About English

In English this year, we will be using the workshop model. Ours goals in the class are to:

• • develop students who work towards independence and self-direction

  • develop passionate, lovers of reading and writing

  • tailor instruction and meet learners where they are

  • provide a range of learning opportunities for all students

Name: Christine Larsen

Extra Help: by appointment

I do my best to be flexible and available, however, please make advanced arrangements to ensure availability.

Classroom(s): Room 105

Email: clarsen@ramsey.k12.nj.us

Platform: Schoology

**Contact via email ensures the most timely response. If a phone call is requested, please contact via email first to arrange**

Course Information

Course Description

In the area of literature, eighth grade students continue to develop their critical and interpretive skills, analyzing the history, genres and structure of a variety of complex texts. The reading skills of asking good questions, using logic and evidence, analyzing and processing information while making connections and reflecting will be reinforced throughout the year. This awareness of purpose and audience is also reinforced in student writing assignments as students become more aware of the choices they have as writers. Students are encouraged to seek out mentor writers who inspire them to find their own unique voices and styles. Students will be publishing a number of writing pieces by crafting those pieces with an authentic audience in mind. By the end of the year, students will focus on being articulate in expressing themselves and habitually interpreting the world around them.

Course Goals

• Produce work that is well reasoned, creative, and shows insight into the human experience.

• Use language effectively to communicate complex ideas both in the written and spoken forms.

• Comprehend, interpret, and synthesize complex ideas through various genres and styles of media.

• Research and evaluate sources for authenticity and bias.

• Use the skills of English Language Arts to accurately interpret their daily experiences.

Course Enduring Understandings

• Strong readers understand a text through critically reading, interpreting, inferring, and responding.

• Strong writing is a process that is shaped by genre, audience, and purpose.

• To communicate effectively, one needs to listen critically as well as demonstrate a strong control of language.

• There are many levels (both literal/figurative) in which we understand the world.

• The language we use can shape and transform the world in which we live

Course Essential Questions

• How do writers craft language to achieve a specific purpose?

• How do I communicate effectively with a clear understanding of purpose and audience?

• How do I interpret a world that is complex?

• How should my understanding of audience influence how I communicate?

• How does literature impact how we live our lives?

• How do speaking and writing differ?

Scope & Sequence:

• Below is an overview of the units for this course.

• Please note that the timeframes are an estimate and are subject to modification/adjustment as necessary.

Unit 1 - Society, Technology and the Individual: Dystopian Book Clubs

In this reading unit, students will work together with their book clubs to examine the patterns found in dystopian stories. The readers will analyze the patterns in messages, literary traditions, and themes in order to build larger understanding of the world around them. Students will seek to see how the character struggles in a story could mirror the struggles they face on a daily basis.

6 weeks September - October

Unit 2 - Research Argument: Inquiry on Individual and Society

In this unit, students will explore the fundamentals of creating sophisticated arguments through the lens of the individual and society. To do so, students will study the process of creating logical arguments, various ways to appeal to an audience, and ways to establish credibility. Students will create questions addressing the role of the individual and develop and develop numerous arguments using the writing process.

6 weeks October - December

Unit 3 - Stories of Survival and Hope through Memoir

In this unit, students will develop conversations and ideas around memoirs that depict stories of survival and hope. Students will develop reading strategies to support them as they read these complex stories. Students will have the unique opportunity to look at these stories through the lens of narrative and informational reading.

6 weeks January - February

Unit 4 - Understanding Ourselves Through Memoir

Students use what they learned from reading memoirs to reflect upon the moments of their own lives. They generate ideas that reveal larger themes about their lives and make choices about how they will craft their pieces. Writers decide which moments they will share, what they will reveal about themselves, and the tone they want to create. Writers will also use revisions and editing moves as part of the writing process, using feedback from others.

6 weeks February - March

Unit 5 - Research & Investigative Blogging

Students read a variety of types of informational texts around the same topic. They learn the qualities and characteristics of info texts as well as how each presents a perspective on a topic. Then students research, plan, and draft their own informational writing as investigative bloggers. They conduct firsthand research and publish multiple short informational pieces such as blogs, vlogs, podcasts etc. They create informational pieces but also recognize that all informational writing still has a perspective on a topic-even though it is not stated or claimed.

6 weeks April - May

Unit 6 -What is a classic?

In this unit, students will reflect on their understanding of the literary world through the lens of “classical.” Students will question the meaning of classical by exploring traditional and non-traditional works to create their own definition of a classic. They read critically, asking questions about why some texts carry so much power, who gets to decide that a text is a classic, and why the text gets the attention it does. Students also participate in discussions around representation- thinking about the authors, characters, settings, and themes that are often labeled as classics. Finally, readers become writers who share their claims about the merit of a text they read by writing their own claim-based literary essays.

6 weeks May - June

Grading Policy:

• Each assignment will be given a point value. Your grade for individual assignments as well as your cumulative grade will be Points Earned/Total Points. Marking period grades will be based on a combination of Summative Assessments, Progress and Growth, Independent Work, and Reflection. In the gradebook, there will be numerous ungraded formative assessments that do not add to the final marking period grade. Student completion of formative assessments is accounted for in a bi-weekly grade. Letter grades will be distributed according to the following scale::

A+ = 97-100

A = 93-96

A- = 90-92

B+ = 87-89

B = 83-86

B- = 80-83

C+ = 77-79

C = 73-76

C- = 70-72

D+ = 67-69

D = 60-66

F = 59 and below

Course Materials:

• Chromebook (charged)

• Notebook- single-subject,

• Pencils

Building Expectations

• Arrive to class on time

  • Missing even the first five minutes of class can result in your missing important directions or information. If you do come in after the bell, please do so quietly and get settled quickly without disruption to your classmates.

• Be prepared & self-directed

  • When the bell rings, you should be ready to go and not wandering around looking for a pen/pencil or chatting with a friend. You are only to bring material necessary for class to your desk (pen/pencil, notebook/binder, iPad etc.).

• Be respectful & responsible

  • Treat your teacher & your classmates as you would like them to treat you. Do not talk when others are talking. Teasing and insults will not be tolerated.

• Be attentive

  • Follow directions the first time they are given and allow me to teach. Class does not end until the bell rings, and you are expected to remain on task until that time. iPads are to be used for class purposes only.

• Put in the time

  • Eighth Grade English Language Arts has a challenging amount of content. Simply attending class is not enough for students to succeed. Be active participants during class.

• Appropriate Chromebook Use

  • The Chromebook is the property of the district and is to be used as a learning device. You are NOT allowed to record audio, video or take photos in class without explicit permission from your teacher or your classmates. Any viewing, sharing or transmission of Chromebook material containing inappropriate content, offensive language, derogatory rumors/gossip, or other content not in keeping with Smith School’s mission or philosophy is strictly prohibited. Any inappropriate Chromebook uses will be reported to the school administration and the teacher reserves the right to confiscate the Chromebook if being misused.

• The use of Cell phones is NOT permitted in class.

  • Cell phones should be turned off or on silent and kept in lockers. If you are found using a cell phone, it will be confiscated and turned into the office.

• Eating & drinking and unsafe behavior are not permitted.

• Plagiarism, Cheating & Academic Integrity

  • Plagiarism is the practice of copying words, sentences, images or ideas for use in written or oral assessments without giving the proper credit to the source.

  • Cheating is defined as giving or receiving of prohibited assistance on anything that has been determined by the teacher to be an individual effort.

  • Both are considered serious offenses and will significantly impact your course grade. Please refer to the “Academic Integrity Policy” section of the Student Handbook for detailed information.