English+8+-+Dr.+Yilmaz

**2****011-2012** ** Course Description: ** At the eighth-grade level in communication (involving speaking, listening, and media literacy), students will learn to apply interviewing techniques. Preparation for and evaluation of the process of interviewing will be a part of student learning. Interviewing skills will be added to the students’ repertoire of oral language skills. In addition, students will analyze, develop, and produce creative and informational media messages. At the eighth-grade level in reading, students will apply knowledge of word origins, analogies, and figurative language to understand unfamiliar or new words encountered in authentic texts. They will continue to develop appreciation of literature through the study of literary elements in classic and contemporary selections. They will describe themes and inferred main ideas, interpret cause-effect relationships, and draw conclusions from a variety of literary and informational selections. Students will build on the foundations for literacy developed in the previous grades. When selecting texts, teachers will consider appropriateness of subject and theme as well as text complexity. Students will apply critical reading and reasoning skills across the content areas, including history and social science, science, and mathematics. At the eighth-grade level in writing, students will plan, draft, revise, and edit narratives as well as expository, persuasive, and informational pieces with attention to composition and written expression. Students will continue the process of becoming independent with sentence formation, usage, and mechanics and understand that the conventions of language help convey the message from the writer to the reader. Students will use writing for expressive purposes and as a tool for learning academic concepts. They will use available and appropriate technology. At the eighth-grade level in research, students will apply knowledge of appropriate reference material to produce a research product including the collection and organization of information from multiple online, print, and media sources. They will extend skills in the evaluation of sources and the use of technology to research, organize, evaluate, and communicate information. In addition, they will continue to cite sources and avoid plagiarism by using Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) style guidelines. Students will take the eighth grade Virginia Standards of Learning Direct Writing Prompt in February, the Writing Multiple Choice test in March, and the Virginia Standards of Learning Reading test in May/June.

**English Eight Standards of Learning**

**Texts:** // Holt Elements of Literature // (Second Course) and //Holt Elements of Language// (Second Course), Holt, Rhinehart, Winston; a variety of supplemental material

**Class Materials Needed:** 1.5” Three-ring binder Five dividers 1 Pocket Folder (designated as the homework folder and may be used for all core academic classes) Loose Leaf Paper (no spiral notebooks) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">#2 pencils with cap erasers <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Blue/black pens (only) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Box of Tissues <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Headphones (or ear buds) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Dictionary/Thesaurus (home use) or internet access to [|www.dictionary.com]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**English Eight Expectations:**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students are expected to come to class prepared to learn (with necessary materials and an attitude for learning). **__Book bags, totes, large purses, etc. will not __** be allowed in the classroom.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students should **expect extensive reading and writing assignments every day**.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students are expected to meet deadlines. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students will receive regular progress reports. These will need a parent signature and will need to be returned the next day. Students may earn extra-credit for returning a signed progress report.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Students are expected to treat one another and the teacher(s) with respect. Disrespect and disobedience will have consequences which follow the Essex Discipline Plan.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Please refer to the student handbook for other school policies.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Discipline Policies:** <span style="font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Please refer to the Essex Intermediate School Carpe Diem policy. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Eighth grade rules: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">1. Respect self, others, and property. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">2. Follow directions the **//first//** time. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">3. Arrive on time and be prepared for class. (Students will not be able to return to their lockers during class.) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">4. Keep hands, feet, body, and objects to self at all times. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">5. Stay focused – save socializing, personal grooming, correspondence, and sleeping for outside of class.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Plagiarism and Cheating:** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Both practices cheat the student of an education and will not be tolerated or overlooked. __Any__ plagiarism or cheating earns the involved parties a zero grade for the assignment. Note that this includes homework assignments as well as tests and quizzes.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Grading Scale:** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">A = 94 - 100 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">B = 87 - 93 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">C = 78 - 86 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">D = 70 - 77 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">F = 69 and below

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">** Required Assignments and Grade Percentages for this Class: ** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Classwork 30% <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Homework 10% <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Quizzes 20% <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">Tests/Projects/Compositions 40%

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**//Special Note://**
 * <span style="font-family: georgia,serif;">Homework Requirements: Students will receive a calendar for each marking period which will outline the homework. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays students will have grammar work. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, students will have vocabulary and reading work. Students also will have a year long independent reading requirement that will involve quarterly projects and book talks.
 * <span style="font-family: georgia,serif;">Parents should expect to see this syllabus each nine weeks. Students will need to bring back the parent signature sheet the next day.
 * <span style="font-family: georgia,serif;">Benchmark testing will occur each 9 weeks grading period. Each benchmark assessment will count as a test grade.

<span style="font-family: georgia,serif;">**Checking Grades Online:** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Parents (and students) will have access to view their current grades at any time by logging onto the //Power School Parent Portal//. The parent portal can be accessed through a link on the school’s website. This will be an invaluable tool for parents to help monitor their child’s progress. Teachers will be encouraged to record their grades each week.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px;">If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us. Email is the preferred method of contact since we check it daily at school. We look forward to working with you this year.

// Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. // // ~Abigail Adams //