English 9 Course Syllabus
8th Grade English Language Arts
Choctaw County High School
B. Clark, Room 102
Email (best way to contact): bclark@ and brandi9@
Web: (click Staff on the left side of the screen, then Brandi Clark)
(message me first)
Phone (school): 205-459-2139 Conference Hours: 08:00-08:50 AM
Course Description: 8th grade English Language Arts is a subject matter that integrates literature, comprehensive grammar, usage, and composition skills. Writing will emphasize sound and varied sentence structure and patterns, the logical progression and completeness of the paragraph, and the composition of multiple-paragraph essays. A conventional, comprehensive study of grammar, usage, and mechanics will give students ample practice in honing their proficiency in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and agreement rules of standard usage. The study of literature includes the short story, drama, and the novel. Short stories will focus on the basic literary elements exhibited by various authors, using the anthology text as a source. Vocabulary study will also be incorporated throughout the course, with primary focus on words encountered in the literature selections. All course of study standards are aligned with the Alabama Course of Study (8th Grade) and the objectives for success on the ARMT+ state exam.
I also integrate art into my curriculum, and as a result, many special projects include illustrations with a variety of art media. I also use a great deal of technology in my classroom.
Class Dojo: Class Dojo is a web-based software I use to help track your child’s behavior. You will receive regular reports so that you will know how your child is doing.
Course Sequence: English instruction follows a prescribed sequence designed to integrate prior learning with newer or advanced skills and concepts. English teachers meet students’ needs by sequencing and integrating these skills according to varied learning styles and the individual abilities of students. This sequencing should allow for maximization of the strengths of individual teachers in methodology and creativity. As a result of the teacher honoring individual learning styles, this syllabus is subject to change without notice, but always to the benefit of students.
Course Objectives: Course objectives for 8th grade Advanced English correspond to the Alabama State Course of Study. For a list of the ALCOS objectives, visit the Alabama State Department of Education’s website: alsde.edu
Essential Functions:
Students entering 8th Grade English Language Arts should:
• read and comprehend the text and supplemental readings;
• communicate in writing and orally using standard grammar, sentence structure, and paragraph development;
• understand and respond accurately to high order test questions;
• actively participate in class discussions;
• take accurate and useful class notes;
• work effectively in groups or teams.
Standards: In order to understand and learn the material presented in this course, each student should have the ability to demonstrate the tasks, knowledge, competencies, and skills listed below.
Grammar: A working knowledge of the major grammatical principles is essential at all levels of English at Choctaw County High School. These principles include 1) parts of speech, 2) basic sentence structure, 3) basic rules of capitalization, 4) basic rules of punctuation, and 5) simple verb tenses and subject verb agreement.
Composition: In ninth grade, students must write the four basic types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. They must also know the elements of a coherent paragraph: topic sentence, developing or supportive sentences, and the clincher or closing sentence. Students will use these skills of basic writing to compose multiple paragraph essays, critiques, reports, and summaries.
Reading Comprehension: Students must demonstrate the ability to read, discuss, and evaluate the grade level literature and grammar text.
Listening Comprehension: Students must comprehend the English spoken by the teacher and follow the teacher’s spoken directions. Students should also demonstrate the ability to take notes from classroom lectures and discussions.
Oral Presentation: Students should demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and express, discuss, question, and present their ideas in clearly written and spoken English.
Class Preparation: All students are expected to spend adequate time in study and preparation for any assignment, test, quiz, or other project.
Group Work: Students must exhibit their ability to work well in a group, to collaborate with others while working toward a common goal, and to solve problems with peers.
Attendance Policy: It is the policy of the Choctaw County Board of Education that regular school attendance is important to all students, the school system, and the community. It is further believed that course content and grading procedures should be structured in such a way that regular attendance is necessary to successfully complete course requirements. Subject to parental guidance, students must be responsible for their attendance. Administrators and teachers shall make every effort to encourage regular attendance by students and solicit assistance from parents to accomplish this objective.
Grading Policy and Assessment: The student will be assessed using a variety of measures including quizzes (announced and unannounced), in-class assignments, tests, writing assignments, presentations, and special projects. Tests will be scheduled with plenty of time to study and be reviewed.
Student grades are divided into the following categories: Daily assignments, tests, warm-up exercises), tests, writing assignments, quizzes and special projects such as web quests and art projects. I grade on the point system as follows:
|Daily assignments |25-50 pts. |
|Tests |100 pts. |
|Special projects |50-100 pts. |
|Writing assignments and Quizzes |50-100 pts |
|Warm-ups | |
| |50 pts |
*Extra Credit work is available upon request and is awarded by need.
