Team 7-3

MS. ISAACS’S LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM

Grammar Help!
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Spelling Help!
http://www.funbrain.com/spell/

Cincinnati Public Library
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/

MLA Citation Guide
http://www.studyguide.org/MLAdocumentation.htm

Write Source Textbook Online
http://www.thewritesource.com/books/textbooks/write_source_7/

OAT Study Guides and Revew
http://www.quia.com/pages/mrross.html

Study Island
http://www.studyisland.com/

Dear Students and Parents:

Welcome to Nagel!  I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself and welcome your child to TEAM 7-3.  I am confident this is going to be a positive and successful year for everyone and I look forward to getting to know you and your child better. 

I recently graduated from Miami University with a BA in Integrated Language Arts Education and I live in Lebanon.  As this is my first year teaching, I am very enthusiastic about being at Nagel and working with your son/daughter and the rest of TEAM 7-3 to make this a year full of productive learning and teamwork.  I believe that strong relationships are essential to a positive learning environment.  Therefore, not only does TEAM 7-3 work hard to communicate the best needs of your students; but I encourage you to communicate with me as well.  If you want to share any other information about your child or have any questions about my class this year feel free to contact at the email/number listed below. Also, be sure to mark your calendar for Meet the Team Night next Tuesday from 7:30-8:30pm. 

Students, please take the time to read through my procedures and expectations for the 2010-2011 year.  I am very excited to get to know all of you and learn together.  This is a contract between you, your parents, and myself.  As long as we are all on the same page, we are going to have an awesome year. 

Thanks,

Ms. Lindsey Isaacs

Isaacs.lindsey@foresthills.edu (preferred)

513-474-5407

Class Outline: These are some of the assignments you should expect to complete.  We will talk about them in much more detail when we reach that part of the year. 

By the end of the year students will…

·     Know the purpose for reading/writing any book, essay, or short story.

·     Be able to make comparisons and connections between different texts.

·     Understand the significance of reading and writing in our everyday lives

·     Use context clues to understand the meaning of vocabulary words

Reading

·     Fictional Novels:

o     Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

o     Tangerine by Edward Bloor

o     Crispin: The Cross of Lead by AVI

o     The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

·     Non-Fictional Short Stories

·     Poetry

Writing

·     Persuasive Business Letter

·     Autographical Multi Genre Project

·     Expository Piece

·     Descriptive Piece

·     Grammar  

Bi-Quarterly Assessments: Everyone in the 7th grade will be taking the same assessment twice a quarter.  We will prepare for these in advance. 

Required Materials: **Students may be asked to purchase additional material for projects throughout the year

·     3 Ring Binder

·     Organized Dividers

·     Book Sleeve

·     Wide-Ruled Loose Leaf Paper

·     Black and/or Black Ink Pen

·     Pencil

·     Spiral Notebook (optional)

·     Laptop (optional, starting in January)

TEAM 7-3’s Absent/Late Work Policy:

Absent Work: A student has 2 days for everyday he/she is absent to make up work. 

o     Example:  If you are absent on a Monday then you have Tuesday and Wednesday to make up the work.  It is then due at the beginning of the period on Thursday.

Late Work: THERE SHOULD BE NO LATE WORK.  DUE DATES ARE SET FOR A REASON. However, because nobody is perfect, you can turn in work for partial credit until the Friday of that week.  If the assignment was assigned on Friday, you can turn it in on Monday for partial credit.  After that it is no longer accepted and will be recorded on ProgressBook as a zero.

Working Lunch: If you don’t turn in a homework assignment or get a failing grade on an assignment you are required to come in during lunch to complete/redo it. 

TEAM 7-3’s Behavior Policy:

Classroom Rules:

1.     Be present

·     Be on time to class.  This mean you should be in your seat when class starts.  This also means that you are paying attention during class and actively participating in activities and discussion. 

2.     Be respectful

·     No offensive language will be tolerated.  Please treat your peers the way you would want to be treated.  Also, all materials on my desk/personal area are off limits.  Bottom line=if you act like a young adult; then I will treat you like one. 

3.     Be organized

·     I will collect your binders are certain points throughout the semester.  Make sure you are able to access all information and handouts for class at all time.  Everything should have a purpose and a place.  You are responsible for your own materials—and only you should be touching your binder/textbook/laptop/etc.

4.     Be classy

·     Show high character in all that you do.  Actions speak louder than words.  Your reputation follows you in life, and it starts at Nagel. 

5.     Be yourself J

If you break any of these rules while in my classroom, the following actions will be taken as a punishment.  If the action is severe enough, we can skip steps. 

o     Step 1: Verbal Warning

o     Step 2: Phone Call Home

o     Step 3: 6:45am Detention AND office write up

o     Step 4: Parent/Team Conference AND office write up

TEAM 7-3’s Reward Policy: J

There are celebrations for those students who have no write ups AND no missing homework at interim and the end of the quarter. 

o     Interim Reward: Gym Time

o     End of Quarter Reward: Gym Time and/or Food

In my classroom there are other forms for rewards to work for:

o     Learning

o     Verbal praise

o     High fives

o     Good notes/phone calls home to parents

o     Pick your seat Friday

o     Music during Opener

Grading Scale

A à100% to 93%   C+ à 79% to 77%   F à 64% and lower

A– à 92% to 90%   C à 76% to 73%

B+ à 89% to 87%   C– à 72% to 70% 

B à 86% to 83%   D+ à 69% to 67%

B– à 82% to 80%   D à 66% to 65%

Websites

Be sure to check out our team website at http://nagelmiddleschool.net/73/team73.htm. 

And coming soon… a Language Arts Wiki page. 

Thank you in advance for a positive and productive year!  J