Buckeye Junior High Curriculum Guide
An Excellent Rated District
2018-2019 Grade 7
Seventh Grade Courses
Welcome to Buckeye Junior High We strive to: ●
Create a caring environment that provides academic achievement and emotional/social growth for our student population.
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Establish a professional learning community that will enhance the lives of our students.
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Foster our educational programs using all of the resources necessary, including technological advancements as a learning tool.
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Improve our curriculum and instruction by communicating clear learning targets and providing effective feedback to move students forward.
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Maintain open communication and conversation with parents, guardians and the community.
Mr. Dan Flood, Principal Mrs. Brittany Cates, School Counselor Phone: 330.722.8257
Fax: 330.725.2413
Website: www.buckeyeschools.org
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Seventh Grade Courses REQUIRED COURSES LANGUAGE ARTS
LANGUAGE ARTS 7 (Year long) This is a Language Arts course designed to meet the Ohio Department of Education Content Standards. Students will acquire vocabulary through exposure to language-rich situations, such as reading books and supplemental material(s). They will use context clues, apply word analysis skills, and use direct explanations to build and extend their own vocabulary. Students will learn and use the writing process. They will recognize and write for different purposes and improve their content, organization, and style, as well as improving their editing skills. Students will be instructed in writing conventions including punctuation, grammar, and correct usage. Students will learn the process of writing an informational/expository (nonfiction) essay to include: choosing a limited topic, gathering information, organizing information, writing the paper and correctly citing references. Students will also be given opportunities to improve verbal communication skills through speeches and/or other oral/visual presentations. Students are will also be writing an argumentative essay which can include assigned readings, and formulating an argument with evidence from the text. Students also may be required to collaborate as a group to complete assignements or presentations. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate different types of literature to include: short stories, poetry, drama, fables, tales, and novels. They will discuss different elements of literature such as: setting, point of view, character, plot, theme, etc. Additionally, they will learn about and read various types of informational texts (essays, articles, NewsELA.) They will enhance their ability to make predictions, inferences, recall details, as well as understand cause and effect, main idea and a variety of propaganda techniques. Students MUST complete the correct summer reading material. Associated work will begin during the first week of school. Please refer to LANGUAGE ARTS 7 CLASS REQUIREMENTS at the end of this 7th Grade Curriculum Guide.
ADVANCED LANGUAGE ARTS 7 (Year long) This is a Language Arts course designed to meet the Ohio Department of Education Content Standards. Students will acquire vocabulary through exposure to language-rich situations, such as reading books and supplemental material(s). They will use context clues, apply word analysis skills, and use direct explanations to build and extend their own vocabulary. Students will learn and use the writing process. They will recognize and write for different purposes and improve their content, organization, and style, as well as improving their editing skills. Students will be instructed in writing conventions including punctuation, grammar, and correct usage. Students will learn the process of writing an 2
Seventh Grade Courses informational/expository (nonfiction) essay to include: choosing a limited topic, gathering information, organizing information, writing the paper and correctly citing references. Students will also be given opportunities to improve verbal communication skills through speeches and/or other oral/visual presentations. In addition, a higher expectation will be placed on students to more thoroughly understand, commit to memory, and apply the rules of the English language as well as successfully independent work ethic to complete the assigned work. They will be given more work at a faster pace and cover more material than regular Language Arts 7. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate different types of literature to include: short stories, poetry, drama, fables, tales, and novels. They will discuss different elements of literature such as: setting, point of view, character, plot, theme, etc. Additionally, they will learn about and read various types of informational texts (essays, articles, Achieve3000). They will enhance their ability to make predictions, inferences, recall details, as well as understand cause and effect, main idea and a variety of propaganda techniques. Students MUST complete the correct summer reading material. Associated work will begin during the first week of school. Notification will be made by the end of May if acceptance into this advanced class has been denied. If not accepted into the Advanced Language Arts course, the student will be expected to read materials assigned to the regular Language Arts course. Please refer to ADVANCED CLASS REQUIREMENTS at the end of this 7th grade document. There is a school fee associated with the course.
