materlakes.enschool.org · Web viewUse context clues to create your own context definition of the word. • Try to figure out what word means based on rest of sentence, and on what

Mater Lakes Academy Middle/High SchoolA Miami Dade County Public Charter School

17300 NW 87th Avenue Miami, FL 33018 (305) 512-3917

______________________________________________________________________________________

Ms. Kathleen E. Wile8th Grade English

Room 130Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Mater Lakes Academy! My name is Kathleen Wile and I am very excited to be your child’s 8th grade English 1 teacher. This is my second year teaching at Mater Lakes Academy. Prior to this point I taught in both Immokalee, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina. Since I was young, I have always loved reading and the English language. I was inspired by my senior English teacher in high school to share that love with others. I graduated from Queens University of Charlotte with a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Education. Since then, I have enrolled in several classes in order to gain a specialization in both reading, and exceptional student education. I am currently certified to teach Secondary Education (grades 6-12).It is important for parents and students to sit down together and read and discuss the information provided in this document. Please sign and date the attached form and return it back to me as soon as possible.

GENERAL PROCEDURESIn order to succeed in this class, each student should know what is expected of them. The following are responsibilities that will guarantee a great year. Each student must have PRIDE:

P erseverance: Always try your hardest in class. This means coming prepared with all materials, never

cheating, and never replying with "I don't know" as an answer. If you don't think you know an answer, take a guess. The worst you can be is wrong.

R espect: o Respect others and yourself. Keep your hands to yourself and away from

others. Think before you speak. Racial slurs or bullying comments will not be tolerated in this class and will result in severe consequences.

I nvolvement:o Participation will be a grade that each student receives at the end of the year.

Students are expected to listen and respond to the teacher and classmates at all times.

o During group assignments, students must share the work and will evaluate each other's performances.

D iscipline: o Follow all school rules.o Come dressed in uniform every day. o No food or electronics will be allowed in class. o No cheating is allowed! If you are caught cheating, you will receive a 0 on

the assignment and you will be asked to stay after school on a Wednesday to redo it in front of me. You will receive a new score for the redo alone.

E nthusiasm: o When Ms. Wile makes a request of you, you are to do it immediately.

“Home of the Bears”

o Be active in following all Ms. Wile's and the school rules.On the first day of school, each student will be randomly assigned to a “house” for which they will earn and lose points for the school year. At the end of each quarter, the “house” with the most points will receive a prize! Students earn points for their house by completing homework assignments, participating in class discussions, and other various tasks. TARDIESTardies will result in a lower conduct/academic grade. If students are tardy in my class, it is their responsibility to either speak with me or another responsible classmate to obtain any missed assignments or notes. Copies of all handouts will be kept in the front of the room and updated each week. After an excessive amount of tardies in my class, there will be a call home, a responsibility paper or if applicable, a detention may be assigned.

ABSENCESAll assignments are expected to be handed in and completed ON TIME, however, if you miss school for an excused reason, you must obtain a pass from the main office and make sure that all your teachers sign it in the designated area. Once that official pass is received, you will be expected to catch up on all assignments missed while you were out. Make-up work should be completed no later than a week after the absence occurred. A “Z” will appear on the grade book until I have received the assignment. Students have 48 hours from the time they return to school from their absence to “excuse” their absence with the main office. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence and in this case, students are not allowed to make up the work. It is imperative you understand the importance in being present in class at all time, because as noted, it directly affects your grade not only in my class, but in all other courses as well.

*Please look to the Parent Contract for information on the school’s policies regarding “excused” and “unexcused” absences and tardies, along with any additional rules or details

that may be of interest to you.

UNEXCUSED LATE WORKDuring the school year, no late work will be accepted. Students will receive a “Z” in the grade book for every missed assignment in my class.

HOME LEARNINGHomework will be given on a regular basis and it is expected to be placed in the “Inbox” the next time the class meets, at the very beginning of class. Any homework turned in after class has begun will be considered late. Homework is always thoroughly explained and clearly written on the “homework board” at the very front of the classroom. Students are encouraged to write down their homework in an agenda, but if they fail to do so, they can always view the homework on our website, materlakes.org. Homework is updated on a daily basis and at times, students will be required to print out certain handouts from the site in order to complete an assignment. Class or school announcements along with important parent/student information will also be posted on the website. I encourage parents and students to access the website routinely as it is a great tool to use.

