2015 CCLA
Back to School
Night
7th and 8th Grades
Agenda
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Welcome
Sharon Ferrer – Assistant Principal
Cibelle Aparicio – Guidance Counselor
Sign-in Sheet
 Parent informational packet
 Independent Study Policy
 Break out into groups
 Groups follow teachers to presentation rooms
 Small group presentation
 7th Grade – after group presentation, visit
individual teachers or head home
 8th Grade – after group presentation return
to gymnasium for information on 8th Grade
activities
 Aeries Parent Portal sign ups in Computer Lab
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How Does PTA Support
Grades 6 – 8?
PTA provides funding for:
Be Smart Campaign-$$ for enrichment
Assemblies throughout the year
Club Academia
Odyssey of the Mind - Anyone interested in
coaching?
Graduation breakfast
Student Council dances
$30 donation per student/class
Move-A-Thon – Sept. 26th
Any volunteers?
Various 8th Grade Fundraisers
JOIN FOR $5.00
Main Rules
Please review in student agenda
 Respect
Students will respect all staff members, each other, the
school community, school property and the property of others.
 Responsibility
Students will complete all work, not bring objects to
school that can distract them, and keep all electronic devices
turned OFF during school hours.
 Safety
Students will resolve conflicts non-violently and will not
use or posses illegal substances or objects.
New Bell Schedule
 Monday,
Thursday, Friday
Students attend all classes 1-7
Students dismissed at 3:10
 Tuesday – Block Day
Students attend periods 1-4
Students dismissed at 3:10
 Wednesday – Block Day & Early Release
Students attend periods 5-7
Early release at 1:55
Homework Guidelines
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The purpose of homework is to increase student learning
Students should have a quiet place to work at home
2 main types of homework
 Read 30 minutes each day (5 days/week)
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Specific Subject Homework
Overall minutes (average) a student should spend on
homework
 90 minutes for Grades 6-8 (this includes the
reading)
Parents should refer to specific subject syllabi to
understand each teacher’s homework policy and
grading
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Reading Language varies from week to week – see
Schedule of Reading Minutes in parent packet
Homework Guidelines
Slide 2
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The amount of homework per subject will vary
every week. Check your student’s agenda
every day.
Parents should be aware that their student
may require guidance on how to effectively
manage their time when given multiple day
projects/assignments.
Parents should refer to specific subject syllabi
to understand each teacher’s homework
policy and grading
AGENDAS
Use and Importance
o Students are expected to use their agendas on a
daily basis to record homework assignments, projects
and reminders.
o Parents should frequently check agendas to make
sure that homework assignments are written down.
o The use of agendas promotes organization,
academic responsibility and helps students learn to
prioritize tasks.
o If you, as a parent, notice that your student is NOT
using their agenda please contact
teachers/counselor.
Grading Policies
 All
classes are awarded an A, B, C, D or F
grade at each Trimester.
 0 period Band and Choir are graded on a
Pass/No Pass basis.
 Each class has a specific grading policy
which explains the weight of each
category (tests, homework, etc.) factored
into the grade.
 Please refer to your student’s specific
class information sheets for specific
information on the grading policy for their
classes and for the late homework policy.
CLASSES
 Math
 English
Language Arts
 Spanish Language Arts
 Science
 History
 PE
 Electives
 Intervention Classes (Math Shadow, ELD
Support, Spanish Intervention)
Math 7, Math 8,
 Math
7- Alfonso Salinas
 Math 8 - Amy Quinn
Math 7, Math 8
Common Core Mathematical Practices
 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving
them.
 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
 Construct viable arguments and critique the
reasoning of others.
 Model with mathematics.
 Use appropriate tools strategically.
 Attend to precision.
 Look for and make use of structure.
 Look for and express regularity in repeated
reasoning.
7th Grade History
Pablo Figueroa
The seventh grade history program provides
comprehensive instruction on the history of the world from
the rise of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the
Renaissance.
