COURSES FOR GRADE 7

The Grade 7 program consists of the following subject areas:

Mathematics	Language Arts	Social Studies
Science	Fine Arts	French
H.A.C.E. (Personal Planning)	Physical Education and Dailiy Physical Activity

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 7
Grade 7 Language Art website

This Course blends traditional lessons with fun, vivid multimedia pieces. The lessons emphasize understanding, connecting, applying knowledge, and practicing proper English language skills. This course is designed to help students understand personal narratives, explore technical writing, understand what they are reading, learn about persuasive style, discover language through poetry, and explore types of stories and story elements. This program also includes a novel study by an award-winning Canadian author.

Order to be completed in Grade 7 this year at FVDES

Grammer on the Go	Workbook that examines parts of speech, punctuation, common sentence errors, paragraph development, and spelling.
Module 1: Personal Focus (Section 2 only to be completed)	Types of narrative writing, e.g., personal narratives, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies Preparing and writing a personal narrative
Module 6: The Breadwinner Novel Study	An award-winning novel about life in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime
Module 4: Finding Your Voice	What is poetry? Sound devices in poetry Poetic elements Reading, listening to, and writing poetry
Module 5: Write of Passage	Fiction writing Story types: adventure, fantasy, folktales, historical fiction, horror, mystery, realistic fiction, science fiction Story elements: setting, plot, characters, theme Writing a fiction story (emphasis on the Writing Process)
Module 2: Technical Writing	Applying for a job as a technical writer with Al Electronics Creating a simple brochure Creating a Product User Manual Writing a Business Letter to accompany your user manual
Module 3: Convince Me	Types of persuasive communication, e.g., advertisements, letters to the editor, commercials, public address announcements Identifying persuasive techniques in advertisements; writing an advertisement using one or more of these techniques Preparing a persuasive argument on an issue of your choice

Accelerated Reader is an online program that allows your child to read books and then test her/his knowledge and comprehension of the book and vocabulary from the book. Students are then assigned points based on how well they do on the quiz. Students are required to earn a specified number of Accelerated Reader Points each term. Please see the Accelerated Reader Information package for specific login and program information, as well as the Grading Rubric.

Other English Language Arts Resources and Options:

vClass is our Virtual Classroom. Students and teachers meet in vClass to do lessons, meet other classmates, and develop computer skills. In our virtual classroom, some projects may replace paper-based Language Arts or Science or Social Studies work. Please check over the vClass schedule to see what options are being offered for this school year.

 

Resources for the course include the following:

• Expressions CD or accessed online through the Grade Seven Website.  The CD contains the following resources:
• The Writing Process: Tips and checklists for completing each stage of the Writing Process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and proof reading, and publishing)
• The Language Lab: contains reference regarding
• Parts of Speech
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• Composition
• Figurative language
• Students require their own
• Dictionary and thesaurus. It would be helpful for them to have access to an encyclopedia and an atlas, globe, or world map. A variety of newspaper and magazines would also be useful.
• Students are encouraged to use their FirstClass email account to record and submit any oral activities for Language Arts.  If this is not possible students may record and submit an audio cassette to their teacher

Also available by request or at the discretion of your teacher

• Handwriting practice workbook

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MATHEMATICS 7

Mathematics 7 - Paper Based

The Grade 7 Mathematics program is organized around the following content areas; Number sense and operations, pattern and Relations, Shape and Space and Probability. This program intends to integrate the following processes within each of the content areas; communication, connections, mental mathematics and estimations, problem solving, reasoning, technology and visualization.

This course is designed so that no textbook is required. Key concepts are clearly described with step-by-step examples and numerous practice opportunities are provided.

Each module begins with a pre-test that students are required to write. The results from the pre-test provides information to both the Home Facilitator and the teacher about which content students already know and what requires additional emphasis. Within each module are send-in exercises, which are to be completed and sent to the teacher for marking. This is the only portion required to be submitted to the teacher for marking unless otherwise requested by the teacher.

Most of the work should be done by the student, however the Home Facilitator should help with the correcting of the self-marking activities using the key located at the end of each module. When students receive returned work that is to be corrected, it should be done as soon as possible. At times teachers may require that work be corrected and resubmitted.

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SOCIAL STUDIES 7
Grade 7 Social Studies website

NOTE: An online version of this course is available

In this course students will learn how and why several ancient civilizations originated, grew, and then eventually collapsed. They will also discover how ancient people lived and how they dealt with the challenges they faced.

Social Studies 7 consists of seven modules. It is recommended that students complete the modules in order. Each module is accompanied by a notebook, consisting of worksheets for students to use for their written work.

Overview of Social Studies Modules

Module 1: Connections with the Past	In this module students will learn about their personal history as well as the history and evolution of the human race.
Module 2: Mesopotamia	In this module students will learn about the various empires of the Fertile Crescent, also known as Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was home to some of the world's earliest and most intriguing civilizations.
Module 3: Ancient Egypt	In this module students will fly back in time to the land of ancient Egypt. They will travel along the Nile River and learn how the Egyptians lived in ancient times. Students will apply what they have learned in many creative ways, such as recreating King Tut's death mask.
Module 4: Ancient Greece	In this module students will study ancient Greece, one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. Students will demonstrate what they have learned by creating an historical newspaper.
Module 5: Ancient Rome	In this module you will study the development of Rome from a small village to the greatest empire of the ancient world. In the last section of this module, you will expand your knowledge of this topic as you complete a research report on life in ancient Rome.
Module 6: World Connections	In this module students will explore what it means to be a responsible citizen. Students will learn what they can do to make a difference in their communities.

