Miller’s Message
A Syllabus for Moore West JH, Seventh-Grade Pre-AP Language Arts, 2015 - 2016
What is Pre-AP Language Arts?
“Education is the key to unlock
the golden door of freedom.”
-George Washington Carver
Instructor Information
Mr. Kacey Miller, M.Ed. E.A.
Room 304
School Phone: (405) 735-4620
E-mail:
kaceymiller@mooreschools.com
Conference times:
1. 7:20 – 7:40 a.m.
2. 12:40 – 1:15 a.m.
3. 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
A. Pre-Advanced Placement Language Arts is a course that is designed to
prepare students for the rigors of future advanced placement English
courses. Students will be challenged to perform, think, and behave at
an advanced level.
B. Pre-AP language-arts students must exhibit the following qualities:
1. An understanding that advanced grades must be earned through
superior effort and in-depth thinking
2. Respectfulness to others and attentiveness in class
3. A desire to read daily and analyze difficult texts
4. A willingness to be punctual to class and to arrive with a positive
attitude
5. A belief that homework and other assignments must be completed
on time
C. Pre-AP language-arts students will not be allowed to display the
following qualities:
1. A feeling that advanced grades should be easy to obtain—without
superior effort and in-depth thinking
2. Disrespectfulness to others, which robs others of their education;
inattentiveness in class
3. A tendency to read infrequently or to read texts at a superficial
level
4. Tardiness to class and negative attitudes
Key Class Procedures
1. After gathering class materials, using the restroom, and taking care of hydration needs, enter class, sit
down, and silently begin the bell-work assignment.
2. Raise your hand whenever you desire to contribute to class discussions or need to get up from your
seat. Wait for the teacher to acknowledge you (call on you) and grant you permission before shouting
out answers or rising from your seat.
3. The sound of the bell is simply a reminder that class is near an end. The teacher will dismiss you after
books, desks, and other class materials are back where they belong.
Absences: Whenever you miss a day of instruction, it is your responsibility to go to the “Make-up Work”
folder and obtain any missing assignments. Be sure to make time (before or after class, during lunch, or
before or after school) to discuss the assignments with the teacher.
Class Expectations
1.
2.
3.
4.

Respect: Treat others as you
want to be treated
Responsibility: Be on time and
prepared for class. Take
ownership of your actions.
Effort: A person really can
control only one thing in his
life—how much effort he puts
forth. Live a life marked by
excellence—not by laziness.
Courtesy: Do not rob your
classmates of a proper education
by interrupting the lesson.
Note: Above all, behave as a
reasonable person would act, and
refer to the MWJH student
handbook for all other
expectations.
Required Supplies





Wide-ruled notebook paper
(enough to last throughout the
year for notes, assignments, etc.)
Writing utensils (preferably a
blue or black ink pens)
Donate one box of Kleenex to
the class
MWJH Agenda
Library book
Class Discipline Policy
Tardy Policy
First offense: Warning, reminder
of expectations
Second offense: One-on-one
discussion, possible plan of action
Third offense: Lunch detention
Fourth offense: After-School
Detention, Parent contact
Fifth offense: Office Referral
First tardy – Warning
Second tardy – Warning, reminder
of subsequent steps, possible plan of
action
Third tardy – Lunch detention
Fourth tardy – After-School
Detention, Parent contact
Fifth tardy – Office Referral
Note: Depending on the severity
of the offense, steps may be
skipped, and other classroommanagement efforts may be
employed.
*Also, cell phones must be turned
off unless Mr. Miller says
otherwise.
Recommended Supplies


One package of dividers
One three-ring binder for
organizational purposes
Note: Students are expected to be
in their seats and prepared for
class—not running into the
classroom— whenever the bell
rings.
Important Information


Plagiarism—trying to steal
someone else’s ideas and
presenting them as your own—will
result in a failing grade and
disciplinary actions.
Late work—work submitted
beyond deadlines—will receive a
thirty-percent reduction in grade
and will be accepted until the end
of a quarter. Late work will not
receive any credit after the end of
a quarter.
Literature: Although students will read a variety of texts, examine the language within those works, and respond to the writings
with their own thoughts, this year’s instruction will emphasize the following literature:
First Semester
Second Semester
Literary Work
Author
Literary Work
Author
“Amigo Brothers”
Piri Thomas
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Mildred
Taylor
Freak the Mighty
Rodman
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story
John
Philbrick
About Brain Science
Fleischman
Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
Rod Serling
Various other poems, myths, folktales,
Various
legends, etc.
authors
Blizzard: The Storm That Changed America
Jim Murphy
Course Description
This course is designed to equip students with the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills that are critical to the development
of literate citizens who can communicate effectively. With an emphasis on literature and the analysis thereof, the course will
challenge students to explicate texts of various genres—poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, media, mythology, etc. Students will daily
interact with and explore the intricacies of American Standard English; will learn to organize ideas and argue theses in formal,
written essays, verbal debates, and various other research-oriented and self-expressive modes of articulation; will study test
strategies that will prepare them for MPS benchmark and OK reading assessments, and for future ACT, SAT, and EOI exams. In short,
this course will help students acquire Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) and will satisfy Oklahoma Core Curriculum standards:
http://ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-c3-priority-academic-student-skills
Mr. Miller’s Seventh-Grade Pre-AP Language-Arts Supply List
Required Supplies (for each individual)





Wide-ruled notebook paper (enough to
last throughout the year for notes,
assignments, etc.)
Writing utensils (preferably blue or
black ink pens)
Donate one box of Kleenex to the class
MWJH Agenda
Library book
Recommended Supplies

One package of dividers

One three-ring binder for organizational
purposes
Important Grading Information
*Note: Student comprehension in this language-arts class will be assessed according to an A through F grading system:
mastery through introductory levels. Mastery level means that students not only have acquired the necessary skills, but
they can demonstrate mastery without further help from the instructor and can teach the concepts to their peers. Practice
level indicates that students often still need help from the instructor and peers in order to demonstrate understanding of the
concepts. Introductory level means that the students have only a superficial knowledge of the concepts and need much
more practice in order to acquire the necessary skills.
For each assignment, students can earn up to fifty points. However, just because of the way the district’s
gradebook is designed, this fifty-point scale begins on fifty and ends with 100. In other words, a fifty is the lowest grade a
student can make. It means the same thing as a zero —meaning the assignment was not completed—but in order to be fair
for the students, the F (failing) range only consists of ten points, just like the A through D scale. In parent portal, a 50 will
mean that the student did not attempt the assignment—or didn’t answer anything correctly—and he/she cannot make up
the assignment. However, if you see an M, then the student did not complete the assignment, but he/she still has time to
do the work.
Score/Level
Mastery Level
A = 90-100 points
Practice Level
B = 80-89 points
Practice Level
C = 70-79 points
Practice Level
D = 60-69 points
Introductory Level
F = 50-59 points
Description of Scores
Complete; accurate; advanced; superior effort; neat; organized; insightful
Mostly complete; mostly accurate; above-average effort; mostly neat, mostly organized
Average in all areas: completeness, accuracy, effort, neatness, and organization
Mediocre to below average in all areas: completeness, accuracy, effort, neatness, and organization
Mostly incomplete; mostly inaccurate; below-average effort; mostly messy; mostly disorganized; maybe
No attempt to complete the assigned tasks