8TH GRADE ELA

8th Grade Language Arts Syllabus

Pepperell High School 2023-2024

Mrs. Beverly Corley

Room Number 179

Office hours: M-F 7 am - 8am & 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Materials:

Pen and/or pencils 1 – 1 ½ inch 3 ring binder 

Dividers Composition Notebook (Journal to be kept in class) Notebook paper

Course Content:

In this class, students will read a variety of literary selections, both fiction and nonfiction, from a diverse collection of writers to promote reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Students will focus on organization and development of written thought, as well as grammar, vocabulary, research skills, and activities designed to enhance speaking and listening abilities. Students will work to improve reading skills through a study of morphology. Students will work independently and collaboratively in the classroom.

Policies Regarding Classwork:

1. Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using the ideas or words of another person as if they were your own, whether that person is your friend or a published writer. It does not matter whether you copy from a neighbor or a book; if the words are not your own, then you are guilty of plagiarism. If you copy out of a book, magazine, website, or other sources without proper documentation, you are plagiarizing. Cheating during a test, on homework, and on classwork is also plagiarism. 

Consequences for plagiarism are 1) a zero for the assignment, 2) the offense will be noted in the gradebook for future reference, and 3) no make-up work for the assignment will be allowed. The zero will remain.  Any second offense and beyond will be a referral to the office for academic dishonesty!

2. Academic Evaluation

FCBOE policy mandates the following distribution:

55% -- Tests, Essays, Research Projects

25% -- Class Discussions & Work, Homework, and Quizzes (2x daily)

20% -- Final Exam

3. Assessments

Mastery of course material will be judged through multiple forms of assessment including quizzes, essays, projects, and research. 

4. Writing

Students will compose narrative, informational, and argumentative writing pieces. All formal writing will be in MLA format. 

Expectations/Behavior:

Student responsibilities:

BE… 

… On time for class each day

… Respectful to the teacher, yourself, and others at all times. 

… Prepared to learn.

… In your assigned seat when the bell rings. 

… Proactive by checking PowerSchool regularly. 

… Appropriate in your language

… Proactive when absent. YOU are responsible for getting your makeup work!

PHS Cell Phone/ Smart Watch/ Any Messaging Device Policy:

No cell phones or other devices will be visible in the classroom. PERIOD. If a device is visible, the student will be given ONE warning to put it in their BAG. If the device is not immediately and permanently put away, the student will be referred to the office where they can surrender their phone to an administrator OR choose ISS/OSS for the rest of the day (administrator discretion). 

NO EARBUDS IN CLASS!

Students also have the option to place their device in the charging station at the beginning of class. Devices placed here must stay until the conclusion of class. 

Tardies:

Will be enforced by the Pepperell High School tardy policy. Six minutes are given between classes. After the bell, students are allowed to go to the office restroom, one at a time, after instructions/lectures are completed.

Late Work:

I will always accept late work. Extra time is an accommodation given for up to seven days. However, late work turned in after eight days will lose points.  Work received…

… Within 8-14 days - 10 points

… 15 days and beyond - 15 points

Work will be graded per the usual method and the deduction will be taken off the grade earned. 

Absences/Questions about Assignments:

In the case of an absence, students are responsible for asking or emailing the teacher to find out about any missing assignments. 

Class Discussions

In class discussions are an integral part of the classroom experience. All students are expected to participate, to be respectful of others, and to show their understanding of a subject through these discussions. If students are not participating, they will be given alternative, written assignments. 

Course Texts:

Mirrors and Windows, Connecting with Literature: Grade 8

Anchor texts that may be used:

• Counting by 7s  by Holly Goldberg Sloan

• Gifted Hands by Ben Carson

• Lawless by Jeffrey Salane

• Legend by Marie Lu

• Scythe by Neal Shusterman

• Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

• Unwind by Neal Shusterman

• Wonder by R. L. Palacio

** Any student or parent has the right to object to a required literary text. The objection will be noted by the teacher and discussed among the parent, teacher, student, and administrator to reach a positive solution. 

Additional texts in the form of news articles, short stories, and poems will also be used to support the anchor tests.

Binders

It is expected and required that each student maintain a binder for use in Multicultural Literature. This binder is expected to be used to store completed work and notes that need to be kept for open book tests, study and grading purposes.

Bell Ringers & Journals

There will be daily bell ringers and/or journals that students will be expected to complete each week. A quiz grade will be given at the end of each week for completion of these assignments. 

Note Taking

As students are getting older, more responsibility falls to them. It is important for them to learn to take notes during lectures. The class will start with guided notes, but eventually move to independent note taking. It is imperative that students save these notes in their binders for future reference.