Welcome to Eighth Grade Core! Language Arts/U.S. History

1. Welcome to Eighth Grade Core!Language Arts/U.S. History Mrs. Laura Allen

2. Assessment *No Late Homework!* See extra handout for how grades are calculated.

3. Projects • Biggest consideration in final grade/most accurate and deep way to assess student understanding • Includes final writing drafts, speeches, end-of-unit projects for Literature and History • More than just parroting answers from the book • Some class time, but must be worked on at home step by step • See Social Studies rubric for an idea of what to expect

4. Typical Homework Load • Writing drafts typically due on WEDNESDAYS and FRIDAYS • Prep work and reading (preparation for Socratic Seminar) due every THURSDAY. Literature questions due TUESDAYS (starting October). • Conventions Review due every FRIDAY during first quarter. • WordMasters definitions due on WEDNESDAYS, quizzes on THURSDAYS. (Mid-October through late April.)

5. Getting Help • If your child’s grades are lower than B’s, there are things you can do • Check for understanding • Check if the work is being completed • Help with organization • Quiz your child to prepare for tests • Compare your child’s work to the rubric before it’s due • Contact me if your child is having a hard time understanding the material/doing the work

6. Helping at Home • Many eighth graders still need parents’ support: Check in with your child daily • Check the planner and/or website to see what the homework is • Focus on work habits and organization first, with grades (Pinnacle) as secondary • Encourage respectful, polite behaviors toward all others • Help your child get to school on time with all needed supplies

7. Contact Information • allen_laura@cusdk8.org • http://teacherweb.com/CA/MillerMiddleSchool/Allen • Stay connected: • Bookmark school website, Sign up for Yahoo newsgroup, Add me to your contacts • 252-3755 x 219 • Parent Internet Viewer (attendance, grades): Please check frequently • Z = missing; X = excused; __ = not graded yet

8. Language Arts • Fiction and Non-fiction Reading (Focus on Comprehension and Analysis) • Integrated with U.S. History • Speeches: Listening and Speaking • Spelling & Vocabulary Study (WordMasters, Grade Level Spelling Lists, Literature Circles) • Conventions: Focus on Sentence Structure (Also Grammar, Punctuation, Capitalization)

9. Writing Skills • Organization • Focus • Integrating Technology (Focus on Research) • Revision: multiple drafts and separate documents • I comment on most large assignments before revision is expected and final draft is due

10. Writing: A Variety of Different Genres • Narratives • Persuasive • Poetry • Research Reports (field trip to SJSU Library?) • Response to Literature • Career and Technical (NEW TO STUDENTS)

11. Writing Assessment • 4-point Rubric • All Miller teachers using same format • Aligned with state standards and standardized writing test • Focus on traits of good writing

12. U.S. History and Geography • Analysis Skills (Focus on Primary Sources) • Interactive Student Notebooks • “Considerate” Text (Chunked for meaning) • Unit Projects: Focus on Enduring Understandings (see example) • California Standards Test: April/May • Covers 6th, 7th, 8th grade • Miller students have done very well! • We will review in class

13. Literacy and Analysis Skills Rubric • Miller social studies teachers collaborating • Traits of excellent work in social science • Accuracy • Source Analysis • Reasoning • Personal Analysis • Historical Context • Expect struggle with personal analysis and understanding of historical context at first

14. Units of Study (see back of text) • Colonial Heritage • Constitution Study • American Political System • Territorial Expansion and Early Foreign Policy (connections to present) • Regional Differences (Northeast/South/West) • Slavery • Civil War • Reconstruction • Industrial Revolution

15. THANK YOU