Reading 7

Course Description

2019-2020

Instructor Information: Ms. Linda Kikta– Reading 7

Teacher:                                              Ms. Linda Kikta 

Room:                                                   Belle Vernon Area Middle School, Room 101

Contact:                                               Phone: 724-808-2500; ext. 3101

                                                                Email: Linda.kikta@bellevernonarea.net

Website:                                             http://www.bellevernonarea.net/bvams

Course Description:

The Reading 7 course is designed to improve students’ abilities in reading comprehension, analysis, and

interpretation skills. High level thinking strategies and application of reading comprehension skills are covered in a curriculum that is aligned to the PA Core Standards in the Reading Informational Text Strand and Reading Literature Strand. The core reading program uses a literature based text to provide a balance of instruction across a variety of genres including: fiction and nonfiction, biographies, memoirs, poetry, persuasion, historical text and dramas. The Reading Curriculum is supplemented with selected novels and articles to provide a balance of curricular and recreational reading. In addition, the Accelerated Reader program is an important part of the course, with required points being incorporated into the overall grade.

Proposed Curriculum:

• Selected units from the Holt Elements of Literature book which include reading selections, literary terms, and vocabulary

• Novel: Walk Two Moons, A Long Walk To Water, and Flipped

• Class Discussion, Worksheets, Assignments, Pop Quizzes, and Tests

• AR Program/Points

• PSSA Reading Preparation and TDA (Text Dependent Analysis)

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

• To follow the Pennsylvania Department of Education Reading Standards.
• To achieve his/her predicted score on the 7^th grade Language Arts PSSA.
• To improve their reading comprehension and response skills.

Academic Honesty:

Any work submitted by the student shall be his/her own. Work taken from others shall be deemed as unacceptable. Any doubts will be scored a zero.

Class Policies and Expectations:

1. Always be on time to class. Punctuality is important!
2. Always be courteous, considerate, cooperative, and respectful of others.
3. Food, drinks , iphone watches, cell phones, and iPods ARE NOT allowed in my classroom. They are to be solely kept in the drawstring bag, or purse, not permitted in the back pocket. I will take all cell phones and iPods seen in my classroom to the office for parental pick-up. See the Middle School website for our Away for the Day Policy. Any student refusing to hand over devices to me will have a discipline referral sent to the principals’ offices immediately.
4. Be attentive! Listen and follow directions carefully.
5. Be prepared! Bring all materials needed to class.
6. Complete all assignments on time, and always make a serious effort.
7. Only one person speaks at a time. Avoid all side conversations!
8. Always remember, my goal is for you to succeed.

• After a student misses 3 homework assignments, detention will result for these actions.  

Discipline:

Consequences for breaking classroom rules:

1. Warning
2. Conference with Ms. Kikta and call home
3. Notification to principal/discipline referral

Disciplinary actions will be followed by the rules in the student handbook set forth by Belle Vernon Area School District.

Course Grading Criteria:

All quizzes, tests, projects, homework, and labs will be graded according to the Belle Vernon Area School District grading policy. The grading scale is as follows:

A             -              90-100

B             -              80-89

C             -              70-79

D             -              60-69

F              -              0-59

Emphasis will be on formal assessments. Therefore grades will be weighted in this course.

Formal Assessments will account for 75% of a student’s grade (quizzes, tests, projects, performance-based rubrics, etc. )15%will be for AR points each nine weeks.

Informal Assessments will account for 10% of a student’s grade (homework for completion, class participation, exit tickets)

Total points for each nine weeks may be different, depending on the units covered.

• Please be sure that you are reading your required number of points for AR (Accelerated Reader) and completing your tests on time.       Failing to do so will negatively impact your grade.

• Late assignments will lose 10% for each day late up to 3 days.       After 3 days, the assignment will receive a zero. It is not Ms. Kikta’s responsibility to get your make-up work or quizzes/tests completed.

Supplies:

1. 1 3-ring binder
2. Notebook/filler paper
3. A pencil is required every day.

Ms. Kikta will not provide you with a pencil every period. Come prepared!                          

1. All Holt Elements of Literature books must be covered once distributed.

        Additional supplies may be added( highlighters needed daily)

eSchoolPLUS:

Grades will be updated weekly. If you lost or cannot remember log in information, please contact our Child Accounting Department at 724-808-2500 ext. 1108.

Absences:

• Should you miss a day of school, please access our class page on the school website for needed information and see Ms. Kikta before the start of class. If you need to speak with Ms. Kikta concerning make-up work, you must do so on your time. He will not eliminate time from class to handle make-up assignments. This is your responsibility.
• You will have the number of days absent to make up any assignments and quizzes/tests. Should you miss a test/quiz/presentation, you must make that up the day you return to school. Ms. Kikta WILL NOT TOLERATE laziness in making up assignments. For each late day up to 3 days after your return to school, you will receive 10% off your score. After the third day, you will receive a zero. FIND THE TIME! Ms. Kikta is available period 8 and during homeroom periods.e school (Website):
•  
•  

My website contains a classroom calendar that lists all upcoming graded assignments such as quizzes and tests, as well as useful tools and websites that provide additional resources to aid in the success of student achievement.

Reading 7 – Ms. Kikta 101

The following signatures state that all parties are aware of the preceding syllabus.