A mandatory parent/student meeting will be held with the Advanced Language Arts teacher in late April. Date is TBA, check back at the JH Webpage for updates.
MATHEMATICS
MATH 7 (Year long) This course is designed to meet the Ohio Common Core Standards for math at the 7th grade level. This math course is designed for the student who needs a solid foundation in basic math concepts and preparation for Pre-Algebra. Internet access is preferable as daily online homework is an expectation in this course. The concepts addressed in this course include the following: ● Ratios and Proportional relationships: analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems. ● The Number System: apply and extend previous understandings of operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply and divide rational numbers. ● Expressions and Equations: use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions, solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations.
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Seventh Grade Courses ● Geometry: draw, construct and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them, solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area and volume. ● Statistics and Probability: use random sampling to draw inferences about a population, draw informal comparative inferences about two populations, investigate changes processes and develop, use and evaluate probability models. There is a school fee associated with this course. ADVANCED MATH 7 - Pre-Algebra (Year long) This course is designed to meet the National Common Core Standards for math. This course is designed for an advanced level math student. Internet access is preferable as daily online homework is an expectation in this course. The concepts addressed in this course are a combination of 7th and 8th grade math standards and include the following: ● Understand the meanings of operations and how they relate to one another within algebraic concepts. ● Apply appropriate techniques, tools and formulas to determine measurements including algebra applications. ● Use visualization, spatial reasoning and geometric modeling to solve problems. ● Understand patterns, relations and functions; represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols and applications. ● Develop and evaluate inferences, predictions and arguments based on data. ● Use mathematical processes and knowledge to solve problems as applied to pre-algebra content. Accelerated Math is the only weighted course in 7th grade. Buckeye Junior High School feels strongly about high academic achievement. Therefore, D’s and F’s will not be weighted in the above-mentioned courses. REGULAR SCALE A = 4 Points B = 3 Points C = 2 Points D = 1 Point F = 0 Points
WEIGHTED SCALE A = 5 Points B = 4 Points C = 3 Points D = 1 Points F = 0 Points
Please refer to the Math Track at the end of this 7th Grade Curriculum Guide. A parent/student meeting will be held with the Advanced Math teacher. Date is TBA, check back at the JH Webpage for updates.
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Seventh Grade Courses SCIENCE
SCIENCE 7 (Year long) This is a Life and Physical Science course designed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards. The topics of diversity and factors of ecosystems, periodic elements, and celestial positions will be supplemented with the Earth Science topics of weather and climate. Physical Science topics of conservation of matter and energy and nature of energy will support the Life Science curriculum. Science and technology will be covered by technology influences on the quality of life, abilities to do technological design, and ethical issues of technology. We will increase our scientific inquiry skills by conducting investigations, applying mathematics skills, evaluating and analyzing variables of data, and drawing valid conclusions based on evidence. Students will express scientific reasoning in short and extended response writing. We will prepare for the 8th grade Science Test by expressing the validity and ethical practices of scientific experiments in essay writing, based on the scientific method. There is a school fee associated with this course.
SOCIAL STUDIES
WORLD HISTORY 7 (Year long) This is a Social Studies course designed to meet the Ohio Department of Education Content Standards. It will cover World Studies from 1000 B.C. to 1750 and it will include the following areas of study: ● The enduring impact of early civilization in India, China, Egypt, Greece and Rome including legal, scientific, cultural, religious and economic developments. ● The Middle Ages in Asia and Europe including the rise of feudalism and its political, economic and social impact. ● The lasting effects of military conflicts during the Middle Ages including the Crusades, Mongol in invasion and Muslim conquest. ● The impact of new ideas on European life during the Renaissance including the significance of movable type, achievements in art, architecture and literature plus the impact of the Reformation on European and new world culture. ● The importance of the West African empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhay including trade routes, products, spread of the Arabic language and the spread of Islam. ● The causes and effects of European exploration after 1400 including Imperialism, Colonialism and Mercantilism plus their impact on the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Americas. Students will be expected to participate fully in class activities and to take responsibility for homework, tests and any other assignments.
