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Ms. Craft's Website

7th Grade Language Arts

Sep-Nov | Dec-Feb | Mar-June

John Swett Unified School District

Carquinez Middle School

Welcome to the 2007/2008 school year.

SEPTEMBER
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

3

LABOR DAY

NO SCHOOL

4

First Day of School

  • Welcome
  • Journal
  • Group share
  • Rules
  • Procedures
  • Parent letter

5

  • Journal
  • More getting acquainted
  • Procedures/routines
  • Due: Parent letter

    • 6

  • Journal
  • Grammar diagnostic

    • 7

  • Journal
  • More rules and procedures
  • Poetry activity

    • 10

    • Journal
    • Finish Bouts Rimes activity
    • Grammar: simple subjects/predicates
    • Vocab words: cherish, discreetly, impaled, impale, suitor, swarthy
    • HW: Vocab definitions and context sentences

    11

  • Journal
  • Reading: A Crush, p 16
  • Due: Vocab context sentences
  • HW: finish reading A Crush; bring a book for SSR tomorrow

    • 12

    no library yet

  • Crush quizzette
  • Discuss reading
  • Choosing a book:
  • SSR/reading log
  • HW: pg 24, quickwrite #2

    • 13 min day

  • Crush review
  • Due: Pg 24, QW #2
  • HW: test tomorrow

    • Back to School Night

    14

  • Crush test
  • Grammar quiz
  • Poetry: Quintain
  • No HW

    • 17

  • Class starter: subject/ predicate
  • Period 2: take Friday test
  • Periods 3, 5, 6: more time with Quintain Poem (Friday)
  • Vocab words: assiduously, balk, compulsory, elusive, eminent, rehabilitate, retribution, unobtrusively, unperceived, virtuous
  • HW: define vocab and write context sentences

    • 18

  • Due: Vocab context sentences
  • Journal
  • Writing #1: Personal Narrative
  • HW:; Read p. 28, A Retrieved Reformation;be able to identify setting, main characters, and a conflict; bring book for SSR tomorrow

    • 19

  • SSR/reading Log
  • Reading strategies
  • HW: Finish A Retrieved Reformation; quizzette tomorrow

    • 20

  • Reading quizzette
  • Narrative-work on 1st draft
  • HW: pg 35, QW #3 "Look up the words retrieve and reformation in a dictionary. Then, in a paragraph (6-8 sentences) explain whether A Retrieved Reformation is the best title for this story." Use at least 2 of our vocab words in your paragraph.

    • 21

  • Due: QW #3, p 35
  • Grammar:Subject/Predicate
  • In class:
  • HW:pg 36 Literary Links "Review A Crush on p.16. Then, compare how Ernie and Jimmie Valentine change after each of them falls in love. ; continue working on draft of personal narrative

    • 24

  • The Noun
  • Start plot sequence map
  • HW: Finish plot sequence map; writer's wkshp tomorrow

    • 25

  • Work on 1st draft of narrative
  • HW: Skillbuilder worksheet; Don't forget book for SSR tomorrow

    • 26

    Library Day

  • SSR/reading log
  • Reading Strategies
  • NO HW!

    • 27

  • Peer Editing of 1st draft
  • Selection review
  • HW: Study for test on "Retrieved Reformation"

    • 28

  • Test on "Retreived Reformation" and vocab
  • HW: Revise narrative (Final draft due Tuesday, Oct. 2)

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    OCTOBER
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    1

  • Journal
  • Grammar: more Nouns and sentence structure
  • HW: Finish Personal Narrative (due tomorrow)

    • 2

  • Due: Final draft of personal narrative
  • Reading: Poetry, p 108 to 112, "The Pasture" & "A Time to Talk"
  • HW: p 113 Reflect, Rethink, 7 Relate questions 1-5; SSR tomorrow

    • 3

  • Due: p 113, 1-5
  • SSR/reading log
  • Reading: 116-117, "There is no Word for Goodbye" & p 118, "Graduation Morning"
  • No Homework

    • 4

  • Poetry review
  • HW: Any Quickwrite of your choice, p 113 or 119

    • 5

  • Due: Quickwrite
  • Poetry test
  • No Homework

    • 8

  • SSR 10 min
  • Log entries
  • Spelling: WKBK p2-3
  • Author's Purpose
  • HW: Define compassionate, crux, enfeebled, legacy, and rummage; p 127 "Words to Know" Exercise A - Write the sentences out.

