Welcome to 7th grade Language Arts!
Things to Note:
Language Arts class is one that tends to “cross the curriculum” quite naturally. As a result, reading, writing, and some review or repetition is to be expected! Please note that this class will provide purposeful learning.
Everyone who is willing to put forth an effort will succeed. As a teacher, I expect nothing less than the best from each of my students. I also expect respect in my classroom, for myself and for the people in it and for those who visit it. Constant disruptions interfere with others’ learning and will not be tolerated.
Any time you miss a class, the responsibility of “catching up” is your own. First ask other students in class what you missed and then check with me for clarification or handouts. If you have questions, see me before or after a class session begins or when students are quietly working on assignments. Please remember that you have a deadline for completing missed assignments when your absence is excused.
We rarely have homework if you are focused in class. Most homework results in you not finishing the tasks for the day, studying for test and quizzes and making up assignments when absent.
With these things noted, I am ready to embark on a new school year with you. I am confident it will be a great one!
Soar high as an OCMS Eagle!
Mr. Micah Pearson
Grading Scale:
90% - 100% = A
80% - 89% = B
70% - 79% = C
60% - 69% = D
59% and below = F
*There will be opportunities throughout the year for students to earn extra credit points as a class.
I do not give out extra credit for individuals, it will be open to the entire class.
Attendance:
Consistent attendance is essential in the learning process. When a student must be out, it is his or her responsibility to check with the teacher (before class begins or after it ends) regarding missing assignments and/or notes. Of course, “pop quizzes” and some in-class participation grades cannot be made up. Please refer to your Student Handbook for information regarding deadlines and “excused vs. unexcused” absences.
Conduct:
At OCMS, we follow the CHAMPs way of management. Throughout the year, you will visit OK/Not OK scenarios, and, as a young adult, will be expected to abide by these expectations. Conduct points will be deducted when you repeatedly fail to behave or conduct yourself as an Eagle should! Everyone starts off with a 100% and a student may lose points for calling out, talking when they shouldn’t be, etc.
Materials Needed for 7th grade:
-2 composition books- only need one for now, when student runs out of room they will simply change composition books.
-1 yellow or white standard size legal pad-throughout the year, students will be writing our 1st draft of the four main writing pieces in their legal pad
-A regular folder- students will be using this to keep their completed work in. This stays in the classroom. If for some reason, student completes an assignment and it didn’t make it into my grade book, it will be in this folder to easily show me. They will be cleaned out at the end of the 9 weeks after students have received their report cards and see no issues with their grade.
-Pens (optional)- I do allow students to write with blue or black ink pens but this is optional, they are welcome to use wooden or mechanical pencils as well.
-head phones/ipod ear plugs (optional)- we have books on ipods and on cds for students to listen to. I have the supplies for this, but if student doesn’t want to share with other students, they may bring their own. They can either bring them to class everyday or we will put them in a Ziploc bag and label it with their name.
*Composition book, legal pad, folder and student owned headphones (optional) will stay in the classroom unless student wants to take it home for some reason, such as make up work or to study for test. This allows students to have less things to pack around and they don’t have to worry about forgetting materials for class. Students will need to hold on to their second composition book until they are in need of it.
What will I be learning this year in language arts?
Month: August Unit: Back to Basics
Critical Vocabulary: Fiction, Nonfiction, Genre, Purpose, Mnemonic Device, Informational Reading, Persuasive Reading, Practical / Workplace Reading, Literary Reading, Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Contractions, Context Clues, Puns, Multiple Meanings, Prefixes, Suffixes, Root, Base, Specific nouns, Vivid verbs, Adjectives, Fragments, Run-ons, Punctuation, Capitalization, Summarizing, Chunking, Paraphrase, Retell, Gist, Plagiarism, Scanning, Skimming, Formulating Questions, Quick Read, Slow Read
Month: September Unit: Basic writing skills/genre’ study
Critical Vocabulary: genre’, fiction, nonfiction, purpose, topic sentence, transitions, specialized vocabulary, jargon, dialect, compare/contrast, sequence, cause/effect, problem/solution, spatial, etc.
Month: October Unit: Literary: Poetry and Short Story/Fictional Narrative
Critical Vocabulary: (Poetry):Line breaks, Stanzas, White space, Speaker, Mood, Tone, Figurative language (simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, pun, idiom), Repetition, Rhyme scheme, Rhythm, Free verse, Form poems (haiku, cinquain, diamante, concrete, ballad, sonnet, limerick)
(Fiction):Characters/characterization, Dialogue, Point of view, Setting, Plot (diagram), Symbolism, Irony, Suspense, Theme/moral, Style, Conflict (man vs. man, self, society, machine, technology, beast, nature), Allusion, Foreshadowing, Flashback, Analogy, Predict, Infer, Drawing conclusions, Generalization
Month: November
Unit: Poetry and Short Story/Fictional Narrative (continued)
Myths, Legends, Fables, and Tall Tales
Critical Vocabulary: Myths, Legends, Tall Tales, Fables, Genre, Moral, Theme, Resolution, Point of View, Surprise, Humor, Paradox, Effects, Suspense, Style, Voice, Interrelationships
Month: December Unit: Literary: Drama and Monologues
Critical Vocabulary: Cast of characters, Setting, Stage directions, Dialogue, Monologue, Aside, Script, Playwright, Dramatic irony, Acts, Scenes, Critique, Connections (text to text, self & life), Formulate, Diction, Speech, Audience
Month: January Unit: Personal Essay, Narrative and Memoir
Critical Vocabulary: Visual Imagery, Elaboration, Focus, Slow Motion, Sensory Details, Snapshots, Thoughtshots, Emotions, Senses, Concrete Details, Voice, Point of view, Dialogue, Titles, Leads, Conclusions, Anchor Papers, Scoring Guide, Chronological Order, Absolute Sentences, Sentence Variety, Vivid Verbs, Specific Nouns, Line Breaks, Poetic Devices, Figurative Language, Narrative Poem, Personal Expressive, Narrative, Essay, Memoir, Vignette, Insight, Reflection
Month: February Unit: ½ personal, ½ informative
Critical Vocabulary: Specialized vocabulary/jargon, Informative,Supporting details, Elaboration, Text features, Surface features, Format,Organizational patterns, Non-literal/literal, Dialect, Connotation, Denotation, Charts, Font, Graphs, Formatting techniques
Month: March Unit: Persuasive Letter, Speech and On-Demand
Critical Vocabulary: Informative, Persuasive, Supporting Details, Elaboration, Viewpoint, Perspective, Opinion, Bias, Misinformation, Argument, Slant, Surprise, Humor, Effects, Suspense, Paradox, Satire, Style, Voice, Special Effects, Persuasive Techniques, Propaganda Techniques, Bandwagon, Expert Opinion, Testimonial, Statistics, Strong Women, Snob Appeal, Plain Folks Appeal, Technology Friendly, Circular Thinking, Emotional / Loaded Words, Broad Generalization, etc., Other persuasive techniques such as: use of color, shelf placement in stores, price, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Concrete, Abstract, Consumer, Advertising
Month: April Unit: Comprehensive Review
Critical Vocabulary: All
Month: May Unit: 8th Grade Readiness/On-Demand Introduction
Critical Vocabulary: Situation, Task, Format, Mode, Audience, Purpose, Article, Letter, Speech, Editorial, Pre-write, Draft, Revise, Edit, Publish
Contact Information
Micah.Pearson@Ohio.kyschools.us
274-7893 ext. 311
Planning: 9th period (2:20 – end of day)
Parent-Teacher conferences TBA, but are usually in October and March.
