I am Miss Dalzell and this will be my fourth year teaching this class and fifth year teaching at Arbor Park. This year we have lots to cover and will have as much fun in the classroom as possible. In class we will be spending time focusing on writing, grammar, and vocabulary. We will do several projects and presentations throughout the year also. I look forward to working with each of you this school year! Feel free to contact me at anytime with questions: [email protected]
In eighth grade, students will continue to advance in their writing skills, increase their vocabulary, create oral presentations and perfect their knowledge of grammar. The class will review informational writing, but focus on argumentative and narrative writing throughout the year, according to the Common Core Standards. New eighth grade level vocabulary will be introduced and incorporated into daily writing and language use. Grammar continues to be an important part of writing in eighth grade.
Workbooks / Online programs: Vocabulary for Success, www.sadlierconnect.com
Materials: Students need to bring to class daily the following things:
30% Writing 30% Grammar 30% Vocabulary 10% other
Behavior Log: A behavior log will be used by all 8th-grade teachers to monitor individual student’s behavior on a daily basis; the average weekly percentage will be entered in PowerSchool by each 8th-grade teacher for each class. The behavior log is broken down into 5 different components.
Be Responsible 1. Being prepared for class
2. Following directions/Arrival procedures
Be Respectful 3. Obtaining permission to talk
4. Being respectful to others/paying attention
Be Safe 5. Obtaining permission to leave your seat
Grammar: Along with specific grammar units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, daily language review (DLR) sentences will be practiced in class Monday - Thursday. The DLR’s that we complete in class will be collected after a few weeks for a grade. These can be worth a lot of points. Be sure to follow along in class and complete these. You will get points for making the corrections we make as a class on the board, along with rewriting the sentences. Be sure to look over the grammar skills reviewed in class because on any Friday there may be a grammar check quiz to ensure the skill or skills were mastered.
Vocabulary Program: Our vocabulary workbooks are linked to a website called: sadlierconnect.com. This site has many practice exercises, games, and practice quizzes. For each lesson we will use the online assessment as part of your grade along with the final test. I recommend studying and reviewing vocabulary ten minutes a day. Also, it is very helpful to use these words as much as possible in and out of school. My goal for you is to feel comfortable and knowledgeable enough to incorporate these words into your everyday oral and written vocabulary. You will have at least two weeks with each set of words to study. There is no reason why this shouldn't be everyone's strongest point in the class with all the practice we will do.
Homework: Homework is given to practice the lessons we went over in class, and it is used to monitor your progress. Homework is due at the beginning of class on the day that it is due. However, no credit will be given for late homework the next day or any day thereafter. Do not leave your homework in your locker, you will not be allowed to go to your locker to get it. All homework should have your name and core number on it. It is your responsibility to approach me about your absent work. Zeros are given for any absent work not completed after the given amount of days absent.
Homework passes:
Edmodo: All essays should be typed and turned into the Edmodo website. In the beginning of the year we will create individual student accounts. Late essays will not be accepted. The website will close after the designated turn in date and time. Students need to make sure they are using their time wisely and turn their essays into the proper spot. If a student is unable to type the essay they may write it in their neatest hand writing on a clean sheet of loose-leaf paper in blue or black pen. Hand-written final drafts of essays should never have scratch outs or be in pencil.
Pre & Post Tests: Each vocabulary lesson and specific grammar skill that we cover will be given a pre & posttest. The scores will be recorded in the grade book in a section that is not weighted as a part of the final grade. This is to show the student progress over the few weeks. If a student passes the pretest with a 100% percent at any time he and/or she will not be required to take the posttest and will be given a 100% on the post test. However, if they do not receive a 100% on the pretest they will be required to take the post test. If at any time a student does receive a 100% on the pretest they are still required to do all the work for that specific lesson if they want to receive points. The only thing the 100% on the pretest excludes them from is the post test.
Projects: In this class we will do several different projects that will involve multiple parts and presentations. It is essential that you are prepared for these projects and complete all of the necessary requirements by the given deadlines. Since ample class time is given for all projects, each project completed will be worth at least 2 test grades. Each trimester there will be at least one major project with a presentation. Everyone will be required to complete these projects and present them, no exceptions.
Workbooks / Online programs: Vocabulary for Success, www.sadlierconnect.com
Materials: Students need to bring to class daily the following things:
- Blue, black, and red pens
- Index cards used for vocabulary flash cards
- A folder specifically for LA
- Spiral notebook to be used for Free-Write Fridays
- Loose-leaf paper
- Free reading book
- School planner
30% Writing 30% Grammar 30% Vocabulary 10% other
Behavior Log: A behavior log will be used by all 8th-grade teachers to monitor individual student’s behavior on a daily basis; the average weekly percentage will be entered in PowerSchool by each 8th-grade teacher for each class. The behavior log is broken down into 5 different components.
