AVID Elective Class Syllabus

AVID Elective Class Syllabus

8th Grade

Mrs. Staal

Course Outcome

Course Description:

AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. It is a national program designed by middle school teachers, high school teachers, and college professors to help students become better prepared for a 4 year college university. It is designed for students who have a GPA of 2.0-3.5. (somewhere in the B-D+ range) The idea behind it is it to teach more study skills and strategies to help students excel in their academic courses along with better preparing them for future goals such as entering a four year college or university. It challenges students to think and apply what they have learned rather than just look for the correct answer. AVID also helps students gain confidence in their public speaking abilities as well as their abilities to recognize what THEY need as students to help them learn and understand. Along with these skill enhancing goals, AVID students participate in field trip to universities, meet guest speakers who come in and present their careers, and involve the Northwest community in service learning opportunities to help benefit society as a whole. An AVID student leaves middle school with confidence in themselves and an academic foundation they can use in preparing for their future.

Standards:

AVID has specific standards for each grade level. They are located on the non public AVID site. If you would like a specific copy, please speak with Ms. Staal and one can be provided to you. They can not be posted due to copyright laws.

Instruction

Topics and General Pacing:

1st quarter:

• Initial organizational set-up of AVID binder
• Review of Cornell Note taking method
• Introduction to Tutorial Process and Levels of Questioning

2nd quarter

• Continuation of 1st quarter skills as needed
• Research into to ACT/SAT testing (coinciding with 8th grade Explore test)
• Review of text annotation skills
• Formulating presentation in an individual group setting
• Academic discussion based on information from given text (Socratic Seminar)

3rd quarter

• Continuation of 1st and 2nd quarter skills as needed
• Service learning project (Pennies for Patients)
• Career skills and real world application (Job shadow and Pennies for Patients)

4th quarter

• Continuation of 1st-3rd quarter skills
• Persuasive writing in the form of character analysis
• Preparation for High School

*All grade levels work on goal setting, study skills, and organizational skills throughout the year on all three grade levels.

Materials Needed:

AVID Binder

Math Notebook

Interactive agenda

Pen/cils

Resources:

School based: AVID curriculum

Outside: Articles from UpFront Magazine (Scholastic), teacher provided articles that have been pre-read and have been determined to be appropriate for student use based on KCS guidelines, guest speakers, field trips, college tutors.

**FILMS/VIDEOS: Parents will be provided with permission slips and lesson plans when a film is used. If the parent chooses not to have the child participate in the lesson with the film, there will be an alternative assignment provided for that child at that time.

1. AVID has many different videos available on line to show different examples of the AVID curriculum in use. These are from the sight myavid.org which teachers has access to by attending training in the AVID curriculum.

2. KCS now has access to YouTube videos through their Canvas program. YouTube videos used in class have a motivational purpose that follows part of the AVID curriculum. Those used in classes are previewed by the teacher and have been determined to be appropriate for students based on KCS guidelines. Other websites such as EPSN may be used with the same expectations.

3. Any films (movies or TV shows) used in class with have the following:

1. Motivational purpose
2. Leadership purpose
3. College purpose
4. Parent permission form before child may view it in class.
5. Students will have an assignment that will be in conjunction with the video.

Assessment

Grading Policy

Grading will be done on a point basis. A certain number of points will be possible for each assignment or lesson. Students will earn a certain number of points based on what they turn in. At the end of each 4 ½ weeks and 9 week period those point will determine the percentage and letter grade for the AVID class. Below is a list of assignments and points. This can and does change based on the length and work involved in the assignment.

Daily Writing (in agenda)(daily grade)5 pts.

Cornell Notes (weekly grade)10-25 pts. per paper*

Binder Check (monthly dates provided)150 pts. per check*

In-class lessons10-50 pts. (varies)

Projects(one per grading period)100 pts. and up

Book Reports(one per grading period)100 pts.

Tutorial work(weekly grade)90 pts.

Homework10-50 pts. (varies)

Learning Logs (bi-weekly in class)20 pts.

Interactive notebook,

Agenda(as necessary)Varies depending what is being graded.

Math Notebook grade(on same days as Binder Check)50 pts.*

Binder Pop Quizzes(random)10-15 pts.

*Because we are on an Orange/Blue schedule, I will give students dates when these are due.

Weight of Grades

Explanation of Assignments:

What are some things students are going to be graded on in AVID?