Resources/Texts:
Elements of Literature/First Course - Holt, Rinehart, & Winston
Elements of Writing/First Course – Holt, Rinehart & Winston
Teacher provided worksheets, workbooks, and online resources
These materials are required and should be brought to class daily:
✓ Pencils and/or pens (no red ink, please)
✓ Three-ring binder (1-1/2 inch)
✓ Loose leaf paper
✓ Subject dividers (warm-ups, notes, grammar, writing)
*It would be helpful if the binder for my class was physically different than the binder for other classes.
Classroom Rules:
In order for classroom instruction to run smoothly, the following rules must be followed. Any student in violation of these guidelines will be disciplined according to the guidelines in the handbook for the Choctaw County Public School System.
1. Show kindness and respect toward everyone (including your teacher) at all times.
2. Be in class and seated before the tardy bell rings.
3. Bring ALL materials to class unless told otherwise. I will not allow you to leave class to retrieve materials that are left. Not bringing required materials will impact your grade in a negative way.
4. No food, drink, candy or gum is allowed.
5. Sit in assigned seat every day. Do not move from this seat unless otherwise told to do so by your teacher. If you have a problem with where you are sitting, I will fix it. This is one of the most important rules. You are placed where I feel you will learn the most, and not because you are being punished. Please remember that.
6. No texting or cell phone use of any kind is allowed as indicated in the Choctaw County High School Student Handbook.
7. Raise your hand if you have something to say. Do not talk while others are talking.
8. Keep up with assignment due dates. No late work will be accepted without a valid excuse. Should your absence be excused, it is your responsibility to get missed notes and assignments. Missed work will be given the amount of missed EXCUSED days to be made up. Unexcused absences: work may not be made up. Unexcused absences will result in a zero for every missed assignment. Please bring all excuses to the office after being absent so that your work may be made up.
9. Always keep your work area neat and clean, and tidy the area around you (even if you did not make the mess). Be willing to help your teacher and neighbor!
10. Please refrain from overusing strong perfumes or body sprays.
11. Keep your personal opinions about other people to yourself. Don’t say things about others that you wouldn’t want said about you.
12. Please go to the restroom *before* you come to my class. You have four minutes; that is plenty of time!
13. Be attentive at all times. Do not involve yourself in activities (sleeping, talking, passing notes/letter writing, etc.) that will hinder you from paying attention to what is being taught.
14. Don’t forget your clicker number. This number is your academic identity in this class. Write the number on the inside of your notebook if you think you will forget it.
15. Follow rules 1 – 15 as well as all others in the student Code of Conduct.
Students are required to follow the Dress Code at all times, and will receive one verbal warning before I issue a citation.
Course Content and Suggested Time Frame:*
First 9 Weeks
I. Grammar
A. Parts of Speech
B. Singular, Plural, and Possessive Noun Forms
C. Pronoun Case and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
D. Verb Tenses and Forms
E. Capitalization
II. Literature/Short Stories
A. “Rikki-tikki-tavi” by Rudyard Kipling
B. “Three Skeleton Key” by George G. Toudouze.
C. “The Smallest Dragonboy” by Anne McCaffrey
D. “After Twenty Years” by O’Henry
E. “The Last Dinosaur” by Jim Murphy
F. “The Naming of Names” by Ray Bradbury
Second 9 Weeks
I. Writing Strong Paragraphs
II. Grammar
A. Sentence Parts
B. Phrases
C. Clauses and Sentence Structure
D. Punctuation
III. Novel Study
A. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Third 9 Weeks
I. Critique – Composition
A. Narrative Writing
B. Expository Writing
C. Persuasive Writing
D. Descriptive Writing
II. Poetry/Myths/Legends
A. “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes
B. “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe
C. “Echo and Narcissus” by Roger Lancelyn Green
D. “The Flight of Icarus” by Sally Benson
E. “King Midas and the Golden Touch” by Pamela Oldfield
F. “King Author: The Sword and the Stone” by Hudson Talbott
II. Grammar
A. Modifiers
B. Commonly Confused Words
A. Spelling and punctuation rules
B. Subject-Verb Agreement
C. Pronoun confusion
III. Selective Poems and creative writing
*This is a tentative course outline; it is subject to change. Some items/selections are subject to substitution or omission. Special projects will accompany some of the literature and writing assignments. Detailed information about such projects will be given at the time of their assignment. Vocabulary will be incorporated regularly. Students will turn in daily warm-up exercises on a weekly basis.
Parent Receipt Form (Syllabus)
(Parents complete and send home by student)
Student Name: ________________________________
By signing below, I certify that I have received this syllabus and understand all classroom rules and grading policies. I have also reviewed this content with my child.
Signed,
_________________________(parent or guardian)
August ______, 2012
The best way for you to contact me concerning my child’s progress is (check one):
___phone ___email ___other
Please provide contact information here:__________________________________
Please return this form to me as soon as possible. Thank you and let’s have a great year!
B. Clark
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