What's going on in 7th Grade Literature and Language Arts

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The 7th graders will be hard at work in 2012.  We are cozy in the classroom despite the cold and 17 minds are open to new ideas!  Continue reading to get a better idea of what is going on in Literature and Lanugage Arts (Grammar, Vocab, and Writing).

Literature

A Separate Peace by John Knowles is the current novel of study.  You may notice, like some astute 7th graders did, that the title uses the word "peace" not "piece."  We will see through the book that there are many types of peace.  If you have not read this classic, consider picking it up to read with your child.

In addition to enjoying the story it tells, we will look at how Knowles using the setting of the novel, a boarding school with two rivers running through it, to compare the two main characters.  We will also discuss what affect WWII had on young boys when making plans for their future.

Middle School Book Club - see separate post

Grammar

Parts of Speech and their usage are a big focus in 7th grade English.  We finished a chapter on Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives before Christmas.  Our new chapter covers quite a bit more, but I will be breaking it up into two sections.  We will study Verbs and Adverbs followed by Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections.  Students will have homework in grammar at least two nights a week and should be studying at least two additional nights a week.

Vocabulary

Our schedule will be to assign a unit each Tuesday, turn in homework every Friday, and take a test the following Tuesday.  Students are required to know the spelling of each term, be able to match it to the correct definition, and use it in a sentence that shows they understand the meaning of the word. I have modeled examples of how to write these sentences using context clues and synonyms.

Additionally, there will be a circular review on each test beginning the week of January, 16 where words from previous tests will be included.

Writing

Students will be learning how to evaluate and write book reviews.  Upon completion of the unit, students will write their own reviews of the historical fiction novel they are reading for Middle School Book Club.  In addition, students will be looking at a primary source document that relates to their novel of choice and write a reflection on the accuracy of the novel.

I hope this helps you get a good understanding of what is to come in the near future.  As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions.