8th grade English Language Arts Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School Curriculum Night 8th grade English Language Arts Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School

About Mrs. Rij Attended Akimel A-al Middle School & Desert Vista High School Graduated from NAU in 2012 7th year teaching at AMS – taught 7th grade for 5 years Email (best method): lrij@kyrene.org Website: good for weekly agenda, resources, and homework https://www.kyrene.org/lrij

myPerspectives by Pearson Newly adopted English Language Arts resource Adopted to align with the new Arizona State College and Career Reading ELA Standards Students will have a book that they CAN write in This textbook will stay in the classroom Will rip out pages for any homework Students will have a username/password to access resources online or on their mobile device

myPerspectives Design Broken up into 5 units. Each unit has an essential question that relates to all of the passages Whole-Class Learning Read 1-2 passages together as a whole class Small-Group Learning Students work together in a group of 3-4 to read passages and complete assignments Students will also work on Performance Task with their group. This is usually a presentation of some kind Independent Learning Students are assigned 1-2 passages to read and complete assignments individually Performance-Based Assessment Students will individually produce a paper, presentation, or both.

8th grade units and essential questions Unit 1: What are some milestones on the path to growing up? Narrative Non-Fiction Writing Unit 2: How do we remember the past? Explanatory Writing Unit 3: When is it right to take a stand? Argument Essay Writing and Presentation Unit 4: In what different ways can people be intelligent? Informative Writing and Speech If time allows: Unit 5: Are inventions realized through inspiration or perspiration? Argument Essay Writing and Speech

8th Grade GATE ELA GATE = Gifted and Talented Education for English Language Arts GATE is the new reconfiguration of the advanced ELA course It address challenge, complexity, choice, control and provide extension and enrichment Students are identified in one or more areas of giftedness and/or multiple measures of high ability (e.g. AzMerit, classroom grades, teacher recommendations) Kyrene.org/AdvPlacement 4:02 AM

Tradebooks The Giver by Lois Lowry The Diary of Anne Frank play adaptation The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne Among the Hidden by Margret Peterson Haddix Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass 4:02 AM

GATE Tradebooks The Giver by Lois Lowry The Diary of Anne Frank play adaptation The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne Night by Elie Wiesel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Shakespeare Unit Classical Roots Vocabulary Syllabus will be sent home on Thursday. Please sign and return on Monday 4:02 AM

Grades In 8th grade, the students grades are weighted. 80% of your child’s grade will be assessments, projects, and writing. 20% of your child’s grade will be practice work which is classwork and homework. Points will be deducted on a daily basis for late work. One day late will earn up to 80%. Two days late – 70%. Three or more days – 50%. Every assignment in ELA will be graded on a 4 point scale. This avoids assessments being double weighted. Rounding: Students grades can be rounded up if they are .5% away from the next letter grade and they have NO missing assignments. Grades will be posted on ParentVue regularly. Please check student grades there on a regular basis. Found on Kyrene.org, Parents, ParentVue 4:02 AM

Materials Two-Pocket folder to keep assignments Spiral Notebook with 70+ pages Lined Paper Pencils (Replenish frequently, please!) Pens Hi-liters Reusable water bottle (optional) Mrs. Rij Classroom Donation List: Kleenex Extra Spiral Notebooks 4:02 AM