By the end of seventh grade Dorset students will use pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and critiquing skills to produce final drafts of written products shown below. This class implements the nine VSRA Reading Strategies.
Process writing – using the steps of the Vermont Writing Process, students will generate their own pieces of writing.
Product writing – writing with a purpose, usually a class assignment using graphic organizers and performance task assessment lists. The following genres are covered:
Personal Narrative
Collection of writing gathered throughout the year from all subject areas
Writing will be evaluated according to:
. Organization
. Purpose
. Voice
. Details (sensory, figurative language, examples from text)
. Grammar, usage and mechanics
Skills assessed in English Standards reference test given in Grade 8 will be emphasized (writing essays within time period, analysis and interpretive writing)
Two pieces per marking period, one student generated, one teacher generated
Word processing required
Student generated topics
Holt, Rinehart and Winston - Elements of Language First Course
Connection between grammar and writing stressed
Chapter tests approximately once a month
Proofreading skills stressed
Workbook due on Friday – study skills incorporated, counts as English grade
Weekly tests on Friday
LITERATURE
By the end of Grade 7 Dorset students will be able to use a variety of reading strategies in response to grade appropriate reading materials. They will be able to read for meaning by understanding the key elements of fiction and going beyond recalling the plot when responding to literature. They will be able to understand and interpret works of fiction and informational text by synthesis, inference, and analysis.
1. Whole
Class Novels-direct
instruction, class discussion, vocabulary, timed essay and multiple
choice tests. Depending on the instructor, five to seven books
listed below will be taught.
2. Humor Unit -- two week unit following Holocaust study. Elements of humor are explored and different types are read. We read Twain, O’Henry, Thurber, and others.
4.
Independent Reading Requirement-- at least ½ hour per night, with the “goal” or
standard being 25 books or their equivalent by the end of the year. This will be evaluated by an ongoing reading
journal facilitating a dialogue between teacher and
student. On Fridays it is mandatory for
the independent books to come to class.
Also there will be several formal responses to literature which will be
taught by direct instruction. The
emphasis in response to literature will be going beyond the plot and
summarizing. There will also be
instruction in responding to informational text throughout the year.
5. Reading Workshop and Literature Circles
A.
Book Clubs
B. 1/3 student choice, 1/3 teacher
choice (A, B, C above), and 1/3 negotiated.
C.
Assigned roles will eventually blend into all students being able
to
process books in a literate
community.
6. Read
Magazine and Reader’s Theater
A. Metacognition
B. Plays on current issues and
themes, and use of dialogue and narration
from the novels read in class.
7. Daybook of Critical
Atoms, molecules and
elements
Calculating density
Air pressure
Chemical changes
Forces and motion
Light and sound
Heat energy
Electricity
Magnetism and
electromagnetism
Life Science
Cell biology
Photosynthesis
Cellular respiration
Cell division
Earth and Space Science
Plate tectonics and the
rock cycle
Size, distance, and orbits
in the solar system
The water cycle
Upon completion of Grade 7, Dorset students will have
sequenced historical eras from the
a.
b.
Rise and Spread of Islam
c.
The Religion of Islam
2. Civilizations of
d.
The Bantu Migrations
e.
Kingdoms of
f.
Trading States of
3. The Ancient
g.
Cultures of
h.
The Incas
i.
Cultures of
4. Civilizations of
j.
Golden Ages of
k.
Feudalism in
l.
The Great Mughal Empire in
5.
m.
Feudalism
n.
The Rise of Cities
o.
The Crusades
p. Kings and Popes
6. A New Age in
q.
The Renaissance and Reformation
r.
The Age of Exploration
s.
Conquests in the
7. Changes in the Western World
t.
The Enlightenment
u.
The Industrial Revolution
v.
Revolution and Imperialism
8. A Century of Turmoil
w.
World Wars and Revolution
x.
Breaking Colonial Ties
y.