    • 9

  • Due: definitions and p127,WTK "A"
  • Journal: p121 "Personal Connection"
  • Reading: p 123 "Homeless"
  • Point of View review
  • HW: Skillbuilder wksht (due Thurs)

    • 10

    Library Day

  • SSR 20 min
  • log entries
  • independent book check-in
  • HW: p 126 QW#2 (use at least 2 vocab words)

    • 11

  • Due: QW#2 p 126 and Skbldr WKSHT
  • "Homeless" study guide
  • Spelling WKBK p4-5
  • No Homework; prepare index card for test

    • 12

  • Test on "Homeless"
  • SSR
    		•

    15

  • SSR: 10 min
  • Essay #2: Descriptive Report - Oasis Project Craft/DaSilva Due 10/22
  • Your essay should 1) Define and describe an oasis 2) Describe the possible activities taking place at an oasis 3) Describe your oasis model 4) conclude with a thoughtful reflection. Essay is worth 100 pts.
  • HW: Complete outline of Oasis Report

    • 16

  • Due: outline for peer review
  • Grammar: complete sentences
  • Eaboration and description
  • Capitalization
  • HW: Start drafting your essay

    • 17

  • SSR: 20 min
  • Unity and transitions
  • Computer lab for those who are ready
  • HW: Finish rough draft for peer review

    • 18

  • Due: working draft for class work
  • Peer review
  • Student conferencing
  • Works cited
  • HW: Keep working on descriptive report and model

    • 19

  • SSR 10 mins
  • "Show not tell" activity
  • Computer lab if available and ready
  • HW: Work on oasis model and keep track of specific details for your description

    • 22

  • Due: Oasis Descriptive Report
  • SSR: 10 mins
  • Bookmarks and how to use them
  • Reading: "A Conversation With My Dogs" p 167
  • Dialogue group activity
  • No Homework

    • 23

    Make-up tests at lunch

  • Journal: Write a conversation with a pet like the one in the story.
  • In class: Make a list of ironic remarks made by the dogs and explain how each contributes to creating humor.
  • HW: Strategic Reading sheet

    • 24

    Library Day

  • Due: Strategic Reading sheet
  • SSR
  • Check-in/out books
  • Observe the SSR rules

    • 25

    Make-up tests at lunch

  • Due: reading logs and writing journals
  • Journal
  • Exploring Imagery, p172 - 173
  • Finish Imagery assignment

    • 26

  • Due: Imagery assignment
  • SSR: 10 mins
  • Spelling wkbk p. 6-9
  • Student conferencing
  • HW: Be ready for selection test Monday

    • 29

  • Test on Conversation
  • SSR when finished with test
  • No Homework

    • 30

  • 3 types of questions: Factual, Interpretive, and Evaluative
  • "The Road Not Taken"
  • No Homework
    		•

    31

  • SSR 20 mins
  • grade check-in
  • Make-up tests
  • No Homework

    • 1

    Last day to make-up tests for the quarter

    2

    End of 1st quarter - Minimum Day

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    NOVEMBER
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    5

    No School -Staff Development Day

    6

  • No Homework
    		•

    7

    Library Day

  • SSR 20 mins
  • No Homework

    • 8

  • practice group procedures and asking questions after viewing short film clips
  • HW: none

    • 9

    Report cards

  • Start viewing Spellbound and filling out character sheet SSR 10 mins
  • No homework

