Welcome to 7th and 8th grade ELA with Mrs. Lynda Eicher

St. Dominic Catholic School

2019/2020

4 academic domain areas are taught and graded in my classroom: Literature/Informational Text, Writing, Language Arts, and Speaking & Listening.

Literature/Informational Text includes those skills that encompass practicing reading to self, reading aloud for oral fluency, interacting with increasingly more difficult texts, both fiction and non-fiction, in a variety of genres for deeper engagement and understanding of grade level and above grade level texts. This will include: age appropriate articles regarding local and global matters, texts with a Christian message, classical texts, relevant novels, poetry, selections from our Literature textbooks: Literature and the Language Arts (EMC Masterpiece Series), teacher selected short stories and selections from Junior Great Books 7 or 8. Students will be required to read and log 20 books during the school year, and prepare 3 book reports, one per trimester.

Writing will include the literary analysis, practice annotating, responding to reading, on-demand writing, daily note-taking and developing a thesis. Persuasive and expository forms will be taught in addition to an extensive poetry unit (7th)with writing and performing poetry in a quasi-SLAM format. 8th graders will also have a part two poetry unit, a continuation of last year’s learning. Collaboration with Mrs. Brown in Social Studies and Religion will also contribute to assessing writing skills and standards.

Language Arts will include extensive word work from the Vocabulary Their Way series, with quizzes every 10-15 words learned. This series is new this year and focuses on Latin and Greek roots, context clues, and decoding words by understanding origins. Grammar instruction will be supported in an applied manner, with teacher coaching, peer editing, and much practice. Editing on a weekly basis will reinforce grammar, punctuation, mechanics and usage.

Speaking & Listening focuses on observed and moderated discussions in the classroom, formal and informal oral presentations throughout the year, sometimes connected with our Social Studies and Religion curriculum. Students will also practice their listening skills through note taking, and responding to videos, presentations and other student’s speaking.

Classroom library I have an extensive young adult and middle grade reader book collection in my room and I invite students to borrow books from me whenever they wish. There is an easy sign-out procedure. Donations are always welcome!

My goals for your students As an avid reader and writer myself, my goals for your students are to become not only constant readers, but engaged and curious readers. I wish for them to fully engage in the materials they read and actively select books from as many genres as they can. I also wish for them to explore many different genres of writing and will offer them ample opportunities to practice these skills. I wish for them to have a rich and full life of literacy and to be confident in their skills as them step into the demands of their chosen high schools.

7th grade texts will include but may not be limited to:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Bull Run and Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbone

8th grade texts will include but not be limited to:

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The Giver by Lois Lowry

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Night by Elie Weisel

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

If you would like to discuss any curricular topics with me, or have any questions, please contact me at lynda.eicher@stdominic.net, or (262)783-7565 Ext. 265. I would be happy to talk with you.