1. BINDER: All AVID students must have a binder. (the bigger the better…3” is recommended) At the beginning of the school year we will talk about how to organize it as part of class. This is the biggest part of the students’ grade as it is checked every other week. Organizational order will be left up to the student as they know their schedule. But the following supplies will be needed at EACH binder check.
2. BINDER
3. Extra notebook paper
4. Pens/pencils (at least one of each)
5. 5 subject dividers
6. AVID section including a Quote of the Day sheet
7. RECENT GRADED ASSIGNMENTS
8. Notes/hand-outs from that class.

1. Agenda: Based on school wide policy. To be announced in class on receipt of agendas.

1. AVID Interactive Notebook: Composed of three sections. (Daily writing, Grade and goals, Tutorial section) Each student MUST have one with them in class and keep the necessary materials in it as discussed in class the first nine weeks of school.

1. Cornell Notes: AVID students will learn how to take Cornell Notes. This type of note taking is a REQUIREMENT for any notes taken in all their classes. They will have to two RECENT samples EVERY CHECK. These notes may not be from the AVID class.

1. Learning Logs: Documentation and communication between the AVID student and teacher about WHAT they are learning. Their agenda is what they have to DO. Learning logs are for the “WHAT”. This will be completed in class as part of the timed writing component to AVID.

1. Math Notebook: All AVID students will be required to keep a math notebook for daily notes in class. The notes must be taken in Cornell Note form. This notebook will also be a separate grade. With the change to the math curriculum it has become apparent that students need to focus on HOW to succeed in Math. It is necessary to learn how to take notes in Math in order to pass higher level Math classes.

1. Book Reports: 7th and 8th Grade students will complete book reports quarterly as an independent assignment. As students get higher in school, they will be required to complete more work on their own. This is a way to practice this skill now. Each 7th and 8th grade student will be given the correct form to follow for this report.

1. Daily Writing: Class begins with a student task. These can be in the form of a “Quote of the Day”, “Picture Write,” Journal or another assignment for students to begin to settle into class as well begin to think about the day’s task. They will be kept in the AVID interactive notebook.

1. Binder Pop-quiz: Due to the increasing need in refining organization skills, AVID students will have weekly “pop-quizzes” on their binders. The specifics will be discussed in class but the goal is to have a working and organized binder EVERY DAY IN EVERY CLASS.

1. Agenda Pop-quiz: Due to the increasing need in refining organization skills, AVID students will have weekly “pop-quizzes” on their agendas. The specifics will be discussed in class but the goal is to have a working and organized binder EVERY DAY IN EVERY CLASS.

1. Interactive Notebook Pop-quiz: Due to the increasing need in refining organization skills, AVID students will have weekly “pop-quizzes” on their interactive notebook. The specifics will be discussed in class but the goal is to have a working and organized binder EVERY DAY IN EVERY CLASS.

Late Work Policy:

Individual teachers, teams, and other school officials at Northwest Middle School have the authority and responsibility to impose deadlines for the submission of work. One of our goals is to prepare students for the future by teaching students responsibility, and experiencing the natural consequences of failure to meet reasonable deadlines is the primary manner in which we learn this skill. Please do not expect school administration or teacher to extend or ignore a deadline. For students that choose not to complete their assignments on time, the following Late Work Penalties will be assessed:

***End of Semester Exception**

All students, absent or not, will be given (10) ten days to complete a missing assignment unless the missing assignments are near the end of the semester. At that, point, all assignments not completed by the end of the semester grading cut-off date will be recorded as zeros.

Portal Post Policy:

One way I am able to communicate with the student and parent is through Parent Portal. In order to give feedback, I will update grades at least once per week.

General Expectations

Students:

Attendance

In order benefit from learning, students need to attend school. All Northwest Middle School attendance policies apply. Attendance is also a factor in enrollment in the AVID program. Excessive absences can and will result in a student being placed on probation in the AVID program.

Classroom Procedures

Students will follow all Northwest Middle School School-Wide PBIS expectations (Ranger PRIDE). Specific classrooms procedures will be taught the first weeks of school and will be adjusted things arise.

Teacher:

Communication Strategy:

Please contact me via school office at 594-1345 or email .

Office hours are 7:30-4:30 barring no meetings or inservices. (Thursday mornings I am scheduled for morning duty at 7:30am.)

Intervention Strategy:

All AVID students will participate in tutorials. This is their opportunity to attempt to ask questions from their academic classes they do not completely understand. This will enable them to talk through and think through the concepts in small groups. At times, the student may get one-on-one help from the teacher if necessary. Students are encouraged to attend Northwest Middle school before and after school tutoring as well.