    • 12

    Veterans Day-No School

    13

  • Continue viewing Spellbound
  • No Homework
    		•

    14 Min. Day

    Parent-Teacher conferences

  • SSR
  • Spelling: p 10 and 11
  • No HW

    • 15 Min. Day

    Parent-Teacher conferences

  • Finish Spellbound
  • Work on spelling book
  • No Homework

    • 16

  • SSR
  • Finish Spelling pg 10-12:
  • HW: Finish spelling not completed in class

    • 19

  • Journal
  • Bethgelert
  • Types of questions
  • Discussion Director
  • HW: Complete wkshts started in class

    • 20

  • Due: Question and DD wkshts
  • More work with questions

    • 21 no library

  • SSR
  • Turn in reading Logs
  • Finish questions

    • 22

    Thanksgiving

    No

    23

    Holiday

    School

    26

  • SSR
  • Books for lit circles
  • 1st and 2nd choice
  • Spelling wkbk pp 14-15
  • (Per 2 gets list of words for spelling bee)

    • 27

  • Lit circles books and folders distributed

    • 28

  • SSR
  • Grammar sentence combining

    • 29

  • Lit circles

    • 30

  • SSR
  • Spelling wksht to be done in class

    •  

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    DECEMBER
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    3

  • SSR
  • Spelling WKBK pp 18-19

    • 4

  • Lit Circles fishbowl activity
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 5

    Library Day

  • SSR
    		•

    6

  • Lit Circles
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 7

  • 2nd Period Spelling Bee all period
  • SSR
  • Grammar: possessive pronouns v. contractions

    • 10

  • SSR
  • Spelling Kkbk pp22-25

    • 11

  • Lit Circles
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 12

  • SSR
  • Grammar
    		•

    13

  • Lit Circles
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 14

  • SSR
  • Spelling wksht in class

    • 17

  • SSR
    		•

    18

  • Lit Circles
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 19

    Library Day

  • SSR
    		•

    20

  • Lit Circles
  • Determine the reading assignment for Thursday
  • Complete today's notes and hand in goup folder

    • 21

  • SSR
    		•

    24

    Winter Break

    25

    26

    27

    28

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    JANUARY
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    31

    Winter Break

    1

    2

    3

    4

    7

  • SSR
  • HW: group book assignment (Due Thurs 1/17).

    • 8

  • Lit circle Posters
  • Complete group notes and hand in group folder

    • 9

  • SSR
  • Work on posters

    • 10

  • posters
    		•

    11

  • SSR
  • Posters
    		•

    14

  • SSR
  • In-class: Personal and Writing Connection for I Am a Native American p 342

    • 15

  • Due: Writing Connection
  • Reading: I Am a Native American
  • Persuasion
  • HW: Work on Book Assignment (due Thurs)

    • 16

    Library Day

  • SSR
  • Extra Credit for poster presentations this week
  • HW: Skilbuilder WKSHT - Due Fri 1/18

    • 17

  • Due: Lit circle book assignments
  • Class brainstorm on persuasion

    • 18

  • Due: Sklbldr wksht
  • I Am a Native American open-book Test
  • SSR
    		•

    21

    Martin Luther King JR Birthday

    No School

    22

  • Poster Presentations
  • What persuades?

    • 23

  • SSR 10 minutes
  • Poster Presentations
  • Facts, opinions, and claims

    • 24

  • Last chance poster presentations
  • From personal opinion to arguable claim

    • 25 min day End 2nd quarter

  • SSR
  • Apealing to audience

    • 28

  • SSR
  • Recognizing Types of Appeals
  • HW Find and bring in a few newspaper or magazine advertisements tomorrow

    • 29

  • Analysis of an advertisement

    • 30

    Library Day

  • SSR
    		•

    31

  • Matching Strategies to audience

    • 1

  • SSR
  • Matching strategies to audience cont'd
  • Persuasive Essay assigned (due 2/21)

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    FEBRUARY
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    4

  • SSR
  • Flawed reasoning
  • Checklst distributed

    • 5

  • Collecting evidence

    • 6

  • SSR
  • Point - Counterpoint

    • 7

  • Continue Point - Counterpoint
  • HW: Claim, reason, evidence, possible counterargument