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Seventh Grade Courses HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
HEALTH/PHYSICAL EDUCATION 7 (Year long) This course will be a year long required course, consisting of Health 7 for 1 Semester and Physical Education 7 for 1 Semester. Health 7 provides students with the foundation or concepts and skills necessary for lifelong health. General topics include the following: Nutrition; Growth and Development; Disease Prevention and Control. Understanding Health and Wellness; Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs; Skills for a Healthy Living; Mental and Emotional Health Issues; Relationships - The Teen Years; Promoting Social Health; Physical Activity and Fitness; Body Image; Personal Care and Consumer Choices; Body Systems; and Environmental Health. Physical Education 7 is half of this year long course and will offer instruction in team sports, recreational sports, games and life-long activities. Students are expected to be punctual and dressed appropriately for class following the guidelines explained and/or provided to them. Students are to participate to their fullest potential every day. They are to be responsible in following the classroom rules. Grades will be a combination of student participation and adherence to the classroom rules/expectations, written assessments, and/or skills assessments.
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Seventh Grade Courses ELECTIVES BAND 7 (Year long) Students play instruments, improvise, compose, read, and notate music. They perform music independently and in groups with technical accuracy and expression. They learn to identify within pieces of music: clef, key signature, meter signature, tempo, dynamics, and note values. Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and respond by analyzing and describing music using correct terminology. They compose a short melody that includes key signature and meter signature with proper notation in treble or bass clef. Students evaluate the creating and performing of music by using appropriate criteria. They recognize the relationship between concepts and skills learned through music with knowledge learned in other curricular areas, life experiences, and potential careers within and outside the arts. Additionally, students demonstrate an understanding of reasons why people value music in their lives and a respect for diverse opinions regarding music preferences. Students articulate the significance of music in their lives and develop a desire for lifelong learning in music. There is required weekly practice. CHOIR 7 (Year long) Students learn to perform pieces of music independently and in groups with technical accuracy and expression. They learn to identify within pieces of music: clef, key signature, meter signature, tempo, dynamics, and note values. Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and respond by analyzing and describing music using correct terminology. They compose a short melody that includes key signature and meter signature with proper notation in treble and bass clef. Students evaluate the creating and performing of music by using appropriate criteria. Additionally, students demonstrate an understanding of reasons why people value music in their lives and a respect for diverse opinions regarding music preferences. They recognize the relationship between concepts and skills learned through music and knowledge learned in other curricular areas, life experiences, and potential careers within and outside the arts. Students articulate the significance of music in their lives. There are required evening performances and other enrichment opportunities open to the public. Introduction to Instrumental Music (1 Semester) Students will be able to study an instrument of their choice over a semester. Introduction to Instrumental Music was created to allow students an opportunity to study an instrument with a method book and learn with technology such as Smart Music Studio and the smart board. We have had several students continue after this course to become leaders in our current band program. It’s a nice way to enter the music program in the Junior High or learn something new. We provide this opportunity without all the pressure of performance. It is a chance to bring Music and Instrumental Music into a child’s life. Music provides a great way to making music, create a family of lifelong friends, understanding how commitment and dedication lead to success, sharing the joy of rewards of 7
Seventh Grade Courses working together, individually developing self-confidence and creativity expressing with others in a universal language of music. Modern Music (1 Semester) This course is designed to acquaint students with the elements of music and the primary musical periods of traditional Western European classical music to the present. Students will have a brief overview of the major composers and their music through class lectures, listening to musical examples in class, reading text, listening to musical examples CDs or recordings, actively engaging in class discussions, encouraging participation in attending live concerts or suggested performances, and completing a research paper and/or oral presentations pertinent to the course material. ART 7 (1 Quarter) This course is the study of the principals of art and art history through several different mediums of art, such as drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking and sculpture. This course is designed to meet the Ohio Department of Education Content Standards. There is a school fee associated with this course. EXPLORATORY SPANISH 7 (1 Quarter) Exploratory Spanish is a 9-week course designed to introduce the basics of the Spanish language. Students will be expected to learn and retain vocabulary words and simple phrases that will allow them to begin reading, writing, listening, and speaking in Spanish. The emphasis of this class is to develop each student’s ability and knowledge of how to study a foreign language, and to help them to discover the joy and excitement of learning a new language. Each quarter will also contain a unit pertaining to cultural elements of Spanish-speaking countries. Project Lead The Way (PLTW)(1 Quarter) Students will play the role of real-life medical detectives who will analyze genetic testing results to diagnose disease and study DNA evidence found at a “crime scene.”
