Welcome to
Back to School Night!
Kristen Giangregorio, 7th Grade
Core Teacher
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!
Perseverance by Walter Wintle
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost certain you won’t.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
My background…
I began my first 3 years of teaching in
NYC and St. Louis.
 I had my own Interior Design business
for two years and have an art and design
background.
 I missed the classroom and kids…went
back to get my credential at SMC!
 I had 2 sons and worked in a preschool
for 6 years.
 I’m thrilled to finally be here at WCI!!
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My Website
Always (okay, 90+% of the time) completed by
Friday for the following week.
 Contains some worksheets (if generated by me),
but most importantly, it contains my agenda for
the week that includes homework and work due.
You can also find the teaching points for reading
and writing workshops, book recommendations,
student work, and all sorts of good stuff!
 For Social Studies Work – Have your child not
only check my website but their Google
Classroom.
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My Agenda….
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To access my website, please go to
http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/wci/site/de
fault.asp
 Select
my name “Giangregorio, Kristen”
 Look at the left hand column and review all
parts of my site.
Late Work Policy
Late work will be accepted in accordance
with the WCSD “Homework Policy.”
 Of note, I have built in extended time for
ALL students.
 In general, if late work is turned in…your
child will receive a C grade, which is more
than a “0.” But this will negatively affect
the overall grade.
Social Studies
Through the inquiry process, we will study the
social, cultural, and technological changes that
occurred in Europe, Africa, and Asia…a VERY
long time ago!
 We will examine the growing economic
interaction among civilizations as well as the
exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and
commodities.
 Conceptual Threads: Agriculture, Religion,
Achievements (connections to today), Social
Structure

In
an inquiry-based learning
environment the teachers' job
is not to provide knowledge,
but to help students along
their process of discovering
knowledge.
We will be studying…
Islam
West Africa
China
Feudal Japan
Europe – Middle Ages
The Renaissance
The Reformation
The Americas

Mayas, Aztecs, and
Incas
The Age of Exploration
Overarching Focus Questions:
 Quarters
1 & 2: What makes a
successful society?
 Quarters
3 & 4: How do societies
breakdown and rebuild?
Japan Core Activity
We’ll need parent
volunteers!
 Date: Thursday,
January 21st (Sign Up
Genius can be found
in the E-news starting
sometime in
November/December

Byzantine Bazaar
We’ll need lots of
volunteers!
 Date: Tuesday, June
7th
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English
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I teach English (reading & writing) in a
workshop methodology (goes hand-inhand with Common Core).
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Grammar: Reinforced through warm-up assignments, minilessons, and writing.
Vocabulary – Exploration of word families, meaning, and root
words: Words derived from our literature book. We will also
study vocabulary through school wide academic vocabulary, and
from the Social Studies curriculum.
Spelling/Word Study: Words are assigned on Wednesdays and
are tested on the following Wednesday.
Read Aloud Books
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The Outsiders
Crispin
Reading Workshop
Reading is taught through a series of minilessons, student practice, conferring, read
aloud, and discussions.
 Accelerated Reading or Reading Log
(student choice)
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 10%
of English Grade
 Reading correlates with test scores!
 Read, read, read!
Read Aloud Short Stories
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“What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?” by Avi
“The White Umbrella” by Gish Jen
“Zebra” by Chaim Potok
“An Hour with Abuelo” by Judith Ortiz Cofer
“Thank you, M’am” by Langston Hughes
“War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara
Science Fiction Unit:
“The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” by Rod Serling
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
“Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury
Non-fiction:
Names/Nombres by Julia Alvarez
Excerpt from I Never Had It Made as told to Alfred Duckett
Excerpt from Boy by Roald Dahl
The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt
Writing Workshop
Writing is taught through a series of minilessons, student practice, and conferring.
 Five Units
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 Informative
(Literary Essay) – Quarter 1
 Argument – Quarter 2/3
 Narrative – Quarter 3/4
 Pandemic Text Set (Informational Text)–
Quarter 4
 Students will also write several on-demand
pieces throughout the school year, in English
and Social Studies.
Homework
Homework is limited to reading, writing, and SS
worksheets.
 A lot of work is completed in class or, at least,
started in class. Any class work, not completed
in class becomes that student’s homework.
 Please feel free to email me on a weekly basis to
find out how your child is doing in regard to
turning in their homework – they still need your
help! Email is the best way to get ahold of me.
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To contact me…
kgiangregorio@wcsd.k12.ca.us – This is
generally the best way to contact me.
 Telephone # 944-6840, x-8505
 Only voicemail throughout teaching day.
 My prep period is 3rd period.
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Questions?
Thank you for coming!
I look forward to getting
to know you and your
child!
Have a great evening!