Stanford Academy
Eighth Grade
Language Arts

Mrs. Bean

Phone - Spring View (916-624-3381) ext. 4002

E-mail - See Spring View’s Website

Calendar - See Spring View’s Website

&

Grades

Extra help is available most days (unless I have a before/after school duty or a meeting). **************************************************************************************

Course Information

Grading:Grading: 70% for tests, major writing assignments and projects (ESC’s); 30% for

class/homework and all other non-ESC tests, quizzes and writing assignments

Late work is accepted, but points will be deducted for unexcused absences. Late work must be turned in with a “Late Slip” signed by a parent to receive credit.

Texts and Novels:Prentice Hall: Literature; Writing and Grammar

Everyday Spelling (First Semester Only)

The following novels may be used:

Of Mice and Men

Devil’s Arithmetic

Nothing But the Truth

Farewell to Manzanar

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Curriculum:

Writing Applications:Bill of Rights research essay, response to literature essays – both process and timed-write;compare and contrast essay, and an argumentative essay – extension of the Bill of Rights Essay

Literary Response and Analysis:structural and narrative analysis; literary criticism, and elements of literature/poetry

through novels, short stories and poetry

Vocabulary Development:figurative language, analogies, roots,

affixes, definitions, synonyms, antonyms

contextual meaning, related words, SAT words,

and academic vocabulary

Conventions/Mechanics:varied sentence structures,grammar rules, and

application to speaking and writing

Oral Language:informalpresentations/informal discussions and a formal presentation for the Bill of Rights essay/argumentative speech

Organization:daily planner, binder, portfolio

Expository Reading

Strategies:reading and analyzing various expository

materials/Close reading techniques

Study Skills:Cornell Note taking, summarizing and flash cards

Spelling:rules; spelling lists and workbook

practice

Research Skills:use of primary and secondary sources,

synthesizing information, MLA format,

out-lining and parenthetical citations

What you can expect:

  • You can expect to start your L.A. class withdaily oral language as your bell work. You will be quizzed each Friday on the week’s grammar rules and vocabulary that were covered, and you will need to show your understanding by applying these rules and vocabulary.
  • You will have weekly spelling units for the first semesterwith a weekly quiz on Mondays; turn in spelling units after taking the quiz on Mondays.
  • You can expect the following for the first semester: response to literatureessays, compare and contrast essay, elements of literature test, two novels/many short stories, a semester grammar test, Latin/Greek roots and affixes test, weekly spelling quizzes and expository reading assignments.
  • You can expect the following for the second semester: research essay, expository reading test, one novel/many short stories/at least one play, second semester grammar test, Bill of Rights/argumentative speech presentation, vocabulary quizzes, and an elements of literature test mainly focusing on poetry.

Materials:

It would be helpful to have the following items to ensure a successful year:

  • One inch, three ring binder
  • Subject Dividers
  • Binder Paper
  • Pencils and pens(blue or black for writing), red, green, et cetera (for correcting and editing)
  • Highlighters
  • Post-It Notes
  • Small, manual pencil sharpener
  • Glue sticks
  • Index Cards(4 x 6, white or colored)
  • Binder hole punch

Place this in the language arts section of your binder - it should be the very first page.