NO NAME WORKStudents who turn in assignments (homework/classwork/quiz/test) and fail to write their name will not be given credit for their work. All “no name” assignments will be placed in a bin titled “no name work” until the ending of that particular quarter. If by the ending of the semester, no student claims their work, assignments will be discarded.

HALL PASSES

At the beginning of every quarter, every student will be assigned a set of hall passes (3 in total). These can be used to go to the restroom or drink water. When students want to exit the classroom, I will remove the pass and I will sign one off. Students are only allowed to use the bathroom/drink water three times throughout the given quarter. Once students have used all three hall passes, they may borrow one from another classmate or use the restroom in another class/period, but they must have a pass available to exit my classroom. If students do not use a certain amount of passes, they can use them towards extra credit at the end of the quarter. I will announce the date hall passes must be submitted in order to receive the credit. Listed below are the extra credit opportunities students have with the passes:

-If all three hall passes are left at the end of the quarter, the student’s house will receive 5 additional points.

SPRINGBOARD CURRICULUMMater Lakes Academy is continuing our commitment to college and career readiness through a partnership with the CollegeBoard. As a component of this partnership, students will be using the “Official Pre-AP Program” known as SpringBoard in their Language Arts classroom. SpringBoard offers engaging and relevant lessons that teach students proven learning strategies that emphasize higher-order thinking skills, challenging them to aim higher and achieve more. I encourage you to take an active role in your child’s participation in SpringBoard so that you can support and monitor his/her progress along the way. You will see your child grow in his/her ability to apply and communicate concepts - qualities that are transferable to other subject areas and to real-world situations. With both SpringBoard and your support, your child has the potential to realize a very bright future.

SPRINBGOARD TEXTBOOKAt the beginning of the academic year, Springboard books will be distributed to students during class time. Upon distribution, students will be asked to sign a sheet verifying that they received their book and their names will be clearly written on the margin of the book. Books will stay in Room 130. Book are consumable, so students are allowed to write on them. At the ending of the year, I will recollect the books. If the child’s book is lost/stolen, they must see me and I will provide them with a financial obligation form. That form indicates that the student lost or misplaced a school resource and I am authorizing them to purchase another one. They must purchase a new Springboard book at the school library for $15.00. Failure to purchase a new book will impact their academic performance in my class.

Lesson Essential QuestionEvery day, the students will see the "lesson essential question" or "LEQ" on the white board. These questions are created as higher order thinking questions to check student understanding of each day's lesson. At the end of class each day, as an exit slip, students will be required to answer the LEQ in their notebooks. These will be checked by Ms. Wile each Friday for 10% of the student's overall grade.

ASSESSMENTSThere will be a variety of assessment tools that will be used throughout the year, which include teacher observations, conferencing, projects, quizzes, and tests. Projects, quizzes, and tests are important to use in the classroom setting because it allows me as the teacher to see what are my students strengths and weaknesses. These form of assessments will be assigned on a regular basis and students will be given ample time to prepare. At times, however, I may assign students a pop quiz to ensure that they have understood the material and are well prepared for class. Announcements concerning projects, quizzes, or tests will be available on our homework board and on our website, materlakes.org.

CLASSROOM RULES1. Enter class in complete uniform.2. Be seated and ready to work when the bell rings.3. Raise your hand and be acknowledged prior to speaking.4. Bring all supplies daily. 5. Bring homework daily.6. Treat teacher and fellow students with respect.7. Cell phones are to be turned off and put away at all times.8. No gum, food, or drinks allowed in classroom.

CONSEQUENCES FOR BREAKING CLASSROOM RULES1. Verbal Warning/ Teacher-student conference2. PRIDE Paper3. Parent contact4. Detention5. Referral6. Indoor/outdoor suspension

CATEGORIES FOR GRADESBell Ringers and Lesson Essential Questions: 10%Homework: 10%Classwork/Springboard work: 20%Tests/Projects: 40%Quizzes: 20%

ACADEMIC GRADING SCALEA: 3.5-4.0B: 2.5-3.4C: 1.5-2.4D: 1-1.4F: Below 1

CONDUCT GRADING SCALEA: 0-2 warningsB: 3-5 warningsC: 6 warningsD: 7-9 warningsF: 10 or more warnings

EFFORT GRADING SCALE1: Outstanding Effort2: Satisfactory Effort3: Insufficient Effort

MATERIALS REQUIRED 3 ring binder with pockets for

homework and handouts (1) Mead 3 subject spiral notebook

o Bell Ringers/LEQs/notes (2) Red pens (3) Highlighters Pencils Loose Leaf Paper

Books:

Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury

A Midsummer Night’s Dream- William Shakespeare

Independent Novels

Syllabus- 8th Grade Language ArtsBooks for the YearFahrenheit 451- Ray BradburyA Midsummer Night’s Dream- William ShakespeareSpringboard Selections

Below is the syllabus for the year. Included are assorted literature pieces.

