Boston Collegiate Charter School

Reading, Grade 7
Course Description, 2014-2015
Mrs Stern and Ms Go!e"
Email: kstern@bostoncollegiate.org, mgomezsheehy@bostoncollegiate.org
Phone: (617) 2651172 ! "21 (#tern), !"2" ($omez)
%o&rse 'ebsite: http#$$%ccsreading&ee%l'co!
Course ()er)ie&
(elcome to 7
th
gra)e *ea)ing class+ (e are e!cite) to 'ork 'ith yo& this year. ,&r goal
is to hel- yo& become an e.en more -assionate, skille), acti.e, c&rio&s an) /&ent
rea)er. 0ogether, 'e 'ill e!-lore .ario&s ty-es o1 te!ts2non3ction, 3ction, -oems, songs,
short stories, -lays, -hotos an) 3lm2all 'hile strengthening yo&r rea)ing, 'riting an)
critical thinking skills.
4o& 'ill rea) closely an) like a detective, noticing -atterns an) 3g&ring o&t the a&thor5s
central arg&ment. 6n 73shbo'ls8 an) book cl&b )isc&ssions, yo& 'ill 1orm an) e!-ress
yo&r o-inions abo&t books. 4o& 'ill research an) )isc&ss contro.ersial iss&es 'ith yo&r
-eers. 4o& 'ill 'rite like an investigative reporter, &sing the best e.i)ence to s&--ort
yo&r claim.
4o& 'ill also analyze con/icts, &nco.er a character5s tone, think abo&t theme, an) ho' a
character )e.elo-s thro&gho&t the story. 9y the en) o1 the year, yo& 'ill master o.er 6:
essential .ocab&lary 'or)s that yo& 'ill see 1re;&ently in eighth gra)e an) high school+
*nits and +e,ts
Each &nit may be s&--lemente) 'ith non3ction, biogra-hies, essays, .i)eo cli-s an)
.is&als.
*nit 0 -.ug/# #&mmer *ea)ing assessments an) class intro)&ction
*nit 1 -Sept 0 (ct/# Poetry an) 0he %olor o1 <y (or)s by =ynn >ose-h
*nit 2 -(ct 01o)/# #hort #tories by ,. ?enry an) $ary #oto
*nit 2 -1o) - 3an/# %he' ,n 0his: E.erything 4o& @on5t (ant 0o Ano' Bbo&t Cast
Coo) by Eric #chlosser
*nit 4 -3an 0 Mar/# 0he ,&tsi)ers by #.E. ?inton
*nit 5 -.pr 0 Ma'/# 9ook %l&bs (Creak the <ighty by *o)man Philbrick, Bnything
9&t 0y-ical by Dora *aleigh 9askin, 0he #kin 65m 6n by #haron $. Clake)
*nit 4 -Ma' 0 3un/# 7B *aisin in the #&n8 by =orraine ?ansberry
5!path' and Critical 6iterac'#
?a.e yo& 'alke) a mile in someone else5s shoesE (e 'ill rea) no.els 'ritten 1rom the
-oint o1 .ie' o1 a)olescents an) a)&lts 1rom other cities, to'ns, an) co&ntries. (e
'ill learn abo&t -eo-le5s c&lt&res an) rea) abo&t tra)itions that are )iFerent than
o&r o'n. (e 'ill 'rite 1rom the -oint o1 .ie' o1 someone m&ch ol)er, yo&nger or
in a com-letely )iFerent -lace an) li1e circ&mstance. 0hese acti.ities all ser.e the
same -&r-ose: they hel- &s see the 'orl) thro&gh someone elseGs eyes,
&n)erstan) other -eo-leGs -ers-ecti.es an) em-athize 'ith them.
7ndependent Reading and 8o!e&or9
(hile yo& 'ill be 'orking har) in school to b&il) yo&r rea)ing skills, the most eFecti.e
an) con3)ent rea)ers s-en) time rea)ing at home. @&ring the 'eek, 'e may ask yo& to
rea) 2: to ": min&tes 1rom a book, magazine or ne's-a-er o1 yo&r choice. (e may also
ask yo& to res-on) to yo&r book in a *ea)er *es-onse >o&rnal. E.en 15 min&tes a )ay
(or abo&t 1: -ages) o1 in)e-en)ent rea)ing at home can e!-ose yo& to more than one
million 'or)s in a year.
