Sample 7th Grade Language Arts Syllabus

Instructor: Molly Britton

Email: molly.britton@dvusd.org
Phone: (623) 555-1234
Tutoring Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays,
3 PM-4 PM

Course Description:
This course will provide students with opportunities and resources to build their listening,
speaking, reading, and writing skills. This class is a combination of Language Arts and literature
with a strong focus on writing. In this course, students will be exposed to works from a variety of
authors and genres with an emphasis on analysis. The students will be challenged to build their
critical thinking skills through engagement with a range of texts and meaningful in-class
discussions. Students will learn 21st-century skills that will promote their success both inside and
outside of the classroom.

Curriculum:
The curriculum for this course is derived from Arizonas College and Career Readiness
Standards. Over the course of the year, we will be covering the following units:
Reading and Writing Contemporary
Fairytales
Lois Lowrys The Giver
The Six Traits of Writing

Personal Narrative
Katherine Patersons Bridge to
Terabithia
Persuasive Writing

 Grammar Games
Literature Circles
Short Stories

Anne Franks Anne Frank: The

Diary of a Young Girl
Poetry
Dramatic Monologues

Textbook:
Title of Book by Author Name

Classroom Procedures:
Journals: At the start of class, the students will be expected to enter the classroom, sit in
their assigned seats, and begin writing in their journals quietly. I will have a prompt written on
the whiteboard each day before class for the students to journal on upon entering my classroom.
After the students have written their journal entries, they will pass their homework to the middle
of their groups table so that I can collect it. I will collect the students journals twice each
semester to check for completion.
Tardiness: Students that come in to class after the bell rings will be considered tardy
unless they have a pass. I will give a warning for the first incident and then assign detention
beginning with the second instance of tardiness.
Student Work: Students will pass their homework to the middle of their groups table
after they complete their journal entries so that I can collect it. Before I collect the homework, I
will make a last call for their homework. Any work that is turned in after I have made the last
call, even during the same period, will be considered late. If a student is tardy, his or her
homework is automatically considered late unless he or she has a pass.
Student Absences: When a student is absent, he or she will be expected to refer to the
biweekly calendar or the class Web site to determine what he or she has missed. One of the
students group members will be responsible for taking notes for him or her. I will maintain a
folder for absent work in which I will keep homework and assessments that students miss. I will

write the name and class period of the absent student at the top of any assignments that he or she
will need upon returning to school.
If a student is absent for an extended period of time, a parent can pick up the notes and
assignments on a weekly basis. Upon returning to school, the student will have the same number
of days to make up his or her work as he or she was absent. Exceptions to this rule will be made
on a case-by-case basis for extreme circumstances and will require documentation.
Late Work: Late assignments will be accepted up to five school days after the assignment
was originally due (one calendar week). For each day that an assignment is late, 10% will be
taken off of the students total grade on that assignment.
Plagiarism/Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated in this course. If a student is found to have plagiarized or cheated on an assignment, he
or she will receive a 0 on the assignment and further disciplinary action will be taken.
Grading: Students will be graded on academic achievement, effort, in-class participation,
homework, and improvement in the course. This class utilizes a standard grading scale:
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = 59% or below
Assessments and essays will be weighted more heavily than homework or participation.
Students will be provided with a rubric for each writing assignment so that they will know what
they will be graded on. Assignments that are not graded on a rubric will include clear and
explicit instructions indicating what information the finished product should include. Any issues
that students may have with their grades may be discussed after instructional time.
Restroom Use: The students will be provided with five bathroom passes at the beginning
of each semester. If a student needs to use the restroom, he or she may use a bathroom pass. The
student will be expected to bring me the bathroom pass and sign in and out of the class sign-in
sheet. If a student has bathroom passes remaining at the end of the semester, he or she can turn
them in for extra participation points. If a student has run out of bathroom passes but needs to

use the restroom, he or she can complete a quick write about the days activities for homework to
substitute for a bathroom pass.

Classroom Rules and Consequences:

1. Arrive on time, prepared, and ready to learn.
2. Be respectful of one another.
3. Be an active listener when the teacher or your peers are speaking.
4. Keep an open mind.
5. Always try your best.

Communication with Parents:

If you or your parents/guardians have any questions or concerns pertaining to this course,
please email me! I will respond to email communications within 48 hours.
Additional information about the course calendar, homework assignments, and
announcements can be accessed through the class webpage: www.linktocoursepage.weebly.com.

Needs of Diverse Learners:

My classroom procedures, rules, and consequences may be modified to meet the needs of
diverse learners. For students with IEPs, accommodations will be made. A different set of
procedures, rules, and consequences may be created for students who are physically, mentally, or
emotionally unable to follow the procedures and rules that have been outlined in the syllabus.