READING IN CONTENT (RIC) & TECHNOLOGY (1 Quarter) All 7th graders will be part of a 9-week rotation combining instruction on needed technology skills along with a better understanding of the nonfiction/informational text genre. In regards to the tech portion of class, we’ll will work in many areas to include, but not limited to: Safe online talk, use of Google Drive & folders, setting up of a word processing document, adding of headers/footers, sharing/editing of documents, Fair Use policies, an introduction to coding (html5), Excel spreadsheets & Digital Footprints. In the area of informational text, we’ll be working on, but not limited to: the organizational structures and features of this genre, determining what is important when note-taking, how to organize and structure notes, paraphrasing & citing information used as well as writing a mini-research paper. 8
Seventh Grade Courses STUDY SKILLS 7 (1 Quarter) Study Skills 7: Study Skills is designed to teach students skills that are essential to efficient and effective learning. General topics include the following: time management, goal setting, the self-aware student, the brain and learning, effort vs. intelligence, learning styles and multiple intelligences, study habits/routines, study environment, the importance of a syllabus, activating prior knowledge, active vs. passive learning, note-taking and outline skills, memory and recall strategies, test-taking tips and strategies, tips for presentations, stress management and test anxiety tips, high school and college readiness skills, critical thinking skills, research skills, importance of participation and classroom citizenship skills, and turning setbacks into success.
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Seventh Grade Courses College Credit Plus COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS Formerly Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEOP) Students may elect to take part in the College Credit Plus Program, which provides an opportunity for students to take classes at eligible post-secondary institutions. The Purpose is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high school students. It is MANDATORY that a student and parent/guardian attend a College Credit Plus Information meeting before enrolling. All area schools offer an informational meeting. The Buckeye High School College Credit Plus meeting dates is set for the first winter parent/teacher conference evening, usually during the first week in February. PARTICIPATION Counseling services indicating the benefits of the program, as well as the possible risks and consequences will be provide to 7th through 11th grade students and their parents prior to participation. Students and parents must notify the Buckeye High School Counseling Department of their intent to participate in the program by March 30th of the prior school year. GRADES Course grades will be transferred from the college/university via the college’s student reporting system and will become part of the student’s high school academic coursework (transcript). Refer to the high school counseling information on the Buckeye website for additional information regarding the College Credit Plus program.
