South Middle School

8th Grade Syllabi for Core Classes:

● Language Arts● Math 8● Science● Social Studies

Grades will be issued at the end of the first and second semester. Progress reports will be mailed home at the end of 6 and 12 weeks. Parents and students are encouraged to follow progress on PowerSchool. Visit the district webpage to learn more about how to access your account.

8th Grade Homework Beliefs and Expectations: We believe and foster high expectations and a “champion mindset” where students use affirmations and goal setting to celebrate their learning successes. Students should be reading at home--a novel of their choice for English Language Arts (ELA) and/or projects and assignments from Social Studies and Science--and completing the daily practice of Math skills. Our eighth graders should expect homework if the student does not complete the work in class. Reassessments and enrichments have varying policies according to departments, so please see each individual syllabus in the following pages.

School and Class Policies: Be respectful, responsible, and safe. All policies stated in the South Middle School student handbook will be observed; in addition, electronics are encouraged to be “off and away” and kept in lockers during class periods unless otherwise instructed by a staff member.

Grading Criteria and CategoriesAcademic grades will reflect a student’s mastery of the subject’s knowledge and skills according to state standards. Extra credit will not be provided. Eighty percent of a student’s grade will be determined on summative assessments based on the proficiencies; twenty percent will be based on daily work and other formative assessments (AKA: Target Practice). Below is an example of what makes up each percentage.

Grading Criteria and Categories (continued)

Types of Assessment

Department

English Language Arts

Math 8 Physical Science

United States History

Summative Assessments(A summary of knowledge and/or skills)

Examples: tests, quizzes, projects, essays or speeches

80% 70% 80% 80%

Quizzes 10%

Formative Assessments(The formation of knowledge and/or skills,

practice, personal management)Examples: daily assignments, notes, vocabulary, journals, meeting of deadlines

20% 20% 20% 20%

Grading ScaleRubric

Grading ScaleLetter Grade

5 Mastery: Superior academic performance through evidence of in-depth understanding and demonstration of skill/standard.

A (Mastery)90%-100%

4 Approaching Mastery: Consistently meets and sometimes exceeds the basic skill/standard and has a complete understanding, and can demonstrate the skill/standard.

B (Approaching Mastery)80%-89%

3 Proficient: Meets the standard with basic knowledge and demonstration. Some errors may be present.

C (Proficient)70-79%

2 Working Toward Proficient: Occasional demonstration of skill/standard. F (Not yet proficient)Below 69%1 Not Yet Proficient/Insufficient Evidence: Limited achievement of the grade

level standards or/and expectations. Proficiency cannot be determined due to missing assignments, and/or length of time in school.

0 or DA: Did not attempt. F (Not yet proficient)

Janna E. Reid Room 18 jereid@grantspass.k12.or.us 541-474-5750 ext 138

Scott Gottula Room 19 sgottula@grantspass.k12.or.us 541-474-5750 ext 139

8th English Language Arts

Course Overview: 8th grade English Language Arts (ELA) consists of the study of literature, composition, and vocabulary.  We will study several types of literature:  novel, short story, poetry, drama, and nonfiction.  The writing portion of the class will focus on the organization of main ideas and support as we write in the argumentative, informative/explanatory, and narrative modes; essays will be scored using the State and Common Core Standards.

Course Standards: Power Standard Description/Learning Targets

Cite textual evidence Cite textual evidence to support my analysis of what I read (RL.1, RI.1)

Theme Determine a theme or central idea of a text (RL.2, RI.2)

Author’s point of view Identify and explain the author’s point of view within a variety of texts (RL.6)

Plot line Identify, define, and/or analyze all parts of a plot line within a text (RL.3)

Summary Provide an objective summary of a text (RL.2, RI.2)

Word meaning Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text (RL.4, RI.4, L.4, L.5)

Main ideas and supporting details

Write with clear main ideas and supporting details (W.1)

Organizational structure Use organizational structure appropriate to the writing mode (i.e. informative/explanatory, argumentative, narrative, research) (W.4)

Grammar and Conventions

Understand  and demonstrate correct usage of standard English grammar  and conventions in writing or speaking (L.1, L.2)

Speaking and Listening Present claims and findings in a coherent manner (SL.4)

Reassessment:  Students will be able to reassess summative assessments throughout the semester on an individual-need basis. Students are advised to complete all formative assessments attached to the summative assessment prior to a summative re-assessment. Retakes of formative assessments will not be offered. Be awesome.

8th Grade Science

Andrew Owen Cheyenne DavisRoom 17 Room 16

aowen@grantspass.k12.or.uscdavis@grantspass.k12.or.us

541-474-5750 ext. 50137 541-474-5750 ext. 50136

Course Overview: Throughout the year this course provides the opportunity for the student to develop scientific skills, laboratory techniques, and an understanding of the fundamental principles of the life science, earth science and physical science. Students will explore the three branches as a process, utilizing hands-on activities, vocabulary, reading and writing strategies and scientific inquiry. Since 8th grade is a state testing year for science, integration of 6th and 7th grade concepts and vocabulary is included.

