1. Nichols Middle School Curriculum Night
Mrs. Consiglio and Ms. Hasbrouck
8th Grade Literature/Language Arts

2. Welcome to Our Class Introductions Classroom and Homework Schedule
8th Grade Lit/LA Roadmap and Units
Classroom and Website Tour
Parent Form

3. Introductions
Who is Mrs. Consiglio?
Who is Ms. Hasbrouck?

4. Typical Class Agenda
Independent reading/responding/conferring (15-20 min.)
Vocabulary and/or grammar mini-lessons and practice (7-15 min.)
Literacy Mini-lesson (10 min.; not everyday)
example: what is close reading?
Reading or Writing Workshop (remainder of class)
Current unit from the district roadmap
Can include curricular mini-lesson, teacher modeling, collaborative practice, and/or independent practice

5. Typical Homework Schedule
Monday
Due: previous Article of the Week
20-30 min. of independent reading
Thursday
Reader’s Response assigned
Article of the Week assigned
Tuesday
Friday
Due: Reader’s Response
Article of the Week
Wednesday

6. Homework Reading should be done almost every night
Reader’s Responses are done in students’ Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks.
students can choose to their prompt of choice
opportunity for personal response to chosen reading
responses should be a page in length
should contain at least 1 quote/textual evidence
worth 15 points
Article of the Week
from Kelly Gallagher, leading voice in literacy education
opportunity to practice close reading and annotation with current, non-fiction text and think critically about our world

7. Homework Homework and schedule are subject to change
Students may need to finish assignments at home as needed.
Late homework will be entered as a 0, but will be accepted for late points (grade will be updated when the late folder is graded, as our schedule allows)
Late work loses 10% (or one letter grade) per day late.

8. District Curriculum Roadmap
Potential Order of Units:
Launch Unit
Short Stories
Argument with Research
Poetry and Fiction
Fiction with Non-Fiction Research
Differentiated Novel Unit

9. Potential Units Launch Unit
set-up/review/reflection on reading and writing workshop
class text: Yummy, articles on Robert “Yummy” Sandifer
project-based writing component
Short Stories: Traditional Stories with Modern Fiction
class texts: classic fairy tales and modern versions
writing:
literary analysis (comparison of modern and traditional fairy tale)
fictional narrative essay (modern fairy tale or adaptation)

10. Potential Units Argument with Research- What’s in Our Food?
class texts: “Boss Hog” article, Chew on This, Y.A. The Omnivore’s Dilemma, or Fast Food Nation
writing:
literary analysis (“Boss Hog”)
argument with research essay (food-related topic)
Poetry and Fiction- Harlem Renaissance, Bronx Masquerade, and Hip Hop as Poetry
class texts: Bronx Masquerade, Harlem Renaissance poetry, and hip- hop/rap as poetry
literary analysis
poems

11. Potential Units
Fiction with Nonfiction Research- Dystopian Novels with Technological Focus
class texts: dystopian novels (may change for this year)
writing:
literary analysis (character or theme)
nonfiction research- informational article on new technology
Differentiated Novel Unit- Genocide
class texts: novels, memoirs, or nonfiction relating to genocide of the 20th century
literary analysis
informational/explanatory (mode is not set)

12. Class Room and Website Library and reading area table set up
school supplies
portfolios
Website

13. Parent Form
If you would like, feel free to fill out a parent form at your table.
We appreciate you spending your evening with us!