Southern Middle School ~ Language Arts 7

Ms. Bex
mbex@aacps.org
410-222-1659
Welcome to Language Arts! I am excited to start a new year of learning. This year we will focus on the many elements of
literacy reading, writing, listening, and speaking. We will be learning how to become more strategic readers and writers
while encountering more rigorous material as the year progresses.
CLASSROOM MATERIALS
To be adequately prepared each day, students should arrive to class with:

A pocket folder for homework

A composition notebook to leave in the classroom

Notebook paper

A box of tissues for the classroom

An adequate supply of pens (blue or black), pencils, highlighters, glue, and erasers
EXTRA HELP
I am happy to o!er extra help when needed. STAR time is every Thursday for Language Arts when the activity buses are
running. I will either invite students to stay or they can initiate the request. STAR time is for extra assistance, or if a
student (or teacher) feels they need to redo an assignment. If I would like your child to stay, please look for my note in his/
her agenda book. Please sign the note and expect your child home on the activity bus. You can also send me a note or
email if you would like your child to stay.
HOMEWORK POLICY
Students must read 15-20 minutes per day.
GRADING POLICY

Improving an Assignment Grade

Students will have on opportunity to improve their score on a graded assignment. The student must have completed and
submitted the assignment by the due date, received re-teaching within 5 school days of grade being received, and the
reworked assignment must be resubmitted within 10 school days. Final research reports, long term projects and
benchmark assessments may not be redone.

Letter grades are given using the following scale:

100%-90% = A 89% - 80% = B 79% - 70% = C 69% - 60% = D 59% or less
= E

A minimum grade of 50% is assigned for any assignment in which the student made a good faith e!ort to meet the
basic requirements. No work earns a 0. Academic dishonesty results in a 0 on the assignment in question.

Please use ParentConnect to monitor student grades.

Grading Categories:

Reading 35%
o
Demonstrated understanding of literary and expository text as demonstrated through a variety of assessments
such as discussion, Thinking Maps, selected response assessments and brief constructed responses
o
Academic vocabulary and word building activities
o
Story related vocabulary
o
Monitored reading logs and conferences

Writing 35%
o
Grammar and usage
o
The writing process -- organizing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing
o
Research projects
o
Timed writing opportunities

Listening and Speaking 20%

o
Socratic seminar
o
Presentations- written work such as poetry or visual arts
o
Drama Scenes
o
Debates

Homework 10%
o
A variety of homework will be assigned: reading, vocabulary work, writing, etc.