DO NOT FEAR THE AWKWARD YEAR! 8 TH GRADE ENGLISH

ON A NOTECARD… Write your name and core at the top of the notecard Write down the name of your favorite book Tell me your favorite subject in school Pick out one goal you have for this year

THE PURPOSE OF LANGUAGE ARTS To become powerful and articulate To make sense of the world around you (your life and the life of others) It does not matter if you are coming in as a skilled reader and writer, or if you struggle…It matters how much effort you put into doing your very best to succeed.

COMMUNICATION Is the key to your fate as an adult…  How strong are you at persuading others, expressing your thoughts through speaking and writing? To be successful in our world you need to be articulate. Communication is the heart of music lyrics, movies, relationships, and the business world.

ESSENCE OF CIVILIZATION It is pretty crazy to think that these 26 shapes underlie our entire society. They are meaningless symbols, but when formed to sounds or put together in words they are so powerful!

OVERVIEW REVIEW: Class has 3 parts:  Vocabulary: This consists of Roots, Academic Vocabulary (30 words to know) and Content Vocabulary- 10% of your Effort and K&S Grade  Reading and Reflection: This consists of Reading Logs, Reading Targets and responses to reading- 40% of your Effort and K&S Grade  Language Skills and Writing: These are grammatical activities and anything relating to writing. This is a large part of your grade because it includes any essays, stories or MEL-Cons (AWEs) you write- 50% of your Effort and K&S Grade  Assume everything is K&S. You won’t always know!

LANGUAGE SKILLS/WRITING Language skills:  Writing  Parts of speech, punctuation, grammar  Editing skills: Writing is a process: many don’t yet realize and appreciate the creativity and satisfaction of revising…this year that should change.

READING WORKSHOP Less in-school reading time… BUT- You should still ALWAYS bring your book! There most likely won’t be much down time, but when there is…say, if you finish an assignment and others are still working, this would be a great time for your book to be out. Certain days we will have time set aside for reading in class, this is when you can use the comfy chairs and really get into your book. I will draw names for who gets to sit in the comfy chair. That chair is not to be used during class time. If it becomes a problem, I will get rid of it. Book Targets will be filled out for every book you finish on your reading log. You must complete 10 books over the course of The year. If you complete more…which many will, you will earn extra points towards your reading grade.

OTHER POLICIES Late policy: The trouble with late work is that if you don’t have something done, it makes it hard to run a meaningful class. This is why there will be a consequence for late work. The longer you wait to hand something in, the more that will be taken off. Plan that if something is one day late, it will be 10% off the grade you would have received. Cold Calling: Be on you’re A-game in here all the time. I call by drawing your name, not by whose hand is waiving in front of me. You will also notice the colored star on your desk. I will have students answer by star color as well. If you don’t know an answer, it’s ok. However, if it is a response or an opinion question and you don’t answer, I will most likely come back to you. YOU MUST bring your interactive notebook EVERY day. Even if we don’t add to the interactive notebooks that day, we often use them for in class activities. If you know you will have trouble remembering to bring this to class, I can keep it here in the room. Interactive notebooks will start on Thursday! Make sure you have a notebook ready. Composition notebooks work better, but a regular notebook will work as well.

WRAP UP POLICIES: Absent: If you miss a day you need to get the handouts you missed. Your job is to pick up any handouts and ask a reliable friend what you missed. Pencil sharpener: Use it before or after class. If your pencil brakes, you should have another one or borrow one. Don’t come without a pencil or a pen…that’s just common sense!

BATHROOM PASSES Don’t make it a habit, but if you have to go: ask, fill out the pass, and make it quick!

LANGUAGE ARTS IS PERSONAL TO ME I was a very slow reader. I wanted so desperately to win prizes and read as much as the others, but I couldn’t make sense of the words on the page…or have the patience to make meaning. I overheard my 5 th grade teacher saying I was always going to be slower than everyone else. When I was in 7 th grade, a new school, things began to change. Later you will be writing a letter to me…feel free to share your hopes for the year, and the challenges of school.