Our Shrinking Globe
Math
The program we are using in math this year is titled Connected Mathematics. It develops content from five mathematical strands: numbers and operations, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability and algebra. It works through eight different smaller books during the year. The title of each book, the order we will go in and what is covered in each book is explained below:
Variables, representations of relationships, including tables, graphs, words and symbols
Similar figures, scale factors, basic similarity transformations and their algebraic rules
Ratio and ratios, making comparisons, proportional reasoning
Understanding and modeling integers, integer operations, four-quadrant graphing
Recognizing and representing linear relationships in tables, graphs, words and symbols, solving simple linear equations
Volume and surface area of various solids, volume and surface area relationships
Expected value, probabilities of two-stage events
Quantitative reasoning with large numbers, scientific notation
The class works in either small groups or individually in class. There is very little lecturing, and a great deal of “discovery” learning through the way the material is presented in the books. The students are taught very basic ideas, and then are asked to explore in depth into new areas through problem solving, relying on the basic information they have just learned. It is a very effective way to learn math, keeps the student involved and interested and greatly increases their skills at problem solving. To make sure the students have the pure computational skills, time is spent every day practicing the skills they need to grow in. For instance, we are currently reviewing fractions and decimals.
Self-esteem
Peer relationships
Communication with adults
Individual and team problem solving activities
Fitness tests assessed from past year
Muscle contractions
Muscle strengthening
Muscle flexibility
Soccer
Flag football
Volleyball
Circus and juggling
Basketball
Floor hockey
Combat tames (gatorballs)
Cleanliness and minor first aid
Softball
Wiffleball
Speedball
Golf
Reassessed fitness from current year
Orienteering
Track and field
Team games
The art program will consist of a spiraling curriculum. Each lesson/project will build on the previous one. It will reflect the Vermont Standards and be based on the elements and principles of design, incorporating art history, aesthetics and art criticism with projects appropriate to each grade level. A wide variety of media and techniques will be used. All activities will be structured to accommodate different learning styles and paces. Art education will be available for all students.
The art program includes content from the four foundational art disciplines known as Discipline Based Art Education:
Art history – art in a cultural or historical setting
Art production – the concepts and skills used to make art
Aesthetics – the philosophy or nature and value of art
Art criticism – making judgments and analyzing art objectively.
Assessments will be conducted on a regular basis. Assessments will be teacher assessments in the form of grades, mid-term reports, report cards and oral critique. In addition, seventh graders will be completing self-assessment forms at the end of each project. By the end of the school year students should be able to demonstrate understanding of:
The elements of design (line, shape, form, space, texture, color and value)
The principles of design (unity, emphasis, contrast, balance, pattern, movement and rhythm
Composition, landscape and collage
Self-portraiture/proportion in portraiture, observational drawing and 1-point perspective
Artistic problem solving
3-D construction – paper mache and cubism in 2 and 3-D
Art Nouveau – Gustave Klimt
In seventh grade the emphasis is on using information tools to research, organize, analyze and present information, often in collaboration with other classes.
Work with multiple windows/programs
Multimedia (Hyper Studio, PowerPoint and Web pages)
Electronic communications
Computer crime
Current developments in IT
Programming
Internet Boolean search
Create web page with links
In the Library Media Program the two main focuses are to encourage the students to have a love for reading and to teach them to be information literate. To be information literate means to be able to access, evaluate and use information efficiently and effectively. The Library Media Program operates on a flexible schedule. This allows the library media specialist to collaborate with the classroom teachers so that these skills are taught as the students need to use them for their classroom assignments instead of in isolation.
The students will:
Understand the research process using a more advanced research model
Be able to efficiently use Internet search engines to find information
Be able to use a variety of sources, print and non-print, and synthesize the information to answer a question or support a position
The students will:
Check out leisure reading from the library media center on a regular basis
Be able to identify a favorite author and/or literary genre
The students will:
Learn advanced search strategies using Boolean logic (and, or, not)
Learn to produce a web page to communicate information
The student will:
Understand and practice appropriate Internet use by following the school guidelines