Littleton Middle SchoolBack to School Night

Welcome!September 24, 2012

Advisory

Monday, Wednesday, Friday:--Reading (book of choice) and summarizing (using Reading Log)

Tuesday and Thursday:--Student reports on Current Events; curriculum enhancement & practice; test-taking skills; MCAS prep

Seventh Grade

Responsible,

Independent,

Organized,

Successful students

Tools Accordion folder—Each subject is labeled; going

home every night for “To be completed” & “Completed” assignments

Agenda/Planner—going home every night; daily and/or weekly assignments recorded

On-line homework postings—access through LMS Home Page and click on teacher’s name; assignments may change last minute—check planner first

Teacherease.com—check progress of student

After School Help

Mondays=Mrs. Pistorino and Mrs. Stanton

Tuesdays=Mrs. Ingemie and Mrs. Stephenson

Thursdays=Ms. Orcione and Mr. Giabbai

*Late busses start in October

7th grade English/Language Arts

Ms. Janel Orcione

Littleton Middle School

Writing

Currently---Structure & types of paragraphs October---Six Traits of Good Writing (Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions)

Late November---Long compositions (five plus paragraphs) with thesis statements and strategies to develop the topic

April---Mini research papers with correct MLA documentation and citations.

**Assessed writing assignments usually count as a quiz or test grade. These assignments are placed in the student’s writing folder, which is kept in the classroom for reflection purposes.

MCAS

Late March —MCAS Long Composition

Early April —ELA (English/Language Arts) MCAS

Grammar

Every other week a new grammar skill is covered

Writer’s Craft book is used for grammar assignments along with grammar worksheets

Grammar quizzes are given about once a month

Vocabulary

Wordly Wise book for vocabularyNew lesson every other week--two weeks

on each lessonEach week vocabulary homework is

assigned on Mondays and due on Wednesdays.

Vocabulary tests are every other Friday.

Reading and Literature

Currently---The Westing Game (Along with class discussions, Active Reader handouts, chapter questions, open-responses, and tests will be assigned for this book.)

October--- Star Girl (Planned to be tied in to advisory reading and discussions)

December--- Short stories from class anthology and Jr. Great Books (Along with class discussions, Reader’s Notes handouts and open-responses will be assigned for these short stories.)

April--- Poetry (mini research paper ties in to the poetry unit)

May--- The Giver (Along with class discussions, Active Reader handouts, chapter questions, open-responses, and questions on the final will be assigned for this book.)

Literary terms

Notebook

English notebook is the student’s on-going portfolio.

All classwork and homework in notebookAll work should be complete and neat.Sample notebook available to checkNotebook checks (two or three test grades) near the end

of each semester

Evaluation

Tests=50%

Quizzes=30%

Homework=15%

Participation=5%

Learning CenterLearning Center

77thth Grade GradeRoom 212Room 212

Jessica StantonJessica Stanton

RoleRole

Support curriculum developmentSupport curriculum development

Develop correlating activities to reinforce Develop correlating activities to reinforce conceptsconcepts

Guide students towards personal independenceGuide students towards personal independence

After school help day: MondayAfter school help day: Monday

Ancient History

Mr. Giabbai

Curriculum

Aligned with the Massachusetts History and Social Sciences Curriculum Frameworks, the National Standards in History, and the Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies

Historical Sources & Archaeology Ancient Mesopotamia Ancient Egypt Ancient India Greek Mythology Ancient Greece Ancient Rome

Goals for Students

Building tolerance by learning about other cultures and the similarities and differences between peoples

Understanding cause and effect and how the actions of individuals and groups can change societies

Analyzing artifacts and primary sources to determine what they reveal about the people who made them

Using evidence to support a thesis Practicing reading comprehension, expository writing, oral

presentation, and critical thinking skills Utilizing 21st century learning skills via the Moodle online

learning platform

Grading Grading is done on a points-based system. Each assignment or

assessment will be worth a certain number of points. These points add up to calculate the student’s grade.

Examples: Homework Quiz 10 pointsHomework Assignment 10 pointsRegular Quiz 150

pointsTest 200

pointsBinder Check 200 pointsProject 50 points

Homework Quizzes

Students use their own homework to answer the questions

All questions come directly from the homework Low grades are an indication that the student did

not do the homework or did not do it completely

Regular Quizzes & Tests

Study guides are provided All questions are based on the study guide Students may not use study guides or

homework outlines – only their brains May consist of multiple choice, matching, fill-

in-the-blank, short answer, picture identification, and open response questions

Projects

Projects may include traditional paper-based projects, online projects, and oral presentations

Projects are done in class and may have to be finished up at home

Directions are always provided for projects

Binder Check

Binder checks will usually be held at the end of each unit of study.

