South Cache 8-9 Center Eighth Grade English Room #

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1 South Cache 8-9 Center Eighth Grade English Room # Sherry A. Anderson, Instructor Phone: Ext: Class Website: Description: This course is designed to engage students in writing (descriptive, persuasive, narrative, poetry, and expository papers), reading (short stories, poems, novels, essays, etc.), grammar concepts, and grammar rules. Students will complete oral presentations, understand the Six Trait writing process, participate in vocabulary reinforcement, and daily oral language activities. Students will expand and apply critical thinking, listening, reading, speaking, editing, publishing skills, and prepare for further study in English. Objective: The objective of this course is to provide the student with instruction and knowledge in grammar, literature, informative text, and writing as required by the Utah State Core Curriculum in Language Arts. Textbooks Used: Writer s Choice by Glencoe-McGraw Hill Publishing Grammar & Composition by Glencoe-McGraw Hill Publishing Exploration in Literature by Scott Foresman Publishing The Writer s Craft by McDougall, Littell & Company Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes, Prentice Hall Publishing Write Source 2000 by Sebrank/Kemper/Meyer Informational Readings: Students will be required to read and respond to informational readings throughout the school year. The readings will be from websites, analogies, newspapers, and magazines. Novels Used: Varieties of novels are used throughout the school year and often tie to the eighth grade history curriculum. Please note that textbooks and novels are few in number compared to students who will use them each day; therefore, textbooks and novels will be limited for checked out. Students who check out books are responsible to return the book the next day before school. Students that lose or misplace books are responsible to pay for the replacement of the textbook or novel. Students are welcome to make arrangements during the school wide study hall, during lunch, before or after school to stay and complete the material that is required from any textbook or novel. I will be happy to photocopy any material from the textbooks that are not online for a charge of $.10cents per page. Students may check with the library here at school or at the community library for a novel if they so desire. Textbooks online can be accessed through the company website, and the website address will be provided to students in class with an access code. Student Supplied Materials: (Materials for class are required by Friday, August 26, 2011) A binder with either a section for English or a binder just for English (You can always reuse a binder from last year) to keep things together for the entire year. Lined paper lots, lots, lots, lots and lots of paper. Please be responsible and bring your own paper don t expect others in class to provide paper for you. Pencils with erasers or pens if desired no yellows, oranges, or other hard to see colors! Please use a blue, black or dark green color. If I cannot read it, I will not grade your paper and you cannot make it up! Red pens can only be used for grading purposes. Colored pencils Student planners are provided to you, please use them to write down due dates of information and other course work throughout the year. A reading book for the 5 th hour study hall time. Students are expected to complete homework or read during that 30 minutes of allotted time.

2 Evaluation & Grading: Grades earned will reflect the student s ability to understand, participate, and express knowledge of the materials discussed in class. Grades are earned on a point system accumulated from assignments, projects, presentations, quizzes, tests, and class participation. The grade book by PowerSchool will dictate the grading scale used for this class. The scale is posted in the room for reference. Grade information and assignment information is available through PowerSchool, which is a web-based program. The URL is Parents/Guardians have received passwords mailed home to access this program from the web. Students may use their username and password for the network to access PowerSchool. Students may also access the class DAILY AGENDA at to find out what went on during class for each day. Students will also be required to complete tests/quizzes on the UTIPS website ( and the Glencoe website ( If you do not have access to the internet students will be required to complete the tests/quizzes on their own time here at school during the school wide study hall, during lunch, before or after school. The computer lab is open Monday-Thursday until 3:30 P.M. Make-up Work/Absences (Planned or Unplanned): When a student returns to school after an illness or other unplanned absence, he or she is responsible for finding out what lessons and assignments have been missed. To make this easier, I have a calendar with the day s assignments on the west wall of my room, a weekly agenda on the front board, and a class DAILY AGENDA online at All the students may check the calendars, the online DAILY AGENDA, ask other students in the class, and then ask the teacher for the specific assignment(s) that were missed. Students may also access assignments on PowerSchool ( Each assignment for this class has directions which can be accessed by clicking on the assignment in PowerSchool. Please use this resource for directions on assignments. Students may also look at the CLASS website for notes and worksheets for this class. Students must be accountable for their own learning. Therefore, I place this responsibility in their hands. I am available most days before and after school to assist students who need individual attention regarding make-up lessons, but I also encourage students to come even if they have not missed class, but would still like some help. I encourage you to carefully consider the strain of pulling your child out of school for extended, planned periods of time (hunting trips, vacations, sporting events, etc.) A primary catalyst for learning is consistency of instruction. It is severely affected by absences of any kind. I do NOT usually prepare individual lessons in advance for students who notify me of a planned absence. It may be possible that I will be able to put a packet together for the student, but in the likelihood that I cannot, it will be their responsibility to make up any missed work upon their return in addition to all current work assignments. Students returning from extended, planned absences will have three days to turn in missed work after returning from an extended, planned absence. Please remember that absences affect academic success, I cannot re-create classroom experiences for students who are absent; therefore, participation points cannot be made up if you are absent. Unprepared in Class: Again, personal responsibility is a part of all learning. None of us expect teachers to baby-sit children, especially in middle school or high school, so you can be sure that I will not in my classroom. A student who does not bring his/her books, pen, pencil, paper, or any other supply necessary for class, including the handouts that may be necessary for their classes, can borrow the resources necessary to complete their assignment, but it will cost them citizenship points. In the interest of teaching the discipline of preparedness, I do not lend supplies. If an assignment is started and completed in class, and a student was unable to perform it because he or she did not have the tools to do so, that student will receive NO credit for that assignment. If they wish to borrow supplies from the teacher, they will be docked citizenship points for being unprepared. If they choose to not borrow the necessary items to complete the assignment, I do expect the student to sit quietly and listen to the rest of the class participate. He or she may not work on another assignment from any of their classes. I will be happy to help the student who was unprepared in class, after school.