Dates and Standards Grammar and Vocabulary Goals Writing Goals Literature Goals

August 24-28LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.RL.1.1LAFS.8.RL.1.2LAFS.8.RL.1.3LAFS.8.RL.2.4

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningTeach 4 step vocabulary procedure:

1. Say the word out loud. • Sometimes after pronouncing the word, you realize you already know it.

2. Look for word parts you recognize. • Cover up familiar prefixes and suffixes to reveal the smaller base word.

3. Use context clues to create your own context definition of the word. • Try to figure out what word means based on rest of sentence, and on what you already know about story and characters.

4. Look up the word in your dictionary. • This will confirm whether or not your context definition is correct and will help cement word in your memory

Review capitalization and basic word parts (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)

Dissecting writing prompts (topics)Discuss the 4 W’s and H of prompts:1. Who is the audience?2. What type of essay am I

writing? How can I tell?3. How do I use the prompt to help

me organize my essay?4. Where can I find information for

previewing the text (charts, graphs, headers, etc.)? What is that information? How does it help me understand the prompt?

5. Why should the prompt/subject matter be important to the reader?

Writing in a formal style

Novel Focus: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (Summer Reading Novel)

August 31- September 4LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.1LAFS.8.RL.2.6

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureQuiz: capitalization, word parts (10 minutes)Verbals: gerunds

Pre-writing- Creating an outline using headers and sub-headersMaking a thesis statementMaking a claimWriting in a formal style

Continue Fahrenheit 451 analysis

September 8-11 (4 day week)LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.1LAFS.8.RL.3.7

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureVerbals: gerunds, participles

Review pre-writingForming an introduction (hook, introduction of topic to reader, explanation of what’s to come, review thesis)Writing in a formal style



Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureVerbals: gerunds, participles, infinitives

Reliability/biasChoosing relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information for examplesIntroducing quotationsWriting in a formal style



Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureQuiz: Verbals (20 minutes)

Reliability/biasChoosing relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information for examplesCiting informationWriting in a formal style


September 28-October 2LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.1LAFS.8.RL1.1-4.10

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureVerbs: Passive Voice

ElaborationOrganizing body paragraphsWriting in a formal style

Assorted selections from Springboard Unit 2Independent Reading from student choice of author.

October 5-9LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.1LAFS.8.RL1.1-4.10

Baseline Writing AssessmentTeach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureVerbs: Active Voice

Baseline Writing AssessmentCiting informationParaphrasing v. quoting



Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureQuiz: Verbs- Active and Passive Voice

Writing in a formal styleTransition words and phrasesConnecting the ideas of the essay to create cohesionWriting in a formal style



Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureSubject/Verb agreement

Writing in a formal styleForming a conclusion


October 26-29 (4 day week)LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.RL1.1-4.10LAFS.8.L.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureSubject/Verb agreement



November 2-6LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureRecognizing changes in verb tense


Stories about the following heroic figures: Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, Perseus, Cadmus, Penelope, Atalanta, Gilgamesh, Sigurg the VolsungAssorted Springboard pieces

November 9-13 (4 day week)LAFS.8.L.3.4

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureQuiz: Verb tenses, subject/verb agreement

Writing in a formal styleReview all previous elementsRe-reading your essay for revision


November 16-20LAFS.8.L.3.4LAFS.8.L.1.2

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUse 4 step vocabulary procedureTeach ellipsis and dash

Writing with sentence variety (structure and lengths)Midyear Writing Assessment


November 23-24LAFS.8.W.4.10

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningTeach colon and semicolon

Writing with sentence variety (structure and lengths)

Midyear Writing Assessment


November 30- December 4LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningTeach colon and semicolon

Introducing a claimDistinguishing a claim from a thesis statement


December 7-11LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUsing commas and coordinating conjunctions

