SEVENTH GRADE
2012-2013 School Year
Team 7.1
TONIGHT
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Seventh-Grade overview - Matt Marston
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Math curriculum – Jen Foreman
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Social Studies curriculum – Cindy Meyers
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Language Arts & Literature – Amy Routhier
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Science curriculum – Cindy Milone
SEVENTH GRADE
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Block Scheduling: A-Days, B-Days, Regular-Days
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MAPS testing
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Schedule rotates through ‘A’ & ‘B’ Days
Math & Science affected
Social Studies (not blocked), Literature, Language Arts, Homeroom
or BOC, Encore classes everyday
Help available on ‘off’ days
Testing done ‘on-line’ at school (reading & math)
Computer Adaptive Tests (more accurate results)
More immediate feedback
Multiple test sessions throughout the year (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Illinois Standards Achievement Test: ISAT
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Testing scheduling for March 2013
(Math, Reading, Science)
Last year’s results will go home soon
SEVENTH-GRADE POLICIES
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Home Access updates
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Issued about every 3 weeks
Reports focus on grades
Behavior
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Students expected to be:
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‘Blue’ Slips
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Warning (3+ in a quarter = detention)
Kudos
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Safe – Responsible - Respectful
Well done!
Assignments
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Quality work is expected
Late Assignments
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‘Green’ Slips
Min. 20% off
Multiple late assignments will result in a
detention
HOME ACCESS
Use these two tabs to
check scores.
Classwork is a view
of the gradebook
Interim Progress are
progress reports.
OUTSIDE OF CLASS WORK
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Agenda
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Filled in everyday, for every subject
Neat & Accurate
Check off work as it is completed 
Assume students have homework
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About an hour to two each night
Daily assignments, projects, study,
read, journal
List of assignments available on-line:
(lz95.org/mss)
www.lz95.org/mss
Use the search box
to find a teacher
JOYS & CHALLENGES OF TEENAGERS
HOW TO HELP…
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Home Work Time
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Set aside time everyday
Distraction-free work area
Encourage your child to:
 prioritize – time management
 be organized – Binder
 develop good study skills
 ask questions
 use his notes
 effective effort – try
 participate in extra-curricula
activities
Breakfast
Sleep -(experts recommend 9 hours)
AREAS TO ENCOURAGE…
• Effective Effort – it’s not enough just to “try hard.”
• Time – a willingness to spend the time needed to finish the job well. Spending more time
doesn’t necessarily result in more effort; one needs to use time efficiently.
• Focus – concentrate only on the work (remove distractions, phone, television, etc.).
• Strategies – the knowledge and skills used to complete tasks successfully and “get
smarter.” If one approach isn’t working, keep trying different ways until you find one that
works. Strategies such as: SQ3R, graphic organizers, summarizing, Cornell notes,
mnemonic devices, etc.
• Resourcefulness – knowing where to go and whom to ask for help when you’re really
stuck. Check your notes, on-line sources, friends, family, etc.
• Use of feedback – look carefully at responses to your work so you know exactly what to
fix or areas you could work on in the future.
• Commitment & Persistence – be determined to finish and do good work. If one approach
isn’t working, try different ones until you find one that works. Stick with it.
SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS TRIP
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Overnight trip to Illinois’s Capital
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Sights:
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Functions of government
Three branches of government
Civil War & Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln’s Home, Law Office, Tomb,
Library, Museum; New Salem
Village; New and Old State Capitals;
and War Monuments
This year October 4 & 5
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Leave early Thursday, return late
afternoon on Friday
Information sent home – more to
come
HOMEWORK
**All homework is out of 10 points!**
Homework link… lz95.org/mss
1
1
1
3
3
1
name/ date/ period/pg#
used pencil
problem written out
show work (EVERY
problem!)
correct work (EVERY
wrong problem!)
colored pen to correct
(not blue, black, or yellow!)
3 Ways to make corrections:
1. Separate sheet marked corrections
3. Re-do the problem
2. Fix it in the problem
Corrections…continued
MATH OVERVIEW
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An important website you need to be familiar with is…
www.classzone.com
Here you can find:
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Extra practice sheets
E-tutor
Online book
‘online book’ to
see course 2
‘eservices’ to see pre-algebra book
MATH OVERVIEW CONTINUED…
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Students WILL need to study for their math tests this year…
a difficult jump from 6th grade
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Study tips in the expectations sheet (and online)
Some students haven’t felt the need to study for math tests in previous
years - studying will need to be done this year in order to receive the
grades you desire. Here are a few tips on how to study for a test:
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Go through each section of the chapter (use your notes, but
have your book next to you)
Look for vocabulary words (figure out words you don’t
know)
Do a lot of practice problems! (go back and forth if possible)
Go through the steps of specific concepts
Talk through the process to show you know it well enough to
explain
Don’t wait until the night before to study!! (I try to give at
least a week advance notice of a test)
SOCIAL STUDIES
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Objective: To understand the
events, trends, individuals, and
movements that shape the
world
Theme: Emergence of a
Culture
Texts: handouts and small
books focusing on areas of the
world
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Overview: The World – Past to
Present. With an emphasis on:
 Government Types
 Economic Systems
 Political Systems
 United States Constitution
 Africa
 Europe
 Russia
 Latin America
SOCIAL STUDIES OVERVIEW
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First Quarter Content
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Second Quarter Content
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Europe & Russia
Third Quarter Content
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Government
United States Constitution
Constitution Test
The continent of Africa and its
diverse nations
Fourth Quarter Content
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Latin America
COMPOSITION AND REVISION
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Paragraphs
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Building from basic paragraph structure to thoughtful elaboration and
support
Essays (narrative, persuasive, expository)
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Approaches to introductory paragraphs using
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Dialogue
Facts/statistics
Strong visual image
Personal experiences
Questions
Noting common misconceptions
Six Traits
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Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency,
Conventions
CONVENTIONS
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Spelling rules
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Vocabulary development
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No Excuse Words
Roots, prefixes, and suffixes
Grammar
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Knowing how the parts of speech can
improve your writing
READING/LITERATURE
Creating Competent Readers
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Clarifying
Comparing/contrasting
Connecting to prior
experiences
Inferencing (including
generalizing and
drawing conclusions)
Predicting
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Questioning the
text
Recognizing
author’s purpose
Seeing causal
relationships
Summarizing
Visualizing
READING/LITERATURE
Literary Elements
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Plot
Point of
view
Character
Theme
Setting
Conflict
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Figurative Language
Simile & Metaphor
Imagery
Symbolism
Foreshadowing
Irony
POSSIBLE NOVELS
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Roll of Thunder
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The Westing Game
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Watsons go to
Birmingham
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Flight 116 is Down
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Getting Away with Murder:
The True Story of the
Emmett Till Case
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Shipwreck at the Bottom of
the World
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Touching Spirit Bear
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The Outsiders
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Out of the Dust
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Devil’s Arithmetic
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Love that Dog
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Charlotte Doyle
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Abraham Lincoln: a
Photobiography
INDEPENDENT READING
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Reading is important and we want to
foster a love of reading.
Remind your children to stay up to
date with their Independent Reading.
Make sure he checks out and renew
his library books in a timely manner.
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
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Inquiry Based
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Application of the
Scientific Method
Spiral Approach
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Earth Science
Life Science
Physical Science
TOPICS COVERED
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Scientific Method
Study of the Fox River Watershed
Study of Matter Using Dry Ice
Investigations
Study of Cells, Cell Processes, Genetics
and Heredity
Study of Rocks and Minerals,
Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Plate
Tectonics
Study of Protists, Bacteria, and Viruses
HOW CAN A JUNIOR SCIENTIST BE
PREPARED FOR MY SCIENCE CLASS?
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Always bring your Science
Binder.
Follow lab safety procedures.
Read and follow directions.
Homework should be
completed and turned in at the
start of class.
SOME CONTACT INFO
Foreman
Jen
Jennifer.Foreman
@lz95.org
(847) 540-2748
Marston
Matt
Matt.Marston
@lz95.org
(847) 540-2742
Meyers
Cynthia
Cynthia.Meyers
@lz95.org
(847) 540-2726
Milone
Cynthia
cynthia.milone
@lz95.org
(847) 540-2715
Mosoff
Sue
Susan.Mosoff
@lz95.org
(847) 540-2737
Routhier
Amy
Amy.Cohen
@lz95.org
(847) 540-4631
Kristin
Kristin.Wilmot
@lz95.org
(847) 540-4649
(Cohen)
Wilmot