Jr. High English

Teacher:Mrs. Jennifer Liu

Bible Verse for the year: I Corinthians 16:13 - 14

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”

Contact:

Email:

Phone:(818) 368-0892 (school)

Web:concordiagranadahills.com and Edmodo.com

Overview:

Junior High English is a study of writing, literary analysis, and reading strategies. Each semester includes units from the literature text, as well as novels that highlight a variety of genres. Reading comprehension is developed throughout the year including the examination of SAT-style passages within the vocabulary curriculum.

Goals:

Students will:

1.Learn to apply a variety of reading strategies appropriate for different genres and literary themes that will aid in the comprehension, analysis, and overall impact of the selection

2.Learn to analyze elements of figurative language and will be able to articulate this in writing

3.Learn challenging vocabulary which will be reinforced through a variety of contexts

4.Continue to develop as an independent reader and critical thinker

Materials:

  1. Prentice Hall LiteraturePenguin Edition: Grade 8 and Vocabulary Power Plus Book H
  2. 2 pens (blue or black only) or pencils and 2 red pens
  3. A single-subject spiral or composition notebook for notes
  4. College-ruled paper (loose-leaf – 81/2”x11”)
  5. Assignment book

Evaluation – Grading:

Grades are derived from a total accumulation of points within the weighted categories of the class. The approximate breakdown of the quarter grade is as follows:

Homework and Projects 35% / Tests
40% / Quizzes
20% / Materials and Participation
5%

A supply check is done every day in class. Students need their textbook, assignment book, notebook/paper and a pen/pencil every day. Missing supplies will result in lost points.

The semester grade that appears on a student’s transcript is calculated as follows:

First Quarter 50% / Second Quarter 50%

Expectations:

  • Conduct
  • Be prepared for each class with completed assignments and necessary supplies.
  • Show respect towards others and personal and school property.
  • Be seated when the class begins or be counted tardy.
  • Be encouraging to one another
  • Adhere to all school policies including those dealing with food, drinks, gum and electronics.
  • Technology
  • The classroom use of electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones must be approved by the teacher and the privilege may be revoked at any time.
  • Students are allowed and/or expected to complete some assignments online. This includes taking online quizzes, participating in online group projects and discussions through Edmodo. Students should also create a Quizlet account at quizlet.com to help them study for vocabulary tests.
  • Students are expected to notify the teacher of any technological difficulties or complications well in advance. A solution may be to access a school computer for required work.
  • Academic Honesty

Students will adhere to all school policies regarding academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and cheating. All instances of academic dishonesty will be immediately referred to the administration.

Absences:

A student may be absent from class for a number of reasons. Sickness, personal matters, doctor appointments, and athletic /fine-art events are all normal reasons for missing class. Students and parents should make every effort, however, to spread absences out among a variety of days and times so that one period does not get particularly hit. Excessive absences will be quite detrimental to one’s overall grade due to a lack of participation and instruction. If a student must be absent, the following guidelines will be used:

  • Absent students should check the Homework Page, their assignment book or Edmodo to keep up on the work.
  • Make-up work due to an excused absence is the responsibility of the student. Please speak with the teacher to arrange a “make-up” time for missing tests and quizzes. Students will have one week upon returning to class to make up missing assignments and tests.
  • Do not expect the teacher to take class time to make these arrangements. See the teacher during her office hours or prep period, or make arrangements through Edmodo or email.
  • When a student is absent for an in-class assignment or test, the student will see a blank in the Gradebook. This counts as a zero until the work is made up.

Late Work:

It is very important that students get in the good habit of completing work on time. Some assignments are never accepted late, but some are. Here are the guidelines and due dates:

  • Edmodo assignments and group discussion posts are never accepted late.

Extra Credit:

Five extra credit points will be given for each test returned to the teacher with a parent signature.Two points will be given for a signed quiz

Communication:

The best way to communicate with the teacher is in person during an office hour, or through email. However, there are many ways in which the teacher communicates with the students about upcoming assignments, requirements, due dates, etc.

  • Homework Page at concordiagranadahills.com

Every week teachers post homework and class work to the school website: Students click “Classes / Homework” on the home page and access the subject and class period. Students and parents can subscribe to these pages and receive daily emails reflecting any updates. Students will be required to write their work for the week in their assignment books on Monday.

  • Online Access to the Gradebook

Students and parents have access to view their grades using the Student ID# and password that will be printed on an instruction sheet to be given at Back to School Night. These grades are updated weekly. Students are encouraged to speak to a teacher about any questions or discrepancies.

  • Edmodo

English 8 students will use Edmodo for vocabulary practice, group discussion, and occasional assignments and quizzes. Edmodo is the world’s largest social online learning platform where teachers and students can collaborate, share content, and use educational apps to augment in-classroom learning. Edmodo is both free and secure and it will enhance the learning experience, helping student develop important 21st century skills.

Parents may sign up for a parent account on Edmodo which connects the parent(s) to the child’s account. The parent code can be found in the child’s account.

Teachers can always remind students of their usernames and can assist in changing the password. Do NOT make a new account! On Edmodo, students will be able to:

participate in class or group discussions that are monitored by the teacher

work collaboratively without having to be face-to-face

communicate directly with the teacher to ask questions or get help

keep track of important due dates, events, and tasks

receive and turn in assignments and quizzes

access Edmodo from any computer or mobile device with internet

2016-2017Jr. High English SyllabusPage 1 of 3