Buckeye Valley Middle School
8th Grade Language Arts
2011-2012 Syllabus
Mrs. Lisa Rose
(740) 363-6626
Course Description
In this course, students will be immersed in materials and skill development relating to reading, writing, listening, viewing and speaking. Many instructional methods and forms of assessment will be used throughout the year to help the students master skills within these areas.
Course Standards
These are a list of some of the major standards to be addressed throughout the year. NOTE that NOT ALL STANDARDS are listed. For a complete list, you can go to: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=1696
· Students will demonstrate the ability to learn, use, spell, and recognize vocabulary.
· Students will acquire and apply vocabulary strategies.
· Students will identify plot and other story elements.
· Students will identify, analyze and respond to themes and principles found in multiple texts.
· Students will demonstrate the ability to use meta-cognitive skills while reading.
· Students will apply writing strategies including pre-writing and editing skills.
· Students will apply correct spelling, conventions, and grammar to their writing.
· Students will compose a variety of writing pieces such as personal narratives, research, poetry, persuasion and essay responses to literature and informational texts.
· Students will identify and apply different types of figurative language.
Assessment Types
1. Tests/Projects – With most units that we study there will be a test and/or project. For tests, students should use materials compiled throughout the unit to help them prepare. Organization of these materials is the responsibility of the student. For projects, a rubric will be given to the students when the project is assigned. A rubric is a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work, or “what counts” (for example, purpose, organization, details, voice, and mechanics are often what count in a piece of writing or project); it also clarifies degrees of quality for each criterion, from excellent to poor.
2. Quizzes - Quizzes are randomly given throughout a unit to see the progress of the students. Sometimes they are graded, sometimes not.
3. Class Work: Students are expected to participate in class. There will often be in class assignments for them to complete. This includes daily warm-ups, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, grammar activities, reading assignments, etc.
4. Homework- Homework assignments are dependent on what students are able to accomplish in class. I do not have specified days in which students have homework, and it is possible that homework assignments will vary by class period. All assignments are posted on my homework board, and I encourage the children to write down their assignments upon entering the room. I also have a web page. This site contains homework, announcements, reminders, spelling words, links to other teacher’s sites from our team, and more. This address is: http://sites.google.com/site/standish103/
5. Vocabulary- Rather than give students weekly spelling lists, we believe that it is more effective to give students fewer words and continually expose them to these words until they have mastered their use in both their writing and oral language. Every 9 weeks, students will receive a list of 20 new vocabulary words. Over the course of the grading period, they will study the meaning of these words and begin incorporating them into their writing. Not only must students spell these words correctly, but they must also be able to define them, give synonyms and antonyms for each word, and use them correctly in sentences with context clues that give hints to their meaning. This will begin to prepare students for the verbal portions of the ACT and SAT tests that they will take in high school.
When the nine week grading period is over, students will take a test and then receive a new word list. In addition to mastering the new list, they must also continue to use all of the words from previous lists as well. We encourage parents to help students retain these words by incorporating them into conversation at home. While we will spend class time helping students master these words, it is ultimately the responsibility of the student to practice these words outside of school in order to prepare for the tests.
NOTE: Students are responsible to complete schoolwork from either excused or unexcused absences including suspensions, vacations, illness, etc. During the term, the student has one day to make up work for each day of absence. Please see the Student Code of Conduct for further details.
Grading Plan Student grades will be available to parents and students online. Grades are not weighted, and are determined as followed:
Tests/ Projects = 60-100 points per test
Quizzes = 10-25 points per quiz (an AoW is worth a quiz grade)
Homework = 5-10 points per assignment
Class Work /Participation= 5 points per assignment
About the Teacher
My educational journey started in Upper Arlington, after moving I graduated from Thomas Worthington and later attended The Ohio State University, Capital University and Wright State University. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Reading, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, and my K-12 Principal’s License.
I have taught at Trinity Lutheran School in Marysville, Ohio Connections Academy, Buckeye Valley West Elementary, and Buckeye Valley Middle School. This begins my 22nd year teaching and my 8th year as a Baron! I am very excited to be on the 8th grade team and work with a talented bunch of students!
I am a 21 year resident of Marysville, where my husband, Mike, and daughter, Myah, live and are actively involved in our church and community. Mike is the plant accountant at Union Rural Electric, a Touchstone Cooperative, and Myah will be in the 7th grade at Bunsold Middle School.
In my free time I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, attending Myah’s competitive dance competitions and softball games, helping with community theater, and serving at our church.