8th English Course Description
Email: Linda.deboer@k12.sd.us
Description: The course is designed to include the basic concepts learned in Language Arts. These concepts and skills are reinforced and supported in all of the following curriculum areas: literature in the form of novel contracts, writing, grammar/English, and spelling vocabulary. The South Dakota Department of Education content standards of reading; writing; and listening, speaking, and viewing are covered throughout the course.
Homework: Assignments are given to help students further understand and gain competency of the concepts taught by the instructor. Please make every effort to stay current with daily assignments. Late work will be accepted, however, full credit will not be given.
Novel Contracts-Reading Literature: Novels offer students a variety of “classical” literature options to explore. This is an alternative to the old-fashioned book report. Students select one novel and projects from a detailed list of 30+ projects to be assessed. The projects selected are linked to preferred learning styles and learning strengths and utilize all skills learned in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. An essay test or an AR test on the book is taken at the end of the 5-6 week period. With the variety of literary selections, skills and strategies are developed for students to become successful, independent learners.
Standards- This is a literature-based unit that incorporates or integrates many other curricular areas and can potentially meet many other curricular standards.
Grade 7 and 8 Reading Standards
Ø Indicator 1. Students can recognize and analyze words.
Ø Indicator 2. Students can comprehend and fluently read text.
Ø Indicator 3. Students can apply knowledge of text structures, literary devices, and literary elements to develop interpretations and form responses.
Ø Indicator 4. Students can interpret and respond to diverse, multicultural, and time period texts.
Ø Indicator 5. Students can access, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate informational texts.
Grade 7 and 8 Writing Standards
Ø Indicator 1. Students can apply the writing process to compose text.
Ø Indicator 2. Students can apply standard English conventions in their writing.
Grade 7 and 8 Listening, Viewing, and Speaking Standard
Ø Indicator 1. Students can listen, view, and s peak to communicate, retrieve, interpret, and evaluate information.
Grade 7 and 8 Art Standard
Ø Standard 1. Students will understand and use visual arts as a means for creative self-expression and interpersonal communication.
Grade 7 and 8 History/Geography Standards
Ø 8th History Indicator 1. Analyze the United States historical eras to determine connections and cause and effect relationships in reference to chronology.
Ø 7th Geography Indicator 1. Analyze information from geographical representations, tools, and technology to define location, regions, and place.
Grade 7 and 8 Technology Standard
Ø Standard 2. Indicator 2. Students use technology to enhance learning, extend capability, and promote creativity.
Grade 7 and 8 Math Standard
Ø Measurement Indicator 1. Apply measurement concepts in practical applications.
Writing: Writing skills are developed throughout the course. Students learn to think about writing through the process of pre-writing, drafting, and revising. Opportunities for writing are done in the following: writing notebooks, writing sample pages, essays, stories, reports, papers, note taking, and poems. These opportunities are reinforced in grammar, spelling/vocabulary, and novel projects.
Grade 7 and 8 Writing Standards
Ø Indicator 1. Students can apply the writing process to compose text.
Ø Indicator 2. Students can apply standard English conventions in their writing.
Grammar/English: Grammar is essentially the study of language and its uses. This knowledge enables students to develop skills to improve and effectively use language in both writing and speech communication by covering areas of parts of speech, usage, and punctuation mechanics. The book utilizes all types of communication-reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and representing along with resources and activities online.
Elements of Language First and Second Course 2004
Holt, Rinehart Winston
Spelling/Vocabulary: Language is essentially vocabulary. The units studied provide words designed not only to teach important spelling principles but also to connect spelling and vocabulary to other content areas and to their lives as effective communicators. 20 units are done throughout the entire year.
Zaner Bloser Spelling Connections
Each weekly unit consists of 20 words. The format for the week is as follows:
Monday-Pretest
Tuesday-Definitions and parts of speech for the words are due.
Wednesday-Worksheet
Thursday-game activity
Friday-Post test over word, definition, spelling, and part of speech.
In addition, the 8th graders will be studying prefixes that accompany each spelling unit.
Extra Credit: Extra credit is allowed. A student can do enough extra credit to raise their grade one letter grade. For example, a student may go from a C to a B, but not a C to an A with extra credit. Extra credit may be done in three forms: extra entries in a writing notebook, extra book reports, and service learning projects.
Grading Scale: A 93-100 B 85-92 C 77-84 D 67-76 F 66 or below