Student Signature____________________Date_______________

Parent Signature_____________________Date

Reading 7

Course Description

2018-2019

Instructor Information: Ms. Linda Kikta– Reading 7

Teacher:                                              Ms. Linda Kikta 

Room:                                                   Belle Vernon Area Middle School, Room 101

Contact:                                               Phone: 724-808-2500; ext. 3101

                                                                Email: Linda.kikta@bellevernonarea.net

Website:                                             http://www.bellevernonarea.net/bvams

Course Description:

The Reading 7 course is designed to improve students’ abilities in reading comprehension, analysis, and

interpretation skills. High level thinking strategies and application of reading comprehension skills are covered in a curriculum that is aligned to the PA Core Standards in the Reading Informational Text Strand and Reading Literature Strand. The core reading program uses a literature based text to provide a balance of instruction across a variety of genres including: fiction and nonfiction, biographies, memoirs, poetry, persuasion, historical text and dramas. The Reading Curriculum is supplemented with selected novels and articles to provide a balance of curricular and recreational reading. In addition, the Accelerated Reader program is an important part of the course, with required points being incorporated into the overall grade.

Proposed Curriculum:

• Selected units from the Holt Elements of Literature book which include reading selections, literary terms, and vocabulary

• Novel: Walk Two Moons, A Long Walk To Water, and Flipped

• Class Discussion, Worksheets, Assignments, Pop Quizzes, and Tests

• AR Program/Points

• PSSA Reading Preparation and TDA (Text Dependent Analysis)

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

• To follow the Pennsylvania Department of Education Reading Standards.
• To achieve his/her predicted score on the 7^th grade Language Arts PSSA.
• To improve their reading comprehension and response skills.

Academic Honesty:

Any work submitted by the student shall be his/her own. Work taken from others shall be deemed as unacceptable. Any doubts will be scored a zero.

Class Policies and Expectations:

1. Always be on time to class. Punctuality is important!
2. Always be courteous, considerate, cooperative, and respectful of others.
3. Food, drinks , iphone watches, cell phones, and iPods ARE NOT allowed in my classroom. They are to be solely kept in the drawstring bag, or purse, not permitted in the back pocket. I will take all cell phones and iPods seen in my classroom to the office for parental pick-up. See the Middle School website for our Away for the Day Policy. Any student refusing to hand over devices to me will have a discipline referral sent to the principals’ offices immediately.
4. Be attentive! Listen and follow directions carefully.
5. Be prepared! Bring all materials needed to class.
6. Complete all assignments on time, and always make a serious effort.
7. Only one person speaks at a time. Avoid all side conversations!
8. Always remember, my goal is for you to succeed.

• After a student misses 3 homework assignments, detention will result for these actions.  

Discipline:

Consequences for breaking classroom rules:

1. Warning
2. Conference with Ms. Kikta and call home
3. Notification to principal/discipline referral

Disciplinary actions will be followed by the rules in the student handbook set forth by Belle Vernon Area School District.

Course Grading Criteria:

All quizzes, tests, projects, homework, and labs will be graded according to the Belle Vernon Area School District grading policy. The grading scale is as follows:

A             -              90-100

B             -              80-89

C             -              70-79

D             -              60-69

F              -              0-59

Emphasis will be on formal assessments. Therefore grades will be weighted in this course.

Formal Assessments will account for 75% of a student’s grade (quizzes, tests, projects, performance-based rubrics, etc. )15%will be for AR points each nine weeks.

Informal Assessments will account for 10% of a student’s grade (homework for completion, class participation, exit tickets)

Total points for each nine weeks may be different, depending on the units covered.

• Please be sure that you are reading your required number of points for AR (Accelerated Reader) and completing your tests on time.       Failing to do so will negatively impact your grade.

• Late assignments will lose 10% for each day late up to 3 days.       After 3 days, the assignment will receive a zero. It is not Ms. Kikta’s responsibility to get your make-up work or quizzes/tests completed.

Supplies:

1. 1 3-ring binder
2. Notebook/filler paper
3. A pencil is required every day.

Ms. Kikta will not provide you with a pencil every period. Come prepared!                          

1. All Holt Elements of Literature books must be covered once distributed.

        Additional supplies may be added( highlighters needed daily)

eSchoolPLUS:

Grades will be updated weekly. If you lost or cannot remember log in information, please contact our Child Accounting Department at 724-808-2500 ext. 1108.

Absences:

• Should you miss a day of school, please access our class page on the school website for needed information and see Ms. Kikta before the start of class. If you need to speak with Ms. Kikta concerning make-up work, you must do so on your time. He will not eliminate time from class to handle make-up assignments. This is your responsibility.
• You will have the number of days absent to make up any assignments and quizzes/tests. Should you miss a test/quiz/presentation, you must make that up the day you return to school. Ms. Kikta WILL NOT TOLERATE laziness in making up assignments. For each late day up to 3 days after your return to school, you will receive 10% off your score. After the third day, you will receive a zero. FIND THE TIME! Ms. Kikta is available period 8 and during homeroom periods.e school (Website):
•  
•  

My website contains a classroom calendar that lists all upcoming graded assignments such as quizzes and tests, as well as useful tools and websites that provide additional resources to aid in the success of student achievement.

Reading 7 – Ms. Kikta 101

The following signatures state that all parties are aware of the preceding syllabus.

Student Signature____________________Date_______________

Parent Signature_____________________Date