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Seventh Grade Courses SPECIAL EDUCATION INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act provide that no individual will be discriminated against on the basis of a disability. This protection applies not just to the student, but all individuals who have access to the district’s program and facilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 gives each eligible student with a disability, three through twenty-one years of age, the right to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) with an individualized education program (IEP) developed with the parent(s) as part of the IEP team. In accordance with the Operating Standards for Ohio Educational Agencies Serving Children with Disabilities, the Buckeye Local School District provides a variety of Special Education programs and services. A student can access special education services through the differential referral process, including interventions to address the academic or behavioral concerns provided prior to conducting a full or individual evaluation. Data from the interventions is used to determine eligibility for special education services, appropriate instructional practices and access to and progress in the general curriculum. Students found eligible for special education intervention due to an identified disability under IDEA are provided with specially designed instruction, at not cost to the parents, to meet their disabled child's unique needs, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings as specified by federal regulations. Specifically designed instruction means adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the student as a result of the student’s disability and to ensure access to the general curriculum to assist the student in meeting the educational standards adopted by the State Board of Education that apply to all children. Students with a disability who are not eligible for special education services under IDEA may be eligible for accommodations or modifications to the general curriculum under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Eligibility is based on the definition of disability as defined in Section 504 and not on clinical categories, such as learning disabilities or mental retardation. Eligible students under Section 504 must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person’s major life activities. “Substantially limits” is determined through a comparison of a student with a disability to the average person in the general population ability to perform or demonstrates significant restrictions as to the condition, manner, or duration necessary to perform a particular major life activity. The nature and severity, duration or expected duration, and the permanence or long term impact resulting from the impairment are considered in determining eligibility for services under Section 504. If a student is found to meet eligibility criteria as a student with a disability under either IDEA or ADA, then services are delivered through development of either an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan.
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Seventh Grade Courses ADVANCED CLASS REQUIREMENTS 7TH GRADE STUDENTS The following criteria may be used to determine placement in ADVANCED LANGUAGE ARTS 7 & ADVANCED MATH 7 - Pre-Algebra: 1. Present and previous standardized test scores 2. Previous Ohio Achievement Test Scores 3. Current teacher’s recommendation **A math achievement placement test, to be administered by your child’s present math teacher, may also be used to determine proper math placement. Notification will be made by the end of May if acceptance into these advanced classes has been denied. If not accepted into the Advanced Language Arts course, the student will be expected to read the material assigned for the regular Language Arts course.
Buckeye Jr. High & High School Math Tracks
Buckeye students follow one of the two common math scope/sequence progressions.
Grade
Standard Math Progression
Accelerated Math Progression
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Math 7
Adv Math 7-Pre-Algebra (7th & 8th grade curriculum)
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Math 8-Pre-Algebra
9 10 11
Algebra I Geometry Algebra II
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Math Analysis
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Adv Math 8-Algebra I (HS credit) Geometry Algebra II Pre-Calculus w/Adv Trigonometry Adv Calculus
Seventh Grade Courses
LANGUAGE ARTS 7 SUMMER READING REQUIREMENTS
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All incoming 7th graders are to read ONE book from the summer reading list provided in this document.
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Throughout the ENTIRE reading of the book chosen, students are to be completing a double-entry journal with needed information, directly from the book, on one side and a student response on the other with an explanation/ reason on the other; SEE ATTACHED for a sample journal and codes/reasons students are to be using for the student-response side of their journals.
