8th Grade English

Dear Parents,

            Hello and welcome to the 2011-2012 school year.  My name is Mrs. Pamela Richardson and I will be your child’s 8^th grade English teacher.  Listed below is a general layout for what your child will be doing this year in 8^th grade English class.  I have listed some of the assignments and the general goals that I would like your child to achieve this year.

            I am asking that you provide a spiral notebook which will be kept in our classroom for their journal writing and pencils.  As a second year middle school teacher, I can tell you that students coming to class with something to write with is an issue.  Please help me in my effort to teach your child and make sure that they know they need something to write with EVERY DAY!  Pencils are the best choice.  Pens are sloppy and don’t allow much room for mistakes.

            The homework for my class is very straight forward.  They will have to study their 20 vocabulary words.  The tests will be every other Friday.  I recommend flash cards, which can be home made.  The students will also have 5 perfect sentences due every Thursday.  Perfect means, absolutely no errors.  The sentences can be checked for accuracy by me on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

            Students are encouraged to do independent reading on whatever interests them and may bring any school appropriate reading materials to class with them.  We will try to have independent sustained silent reading at least once a week.

            When your child leaves my room in the spring of 2012, I want them to be ready to move to the high school confident in their reading and writing abilities.  I will do everything I can to help them in their efforts to be better readers and writers. 

The best way to contact me is through email, as our classrooms do not have phones, and I check my email every day.  My email address is richard1@byron.k12.mi.us.  You can also check the school website under middle school staff.  I try to periodically update my page on things that are going on in the classroom.

I am looking forward to working with your child this year and hope that we will all learn how much the written word influences all of our lives now and through the rest of our education as life long learners.

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Pamela Richardson

8^th Grade English Teacher – Byron Middle School

8^th Grade English General Plan

I.                   Vocabulary Practice

a.       Goal-increase understanding of more complex words and increase academic vocabulary.

b.      Test over 20 words every other Friday.

c.       Homework:  Definitions due the Wednesday of the first week.

d.      Practice with the words in warm up activities online----several quizzes and things to choose from:

(http://www.vocabtest.com/middle_school/8th_grade.php)

Also – quiz games etc. using the words silent ball, etc.

II.                Grammar and Sentence Structure

a.       Goal-students will write sentences that are grammatically correct.

b.      Homework: 5 perfect sentences due every Thursday.  Students can have them reviewed by the teacher Tuesday and Wednesday.

c.       Periodic Parts Of Speech Practice.

III.             Writing Practice

a.       Goal-students will become proficient writers.

b.      Periodic 6 paragraph essay practice.

c.       Joint-Research Paper with 8^th grade history class.

d.      Daily Journal Writing Warm Ups.

e.       8^th Grade Writing Exit Project – “My Middle School Experience.”

IV.             Reading Practice

a.       Goal-students will improve their reading skills, including comprehension and reading speed.

b.      Novels Read As A Whole Class:

             i.  Homecoming by Cynthia Voight

                                                              ii.      The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

                                                            iii.  Johnny Tremain  by  Esther Forbes

                                 c.       Timed Reading Practice Exercises with articles from the book, magazines, and Internet.

d.      Reading for student interest or choice----books will be discussed in “Book Talks,” periodically ----literature will be made available in the classroom----visits to the library will occur so that students can check out new materials----students will create a book log to share with other students in the class.

e.       Periodic Comprehension Exercises will be conducted in class.

*We began our literature study with the novel, Homecoming , by Cynthia Voight.  It is a realistic fiction story about four children who have to find their way to family after their mother has abandoned them.  They go on an independent journey the of east coast of the United States on foot looking for family, so they can stay together.  We have finished our second novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. It is a cross between realistic and historical fiction.  We are now finishing our study of historical fiction with the novel Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes.  This novel matches up with the 8th grade American History curriculum.

*We have also used 2 column notes to study realistic fiction and historical fiction.

*We have had our first informational timed reading practice on a Scholastic Article titled "G.I. Janes."

*We have completed all of our essays toward our writing portfolio; a literature response to Homecoming, two six paragraph essays on a topic of the student's choice, a reflective essay about elementary school, and an expansion of the daily journal entry.  7th hour English has completed two literature responses to Homecoming.  We have finished our research paper which compares 1500-1800 in American history to the present time, and our final paper which will be a comparison paper in which the students will be comparing exiting elementary to exiting middle school.  All students are in the process of putting their portfolios together.  Students will be evaluating their own portfolios and be given 100 points for their completed work.

*FINAL EXAMS! *We have finished the writing portion of our final exam.  It was a six paragraph essay and part of the county assessment as well.  The rest of the final exam will be on June 4-6.  Students will be doing the reading and vocabulary portions during this time.  Students will have to read a poem and a short informational article and respond to both in short answers.  They will be asked to use their vocabulary words in sentences and given multiple choice responses from all of the vocabulary lists 1-15.

8^th Grade Writing Exit Project “My Middle School Experience”

Dear 8^th Grade English Student,

                Over the course of the next year, we will be going to the computer lab every Wednesday, and you will be working on several papers and other writings, which you will be saving to your directory at school.  You will then compile these into one final exit project/portfolio titled, “My Middle School Experience.”

This portfolio will include the following:

Portfolio Check List

_____  Artistic Interpretation of Biographical Information – Who Am I? (Grades K-8) - Publisher - Biography Article

_____  Response to Elementary Portfolio  /  Memory Paper

_____  Comparison Paper – Leaving Elementary School - Leaving Middle School

______  Expansion Of Journal Entry Paper

______ 1 Six Paragraph Essay (You may choose 1 – We will do more than 1)

_____  1 Response to Literature Paper  (You may choose 1 – We will probably do more than 1)

_____  8^th grade history/English Research Paper – American History to Civil War & Reconstruction / Comparison paper

_____  High School Goals – Graphic Organizer

_____ Life Goals – Graphic Organizer

This project should be a year-long cumulative reflection on your life so far, the writing in your life, and the goals that you are setting for yourself in high school and beyond.