Distinguishing claims from alternate or opposing claims


December 14-18LAFS.8.W.4.10

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaning

Distinguishing claims from alternate or opposing claims

Stories about the following heroic figures: Hercules,

LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Using commas and subordinating conjunctions Achilles, Theseus, Perseus, Cadmus, Penelope, Atalanta, Gilgamesh, Sigurg the VolsungAssorted Springboard pieces

January 4-8LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningAdverbial clauses

Revisit reliability and validity of sourcesChoosing relevant evidence to support a claim


January 11-15LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningAdverbial clauses

Writing an argumentative introduction Stories about the following heroic figures: Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, Perseus, Cadmus, Penelope, Atalanta, Gilgamesh, Sigurg the VolsungAssorted Springboard pieces

January 19-22 (4 day week)LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningNoun clauses

Crafting an argumentative body paragraph using words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify relationships between the claim, counterclaim, reasons, and evidence


January 26-29 (4 day week)LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.1.2LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningNoun clauses


Assorted selections from Springboard Unit 3

February 1-5LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.2.3LAFS.8.W.1.1

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUsing verbs in the passive voice




Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningUsing verbs in the active voice

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented


February 17-19 (3 day week)


Provide a concluding statement or Assorted selections from Springboard Unit 2

LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.2.3LAFS.8.W.1.1

Choosing when to use active v. passive voice in writing

section that follows from and supports the argument presented


Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningConditional and subjunctive moods

Providing a “call to action” at the conclusion of an essay.


February 29-March 4LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.2.3LAFS.8.W.1.1

Conditional and subjunctive moods Writing TestProviding a “call to action” at the conclusion of an essay.


March 7-11LAFS.8.W.4.10LAFS.8.L.2.3

Teach 5 Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to word meaningConditional and subjunctive moods

Writing Test Assorted selections from Springboard Unit 2

March 14-18LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8

Reading Test Creating research questions Assorted selections from Springboard Unit 2

March 28-April 1LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8


Identifying web sources to answer a research question. Distinguish between .edu, .com, and .org websites


April 4-7 (4 day week)LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8


Identifying web sources to answer a research question. Distinguish between .edu, .com, and .org websites


April 11-15LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8


Identifying print sources to answer a research question. Analyze newspapers, journal articles and magazines


April 18-22LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8


Identifying relevant evidence from sources to answer a research question.How to quote or paraphrase data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism.


April 25-29LAFS .8.W.3.7


How to quote or paraphrase data and conclusions of others while avoiding

A Midsummer Night’s Dream-

LAFS .8.W.3.8 plagiarism.APA citation

William Shakespeare

May 2-6LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8LAFS .8.W.3.9


How to use fictional or classical works to support analysis, reflection and research




How to use fictional or classical works to support analysis, reflection and research




Drafting a research paper A Midsummer Night’s Dream- William Shakespeare

May 23-27LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8 LAFS .8.W.3.9


Revising a research paper A Midsummer Night’s Dream- William Shakespeare

May 31-June 3 (4 day week)LAFS .8.W.3.7LAFS .8.W.3.8 LAFS .8.W.3.9


Presenting a research paper A Midsummer Night’s Dream- William Shakespeare

June 6-9 (4 day week)

I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Feel free to call our main office at 305-512-3917 or you can also e-mail, which is the most effective way to get in contact with me. My email will be on the school website. I am looking forward to working with you and your child. Remember, communication is the key to a great parent-teacher relationship.

Sincerely,

Ms. Kathleen Wile

Ms. Kathleen Wile

_____________________________________________________________________________

*REMEMBER*

Please sign the attached form, stating that you have read and understand the terms of this letter/contract.

THANK YOU

I have read and understand the terms of this Welcome Letter/Parent Contract. I accept the responsibilities stated in this document.

________________________________________________Student’s Name (PRINT)

_________________________________________________Student’s Signature

_________________________________________________Date

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have read and understand the terms of this Welcome Letter. I am aware of my child’s responsibilities, which are stated in this document.

_________________________________________________Parent/Guardian’s Name (PRINT)

__________________________________________________Parent/Guardian’s Signature

___________________________________________________Child’s Name (PRINT)

____________________________________________________Date

Documents

materlakes.enschool.org · Web viewUse context clues to create your own context definition of the word. • Try to figure out what word means based on rest of sentence, and on what