Unit Overview:

1. Introduction to Short Story

   • Focus: Workshop Expectations, Setting up Reader's/Writer’s Notebook, Characterization, Conflict, Plot Chart, Theme, Literary Devices

2. Narrative Writing

   • Focus: Crafting a Story, Plot Chart, Leads, Creating Suspense, Developing a Character, Crafting Conflict, Writing Conclusions

3. Contemporary Book Club

   • Focus: Using Book Reviews to “Set the Stage” for Learning, Mirrors, and Windows, Understanding Character Through Individual Lenses, Summarizing Complicated Stories, Inquiry Skills

4. Literary Essay

   • Focus: Elements of Writing a Literary Essay, How to Write a Theme Statement, How to Use and Incorporate Evidence

5. Dystopian Book Club

   • Focus: Note Taking Skills, Understanding Character Archetypes, Conflict, and Power Dynamics as a Way to Gain a Deeper Understanding of Character Roles/Motivations

6. Argument Writing

   • Focus: How to Construct an Argument, Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, Research, Angling Evidence, Connotation vs. Denotation

7. Literary Nonfiction Book Club

   • Focus: Nonfiction and Fiction Reading Strategies, Main Idea, Author’s Purpose, Theme

8. Poetry

   • Focus: Elements of Figurative Language, Analyzing Poetry for Message/Theme, How to Use Figurative Language to Enhance Imagery

Year Long: 

1. Vocabulary Workshop: Sadlier Achieve, Greek and Latin Root Word Practice, Suffixes and Prefixes

2. Grammar: Parts of Speech, Types of Sentences, Punctuation

3. CER Writing Skills

We follow a points based grading system. Each assignment or activity is allotted a point value. Assessments and Performance Tasks will carry more weight.

Examples of graded assignments (not limited to):

• Essays - Literary Essay, Argumentative Essay, Creative Writing Pieces

• Projects - One-Pagers, Dystopian Slides, Literary Non-fiction Project

• Classwork - iXL Lessons, Vocabulary Practice, Worksheets

• Discussions - Book Club Discussions, Socratic Circle Discussions

• Homework- Reading Log

If you are absent, you are expected to make up missed work within 2 days of the absence. You can find the materials in the “What Did I Miss?” folder and on Google Classroom. 

Missing/Late Work:

1.  Formative assessments are used to inform teachers on student progress and also to provide feedback to students. Examples are reading response questions, short quizzes, and homework. Formative assessments turned in after the deadline will be reduced in grade by 10% and must be turned in before the end of the unit they were assigned in.

2.  Summative assessments show students, parents/guardians, and teachers what a student knows and is able to do after their learning through a unit of study. Summative assessments (i.e., projects, essays, larger quizzes) turned in late will be reduced by 10% if turned in within 5 days of the original due date. Summative assessments turned in after 5 days late will be subject to a 30% reduction in credit and will not be accepted past the end of the trimester.

Retake Policy

MBA Middle School has developed a retake policy that allows students to maximize the benefit of the learning process. I see great value in students seeking feedback and applying that feedback to improve their work. I encourage students to reach out to me if they are hoping to revise an assignment.  

1.  Formative assessment is assessment for learning and helps to inform teachers about student progress toward mastering learning objectives over the course of a unit of study. Because these assessments are for the learning process, students will be able to retake the assessments as long as it is before the summative assessment.

2.  Summative assessment is assessment of learning and shows students, parents/guardians, and teachers what a student knows and is able to do after their learning through a unit of study. Because these assessments are end-of-learning assessments, only one retake will be allowed per trimester and with specific limits.

Please know I am available and eager to help. If you need to discuss due dates or workload, please reach out to me in person or via e-mail. 

Looking forward to a great year of growth and learning!