8 th grade language arts

1. 8th grade language arts Ms. Darnell

2. expectations • Follow all rules in the WCPSS Student Handbook. • Follow all NGMS rules and expectations. • Follow all team rules. • Don’t be late! The tardy policy will be enforced! • Use appropriate language and follow the dress code. • Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. • Be a buddy, not a bully! • Respect your teachers and peers.

3. Be Prepared • You are expected to bring the following to class each day: • One inch, three ring binder with loose leaf paper • Pencil • Agenda • Colored pencils • Glue stick • Book currently being read • Homework/assignments due

4. Classroom procedures • Each day, you will enter the classroom and sit in your assigned seat. • You will look at the board under “BELLWORK” to find directions for what to do at the beginning of the class period.

5. Classroom Procedures • If any assignments are to be turned in, you will turn them in to the correct bin immediately. • If you were absent the previous day, check the “While you were out…” bin for missing assignments. • Sharpen your pencil and return to your seat.

6. Classroom procedures • Complete the required bellwork for the day. • After the bellwork is completed, you may read quietly or work on another Language Arts assignment while we wait for the transition into our next activity. • You may NOT work on assignments from other classes in my Language Arts class!

7. Classroom procedures • Homework is always posted on the side board next to the daily objectives. • It is your responsibility to keep track of due dates!

8. Classroom Procedures • Bathroom/locker passes • Each quarter, I will give you three passes to use. These passes can be used to go to the restroom, go to your locker, or go to a previous class to retrieve forgotten items. • These passes should be kept in your Language Arts notebook at all times. I will sign your pass to give you permission to leave my classroom. • You may not borrow passes from someone else, or loan passes to others. You get three and only three. • These passes expire at the end of each quarter. • I will not sign a pass if I am in the middle of teaching a lesson.

9. Classroom Procedures • Basic Dos and Don’ts… • Do complete all assignments and study for tests and quizzes. • Don’t let me hear you say you weren’t aware of due dates or that you forgot about a quiz, test, or project! • Do use your three passes per quarter for bathroom/locker breaks. • Don’t ask me to use a pass within the first five minutes of class or while I’m teaching a lesson. • Do sharpen pencils and turn in assignments before the bell rings. • Don’t get up to sharpen your pencil or turn in assignments while I am teaching a lesson. • Do be responsible for your own actions! • Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Your success depends on you and no one else!

10. binders • You are expected to bring your Language Arts binder to class every single day. Failure to come to my classroom with your Language Arts binder will result in silent lunch. • Only Language Arts work is allowed in your Language Arts binder. Do not use your binder for any other class. • I will not give you a Table of Contents to help keep your binder organized; organization is your responsibility. However, I will keep an example binder in my classroom to provide a model for how to stay organized. • I expect you to keep ALL classroom handouts, notes, tests and quizzes. Do not throw anything away.

11. Absences • You are always expected to make up missed work! • It is your responsibility to take the initiative and seek out missed notes/assignments. • “While You Were Out” bin contains handouts/notebook materials you may have missed while absent. • I am happy to help you catch up on missed work, but YOU must take the initiative to make up missed assignments. • Absences DO NOT prevent you from taking tests on their assigned date if I feel you are prepared for the test.

12. Late work • Late work = lower grades! • One day late = 90% highest grade possible • Two days late = 80% highest grade possible • More than two days late = work will NOT be accepted • Zeros will be given until an assignment is turned in. If an assignment is never turned in, that grade will remain a zero.

13. Grading policy

14. Quarterly book projects • You will be required to complete TWO (2) book projects each quarter. • Your projects should reflect your understanding of two different fiction novels of an appropriate reading level. • Due dates will be provided at the beginning of each quarter. • More info to come on these assignments this week. Start reading!

15. Reading logs • Read 20-30 minutes each night at least five times per week. Our goal is to be consistently reading 100 minutes every week. • Logs will be kept in your notebook and signed by a parent/guardian. • Read what you want! • Those who complete the required number of reading log minutes for the quarter will attend the Reading Log Reward party!

16. Bring books to class! • It is required that you bring a book you are reading to each class. • If you have outstanding library materials or fines from previous years, please turn in your materials or pay your library fines immediately!I have a classroom library that you may use to check out books. The checkout sheet is located beside the bookshelf near my desk.

17. Article of the week • You will receive an article that you are responsible for reading, annotating, and reflecting upon each week. • Articles will be given on Mondays; annotated articles and written reflections will be due on Fridays. • We will go over this procedure in class when the first AOW is assigned.

18. Class website • www.darnellela.wikispaces.com • Weekly Email • I will be writing a weekly e-mail to keep your parents/families updated on our 8th grade Language Arts happenings. • Please let your parents know that I would love for them to be on the list.

19. Questions?