Joseph Mata        jmata@houstonisd.org        (713)295-5240 ext. 412

Aisha Crumbine, 7^th grade LA Dean

Robin Lowe, Principal

Below you will find an overview of the Language Art department’s expectation as well as an explanation of the grading policy, the curriculum and the materials needed for this class.  Please read carefully with your parents.  Feel free to ask me any questions you may have that may come up.  Once you have read the information with your parents and you all understand it, please sign the bottom and turn it in to me.  Please keep the main portion as your guide. 

Overview of the LA expectations

This year we will embark our learning in Reader Writer Workshop.  It is expected that you take your next step to become a lifelong reader and writer.  The LA department expects for you to enhance your reading life.  We want you to read a variety of text that deals with your interest, enjoyment, particular situations you are dealing with, motivational texts, inspiring text, guidance and even learn why certain text are hard for you to get through.  These are all things that readers actually read, therefore we expect for you to read them all.

We expect for you to write EVERYTHING: thoughts, things you want to remember, sad moments, happy moments, anything that inspires you and the list goes on in your writer’s notebook.  You will take a tour through you notebook at times and find a piece that you would want to develop and actually make it a published piece.  We want to see this process in your notebook.  We expect for you to embrace your thoughts and capture them onto paper and understand as well as celebrate your published pieces.

We are teaching you strategies to be able to read all types of text as well as be able to make a piece of literature become a mentor piece and inspire you to craft and publish your very own writing project.  This is the big umbrella that the LA department will hold over all students.  I know that you will be invested and accept our expectation as becoming a lifelong reader and writer.

Curriculum

This year I will teach you reading and writing.  I have broken down the curriculum for the two so that you can understand what you will be taught in both contents.

v     Reading

Students will learn how to choose books, conquer through challenging books, build stamina, inferences, characterization, and study the big idea of some text.  Throughout different books that you choose, you will be taught strategies that will show you how to master these things.  The novels will be chosen by you and that will be your textbook for the year.  That means you need to make sure that you bring your current book to class everyday to practice strategies that will be taught.  All strategies taught will be located in your literacy notebook.

Ø      Accelerated Reading (AR) - You are not required to only read AR books, but if  you do please take the test.  There will be an incentive for you based off the number of your AR points.  We will discuss this in class.

Ø      Reading logs – You are required to make a log of what you read.  I will show you the format in class.  This will be used as a tool of assessment.

v     Writing/English

You will first work on building your writing stamina.  Find topics you can write about and learn the process of a writer.  From there, you will study and practice the process of writing through different genres: non-fiction, poetry, research based and persuasive essays.  Throughout these studies you will study and practice conventions of writing.  All of this work will be located in your writer’s notebook.

Grading

You will be assessed on your writer’s notebook (WNB), literacy notebook, conferences, AR, reading logs, drafting packets and your writing projects.  Your assessments will be produced from rubrics.  These rubrics will be given to you and placed inside your WNB and your literacy notebook.  These rubrics will actually allow me to learn who you are as a reader and a writer; isn’t that breathtaking!

Materials

I would like for you to have the following:

1 three subject spiral (literacy notebook)

1 composition book (writer’s notebook)

Post-its (different sizes; they will be left with me)

You may need additional spirals and notebooks throughout the school year, so may want to get a few extras the first go round.

Wish list

Extra Post its (different sizes)

Pre-teen books/magazines/sections of the newspaper (all genres)

Book policy

Since the administrative team has embraced this type of work with the LA department, we have to show our appreciation to them.  They have purchased the books that you will be reading for all of the LA classes.  With that being said, it is important that we keep up with the books, return them and keep them in the best shape.  We want them to know that we appreciate their support and effort in making this successful.  You must follow the check out process for my class as well as the library.  If at any time a book that has been checked out under your name is lost or extremely damaged, be prepared for the conversation of how you will solve that problem.  Replace the lost or damaged book with another book.  I only want the book back on the shelf for another student to experience that book.  We need to maintain a wide variety on the shelves for you and your classmates to choose from. 

I know this was a lot, but I wanted to make sure that you and your parents are on the same page as me.  Again, welcome and come to class ready to rock this school year out!

Mr. Mata