EIGHTH GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a year long course combining the study of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The course content will review basic skills previously taught and teach new skills with emphasis on application of skills. The course will include an intensive composition unit teaching multiple paragraph writing, preparation and presentation of discussions, exposure to a variety of literary forms and techniques, vocabulary development, and instruction in and application of mechanics. This course is intended to prepare students for success in high school.
READING
Students will read an array of fiction and non-fiction books, short stories, and poems. Students will engage in discussion on the above and will be responsible for written responses. Students will determine and articulate the relationship among the purposes and characteristics of different forms of poetry.
Novels We Will Read in Class This Year
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Diary of Anne Frank – the play
Literature Circle Selections include: Touching Spirit Bear, Far North, and Into Thin Air
WRITING
The emphasis in eighth grade is on developing various types of writing. Greater emphasis will be placed on narrative and expository writing.
In pieces that are graded for writing process, each step of the process should be evaluated. Students will write frequently in a variety of forms through daily work, journals, creative, expository, and narrative assignments. Writing will be evaluated using rubrics.
Speaking
Eighth graders will be expected to prepare for, participate in, and lead a discussion. A “Thinking” grade will be included in the power grade average. This grade will primarily be drawn from the student’s class participation and preparedness to lead in discussion. Thinkers add new and novel ideas to the discussion.
Listening
Students will be expected to listen to class discussions, directions, and other students; for the purpose of taking notes; and to understand and appreciate literary selections presented orally and visually.
Grading
During each grading period, the teacher will give the student opportunities to do daily work (homework and quizzes), prepare written assignments, and participate orally. Students are expected to complete and turn in homework on a regular basis.
Communication:
I prefer e-mail whenever possible, yet will be happy to take phone calls. I attempt to return phone calls and/or e-mails with 24 hours. I teach straight through from 7:55 am to 12:30 pm. I attend to e-mails and phone messages after 12:30 pm. If your child is having a difficult evening and cannot complete the homework, he/she can call me or e-mail me to let me know the same (847-251-3617 x 144). I urge you to call me if you have a concern or information you feel I should know about.
Homework:
Your son or daughter will have independent reading homework virtually every evening. Students vary on the amount of time spent on reading, but 20 minutes is recommended. In terms of writing, some students produce elaborate and closely edited homework, while others will just do enough to get some credit. We are emphasizing ” quality” of written pieces. As you may know, New Trier levels English classes. Students must produce high quality pieces in order to be successful in most Level 3 and Level 4 English classes. The best writing is rewriting.
