Sunday, August 31, 2014

Parts of Speech




Parts of Speech

           Parts of speech are the foundation, or building blocks, of any language. Without them, there would be no language at all.
           There are only eight of them in English, but the wonder of it is that when combined and arranged in different ways, they can tell an amazing story, inform us about a new invention, frighten us with horrific news, make us cry with a tragic event, or make us laugh with glee at a humorous situation. With mastery of their use, a writer can become a billionaire like J. K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter.

Saturday, August 23, 2014


Levels of Behavior
( Lawrence Kohlberg’s Six Levels of Moral Development)
                  Level I           I don’t want to get in trouble.
                  Level II  I want a reward.
                  Level III  I want to please somebody.
                  Level IV. I want to follow the rules.
                  Level V. I am considerate of other people.
                  Level VI. I have a personal code of behavior and I follow it.


ACErs
                  1. Our mission: Be nice. Work hard.
                  2. Our motto: There are no shortcuts.
                  3. ACErs are honest.
                  4. ACErs show initiative.
                  5. ACErs take responsibility for their actions.
                  6. ACErs are aware of time and space.
                  7. ACErs are never afraid to ask questions.
                  8. ACErs understand the importance of presentation.
                  9. ACErs are organized.
                  10. ACErs are humble.

7th Grade Writing
AC2E Middle School
Mr. Hilario A. Patino
School: 956-488-6024
Cell: 956-437-5064
Planning periods available to meet: 9th (2:50-3:35)


Syllabus                                                                                                                                                                               August  21, 2014
To the student:
                  You are about to study writing in seventh grade. It requires more understanding and mastery of the rules of English grammar as well as a high level of skillfulness in crafting pieces of writing which expresses deep and carefully thought-out ideas. Skillful writing does not come easily for most people. It involves a lot of work and persistence in doing it right. But once it happens, the rewards are great. It is like a mother who has given birth to an adorable child! Take heart. You are about to embark on an adventure!
Course Objectives
Primarily this course requires the students to write a multi-paragraph essay in the form of a personal narrative or an expository piece. Each of these has its own requirements which will be examined in detail in the course of each six weeks. Secondly, this subject demands from the students a consistent command of usage rules as well as conventions of the English language as applied in the essays that will categorize the learners on an accomplished level.
Course Overview
Among the main topics of this subject are the parts of speech, sentences, sentence structures, combination of sentences, punctuations, conventions; drafting essays with a clearly defined focus, appropriate organizational strategy, precise word choice and vivid images, use of simple, compound, complex sentences, internal and external coherence, and effective introductions and concluding paragraphs.

Teaching Strategies
This course will employ various methods that have been found effective in enabling students to learn and are supported by data as to their usefulness. Cooperative learning,lecture, Socratic questioning to elicit student responses and understanding, the use of depth and complexity in planning and implementing lessons, journal writing, oral presentations, recitations, role playing, mnemonics, acronyms, diagramming of sentences, thinking maps, open response questions, and rubric scoring will be utilized as part of classroom techniques of instruction.
Standards
Standards for this subject will follow the ones specified in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) which could be broken down to Readiness and Supporting Standards.
STAAR Exam and TEA Holistic Scoring Rubric
Writing will be tested in 7th grade. Cognizant of this fact, the score levels of the state test called State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for compositions are determined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through a holistic scoring rubric. The levels are as follows

Score Point 1
Very limited
Weak in many areas
Score Point 2
Basic
Somewhat weak in some areas
Score Point 3
Satisfactory
Sufficiently strong
Score Point 4
Accomplished
Consistently effective

The student points for the revising and editing sections of the STAAR are combined with the scores of the compositions through a specific formula whose total shows either a passing or failing score.

Grades
Grades will be computed according to two categories: class work  (75%) and tests (25%). Class work involves participation, recitation, assignments, homework, projects, journals, binders, writer’s notebook, book reports, and others. Tests entail quizzes, six weeks exams, and benchmarks.
Concluding  Reminder
All learning happens when the student applies what have been communicated to him/her. But what is even more important is when he/she uses the knowledge gained for his/her own betterment as well as that of his fellow human beings.


List of Materials
For
Mr. H. Patino’s Class
2014-2015

Two (2) composition notebooks
One (1)  one and a half inch (1 ½) three-ring binder
One  (1) pack of dividers with labels
Two (2) packs of lined papers
Two (2) packs of #2 pencil
One (1) pack of colored pencils
One (1) pack of markers
One (1) box of wipes (for 1st period only)
One (1) box of Kleenex (for 2nd period only)

Mr. Patino’s
List of Rules
         1. When talking to me, call me, “Sir” or “Mr. Patino” in a nice tone
              of voice.
         2. When talking to a peer or classmate, use a respectful tone of
              voice.
         3. Before entering my classroom, line up quietly along the wall
              outside my door. Never enter my room until told to do so.
         4. Enter my room quietly and walk straight to your desk. Start
              the work posted on the board.        
         5. Raise your hand quietly if you want to say something, ask a
                question, or ask permission to leave seat.   
         6. Always talk in turns. DON’T INTERRUPT.
         7. Do not leave your seat without permission.
         8. Do not leave the room without permission.
         9. You may bring a bottle of water to class but may not leave  
               the room to drink water during class.
         10. Do not use the restroom during class except in extreme
              emergencies.
         11. Respect others’ comments, opinions, and ideas.
         12. If you win, do not brag; if you lose, do not show anger.
         13. Cover your mouth when you sneeze, and say, “Excuse
                me.”
         14. Do not show disrespect with gestures.
         15. Always say thank you when given something.
         16. Always say please when asking for something.
         17. When you receive something, do not insult the gift
                or the giver. Instead show appreciation.
         18. Surprise others with random acts of kindness.
         19. When grading others’ papers, give only the correct grade.
         20. Follow along when we read together.
         21. Answer all written questions with a complete sentence.
         22. When homework is assigned, do not moan or complain,
                or else it will be doubled.
         23. When a substitute is present, all rules still apply.
         24. Be as organized as possible.
         25. Follow specific classroom protocols.
         26. Hold the door for people rather than letting it close on
                them.
         27. If anyone is bullying you, let me know.
         28. Stand up for what you believe in.
         29. Be positive and enjoy life wholesomely.
         30. No matter what the circumstances, be honest.
         31. Learn from your mistakes and move on.
         32. Carpe diem.
         33. Be the best person you can be.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Welcome, 7th graders to AC2E Middle School!

This year is exceptional in that more gifted teachers have chosen to be your mentors and cheerleaders for your continuing educational journey. Thank God for that!

During the first six weeks, we will be delving into the concepts of parts of speech, sentences, paragraphs and compositions. Two major types of essays will be the focus of our study and application: the personal narrative and the expository compositions. We will write these pieces in a deeper and more advanced level than what you may have learned previously. Grammar will go hand in hand as you compose these essays. There will be also book reports and projects. You will be actively engaged in all our activities with the idea that you drive your own learning. That is the only way you will truly learn, not for a day nor for a year, but for a lifetime.

I will do my best to make our learning fun, but at the same time rigorous. We will take as our class motto: Be nice and work hard.

Again, welcome to an invigorating year of writing!

Mr. H. Patino