Course Description

8^th grade ELA is inspired by the Roots 2 Reach question of “What can I do?” Students will begin by reading The Poet X and analyze how the book answers “What can I do for myself?” Then they will read Between the World and Me to begin to answer “What can I do for my community?” Finally students will read Farewell to Manzanar to answer “What can I do for people who are different from me?” In our final quarter students will choose one of these three questions to focus on with a research project that requires them to use a combination of print and online resources. As students build their abilities in reading analysis they will also strengthen their skills in writing including poetry, narrative, informational, and argumentative. By the end of the year my goal for all students is to be academically ready for high school with adept writing skills, the stamina to read independently for at least 30 minutes, and critical thinking as second nature. Additionally, students will be ready for high school socially by knowing how to make friends in class, how to have academic conversations with people they may not know as well, and how to advocate for themselves. Students will be expected to and led in setting their own academic and social goals in addition to the goals I have set for them. We will accomplish this by focusing on rigorous grade level standards and assess through ANET, MAP growth assessments, class participation, and novel-based interdisciplinary projects.

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