8th Grade Language Arts
Mr. Paraskevas (Mr. P)
Contact Me: jparaskevas@sau15.net
Extra Help: I am available after school each day to help by appointment only. Students should either reach out before the end of class time or via email/Bloomz to make an appointment.
Course Description:
Eighth grade language arts will focus on four critical areas: (1) reading, (2) writing, (3) grammar/structure, and (4) vocabulary. The principal focus in eighth grade is to prepare students for success in high school. Students will be reading a variety of literary works, including novels, short stories (both fiction and nonfiction), informational text, and poetry. In response to these works, students will compose pieces in the following writing genres: narrative, expository, and argumentative. In addition, students will be given opportunities, through practice and assessments, to work on improving in the following areas: vocabulary and grammar/structure.
Course Materials:
Each day, students should have the following materials with them:
Something to write with (preferably a pencil)
Something to correct with (pen, colored pencil, etc.)
LA binder
Independent reading novel
Class novel (if applicable)
LA Binder:
1) In your LA binder, you should have FIVE dividers for the following topics: Quick Writes, Reading, Writing, Poetry, Vocabulary/Grammar
2) A folder to keep in your binder for work passed back
Grading:
PowerSchool: Parent Portal Login
Categories will be weighted in the following manner:
Homework: 10%
Classwork: 25%
Quizzes: 30%
Tests/Projects/Essays: 35%
Academic Integrity Policy:
Each student is expected to complete and submit his or her own work. When work is not one’s own, but is presented as such, it can give the teacher incomplete or inaccurate information about one’s actual skills.
Any student who plagiarizes or is otherwise academically dishonest will receive a grade of “zero” on the assignment. The student will be required to meet with Mrs. Dalzell for a conference and guidance/reteaching. If the assignment is an essay, test, or project, there will be an opportunity to redo the assignment for a reduced score. Parents/guardians will be notified regarding the academic dishonesty.
I will be posting on my website a few helpful resources to more thoroughly explain what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. One very useful site that I recommend retrieving information from is Plagiarism.org. Another important piece to remember is citing your sources. Easybib.com will be a great resource for this.
Helpful Resources:
1) Google Classroom
Owl Purdue Citation Tool -- MLA Format — Use this link to help correctly cite your sources in MLA format.