My Classroom

LANGUAGE ARTS/READING/WRITING                                                                               

Welcome to eighth grade English/Language Arts class! This year will consist of work in grammar, vocabulary, writing and citing textual evidence, independent reading, cooperative groups, oral presentations, literature, and reading comprehensive skills.

GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY:

Grammar is included in our writing and reading. Grammar lessons will be graded. English books will not be issued. If students need additional practice in grammar, textbooks are available to check out. Each student will be required to keep a 2 ½ “ binder to keep English paperwork.

***** STUDENTS MUST HAVE THIS BINDER WITH THEM EVERYDAY.

WRITING:

We will be spending a lot of time this year on our writing skills. We will write many short-response papers and one process paper each 9-week period integrating textual evidence which is required for 8th grade writing.

READING:

This year we will incorporate Georgia Standards of Excellence with the new Common Core requirements. We will have an extended text, as well as other short stories, poems, and short literary works to back up the text.

Our extended or mentor text this year is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

For independent reading, students will be able to check out library books they like to read. At least 4 books each nine week period is expected.

Incentives/prizes will be awarded to students each nine week period for meeting their Reading goals. Special recognition will be given to students who exceed their Reading goals. 

MISSED WORK:

STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKE-UP GRADES ON MISSED WORK. Grades are zero until work is made up. School policy allows students to turn in missing work within 5 school days past the missing work date. If you do not make up your work, the zero for that work will negatively affect your grade. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule a time with me to make up missing work. Times available are in the mornings at 7:30 a.m. or after school.

RE-DO POLICY:

Redo work is at the discretion of the teacher and will be in a different format than the original. Students must request a “Re-do Request” form and students and their parents must fill out the form completely. This form must be turned in to the teacher before any re-do work can be done. Previous grades will remain in Infinite Campus until Re-do work is completed and turned in.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS:

Paper (college-ruled preferred) 

Pencil and Pens (blue or black ink only!) 

No Permanent Markers!

One 2 ½ “ binder with dividers One composition notebook (9 ¾ x 7 ½)        Kleenex, hand sanitizer

GRADING SCALE:

*** Parents, please go to the TCMS website and sign up for the parent portal in Infinite Campus.

A     90 – 100         B   80 -89          C    70-79              F    0 – 69

Daily Grades  (Vocabulary, Other Daily Work) –                   30%

Formative ( Tests, Quizzes, Novel Unit Quizzes, etc…) –     30%

Summative ( Benchmark, Other Major Tests) -                     40%     

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*** PARENT/GUARDIAN, PLEASE NOTE***

I have a NO BULLYING policy in my classroom. Any student who belittles, harasses, or any way distresses another chiId will be dealt with immediately! They will be given a chance to apologize to the student that they offend or they will be sent to the office. I am very STRICT on this and will NOT have another student causing problems.

Any time a parent/guardian wishes to speak to me, please call the school at 225-4394 to set up an appointment. I LOOK FORWARD TO AN EXCITING SCHOOL YEAR AND THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ONE!