Kamehameha Middle School – Hawai‘i Grade 7 English Language Arts (E/LA)
Course Syllabus 2019 – 2020 Mr. Petner – Room 104
Overview:
In the Grade 7 English Language Arts course the class time will be broken up into focusing on reading and writing skills and practice. For Reading, the class will deal with developing the student’s knowledge of vocabulary, comprehension reading strategies, understanding literary techniques, and encouraging independent reading. Students will be asked to read a variety of classroom materials to apply the specific strategies learned. Students will also be asked to complete independent novel reading and complete projects/writings about the specific literary techniques used in the novel. For writing, the class will deal with practicing the conventions of writing and completing process writing tasks. Students will complete various types of essay writing that includes understanding and using the Six Traits of Writing. I look forward to a year full of learning and success for all students.
Course Goals:
1. Students will use strategies to develop vocabulary knowledge.
2. Students will use strategic reading skills with all information they are required to read to improve comprehension.
3. Students will use various graphic organizers to improve comprehension.
4. Students will monitor their reading and fix-up problems that could interfere with comprehension.
5. Students will respond to their reading by determining the main ideas and details in what they read.
6. Students will take notes about and summarize what they read.
7. Students will use the writing conventions correctly to show their knowledge of mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling. (MUGS)
8. Students will include the Six Traits of Writing with different types of essays.
9. Students will learn how to respond to literature text they read.
10. Students will complete independently read novels for continued vocabulary and comprehension development.
Course of Study: The following is a general outline of the course content. For reading time, we will focus on vocabulary development, comprehension development, and major literary techniques found in fiction. For writing time, we will focus on using the Six Traits of writing, specific kinds of writing, the proper grammar, usage, and mechanics of writing, and speaking.
Trimester 1
- Reading Areas of Learning
-Reading strategies / Comprehension
Before/During/After reading
-Vocabulary Development Strategies
Context Clues, Prefix/Suffix, Root Words
-Comprehension Question Types
QAR – Literal, Inference, Evaluation
-Novel Reading / Plot, Theme, Character
Read Aloud Class Novel – Voyage The Discovery of Hawaiʻi, Call It Courage
Two independently read novel assignments
- Writing Areas of Learning
-Six Traits of Writing
-Process Writing Model……..Prewrite, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish
-Narrative Writing…….Personal, Fictional, Biographical
-Peer Review
-Response to Literature writing
-Editing strategies (MUGS)
Trimester 2
- Reading Areas of Learning
-Comprehension
Main Ideas / Details
-Text Organization in nonfiction text
-Vocabulary Development Strategies
-Novel Reading / Plot, Theme, Character
-Read Aloud Class Novel – Welcome Home Jellybean
-Two independently read novel assignments
- Writing Areas of Learning
-Expository Writing
-Descriptive Writing
-Peer Review
-Response to Literature writing
-Editing strategies (MUGS)
Trimester 3
- Reading Areas of Learning
-Comprehension
Questioning / Summarizing
-Vocabulary Development Strategies
-Short Stories / Poetry
-Editing strategies (MUGS)
-Novel Reading / Plot, Theme, Character
Read Aloud Class Novel – Blue Skin of the Se
Two independently read novel assignments
- Writing Areas of Learning
-Argumentative Writing
-Peer Review
-Response to Literature Writing
-Poetry
Course Materials:
- Student Folder – This will contain all handouts, student work, and novel work. The teacher will supply this folder.
- Student Planners – Students will write all necessary class information in it and parents are asked to monitor it daily.
- Student selected novels for independent reading – two minimum in each Trimester.
Independent reading novels can be checked out of the Learning Center, Mr. Petner’s classroom, or public library.
- Class Texts / Materials -MUGS Handbook, Six Traits of Writing resource materials, Wordly Wise i3000, teacher selected reading sources and teacher created reading and writing materials
- Read Aloud Class Novel – Voyage The Discovery of Hawaiʻi, Call It Courage, Welcome Home Jellybean, Blue Skin of the Sea,
Academic Policies:
Parents and students should refer to the Student and Parent Handbook section Our Academic Program for academic policies.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Grading will be as follows:
FORMATIVE GRADES (20% of Final Grade) – This will include Class Work and Homework
SUMMATIVE GRADES (80% of Final Grade) – This will include Reading Assessments, Writing Assessments, and Independent Novel Reader’s Responses
Behavioral Expectations:
Parents and students can refer to the online Student and Parent Handbook section Student Discipline for our discipline policies. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Contact Information:
Mr. Steve Petner
Phone 982-0405 – classroom #104
email stpetner@ksbe.edu