COURSE OUTLINE- ENGLISH 8
Mrs. Gaiser & Mrs. Sperry Team 8 Room 100
To ensure successful completion of the 8th Grade ELA Assessment, as well as build skills necessary for passing the 11th Grade Regents Exam down the road, this course will develop and strengthen reading, writing, listening and speaking skills for each student. The following outline highlights the course requirements and classroom expectations.
As an additional piece to the success of each student this year, we will send regular homework/unit update emails home. Please provide your email information as you sign this packet to be returned to school, thank you.
REQUIRED WORK:
READING/WRITING WORKSHOP ESSAYS (9 TOTAL)
HOME ASSIGNMENTS (VOCABULARY, READING ETC.)
CLASS & GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP PROJECTS
WRITING PORTFOLIO (STAYS IN THE CLASSROOM)
JOURNAL ENTRIES (4 PER QUARTER)
CLASS PARTICIPATION
TESTS/QUIZZES (INCLUDING 2 BENCHMARK TESTS)
MATERIALS: THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS MUST BE IN CLASS EVERY DAY.
MARBLE NOTEBOOK/COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK
PENS, PAPER, HIGHLIGHTERS, INDEX CARDS
WORKSHOP BOOK (WILL COUNT FOR HOMEWORK POINTS)
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
BE RESPECTFUL!
BE PREPARED!
BE WILLING TO WORK…YOU WILL FIND SUCCESS HERE IF YOU TRY, I PROMISE.
“Education’s purpose is to replace and empty mind with an open one.”
~Malcolm Forbes
ASSIGNMENTS:
NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ARE ACCEPTED! THIS INCLUDES EVERY ASSIGNMENT EXCEPT FOR ESSAYS.
EACH LATE ESSAY IS TEN POINTS OFF FOR EVERY DAY IT IS LATE.
NO LATE ESSAYS ARE ACCEPTED DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER.
EACH MISSING ASSIGNMENT THAT IS A ZERO IN THE GRADEBOOK WILL DROP A QUARTERLY AVERAGE EIGHT TO TEN POINTS!
ONE WEEK’S NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN FOR EACH TEST.
IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE ABSENCE FOLDER TO RECEIVE MISSED WORK UPON RETURN FROM AN ABSENCE.
EXTRA CREDIT:
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PROVIDED DURING EACH QUARTER, MAINLY NEAR THE END.
PARENTS MAY REQUEST EXTRA CREDIT AT ANY TIME, PROVIDING THEIR CHILD HAS COMPLETED ALL REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS.
PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide a valid email address.
Please read the homework/unit update emails carefully.
Check with your child regarding homework, projects and tests.
Sign up for and view Parent Portal regularly to see missing assignments, current averages, Progress Reports and Report Cards throughout the year. Progress Reports and Report Cards are no longer sent home.
Encourage your child to read…magazines, books, graphic novels or newspapers.
“The educational careers of 25 to 40 percent of American children are imperiled because they don't read well enough, quickly enough, or easily enough.”
~Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children of the National Research Council, 1998
“To participate fully in society and the workplace in 2020, citizens will need powerful literacy abilities that until now have been achieved by only a small percentage of the population.”
~National Council on Teachers of English Standards for the English Language Arts
To ensure both students and parents understand the requirements for this course, please sign below. Do not detach please!
We are looking forward to a productive and successful school year! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question or concern throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Gaiser & Mrs. Sperry()
Please Sign and Date Below-
Student ______
Parent/Guardian ______Date ______
Email Address- ______