Resources:

• Ancient Worlds Textbook
• A Visitors Guide to Ancient Egypt and Nubia
• The Roman Record
• Ancient History Cd-Rom
• Addition art supplies are needed for some project options
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SCIENCE 7
Grade 7 science website

This course consists of 3 modules. Each module is accompanied by its own science notebook, consisting of worksheets for students to use for their written work. There is also a required Science Fair Project that is to be completed during the 2nd term.

Overview of Science Modules

Module 1: Ecology	This module focuses on the different regions of the earth, which have their own unique and distinctive ecology and environment. Students study the different climates, soils, plants, and animals - all the living and non-living parts of these environments.
Module 2: Let’s Look at Chemistry	In this module students will develop a greater understanding of matter, the characteristics of mixtures and solutions, acids and bases and are introduced to the different models of matter. Using a variety of “hands on” activities they are given opportunities to develop as scientists, learning scientific procedures, conducting experiments, recording observations and making inferences from the results they collect.
Module 3: Earth's Crust	This module looks at the changes that take place in the Earth's crust-both the slow drift of tectonic plates and the sudden, abrupt changes caused by earthquakes and volcanoes. Throughout the module students build, use, and evaluate various models; and, consider how models can help us understand scientific processes that we can't see directly.
Science Fair Project	Students are to complete a Science Fair project investigation a topic of their choosing, through consultation with their teacher. Students will have an opportunity to present their project at the Science Fair in March.

Resources:

• Science Probe 7 (Textbook)
• Earthquakes: Our Restless Planet (DVD)
• Biology Concepts: Ecology (DVD)
• Grade 7 Chemistry Kit

Students will also require a number of common household materials.  Please consult the Home Facilitator Guide for a list.
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FINE ARTS

This course was developed by the staff at Fraser Valley Distance Education School to allow for a high level of student creativity and flexibility.

The aim of Fine Arts is to give each student a broad range of experiences and skills through exploring a variety of topics in,

• Visual Arts      • Drama     • Dance     • Music

Each block will have a different fine art focus to help your student develop their fine art skills and knowledge.

• Term One           – Visual Art         (6 Activities)
• Term Two           – Drama / Dance (4 Drama / 4 Dance Activities)
• Term Three        – Music               (2 Modules)

The program is designed to be completed within the home with a minimum of extras over and above the materials supplied.  However, we recognize the need for flexibility in this program.  There are a number of options that may replace various components of our paper-based Fine Arts program. 

• We are offering a Fine Arts instruction program that is being provided by Fraser Valley Distance Education School for all students in Kindergarten to Grade Seven. This will be offered in Chilliwack in partnership with the Blue Heron Reserve.

• Students participating in music, dance, art, or drama programs in their community may, in consultation with their teacher, receive credit towards one or more of the components of Fine Arts.
• Online options may be offered in one or more of the components of Fine Arts.

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FRENCH 7

Students will be using an online program called TELL ME MORE to study French. This is a comprehensive foreign language learning method that combines the richness and quality of its content with the flexibility and interactive features of multimedia. This program combines various activities that focus on the areas of speaking reading and writing. To access this program students must have access to a internet connection as well as access to Internet Explorer in a Windows environment. Students also require headphones and a microphone. Please contact you child’s teacher for information regarding access. Additional login information is available in the TELL ME MORE booklet or on the grade 7 website.

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Health and Career Education 7 (HACE)
Grade 7 HACE website

Health and Career Education (HACE), (Formally Personal Planning) curriculum for Grade 7 is available both as an online and paper-based program. The activities and assignments that you do for HACE should help you learn more about yourself, about friendship, healthy living, careers, and about the community. The more effort you put into these lessons, the more you will get out of them.

The Health and Career Education lessons are sequential (step by step) in nature. Most lessons are made up of a few pages that build on each other. If you have any questions please contact your Grade Seven teacher.

Students are expected to complete one lesson / activity per month for a total of ten assignments for the entire year .

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Physical Education and Daily Physical Activity
PE/ DPA Website

The purpose of the Physical Education program at Fraser Valley Distance Education School is to encourage opportunities for all students to develop knowledge, movement skills, and positive attitudes and behaviours that contribute to a healthy, active lifestyle. Students should participate in a variety of activities from the categories listed in the PE Journal, while learning about safety and fair play.

In addition to Physical Education, the Ministry of Education requires that all students be involved in Daily Physical Activity. This can include Physical Education activities, but differs slightly. Daily Physical Activity requires 30 minutes per day (five days per week) of activities that help build students’ endurance, strength, and flexibility.

Use the provided Physical Education Program and Daily Physical Activity Journal to record all physical education opportunities that a student participates in for each term.

At the end of each term, please submit the journal to your teacher for evaluation.

Letter Grades for PE
A	Exceeds Expectations	Significantly more than 2 hours per week average Wide variety of activities/environments
B/C+	Fully Meets Expectations	2 or more hours per week average 3 or more different activities/types of activities
C/C-	Minimally Meets Expectations	90 minutes or more per week average 2 or more different activities/types of activities
I/F	Not Yet Meeting Expectations	Less than 90 minutes per week average Little variety in activities

Note: Late journals will be reported as “I” (Incomplete). Mark MAY be reduced by one letter grade if journal is submitted late.

Report Card Comment for Daily Physical Activity:
REQUIREMENTS MET	30 mins/ 5 days per week balance of strength, endurance and flexibility activities
REQUIREMENTS NOT MET	Less than 30 mins/ 5 days per week OR Activities lack balance among strength, endurance and flexibility.