Gateway Regional High School
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ELA / Grade 8
Google Classroom- ybzfp7
Collections- www.my.hrw.com (Students were given usernames and passwords in class.)
Powerschool- Check powerschool often for grades and upcoming assignments. Contact Mrs. Lauren Clark (firstname.lastname@example.org) if you need your login information.
The 8th grade Language Arts class is designed to help students develop their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills. In this course, students will read a variety of literature and informational texts, and students will read closely to analyze key ideas, details, the author’s style, and text structure. Students will also learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, evaluate sources, and compare two or more texts on similar topics. Students will be exposed to argument, informative/explanatory, and narrative writing. They will perform research tasks, write poetry, and write journals. Students will focus on giving textual evidence to support claims and will sharpen grammar and vocabulary skills based on their individual needs and through exposure to various texts and writing tasks.
Course Expectations and Assessments
1st Marking Period
- Pre-Test to determine strengths and needs.
- Collection 1: Culture and Belonging- In this unit, students will interact with a variety of literary and informational texts in order to explore how people develop their own identity within a new culture.
- Collection 2: The Thrill Of Horror- Students will examine why the horror genre both terrifies and fascinates.
2nd Marking Period
- Collection 3: The Move Toward Freedom- In this unit, students will focus on the quest for freedom that led to the American Civil War.
- Collection 4: Approaching Adulthood- Throughout this collection, students will explore the passage from childhood to adulthood and create a PSA.
3rd Marking Period
- Collection 5: The Holocaust- Students will learn how people can stay positive while enduring the most challenging of circumstances. From a young girl and her diary to a teen boy who experienced some of the most horrific experiences and has lived to tell about it, this unit will truly define how humans prevail.
4th Marking Period
- Collection 6: The Value Of Work- In this unit, you will explore the benefits and challenges that are part of being a teen worker.
- Post-Test to measure growth and progress throughout the year.
- Homework: Students should read their independent reading novel at home for a minimum of 20 minutes a day, 4 times a week.
- Class work that was not finished may need to be completed at home.
- Preparation may need to be done at home so that students are ready to work in class.
- Visit Google Classroom for information about classroom assignments.
- Retakes will only be available for primary assessments. Students must meet requirements before he or she may retest. Students may retest any primary assessment as long as it is within the marking period and before the next primary assessment.
- Middle School Grading Policy
- 50% (Primary)- tests, essays, benchmarks, and major projects (3 primaries per marking period)
- 35% (Secondary)- quizzes, minor projects and writing assignments
- 15% (Support)- class work
- 0% - Diagnostic assessments
Required and Recommended Materials
- Bring to the classroom daily: Chromebook and charger, Earbuds, Independent Reading Book, pencil/pen, folder & notebook
- Please feel free to email me with any questions regarding your child throughout the school year.
- I am available for extra help most days during lunch. Please ask your child to see me to set up a time.
- Every Wednesday after school Mrs. Buehler will hold homework clinic until the first late bus (3:24pm).
- A teacher is also available in the library after school (Monday-Thursday until 3:24).
These are both great opportunities for your child to get extra help and complete any assignments for any class.
Classroom Behavioral Expectations and Rewards/Consequences
- Respect each other, the teacher, and school property.
- Students are expected to follow Gateway’s Code of Conduct.
- Cell phones should be put away in the classroom unless the teacher has given approval for use.
- Students are expected to be on time to class daily.
- The 4th lateness will be written up to Mr. Raba.