    • 8

  • Due: Claim, reasons, evidence, and possible counter-arguments
  • SSR
  • Organizing and drafting the essay

    • 11

    President's Day No School

    12

  • SSR 10 min
  • Organizational outline
  • successful persuasive essays
  • HW: 1st draft of essay (due Thurs for peer review)

    • 13

    Library Day

  • SSR
  • HW: wk on draft

    • 14

  • Due: 1st draft
  • SSR 10 min
  • Peer review
  • Computer lab for periods 2, 3, and 5

    • 15

  • SSR 10 min
  • Computer Lab for period 6

    • 18

    President's Day No School

    19

  • SSR 10 min
  • Computer lab
  • Work on paper
  • Spelling wkbk pp 38-41

    • 20

  • SSR 10 min
  • Previewing Catherine, Called Birdy (CCB)
  • HW: book protector for extra credit

    • 21

  • Due: Persuasive Essay
  • SSR 10 min
  • Class reading CCB
  • HW: Read rest of "September," write down new words

    • 22

  • SSR
  • "Reading and Making Connections" chapter handout
  • finish spelling
  • HW: Reread "September" and finish handout -- due Monday

    • 25

  		•

    26

  		•

    27

    Library Day

  • Ms. Craft sick

    • 28

  • Ms. Craft sick
  • Spelling wkbk pp 42-45

    • 29

  • Ms. Craft sick
  • free period

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    MARCH
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    3

  • Sept - Oct pop quiz
  • Review for STAR writing test tomorrow
  • Read "25th day of October"
  • HW: Imitate this passage and describe your room

    • 4

  • STAR Writing test

    • 5

  • SSR
  • Review metaphor and simile
  • Metaphor activity "15th Day of Oct"
  • HW Keep reading and finish metaphor class work

    • 6

  • SSR
  • Go over vocab: 8 more words
  • Reading November
  • HW: vocab matching quiz tomorrow

    • 7

  • Sept-Oct vocab test
  • HW:
  • Parent letter sent home to sign
  • Get caught up on reading "November" and finish handout -- due Monday

    • 10

  • Due: Connections for Nov.
  • SSR
  • Nov-Sept vocabulary packet distributed (Keep track of the vocab words when you read them; write down the entry date and sentence in which they appear)
  • Reading: Discuss November. Start Dec in class
  • HW: Continue December

    • 11

  • SSR
  • start reading December in class
  • HW: Finish Dec. Get caught up on the study guide questions. I will check progress tomorrow.

    • 12

    Library Day

  • 10-minute reading quiz Nov-Dec
  • Library
  • HW: Complete Dec connections

    • 13

  • Due: connection sheet for December
  • SSR
  • Dec Highlights
  • Medieval diary assignment distributed; (Due date: Wednesday April 16 )
  • HW: Study for Nov-Dec test tomorrow; parent notification signed

    • 14

  • Due: signed notification
  • Open-book Nov-Dec test (reading and vocabulary)
  • HW: Read January (it's short) and complete connection sheet

    • 17

  • Due: January connection sheet
  • SSR
  • January-February Vocabulary
  • Start reading Feb. in class
  • HW: Continue reading Feb

    • 18

  • SSR
  • Literary term: Conflict
  • Imitation write
  • HW: Continue reading Feb and working with study-guide

    • 19

  • Jan-Feb quizzette
  • more work with conflict
  • vocab sentences
  • HW: Feb connections and work on study-guide; progress check tomorrow

    • 20

  • Due: Feb connections
  • SSR (study-guide check during SSR)
  • Review for test tomorrow
  • HW: Be ready for test

    • 21

  • Open-book test on January-February
  • (Grade-book for 3rd quarter cut-off)
  • HW: Read March and April, connections, and study-guide

    • 24

    Spring Break No School

    25

    26

    27

    28

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    APRIL
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    31

