friday wear your spirit or autism shirt

The next novel: Tuck Everlasting by: Natalie Babbitt (everyone needs a copy by April 24th)

Start bringing in your interactive notebook supplies

Let's have a great week!!!!!

Week of April 7- 10, 2015

Welcome back from the Easter Holiday, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful weekend.  This week like all weeks will be a very busy week for us 7th graders as we prepare for the upcoming STAAR assessments for reading and math.  In 7th grade reading we will continue to practice STAAR strategies in order to become more aware of what will be on the exam.  We will also finish watching the film version of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". 

MONDAY:

• NO CLASSES

TUESDAY: (TEKS: 7.1, 7.4)

• CLASSES RESUME
• Finish watching the film version of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
• Compare and Contrast the film to the novel.

WEDNESDAY: (TEKS: 7.7.A, 7.9A)

•  Lesson 2: Genre
•  Students will be re-introduced to GENRE and we will work together on sample passages "from Caroline Jenkin's Diary (1849)" & " Turning Eggs into Flour and Soap".

THURSDAY : (TEKS: 7.7A, 7.9A)

•  Lesson 2: Genre
• We will continue to work with GENRE
• Students will work on passages "from Narrative of a Life" & "Freedom's Port" on their own.

FRIDAY: (TEKS: 7.1A, 7.1C)

• Lesson 13: Summarizing and Inferences
• Students will be re-introduced to SUMMARIZING AND INFERENCES.  They will work on sample passages as a class.

REMINDERS:

•  Next Novel: Tuck Everlasting by: Natalie Babbitt (please bring by April 23rd)
• Bring in a Spiral Notebook, glue stick, scissors, and a box of crayons in order to work on interactive notebook. ASAP!
• STAAR Math assessment: April 21,2015!
• STAAR Reading assessment: April 22,2015!
• Thursday is college shirt day.
• Friday is spirit shirt day.