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Students will need to come on the first day of school prepped with their book read and their completed journals with a minimum of (20-25) entries, TOTAL, making sure to include information from their book’s beginning, middle, and end so that we’re able to assess student comprehension of their chosen books ** Further activities will be done the first week of school. Happy Reading! LANGUAGE ARTS 7 - SUMMER READING BOOK CHOICES
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen After his anger erupts into violence, Cole, in order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing alternative based on the Native American Circle of Justice. He is sent to a remote Alaskan Island where an encounter with a huge Spirit Bear changes his life. Schooled by Gordon Korman The thing is, Capricorn has sort of been living in a time warp. Living with his grandmother Rain as the last two residents of the counterculture Garland Community, Capricorn has lived his whole life without telephones, television, iPods, or any of the other modern conveniences that clutter his new classmates' lives. Capricorn doesn't understand money --- Rain, who has homeschooled Capricorn, considers it a necessary evil --- and he has no friends except for his grandmother. But when Rain breaks her hip and Capricorn is sent to foster care during her recovery, he is about to get a crash course in modern living. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world
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Seventh Grade Courses starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike. Tangerine by Edward Bloor Paul Fisher is an outsider. Transplanted at the beginning of his seventh-grade year from Houston to Florida, where his father has accepted a position as county engineer and where his older brother, Erik, a talented place-kicker, can pursue options for scholarships in a state fanatic about football, Paul does not easily fit in. Told that during an eclipse when he was five he foolishly stared directly into the sun and permanently damaged his eyes, he is now legally blind and wears thick glasses that have made him both self-conscious and introspective. Indeed, his lengthy journal entries form part of the book. Paul is bothered by recollections that suggest that there might be more to his eye injury than he had been told. He resists the implications, preferring to live uneasily in the shadow of his older brother—and ever in eclipse. Erik is routinely cruel to Paul, unbeknown to his parents, particularly his father, who dotes on his older son’s football talent and largely ignores Paul’s considerable skills as a soccer goalie. Rules by Cynthia Lord Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules — from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public" — in order to stop his embarrassing behaviors. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a paraplegic boy, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal? One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her. With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her. Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman She thought that Christian liked her, that he was finally going to ask her to his school's homecoming dance. It's been a long time since Lara's felt this bad, this depressed. She's worked really hard since starting high school to be happy and make new friends. Bree used to be BBFs with overweight, depressed Lara in middle school, but constantly listening to Lara's problems got to be too much. Bree's secretly glad that Christian's
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Seventh Grade Courses pointed out Lara's flaws to the world. Lara's not nearly as great as everyone thinks. After weeks of talking online, Lara thought she knew Christian, so what's with this sudden change? And where does he get off saying horrible things on her wall? Even worse, are they true?
Booked by Kwame Alexander From Amazon:In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read. Fast Break by Mike Lupica From Amazon: Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will do anything to avoid the foster care system. Besides, his real home has always been the beat-up basketball court behind the projects in the North Carolina hills, and his family has always been his friends and teammates. He manages to get away with his deception until the day he gets caught stealing a new pair of basketball sneakers. Game over. Within a day a social worker places him with a family from the other side of town, the Lawtons. New home, new school, new teammates. Jayson, at first, is combatative, testing the Lawtons’ patience at every turn. He wants out, yet the Lawtons refuse to take the bait. But not everyone in Jayson’s new life is so ready to trust him–and even Jayson’s old friends give him a hard time now that he’s attending a school full of rich kids. It’s on Jayson to believe that he deserves a better life than the one he once had. The ultimate prize if he can? A trip to play in the state finals at Cameron Indoor Stadium–home to the Duke Blue Devils and launching pad to his dream of playing bigtime college ball. Getting there will be a journey that reaches far beyond the basketball court. Legend by Marie Lu:From Amazon: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. (Summaries used from www.amazon.com) 15
Seventh Grade Courses ADVANCED LANGUAGE ARTS 7 SUMMER READING REQUIREMENTS
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First, students are to choose (1) of the realistic fiction books, from the list below, to read in its entirety.
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While reading the book, students are to be keeping a Double-Entry _ Journal reflecting on what they’re reading along the way. They are to be noting things read and responding to them in this format. (see attached forms/samples of this type of journaling). **Journals must have a minimum of (25-30) reflections/entries, TOTAL, making sure to include information from their book’s beginning, middle, and end with well-thought out -beyond one-or-two word responses.
