Course Organizer 8th Grade English/ Language Arts Course Standards: Teacher(s): Mr. Campbell Time: The Course Organizer Student: Course Dates: What? Value? This Course: 8th Grade English/ Language Arts Course Progress Graph Course Questions: is about Course Standards: 3 1 Assignments/ Projects 40% Quizzes/ Blogs 30% Classwork 20% Homework/ Notebook 10% deliberately practicing and applying language concepts to enhance reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. 2 How do readers closely examine texts and contribute meaningfully to literary conversations? How does our knowledge of personal narratives, voice, and revision support and strengthen our memoir writing? How can reading and thinking about literature help us to become more reflective about ourselves and the world? Why do readers consider a text’s structure, style, influences, and language when critically reflecting and discussing its meaning? How do writers reflect on the author’s raft and how it impacts the development of the text? How do readers determine the strongest textual support for their ideas? Why is it necessary for readers to be aware of the effect of an author’s choices on the way a text’s central message is conveyed? Why is it important to read an argument critically? How can writers incorporate technology to enhance their audiences’ understanding of their informational writing? How do internalized literacy skills help us interact with increasing challenging texts? University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/98

Speaking and Listening Community Principles Learning Rituals Course Map This Course: includes Teamwork Norms Student: Critical Concepts Learned in these Units 8th Grade English/ Language Arts 6 8 7 Class Website Assignments Cooperative Learning PBLs Presentations Daily Warm-Ups Guided Reading Independent Reading Novel Studies Technology Based Projects Memoir Writing Fiction Writing Argumentative Writing Classroom Discussion Blog Writing and Publishing I am SAFE I am RESPECTFUL I am RESPONSIBLE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 4 Unit 1: Chemistry of Change (Agency of Independence and Memoir Writing) Speaking and Listening Collaborative Discussions Presentations Debate Conventions Unit 5: Stress Produces Change (Developing Critical Lenses for Informational Reading) Reading Literature Informational Poetry Complex Texts Writing Narrative (Memoir) Informative Argumentative Blog Publishing 5 Unit 3: Growing Pains (Collaborative Discussions, Informational Writing, and Argumentative Writing) Unit 4: Biology and Biohazards (Tackling Complex Texts and Persuasive Speeches) Unit 6: Zoom In, Zoom Out: Learning in Extremes (Word Relationships and Reading for High School Unit 2: Economy and Environment (Developing Analytical Reading Practices: Interpretation) University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/99 University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 1/98