Be Responsible 1. Being prepared for class
2. Following directions/Arrival procedures
Be Respectful 3. Obtaining permission to talk
4. Being respectful to others/paying attention
Be Safe 5. Obtaining permission to leave your seat
- A student can earn 5 points each day for following the classroom code of conduct. Points will be deducted when a student is not meeting the behavior expectations listed above. A weekly average will be calculated and entered into PowerSchool by each teacher.
- Any student demonstrating exceptional behavior (90% or above for the week) will receive a 5-point Paw in recognition of their outstanding behavior.
- Any student falling below an 80% average for the week will serve a lunch detention the following week.
- Any student falling below the 80% average for 3 weeks will serve an after-school detention where the student will develop an action plan. Subsequent weeks of falling below the 80% average will result in an after-school detention for each week thereafter. This will restart at the beginning of each trimester.
- Any student not meeting the required 80% behavior average will be ineligible to participate in 8th-grade activities as well as school-wide events planned throughout the year.
Grammar: Along with specific grammar units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, daily language review (DLR) sentences will be practiced in class Monday - Thursday. The DLR’s that we complete in class will be collected after a few weeks for a grade. These can be worth a lot of points. Be sure to follow along in class and complete these. You will get points for making the corrections we make as a class on the board, along with rewriting the sentences. Be sure to look over the grammar skills reviewed in class because on any Friday there may be a grammar check quiz to ensure the skill or skills were mastered.
Vocabulary Program: Our vocabulary workbooks are linked to a website called: sadlierconnect.com. This site has many practice exercises, games, and practice quizzes. For each lesson we will use the online assessment as part of your grade along with the final test. I recommend studying and reviewing vocabulary ten minutes a day. Also, it is very helpful to use these words as much as possible in and out of school. My goal for you is to feel comfortable and knowledgeable enough to incorporate these words into your everyday oral and written vocabulary. You will have at least two weeks with each set of words to study. There is no reason why this shouldn't be everyone's strongest point in the class with all the practice we will do.
Homework: Homework is given to practice the lessons we went over in class, and it is used to monitor your progress. Homework is due at the beginning of class on the day that it is due. However, no credit will be given for late homework the next day or any day thereafter. Do not leave your homework in your locker, you will not be allowed to go to your locker to get it. All homework should have your name and core number on it. It is your responsibility to approach me about your absent work. Zeros are given for any absent work not completed after the given amount of days absent.
Homework passes:
- Can NOT be used on work that is given out by a substitute
- Paws can only be used on assignments that the teacher decides on
- 25 paws are needed to be used for a homework pass
- If homework paws are used, the teacher will put “Paw” in the gradebook and it will be an excused assignment, so it will not impact their grade positively or negatively.
- If you are using 25 paws for a homework pass you must attach the paws to the original homework assignment and turn it in with that assignment - - If you lost the assignment you cannot use a homework pass, you will receive a zero for that assignment.
Edmodo: All essays should be typed and turned into the Edmodo website. In the beginning of the year we will create individual student accounts. Late essays will not be accepted. The website will close after the designated turn in date and time. Students need to make sure they are using their time wisely and turn their essays into the proper spot. If a student is unable to type the essay they may write it in their neatest hand writing on a clean sheet of loose-leaf paper in blue or black pen. Hand-written final drafts of essays should never have scratch outs or be in pencil.
Pre & Post Tests: Each vocabulary lesson and specific grammar skill that we cover will be given a pre & posttest. The scores will be recorded in the grade book in a section that is not weighted as a part of the final grade. This is to show the student progress over the few weeks. If a student passes the pretest with a 100% percent at any time he and/or she will not be required to take the posttest and will be given a 100% on the post test. However, if they do not receive a 100% on the pretest they will be required to take the post test. If at any time a student does receive a 100% on the pretest they are still required to do all the work for that specific lesson if they want to receive points. The only thing the 100% on the pretest excludes them from is the post test.
Projects: In this class we will do several different projects that will involve multiple parts and presentations. It is essential that you are prepared for these projects and complete all of the necessary requirements by the given deadlines. Since ample class time is given for all projects, each project completed will be worth at least 2 test grades. Each trimester there will be at least one major project with a presentation. Everyone will be required to complete these projects and present them, no exceptions.