Course Description:

The curriculum for this course meets the California Standards for English Language Arts in reading, writing, and written and oral English language conventions, along with listening and speaking skills for the seventh grade. Students are given opportunities to delve more deeply into literature searching for complex themes and relationships,  along with learning to support their views with textual evidence. This course requires students to understand and apply in writing and oral discussion, the concepts of literature, while using academic language.

Objective and Goals:

English Language Arts at the seventh grade level is designed to prepare students with skills and strategies that  they will need to be successful in  8^th grade and High School. This course focuses on active engagement with the text including a firm understanding of the author’s purpose. Students are required to analyze, identify, define, explain and critique fictional and non-fictional text, and primary source documents and to support their views in well-organized written and oral presentations.

Course Requirements:

• Textbook: California Literature-McDougal Littell (Adopted in 2010)
• Word Wise Workbook-McDougal Littell
• Grammar Workbook-McDougal Littell
• 11/2 inch binder-used for my class, Book Cover, 6 sections-dividers, Pencils-no mechanical, Pens-blue only
• Red pencils or red pens, mini stapler, highlighters, index cards, markers, and colored pencils 

Grading:

A+ = 100%                 A = 99-94%             A- = 93-90%

B+ = 89-87%              B = 86-84%              B- = 83-80%

C+ = 79-77%              C = 76- 74%             C- = 73-70%

D+ = 69-67%              D = 66-64%              D- = 63-60%

F =  59% or below     (Grades will not be rounded up or down.)   

Students must discuss their grades with me, during class time, not through email, before I discuss them with parents.

Rules and Expectations:

Absent Make-up Work:   

• Excused absences may make up work, including test and quizzes.
• Students are responsible for obtaining all work that must be made-up.
• Unexcused absences are not allowed to do make-up work.
• Tardies will be dealt with according to school policy.

Extra Credit:

• No additional assignments will be given for extra credit.  

Technology:

• Ethical use of technology is expected.
• Any student not following district and school guidelines will lose computer and School Loop privileges.
• Class website  http://chaboyams.schoolloop.com

Classroom Rules:

• Be on time
• Be prepared to learn
• Be ethical
• Be respectful