Ms.
Polays
7th Grade
EnglishWelcome back students!
Language
I hope that you all
Arts summer
break and are ready to
Expectancy
groove of school,
Sheet of language arts. I know
The first thing that you
me is I love language arts.
were two of my first
Together this year we will
and, hopefully, find your
beautiful subject. We are
hard this year but will
enjoyable learning
The following is what you
classroom for your 7th
Arts experience.
Classroom Procedures
Supplies needed for the class period will
be listed on the whiteboard. By the time
the bell rings, students should be seated
in their desks with the necessary supplies
on their desktop and their backpacks
under the desk. This will alleviate any
tripping over materials on the floor or
riffling through backpacks and causing
disruptions.
If you need to use the restroom, you must
ask and sign in and out with the time and
date on a sheet next to the door. You may
use the bathroom four times during the
quarter with no consequence. On the fifth
and sixth time, you will receive an after
school detention. Starting with the
seventh time and each occurrence after,
you will be sent to In School Intervention
for the day.
Late work will be accepted for full credit.
If there is a continuation of late work
there will be a discussion with parents
and an action plan to change the
behavior.
What we will study this
There will be many topicsyearthat we enjoyed your
will explore this upcoming year.
These include fiction and get back into the
nonfiction texts (novels, short especially the world
stories, poems, speeches, and
articles), writing, and critical
that I am!
thinking. should know about
Reading and writing
Novels will include The Outsiders passions in life.
by S.E. Hinton, Freak the Mighty develop your skills
by Rodman Philbrick, and Stargirl niche within this
by Jerri Spinelli. Shorter works going to work very
will be chosen as the year also have an
progresses. experience together.
Grammar will be an essential can expect in my
lesson throughout the year. grade Language
Grammar will be a daily lesson as
we progress in our knowledge.
Writing units will be a major
component throughout the year.
You will write blog posts on
individual reading, short answer
responses, and learn to write a five
paragraph essay. We will greatly
explore the usage of text evidence
this year. Supporting claims in
writing with evidence is important
in all academic areas.
We will also work on strengthening
your critical thinking skills through
our study of literature and writing.
Quizzes will be given throughout
units and a test will be given at the
end of every unit. This is for your
benefit as well as my own. We
work together in this classroom. I
do not give busy work so expect
everything I ask you to do to be of
importance.
All of these units and skills that we
improve is to help you in your
personal, educational, and future
professional lives as well as to
prepare you for the AZ Merit test
in April.
 Rules (or in my Positive Consequences
classroom, rule) I believe students should be recognized for
their good behavior, actions, and work.
I have only one rule: Do not be a Verbal affirmation will be provided
problem for yourself or others. individually and in front of peers when
This rule incorporates all the appropriate. When a student far surpasses
essential rules and expectations any expectation or does something worth
noting, I will email their parents providing
that are necessary in the Grading Policy
classroom. Think about what this the affirmation for positive reinforcement.
means to you. We will discuss how Meet Ms.
This class
When students behave
Polay
withispositive
graded on a standard grading scale:
this rule pertains to you and your
behavior they will also increase their
fellow classmates on the first day A+ 97-100
ability to receive higher grades and B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69
of class.
A
understand the material. 93-96
Those B
positive 83-86 Expectations
C 73-76 D 63-66
consequences willA-be reflected in their
90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62
own performance.
F below 60

I ask that you come to class Negative Consequences

prepared. This means having the I will grade your work as efficiently as possible but please
necessary supplies, prepared with understand that I want to give as much attention and feedback
I use a yellow and red card system. If a
the previous nights homework to your work that is sufficient for the amount of time you put
student begins to act out and be a
completed, and an open, well into the assignment.
continual disruption during class I will
rested mind. When you come to
hand them a yellowYourcard. This
grade is a warning
is earned. I do not give it to you. You will receive the
class prepared, then you can add to
to reign in their actions or there
grade that equalswill
thebetime and effort that you put into the class.
discussions and internalize the
additional consequences. Students will be
material.
allowed to remove themselves from the
situation that is bring disruptive, this
includes moving to the back of the
classroom. If a student still cannot contain
themselves, then they will be given a red
card and sent to the principals office. A
student will also be given a red card if they
immediately rebuttal being given a yellow
card. Any such argumentation will not be
accepted.

You must be wondering who the On the same token, students will sit in an woman is that is about to
teach you all about the English assigned seat. If there are any issues with language. Well, my name is
Ms. Polay. I have a bachelors the arrangement I hold to right to change degree in creative writing
and I am currently working on a the seating chart at any time. masters degree in
secondary education. I love to read and write. When I was
in 7th grade my favorite authors included J.K. Rowling,
J.R.R. Tolkien, Orson Scott Card, and Shel Silverstein. Outside of school, I enjoy sports, cars, video games, and
Something significant,
being outdoors. I am sure that we will all get along well together.
magical, and inspiring
happens
My withofeach
philosophy workarts coincides beautifully with the following quote from Martha Sweeny:
language
you read in the pages of
a book. You explore new
lands, meet new people,
feel new emotions, and
are no longer the same
person you were one
word prior to reading
it.
Together we are going to find that inspiration and magic within language arts and we will explore those new
lands, new people, new emotions, and we will become new people.
I look forward to learning about you and working together to explore the English language this upcoming
school year.

How to Reach Your Teacher

Communication is key. Do not hesitate to reach out to me

with any concerns or questions. Please email me at my
school email address (rpolay@school.edu) or call my work
phone number (123.456.7890). Remember, I will be busy
teaching so please do not expect an immediate answer. I
will respond within one business day of your email or call.
[