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Finally, all the books in the list deal with a realistic issue or concern that exists today. Students need to: A) research, B) print out, and C)summarize, at least TWO non-fiction current events OR informational articles on the topic(s) dealt with in their chosen book. These will then be used as a “springboard” for our informational report writing during the school year. Please make sure to provide reference information, from a valid source, to include copyright, entire web URL, publisher or author. ADVANCED LANGUAGE ARTS 7 - SUMMER READING BOOK CHOICES
Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen Regan Flay is on the cusp of achieving her control-freak mother's "plan" for high school success?cheerleading, student council, the Honor Society—until her life gets turned horribly, horribly upside down. Every bitchy text. Every bitchy email. Every lie, manipulation, and insult she's ever said have been printed out and taped to all the lockers in school. Now Regan has gone from popular princess to total pariah. The only person who even speaks to her is her former best friend's hot but socially miscreant brother, Nolan Letner. Nolan thinks he knows what Regan's going through, but what nobody knows is that Regan isn't really Little Miss Perfect. In fact, she's barely holding it together under her mom's pressure. But the consequences of Regan's fall from grace are only just beginning. Once the chain reaction starts, no one will remain untouched... Especially Regan Flay. So B. It by Sarah Weeks Heidi knows her mom loves her. But because of her mother's mental disability, she is unable to care for herself or her daughter. Their loving neighbor, Bernadette, helps out and is a vital part of their family. Bernadette finally manages to teach Mama how to open cans, but tying shoes is beyond her capabilities. Mama can't read or tell time. She knows 23 words. One of Mama's words, "soof," is a mystery --- no one knows what it means, and Mama is unable to define it. One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that
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Seventh Grade Courses would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her. With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her. Bluefish by Pat Schmatz Travis is missing his old home in the country, and he's missing his old hound, Rosco. Now there's just the cramped place he shares with his well-meaning but alcoholic grandpa, a new school, and the dreaded routine of passing when he's called on to read out loud. But that's before Travis meets Mr. McQueen, who doesn't take "pass" for an answer--a rare teacher whose savvy persistence has Travis slowly unlocking a book on the natural world. And it's before Travis is noticed by Velveeta, a girl whose wry banter and colorful scarves belie some hard secrets of her own. With sympathy, humor, and disarming honesty, Pat Schmatz brings to life a cast of utterly believable characters--and captures the moments of trust and connection that make all the difference. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow. Sounds of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an
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Seventh Grade Courses institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave. But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How do you know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go? Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon was killed in a school shooting, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure--and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be so black and white after all. Unfriended by Rachel Vail In middle school, nothing is more important than friendship. When Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table with the group she has dreamed of joining, she can hardly believe her luck. Everyone seems so nice, so kind to one another. But all is not as it seems with her new friends, and soon she’s caught in a maelstrom of lies, misunderstandings, accusations and counter-accusations, all happening very publicly in the relentless, hyperconnected social media world from which there is no escape. Six eighth-graders, four girls and two boys, struggle to understand and process their fractured glimpses into one another’s lives as they find new ways to disconnect, but also to connect, in Rachel Vail’s richest and most searching book. Blind by Rachel DeWoskin When Emma Sasha Silver loses her eyesight in a nightmare accident, she must relearn everything from walking across the street to recognizing her own sisters to imagining colors. One of seven children, Emma used to be the invisible kid, but now it seems everyone is watching her. And just as she's about to start high school and try to recover her friendships and former life, one of her classmates is found dead in an apparent suicide. Fifteen and blind, Emma has to untangle what happened and why - in order to see for herself what makes life worth living. Colin Fisher by Ashley Edward Miller Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions. But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormenter, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...Colin Fischer is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, and his story--as told by the screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor--is perfect for readers who have graduated from Encyclopedia Brown and who are ready to consider the greatest mystery of all: what other people are thinking and feeling.
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Seventh Grade Courses Total Constant Order by Crissa-Jean Chappell Fin can't stop counting. She's always heard a voice inside her head, ordering her to listen, but ever since she's moved to the Sunshine State and her parents split up, numbers thump like a metronome, rhythmically keeping things in control. When a new doctor introduces terms such as "clinical depression" and "OCD" and offers a prescription for medication, the chemical effects make Fin feel even more messed up. Until she meets Thayer, a doodling, rule-bending skater who buzzes to his own beat—and who might just understand Fin's hunger to belong, and her struggle for total constant order. (Summaries used from www.amazon.com 2016)
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