Dear 8th Grade Black Bears,
Welcome to ELA class! Your 7th grade teachers have said so many amazing things about you, so I’m so excited for this year! We will be focusing on all five areas of English Language Arts, which include reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language usage.
The writing curriculum will include learning to write 5-paragraph essays based on literature we are reading and a research paper all 8th graders will write called the ISearch. This is where you get to choose a topic you are passionate about, research and write about that topic, and then share your findings with your peers. Previous ISearch topics have been: What does it take to become a _________? Should I join the army/air force/marines when I grow up? How will my __________ affect my future? This is a very meaningful unit that I know you will all enjoy!
The reading curriculum will be based on the Reading Workshop model. Some components you should expect to participate in during Reading Workshop class sessions are status-of-the-class, mini-lessons, silent, independent reading, journaling, and conferencing. In my opinion, the MOST important part of Reading Workshop is to provide you with TIME to read. Researchers have said again and again that the number one way to improve your reading skills is to provide you with TIME to read!
In order to take advantage of this time given to you to read, you will be required to have an independent reading book with you at all times. This must be a book that you WANT to read! You will be asked to make progress in your independent reading book, which will be graded as a Homework grade every Friday.
There will be days when we will not be participating in Reading Workshop. During these class sessions we might be participating in a book group, reading and analyzing short stories, or working on a whole-class novel.
Our speaking and listening curriculum will include an Oration unit, where you will write and present a speech in front of your peers. This sounds a little scary right now, but my students say this is one of their favorite units in ELA class!
Language Usage will be a very traditional study of grammar and mechanics. Thornton Academy has provided us with a list of English language skills you are expected to know when you arrive as a Freshman. We will try to take a portion out of every week to devote to parts of speech, punctuation, sentence structure, commonly confused words, etc.
Membean will continue to be a part of your ELA curriculum. Knowing the meanings of words, and being able to use them, is so important for both reading comprehension and effective writing. Although there might be time in class to work on Membean, most of this work will be conducted OUTSIDE of class, either during Advisory Block or as homework. You must complete 45 minutes of Membean work per week and it will be graded as a Homework grade every Friday. This practice will ensure your success on your Membean Interims, given every two weeks. I’m going to put a little twist on your Membean work this year which will include a competition and prizes!! Stay tuned for more information!
You will be required to have a one-subject notebook where you will take and keep notes over the course of the entire year. We will probably fill two one-subject notebooks this year. You will need this in class, EVERYDAY!
The grading procedure in ELA is as follows:
Summative Assessments - 60%
Interim Assessments - 30%
Homework - 10%
As your ELA teacher, I have a few goals for all of you this year. I want you to all acquire a LOVE of reading! If I hear groans, it is simply because you have not found a book or author you LOVE! You will! Trust me! Another goal I have for you is to become better at the craft of writing. I don’t want you to only become more sophisticated with grammar and mechanics, but I want you to appreciate the act of writing, rewriting, and revising your work. I want us to be proud to share our writing with our peers, parents and guardians, community members, and the world!
Here’s to an AMAZING 8th Grade year!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Burgos
Welcome to ELA class! Your 7th grade teachers have said so many amazing things about you, so I’m so excited for this year! We will be focusing on all five areas of English Language Arts, which include reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language usage.
The writing curriculum will include learning to write 5-paragraph essays based on literature we are reading and a research paper all 8th graders will write called the ISearch. This is where you get to choose a topic you are passionate about, research and write about that topic, and then share your findings with your peers. Previous ISearch topics have been: What does it take to become a _________? Should I join the army/air force/marines when I grow up? How will my __________ affect my future? This is a very meaningful unit that I know you will all enjoy!
The reading curriculum will be based on the Reading Workshop model. Some components you should expect to participate in during Reading Workshop class sessions are status-of-the-class, mini-lessons, silent, independent reading, journaling, and conferencing. In my opinion, the MOST important part of Reading Workshop is to provide you with TIME to read. Researchers have said again and again that the number one way to improve your reading skills is to provide you with TIME to read!
In order to take advantage of this time given to you to read, you will be required to have an independent reading book with you at all times. This must be a book that you WANT to read! You will be asked to make progress in your independent reading book, which will be graded as a Homework grade every Friday.
There will be days when we will not be participating in Reading Workshop. During these class sessions we might be participating in a book group, reading and analyzing short stories, or working on a whole-class novel.
Our speaking and listening curriculum will include an Oration unit, where you will write and present a speech in front of your peers. This sounds a little scary right now, but my students say this is one of their favorite units in ELA class!
Language Usage will be a very traditional study of grammar and mechanics. Thornton Academy has provided us with a list of English language skills you are expected to know when you arrive as a Freshman. We will try to take a portion out of every week to devote to parts of speech, punctuation, sentence structure, commonly confused words, etc.
Membean will continue to be a part of your ELA curriculum. Knowing the meanings of words, and being able to use them, is so important for both reading comprehension and effective writing. Although there might be time in class to work on Membean, most of this work will be conducted OUTSIDE of class, either during Advisory Block or as homework. You must complete 45 minutes of Membean work per week and it will be graded as a Homework grade every Friday. This practice will ensure your success on your Membean Interims, given every two weeks. I’m going to put a little twist on your Membean work this year which will include a competition and prizes!! Stay tuned for more information!
You will be required to have a one-subject notebook where you will take and keep notes over the course of the entire year. We will probably fill two one-subject notebooks this year. You will need this in class, EVERYDAY!
The grading procedure in ELA is as follows:
Summative Assessments - 60%
Interim Assessments - 30%
Homework - 10%
As your ELA teacher, I have a few goals for all of you this year. I want you to all acquire a LOVE of reading! If I hear groans, it is simply because you have not found a book or author you LOVE! You will! Trust me! Another goal I have for you is to become better at the craft of writing. I don’t want you to only become more sophisticated with grammar and mechanics, but I want you to appreciate the act of writing, rewriting, and revising your work. I want us to be proud to share our writing with our peers, parents and guardians, community members, and the world!
Here’s to an AMAZING 8th Grade year!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Burgos