English 8
Course Description 2008
Mrs. Walton
The purpose of this class is to develop skills as a reader, writer, and thinker. Students will be evaluated on demonstration of growth in these areas. To grow as a reader, writer and thinker students must be willing to take chances, share writing, give and receive constructive comments, and at the end of each unit demonstrate with specific examples ways in which they have grown as a reader, writer and thinker.
This course is designed to follow a Reader-Writer workshop format. Students will read narrative (memoir and short stories), science fiction, realistic fiction, and historical fiction (novel studies), poetry, newspaper and magazine articles, and technical instructional documents. With each reading unit we will also incorporate writing activities within the genre were reading.
Weekly lessons on vocabulary, grammar and mechanics, and reading and writing strategies will be incorporated. These skills will be assessed with weekly open-note binder quizzes.
Organization is also an essential skill that will be assessed in this class. Students will keep a binder that serves as their textbook for the class. At the end of each nine weeks, these binders will be graded. All handouts, assignments, notes, and activities completed in or out of class must be kept in proper order and will be assessed for completion and organization.
Being prepared for class is also important. Students will begin each nine weeks with 50 points for Preparation. Each day a student arrives without something necessary for class, five points will be deducted from that score. The number remaining at the end of the nine weeks will be their grade for the term. For many students this will be a gift; for others, it will be an opportunity for growth. J
Accelerated Reading points are also a part of the language arts grade. Students must accumulate 25 AR points during the course of the nine weeks. A maximum of 10 extra credit points may be earned by reading more than the 25 points.
Grading (numbers are an approximation):
· Accelerated Reader points .. .. 10% of overall grade
· Writing evaluation . .250
o Writers notebook entries (homework done in writers notebooks)
o writing drafts
o sharing/conferencing activities
· Reading evaluation .200
o Literature circle projects
o Literary analysis activities
o Story comprehension quizzes
· Miscellaneous ........ ..200
o Weekly vocabulary activities/assessment
o Word of the Day
o Weekly binder quizzes
· Binder evaluation .. .100
Classroom Rules:
Be prepared for class every day by arriving before the bell rings with your binder, writers notebook, writing utensil, and AR book. Other books or materials may be needed for specific units and should be brought to class per the teachers request.. (See Preparation grade above)
Be a good listener when the teacher is talking, when your friends are presenting, when we are sharing our writing and asking for feedback.
Be an active participant in class activities. There will be many ways in which to participate depending on the days lesson. Be aware of what behavior is expected sharing ideas, asking questions, cooperating with partners, actively reading and writing and participate fully so you can receive the most benefit from the class activities.
Be respectful of others during workshop time. Respect each others space and work style. Dont talk, pester, or distract readers- and writers-in-action. Violation of this rule will result in immediate removal from the classroom.
Help keep the classroom organized if you borrow something during class, please put it back in its proper place (i.e. markers, highlighters, writing resources, books or magazines, etc.).
Everybody makes mistakes. Grown ups take responsibility, apologize, and try not to make the same mistake again. I expect you to behave like a grown up.