7th Grade
Writing
AC2E Middle School
Mr. Hilario A. Patino
School: 956-352-6324/
956-352-6363
Planning periods available to meet: 9th (2:50-3:35)
Syllabus August
24, 2015
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.
Testing Schedule
District Benchmark 1 Writing Day 1
November 10, 2015 (Tuesday)
Writing
Day 2 November 11, 2015 (Wednesday)
District Benchmark 2 Writing Day 1
February 9, 2016 (Tuesday)
Writing
Day 2 February 10,2016 (Wednesday)
STAAR Writing Day 1 March 29, 2016 ( Tuesday)
STAAR Writing Day 2 March
30, 2016 (Wednesday)
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.
The teacher will not assign a grade of “A” for late work. He
will count 10 points off per day of late work. If work is turned in and is of
good quality, it will not be assigned a grade lower than a “70”.
Work not turned in will be recorded as NHI (not handed in)
or M (missing) on the student portal so that grade reports will compute the
grade as zero until handed in.
Tardy Policy
Tardies are minutes taken away from learning. Students who
are chronically tardy waste the most valuable commodity in school - time.
Tardies at Ac2E Middle School accumulate all day and start
over at the new 6 weeks. These will be referred to the office with
consequences.
Tardies 1-4 Teacher records and warns the student.
Tardy 5 – Referral to administrator. Parent contact
Tardy 6 – Referral to administrator. Parent, teacher, administrator meeting
Tardy 7 – Referral to administrator. ISS at home campus
assigned.
Tardt 8+ - Referral to administrator. Student will be
transferred to home campus.
Code of Behavior
In Mr. Patino’s class, the following Code of Behavior will
be cultivated:
1. Honesty
2. Initiative
3. Responsibility for actions
4. Awareness of time and space
5. Fearlessness to ask questions
6. Importance of presentation
7. Organization
8. Humility
These qualities will guide all interactions in the
classroom.
Discipline Plan
1. Follow teacher’s written and spoken directions the first
time given all the time.
2. Ask permission before leaving seat, talking, going to and
from anybody and anywhere in the classroom.
3. Keep hands and feet to oneself.
4. No gum, food, or drinks are allowed ( except when
permission is given and during special occasions).
5. Talk softly and respectfully.
Consequences
1. Parent contact
2. Grade level meeting with parent and/or student
3. Referral to the office of administrator (principal,
assistant principal, counselor)
List of Materials
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 markers
One (1) box of wipes (for 1st period only)
One (1) box of Kleenex (for 1st and 2nd
periods only)
Binder
Organization
1.
Cover page
·
Integrated Language Arts (ILA)
·
Personalized image or picture
·
Your first and last name
·
Grade level and period (7-1)
·
Teacher’s name (Mr. Hilario A. Patino)
·
Goals: To get an exemplary performance in
STAAR writing
: To become a lifelong
writer
·
Affirmation: “ I can and I will succeed.”
“ No excuses! I am
responsible!”
2. Dividers with labels
·
Label #1= Grammar Notes
·
Label #2= Compositions Notes
·
Label #3= Compositions (Drafts)
·
Label #4= Hand-outs
·
Label # 5= Weekly tests and common assessments
·
Label# 6= Homework
·
Label #7= Notebook papers
Work Expectations
Journals, assignments, homework, book reports, projects,
presentations, and other products will have their specific formats to be
explained and required by the teacher. They must show professional quality
(neat, in correct formats, deep and insightful content, presentable to
professionals). They have to be
consistently followed by the students. Any digression or non-compliance of
these expectations will result in the work not accepted or not graded until the
format is followed.
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/her fellow human beings.
Contract
I have read the above syllabus and its requirements and will
promise to be guided by it. If I have any questions about the writing class, I
will refer to it first before asking the teacher.
______________________________
____________________________
Parent Signature
Student Signature
Date_____________
Date_______________
