Language Arts

1. Language Arts Mrs. McConnell

2. Credentials • Bachelor of Science Elementary Education, Tennessee Temple University • National Board Certification, Middle Childhood Generalist 2002 • Masters Reading Specialist, Appalachian State University, 2005 • 24 years teaching experience

3. Course of Study – 8th Gradehttp://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagearts/scos/2004/25grade8 • Competency Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues. • Competency Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety or resources. • Competency Goal 3: The learner will continue to refine the understanding and use of argument. • Competency Goal 4: The learner will continue to refine critical thinking skills and create criteria to evaluate print and non-print materials. • Competency Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes. • Competency Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.

4. My Beliefs • Every child can become actively engaged in constructing meaning from and with texts. • Students must perform authentic tasks – Real world reading and writing just like real readers and authors do. • The effective middle school language arts classroom is one that uses an interactive, workshop approach to teach reading and writing. • Through the workshop approach, students will focus on 21st Century Skills, content knowledge and expertise. • Students will build understanding across core subjects as well as 21st Century interdisciplinary themes. • Instruction will emphasize deep understanding rather than shallow knowledge. • The workshop approach will engage students with the real world data, tools, and experts they will encounter in college, on the job, and in life – students learn best when actively engaged.

5. Writing Workshop “We tend to underestimate how important writing is to intellectual development and career status. Writing enables students to connect the dots in their knowledge. Writing literally makes kids smarter.” Dr. Mike Schmoker, Results Now • Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday • Workshop Format: • Mini-lesson (Specific Skill / Model Paper) • Status of the class (Students will work through the writing process at their own pace, and have a choice in writing topics.) • Individual writing time / Conferencing with teacher and peer conferences • 1 hour total of writing homework over the weekend (Thursday to Monday)

6. 21st Century Skills • A movement to make education more meaningful and effective to better prepare students for their future in a global economy.  The mission is to facilitate the development of the following skills: • Information and communication skills • Thinking and problem-solving • Interpersonal and self-direction skills • Global awareness • Financial, economic and business literacy • Civic literacy • Students need to become versatile thinkers and communicators. • Adaptation, collaboration, problem solving, self-direction and ICT literacy will be the keys to their personal success and the collective success of countries whose economies depend on skilled workers and innovation.

7. Required Writing Portfolio Pieces – 8th Grade • County – Personal Narrative or Memoir, Argumentative Essay, Poem and a Research Project • Additional pieces: Short Story, 3-5 poems, and a book review

8. Reading Workshop Every measure that looks at pleasure reading and its effects on student performance on standardized tests of reading ability tells us that the major predictor of academic success is the amount of time that a student spends reading. Nancy Atwell, The Reading Zone • Workshop Format: • Mini-lesson (Specific Skill / Book Commercials / Poem) or Read Aloud • Individual reading time (free choice of books) / Conferencing with teacher • Dialogue Journals – due every Friday, 1 pg. critical response to reading, will respond to peer/teacher on a 2 week cycle • Book Commercials – each student will be required to present a book commercial to the class each semester • Every night’s homework is to read at least 30 minutes.

9. Additional Reading Requirements Frequent, voluminous reading is the single activity that consistently correlates with high levels of performance on standardized tests of reading ability. Nancy Atwell, The Reading Zone • Reading Goal for the year: 40 books • Why 40 books? • It makes reading a habit. • It exposes students to a variety of text structures, text features, literary elements and vocabulary

10. Reading Requirements (continued) • Specific Genre requirements: • Poetry (5) • Traditional Literature (5) • Realistic Fiction (5) • Historical Fiction (2) • Fantasy (4) • Science Fiction (2) • Mystery / Suspense (2) • Informational (4) • Biography/Autobiography/Memoir (2) • Free choice (9) All books must have a minimum of 100 pages; books with over 350 pages count as 2 books toward the reading requirement.

11. Homework / Grading • All work is expected to be completed on time. Late work will only be accepted if a student has an excused absence or extenuating circumstances. • Writing will be assessed using rubrics. • Quizzes based on specific skills taught in mini-lessons • Reading grades will be based on the student’s: • progress toward their reading goal (mid-term and nine weeks grade) • adhering to the rules and expectations of reading workshop (weekly grade) • quality of written response in the dialogue journals (2 week grade) • presentation of a book commercial (1 per semester) • creation of a book jacket (1 per nine weeks)

12. Contact Information • Robin_McConnell@catawbaschools.net • Jacobs Fork 704-462-1827 Ext. 1301 • First semester planning is 5th and 6th period (1:00 – 2:25)