Permanent
Index
#1
Grading :olic' and .ssess!ents
20; Class&or9 -graded <or =ualit' and accurac'/
o @oDo's, mini lessons an) skill 'ork ()aily)
o 0e!t annotation an) rea)ing trackers ()aily)
o 6nclass 'ritten res-onses ()aily)
o H 6nterim Bssessments (te!t 'ith com-rehension ;&estions an) 'riting
-rom-ts)
o 6 9in)er checks 1or organizations at the en) o1 each &nit
20; 8o!e&or9 -graded <or =ualit' and accurac'/
o <&st be t&rne) in on time 1or 1&ll cre)it
20; Minor .ssess!ents
o Iocab&lary ;&izzes an) e!it sli-s
o 9ooks-eci3c &nit tests an) ;&izzes
o 6n)i.i)&al an) gro&- oral -resentations (e!: -oetry recitation)
o 9ook cl&b meetings, gro&- -roJects an) 'holeclass )isc&ssions
20; Ma>or .ssess!ents
o En)o1&nit tests, )isc&ssions, essays, ,-en *es-onses
+he ?nal e,a! is a t&o-da' test and is 10; o< the 'earl' ?nal grade
@e%site
Please check the class 'ebsite 1re;&ently. 4o& 'ill be aske) to log in an) -ractice
.ocab&lary be1ore ;&izzes. (e also -ost class notes an) reso&rces 1or research -roJects.
9ookmark it on yo&r com-&ter+ http#$$%ccsreading&ee%l'co!
6ate @or9 or Missed +est$Aui""es
61 a st&)ent is absent, it is hisKher res-onsibility to contact the teacher to see 'hat 'as
misse) an) to make a -lan 1or getting the notes an)Kor com-leting the misse) class'ork
an) home'ork. (ork 'ill be collecte) an) -lace) in the <ain ,Lce. #t&)ents sho&l)
-ick &- any collecte) 'ork in the morning &-on ret&rn to school. #t&)ents sho&l) meet
'ith <rs. #tern or <s. $omez be1ore or a1ter school or )&ring l&nch to )isc&ss any 'ork
or notes they misse). 61 a st&)ent is absent sKhe 'ill ha.e the same n&mber o1 )ays
misse) to make &- the 'ork. <isse) ;&izzes an) tests 'ill be ma)e &- the )ay the
st&)ent ret&rns to school, either )&ring l&nch or a1terschool. 6t is the st&)ent5s
res-onsibility to sche)&le a time to make&- the misse) test or ;&iz, other'ise the
st&)ent 'ill recei.e a zero 1or the ;&iz or test gra)e.
Cinally, -lease re1er to the 9%%# #t&)ent an) Camily ?an)book 1or a))itional -olicies.
Class Materials
B list o1 the re;&ire) class materials, nee)e) e.ery)ay, is belo'. 61 a st&)ent 1ails to bring
any o1 these items, it 'ill res&lt in a )emerit 1or being &n-re-are). Please reach out to
Ms. Gomez or Mrs. Stern immediately if you have concerns about purchasing these
materials.
1. B "ring bin)er 'ith H )i.i)ers labele) @o Do', Dotes, Iocab&lary, *et&rne) (ork
2. 1 =uart-si"e Mi-lock bag to storeK-rotect class te!t ()emerit i1 te!t is not in
Mi-lock)
". 6: in)e! car)s 1or .ocab&lary /ashcar)s
H. 1:: Post 6ts (" inch ! " inch s&ggeste))
5. 9l&eKblack -en an) -encil

Once you and your family have read the course description, please sign and rip
of THE NEXT PAGE (PAGE 3) and turn it in the HW FOLDER.
Pages 1 and of the !ourse "escription stay in the Permanent #nde$ in your
binder.
ha!e re!ie"ed the #our$e de$#ription and under$tand the in%or&ation
pre$ented'
#t&)ent Dame:
#t&)ent #ignat&re: @ate:
Parent #ignat&re: @ate:
:arents B Guardians, please ?ll out the <ollo&ing in<or!ation +han9 Cou #
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2. (hat is the best 'ay to get in contact 'ith yo& (-hone or emailO 'hat times o1
)ay)E
". ?o' )i) yo&r chil) )o last year in rea)ingE (Bny s-eci3c str&ggles, 'hat they
enJoye) most, etc.)
H. *ea)ing P &sing yo&r eyeballsQ. a lot+
a. @oes yo&r chil) 'ear glassesE
b. @oes yo&r chil) nee) glassesE Bre yo& in -rocess o1 getting themE
2. Please share any in1ormation on ho' yo& belie.e yo&r chil) learns best:
". Bny other comments or ;&estionsE