3 Citizenship: Citizenship this year will appear on the student s grade sheet as a letter grade. Citizenship is earned by being on time, being prepared, being respectful to yourself, each other and your teacher. Respect the right to learn. Students who are tardy, chronically absent and are disrespectful verbally and/or behaviorally will lose their citizenship. Up to 10% of the students academic grade can be affected by their citizenship. The following is the citizenship breakdown: A=O (outstanding) B=S (satisfactory) C=S (satisfactory) D=N (needs improvement) F=U (unsatisfactory) A student who chooses to remedy his/her behavior and/or tardies must speak with the teacher for possible opportunities to earn back his or her citizenship grade. ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN BACK HIS/HER CITIZENSHIP. Late Assignments: I believe that punctuality is a virtue in the real world of work and responsibility. This 8 th grade year, we are working toward being Freshmen; therefore, my late assignment policy is students who are present in class and choose NOT to turn in or complete assignments, students who forget to put their name on their papers, and/or students who are absent for any reason will have two opportunities the first is obviously the scheduled assignment deadline (100% credit), the second and final cut off is the monthly scheduled deadline(50% credit) to complete assignments, which is posted in the classroom. Assignments turned in after the monthly deadline will not be graded and credit will not be given. If students are absent on the monthly deadline NO additional make up is allowed because students have had approximately an additional three to four weeks to complete assignments. Students can complete their late work assignments at home or during the school wide study hall time. Again, students may access the DAILY AGENDA at to find out what was missed in class. Assignments that CANNOT be made up or turned in after the scheduled assignment deadline(s) have expired are: Items that will NOT be accepted late are as follows: Grade sheets with parent signature Rough draft writing assignments Brainstorming activity assignments Extra credit opportunities Presentations (If you are absent, you lose the participation points and presentation points this is not negotiable. You may only earn the points for completing the work.) Other assignments as deemed necessary Assignments with no name: Assignments turned in without a student s name will be thrown away, and students will be required to complete assignments over. Again, we are working toward being freshman and being responsible. Assignments that must be completed again are due by the scheduled deadlines each month. Full credit will be earned if assignments are turned in prior to or on the regular assignment deadline (100%). Half credit will be earned if assignments are turned in prior to or on the final monthly scheduled deadline (50%). Again, if students are absent on the monthly deadline date NO additional make up is allowed because students have had approximately an additional three to four weeks to complete assignments. Performance Standards: RESPECT THE CHANCE TO LEARN -Come to class on time (in your seat before the tardy bell rings) -Come to class prepared (supplies, assignments, and attitude) RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS -Keep your hands and feet to yourselves -No name calling -No foul language -Do not interrupt a fellow student when he or she is speaking

4 RESPECT THE PROPERTY AROUND YOU (your parents and I have paid for your school, not you) -No pop, food, or candy in the classroom (most harmful to floors, books, etc.) -No scratching, marring, writing, or wasting property that is not yours. RESPECT YOUR TEACHER -Be silent when we are speaking. This means pay attention in class, listening to our instructions the first time that we give them. If you do not hear or understand them, raise your hand and ask us to repeat or explain. Do not remain in the dark. RESPECT YOURSELF -Always do your best in all that you attempt in your classes. Learning Activities: A balance of educational learning experiences for a student is offered to meet his/her needs. In this way success can be achieved by both the individual learner and the group that is dependent on the expertise and interest of the individual. Individual work is encouraged through: maintaining a personal portfolio independent reading and writing independent studies Small group work is encouraged through: discussions study groups problem solving groups sharing skills and processes project work peer conferences presentations Other: Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns at the school between 7:30 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. You may me at sherry.anderson@ccsdut.org

5 Detach this page and return signed by Tuesday, August 30, Student s printed name: Hour in English: My child and I have read over the class requirements and expectations. We have discussed the importance of each area and will strive to meet the expectations of this class. Parent/Guardian signature Student signature Ten points is earned by student if both parent and student sign and turn in this detached page by Tuesday, August 30, Please keep the other pages for your reference in your English binder in the notes section.

Texts and Materials: Traditions and Encounters, AP Edition. Bentley, Ziegler. McGraw Hill, $ Replacement Cost

Texts and Materials: Traditions and Encounters, AP Edition. Bentley, Ziegler. McGraw Hill, $ Replacement Cost AP World History Course Syllabus Lithia Springs High School Fall 2017-Spring 2018 School Phone: 770.651.6828 Savanna Kellett Room B110 savanna.kellett@douglas.k12.ga.us Course Description: This course