As long as students are completing their daily filing in class, they should have no problem with the binder check.

Students are given time daily in class to file assignments into their binder with the specific instructions provided and posted in class.

No credit will be given for assignments that are not complete or are not filed on the correct numbered page.

Students are encouraged to come in to check the sample binder in class or online at the Moodle site.

Class Preparation Grade

Students begin the term with class preparation grade of 100.  If a student has to go to his/her locker to retrieve any of the items below, he/she loses 5 points off the class preparation grade for the day.

pen/pencil history binder homework textbook (if there is a large tri-fold board outside

the classroom that says “bring textbook”)

The class preparation grade is averaged into the term grade

Online Classroom

Students will often have to complete homework using the online classroom on the Moodle online learning platform

Students will have a username and unique password to access this site

Individuals who are not 7th grade students are not able to access the site

Spanish

Mrs. Ingemie

About the Class

Equivalent to the first half of Level 1 Spanish

Grade 8 is the second half

Students may be able to take Level 2 Spanish in ninth grade

Textbook, activity books, and the evaluation process are the same as in high school in order to maintain consistency in the program

Class Content

Basics of Language Learning:– Listening– Speaking– Reading– Writing– Culture

Class activities will include, but not be limited to:– Group work– Audio & video clips– Instruction– Written activities

Students are Required to Bring

Textbook

Writing Journal

Activity notebook

Homework Planner

Writing Utensil

Grading

Quizzes 35%

Projects 25%

Homework 20%

Class Work, Participation, Effort 20%

Mrs. Lynne PistorinoMrs. Lynne Pistorinompistorino@littletonps.ompistorino@littletonps.o

rgrg

Mrs. Lynne PistorinoMrs. Lynne Pistorinompistorino@littletonps.ompistorino@littletonps.o

rgrgMath 7Math 7

Pre-AlgebraPre-Algebra

mpistorino@littleonps.org

• Grades 5-12 Mathematics License

• MCAS Grade 7 Assessment Development Committee for DESE

• District Coordinator for the Mentor Program

• Mentor

Standards form the backbone of my curriculum. What the students learn and need to master is based on the Massachusetts Frameworks which incorporate the Common Core Standards

Standards describe what to teach, not how to teach it.

New Math ProgramMath 7 Connected Math, course 2 orPre-Algebra

Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2012

Online Math Resources:

Textbook—students given redemption code

Homework: New.Schoolnotes.com

Email: mpistorino@littletonps.org

Practice, practice, practice…

HomeworkNew concepts are taught daily so… ….homework is assigned every day

(including weekends) 15 - 30 minutes

Full Credit: on time, attempt every problem, show necessary work

Grading Policy

•Tests : 45%•Quizzes: 45%•Homework: 10%

Make Up PolicyTests—retakes for a maximum average of 70%

• Within 1 week after the test has been returned

• Redo all incorrect problems• After school, Mondays

Quizzes—based on homework and classwork; no retakesHomework—one day, unless absent Usually a quiz or test each week

Extra Help

•Mondays, after school

•Math Lab with Ms. Pisano for MCAS prep

7th grade Science

Ms. Stephenson

Curriculum

• Term 1 – Human Body / Nature Journal

• Term 2 – Astronomy / Moon Journal

• Term 3 – Cells / Nature Journal

• Science Fair – November - April

Science Fair

• Mandatory in 7th & 8th grade

• Partners (2 or 3), solo

• Worth 2 tests, 2 quizzes, 100 hw• • Thursday - S Fair extra help day

Science Fair Timeline

• Nov. – Ideas, topics of interest• Dec. – Research paper• Jan. – Project proposal• By mid-January, should begin experiment

• Feb. – Data collection• March - Data analysis, Conclusion,

Display board• April – Class presentation• April 14 – Science Fair Open House

Hands On – Minds On

• Hands on activities and labs

• If students can see, touch, ‘taste’, build or take apart content…………

• Inquiry

Grading Policy

• Homework/ Class Participation – 20%

• Quiz / Lab Sheets - 30%

• Tests / Lab Reports - 50%

Important Websites

• Homeworkschool website

• On-line Gradebookwww.teacherease.com

• CommunicationBStephenson@littletonps.org