Syllabus - 8th Grade Language Arts
Novel Studies 1st quarter- The Giver by Lois Lowry 2nd quarter- Non-fiction 3rd quarter- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom 4th quarter- Literature circles (student choice) Independent Reading We expect students to read independently throughout the year. They should bring these novels to class daily. Teachers will conference individually with students on their reading progress each Monday. SpringBoard We will be using SpringBoard as a means to providing a rigorous curriculum for our students. This program was created by the College Board and includes scaffolded instruction, embedded assessments, and lessons aligned with the Common Core Standards. The workbooks are interactive and will supply our students with even more opportunities for success. Response to Literature Notebooks Each week, students will be responding in their notebooks to various texts for an informal grade. Responses should be well thought out and clearly supported. Daybooks Students will use daybooks as a tool for personal expression. These will be due each Friday. Formal writing Types of writing will include argumentative, persuasive, and narrative pieces, as well as developing creativity and writing from various perspectives. Students will be planning, drafting, editing, and revising their work. We will focus heavily on the entire writing process. Grammar Classes will include daily grammar mini-lessons. Topics covered include parts of speech, sentence structure, verbals, active and passive voice, shifts in voice/mood, punctuation, and spelling. Vocabulary Vocabulary instruction will be taught through texts rather than in isolation. This will allow students to see how words are used in context. Assessments Common assessments will be given after the completion of units of study for formal grades. Informal assessments will take place on a regular basis to mark students’ progress and comprehension of concepts. Grading Formal- 65% Informal- 35% Late work will not be accepted after five days. Late formal assignments will lose ten points for each day late. Late informal assignments will receive an automatic 50. |