    4th quarter starts

  • Due: Connection sheets for March and April
  • SSR
  • in-class: 1st entry of journal
  • HW: Start reading May chapter; Vocab: morose ~ apprentice assignment (due thurs)

    • 1

  • Check out these links: Frontiernet,Medieval Times, and Interactives
  • SSR
  • Read May in class
  • HW: Finish May; complete entry #1--due tomorrow

    • 2

    Library Day

  • Due: Entry #1

    • 3

  • Due: Vocab assignment and May connection sheet
  • Review March through May
  • HW: ready for test tomorrow

    • 4 min day

  • Test on March through May
  • HW: Read June and complete connection sheet; vocab crossword and wordsearch wksht

    • 7

  • Due:June connections and vocab wksht
  • SSR
  • In-class: Entry #2
  • HW: Start July; vocab assignment--due Thursday

    • 8

  • SSR
  • Reading: July
  • HW: Finish July

    • 9

  • Due: Entry #2
  • SSR
  • Discuss June and July
  • HW: July connections

    • 10

  • Due: Vocab assignment and July connections
  • Review June and July
  • HW: ready for test tomorrow

    • 11

  • Test on June and July
  • HW: Finish the book; work on Medieval project and study-guide questions -No more connections

    • 14

  • SSR
  • Work on projects
  • HW: Finish Study-guide questions

    • 15

  • Due: Study-guide
  • Catherine, Called
  • HW: Finish Medieval Project

    • 16

    Library Day

  • Due: Medieval Diary Project
    		•

    17

  • Birdy final exam
  • No Homework

    • 18

  • SSR
  • Reading: Immigrant Kids, pp 55-60
  • CW: "Words to Know" p. 62

    • 21

  • SSR and reading log
  • Start Genre studies: "Basie"
  • No Homework

    • 22

  • SSR and log
  • Genre: multi-genre text analysis
  • No Homework

    • 23

  • SSR
  • hand in log w/letter about reading
  • Prep for STAR
  • No Homework

    • 24

  • STAR starter
  • More Tears of a Tiger

    • 25

  • STAR starter
  • Genre
  • No Homework

    • 28

  • STAR starter
  • Genre: B&W Activity
  • Talk about multi-genre research assignment
  • No Homework

    • 29

  • STAR starter
  • Read Multi-genre paper samples
  • HW: Decide culture and conflict to highlight

    • 30

    Library Day

  • Meet in the Library
  • conflict refresher
  • Start research on chosen culture
    		•

    1

  • STAR starter
  • Writing wkshp: Character Sketch
  • HW:1st draft Character Sketch for work in class

    • 2

  • STAR starter
  • genre wkshp: peer review of character sketch
  • STAR TEST Next WEEK

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    MAY
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    5

  • STAR TESTING

    • 6

  • STAR TESTING

    • 7

  • STAR TESTING

    • 8

  • STAR TESTING
  • HW: Topic Proposal: Write a paragraph about what culture you are choosing to write about, and include a possible conflict you will be highlighting.

    • 9

    Progress Reports mailed

  • Due: Topic proposal
  • SSR
  • Spelling wkbk p 78-81
  • 1st genre ideas
  • HW: 1st genre; due Monday

    • 12

  • Due: 1st Genre

    • 13

  		•

    14

    Library Day

  • 15

  		•

    16

  		•

    19

  		•

    20

  		•

    21

  		•

    22

  		•

    23

    Talent Show

  • 26

    Memorial Day No School

    27

  		•

    28

    Library Day

  • 29

  • Multigenre Paper due

    • 30

  		•

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    JUNE
    Monday
    Tuesday
    Wednesday
    Thursday
    Friday

    2

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    3

  		•

    4

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    5

  		•

    6

  		•

    9

  		•

    10

  		•

    11

  • Class Trips

    • 12

    LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

  • 8th Grade Promotion

    • 13

    16

    17

    18

    19

    20

    23

    24

    25

    26

    27

    30

    1

    2

    3

    4

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