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Unit 1: Rome and Byzantium
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Unit 2: Islamic Civilization
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Unit 3: Civilizations in the Americas
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Unit 4: Europe in the Middle Ages
8th- History of the US from
Discovery to 1914
Jill Zieglar Cooper
Student research using primary and
secondary sources to answer:
How have rights and responsibilities
developed throughout American History?
How has the exercise of rights led to
conflict in American History?
How does the struggle for power lead to
conflict and impact rights in American
History?
8th Grade History
Big Assignments
First trimester:
Research and pre-write of a major event in American
History.
Second trimester:
Production of 6-8 page research paper. Research of a
person involved in the event previously researched.
Third trimester:
Production and presentation of speech combining
information from research paper and biography.
Production of project board. Creation of an outfit to
wear for Living History Day. Participation in Living History
Day, May 12, 2015.
LANGUAGE ARTS
7th- Josephine Lee
8th-Judith Heredia
Reading Comprehension Skills
Students will work with a variety of
fiction/non-fiction genres and be conscious
of their purpose for reading.
Students will work with different aspects of
the text (main idea, details, tone, point of
view, fact/opinion, etc.), supporting all
claims with evidence from the text.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Written Discourse
 Students will learn to use a variety of
writing genres, thereby becoming
knowledgeable about them and how
they are structured.
 Students will write arguments/claims with
clear reasons and supporting evidence
and conduct short research projects
utilizing technology in support of works.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Listening and Speaking
 Students will practice individual and collaborative
oral discourse skills while participating in organized
classroom discussions, making informative
presentations, and responding coherently and
effectively to other speakers.
Language
 Students learn to employ correct grammar,
appropriate word usage, adequate syntax and
language mechanics, and to acquire relevant
academic language.
English Language Arts
Big Assignments
8th Grade ELA
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August - early September:
Summary writing (3 genres)
Early October:
Core novel essay due
Early November:
Argumentative essay
(Topic to be determined)
Early December:
Expository essay (science or history related)
Spanish
Beatriz Robles &
Martha Lindgren
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Analyze, compare and contrast, create a written
story, drama, or poem that have relationship with
Latin American writers.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of the
text; provide an objective summary of the text.
In addition, analyze social problems in order to
reflect about the importance of becoming
involved in our world.
Physical Education
Kristine Behrens, Pedro DeLuna, & Pablo Figueroa
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Three year program which will cover all 6-8 grade
state and national standards for physical
education
Prepares every student for a lifetime of physical
activity, health, and well-being
Explores a wide variety of team and individual
sports and physical activities
Integrates other subjects such as art, language
arts, life skills, math, science and technology
Focus on fitness, nutrition, sportsmanship, social
skills, effort in participation as well as movement
mastery
Physical Education
Big Assignments
 End
of September:
Test on Memorization of PE Contract
 Beginning
of Sept – End of December
Football Letter
 December
– February
Hockey Art Project
7th Grade Science
Gabriela Mendoza
Life Science (~6 topics):
 Human Systems
 Cells and Heredity
 Plants
 Animals
 Ecology
 Health
Physical Science(3 Topics):
--- Chemistry (Trimester 1)
--- Physics of Motion (Trimester 2)
--- Waves and Energy (Trimester 3)
Independent Studies (I.S.)
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I.S. is a program offered to students when they
MUST miss school for extenuating circumstances.
The program was developed to HELP students stay
abreast of their studies when they miss instructional
days.
The program was NOT developed to substitute
instructional days. The program was developed so
that students would not obtain unexcused
absences and be considered a truant.
A student is only allowed to participate in the IS
program when he/she has signed an IS contract
and agrees to complete all work assigned by
teacher.
Independent Studies
Slide 2
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When a student knows that they MUST miss school
they must inform the office 2 weeks in advance to
begin the IS contract process.
I.S. is NOT offered the first or last week of school.
Parents and students should understand that
teachers need advanced notice due to the fact
that they must create and design a new
curriculum for EACH student who goes on an IS
contract. This process is very time consuming.
The student must return to school on the day
planned and all work must be complete and
turned in or all absences will become unexcused.
Even though the student will be receiving work to
complete the student will be lacking instructional
time and, many times, grades may suffer.