Course Standards: Topics covered in class covering NGSS standards include:· Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits· Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity· Earth’s Place in the Universe· Earth and Human Activity· Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions· Energy· Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer· Engineering Design

Late or Missing Work: Students must complete assignments and submit them to the teacher in order to demonstrate that they are working toward proficiency prior to taking assessments.

Reassessment: To demonstrate proficiency, all students are expected to pass each assessment with a C- or better. Students will be given opportunities to retake assessments they fail in order to demonstrate proficiency. One retake will be offered on a specific date designated by the teacher. To retake a failed assessment, students must demonstrate that they have practiced by resubmitting corrected tests and may be required to complete missing work. Additional retakes may be requested by the teacher.

Required Texts and Other Supplies/Fees: Students must bring their issued Science Unit Workbook to class daily. Science Policies: Students are expected to act and think like scientists. They will be open-minded and willing to listen to new ideas, curious, careful and accurate in everything they do. Students will develop questions and think about what they read and observe while being enthusiastic participants in class. To maintain a safe laboratory students are asked to be in their science bodies and be aware of themselves, others and science equipment. Students will be in their assigned seats with all required supplies, working on the daily prompt when the tardy bell rings.

Math 8

Sam Serrage Melissa KliseRoom 23 Room 22sserrage@grantspass.k12.or.us mklise@grantspass.k12.or.us 541-474-5750, ext. 50143 541-474-5750, ext. 50142

Course Standards: Solving Equations Angles, Parallel Lines, TransversalsLinear Relationships TrianglesNon Linear Relationships Pythagorean TheoremSystems ExponentsTwo-Variable Statistics Volume and Transformations

Reassessment: Students will be allowed to retake a Celebration of Knowledge (summative assessment) if they meet the following criteria:

● Students must have all homework assignments, for the unit, completed prior to the original Celebration of Knowledge. Students not completing all assignments will not be allowed a retake.

● Students must complete a self-evaluation form● Complete extra practice assignments to show progress toward proficiency as deemed

necessary by teacher. ● Meet with teacher to go over completed work and discuss any misconceptions. ● Retake assessments may be taken at lunch on Tuesday or Thursday or by appointment.

Students must schedule a time to complete a retake assessment with teacher. Retakes should be completed within two weeks of receiving the returned original assessment unless prior arrangements are made.

Required Texts and Other Supplies/Fees: Students will be issued a textbook to keep at home. The textbook is also available online at oregonfocus.com. The login is grantspass and the password is oregon62. Students will be required to bring pencil, pen, highlighter, binder, and workbook each day.

Note: 8th Grade Math students are required to have a scientific calculator (such as the Texas Instrument TI-30X IIS, TI30-XS MultiView, TI-34 MultiView, in class EVERY DAY! These cost $15-20 at most office supply stores or Wal-Mart. If this is not possible, please let your math teacher know.

Homework: Students will be given practice homework on an average of 3-4 nights a week. It’s expected that students should complete assigned homework as their success in the course depends on it. Homework is due at the beginning of the period the day after it is assigned.

A separate, more detailed syllabus will be provided in student’s math class.

United States History

Lois MacMillan Casey PettyRoom 21 Room 12lmacmillan@grantspass.k12or.us cpetty@grantspass.k12.or.us541-474-5750 Ext. 50141 541-474-5750 Ext. 50132

Course Description: Welcome to the study of United States History where students learn to think historically, rather than emphasize the memorization of facts, names, and dates. There will be an emphasis on skills, which help students acquire the ability to understand and learn from documents, literature, and key events, emphasizing the foundations of our American nation. This course also encourages students to be engaged citizens. The following units includes understanding the importance of context, evidence, and chronology from seven eras of U.S. History:

● Native Americans Before European Contact

● Colonial America● American Revolution

● American Constitution● Western Expansion● Antebellum America● American Civil War

Course Standards:Power Standard Description of Learning TargetsUse and interpret documents and other relevant primary and secondary sources pertaining to history citing specific textual evidence from multiple perspectives.

I can analyze and summarize a primary document.

Investigate how differing geographic perspectives apply to issues in history. I can discover how geography affects people and events in history.

Examine the key events, people and documents using political, economic, social, technological and cultural perspectives of a historical period.

I can identify key events, important people and primary documents in a historical period.

Understand and apply knowledge about governmental and political systems and the role, rights and responsibilities of citizens.

I can understand how a government works and what a citizen does.

Identify, distinguish and critique data for author’s point of view, purpose, historical context, distortion, or propaganda and relevance.

I can identify and analyze an author’s point of view.

Evaluate continuity and change over the course of history by analyzing examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups, societies, or nations.

I can analyze how history changes through war, peace, and leaders.

Examine, construct, and evaluate a written historical argument or a controversial event, issue or problem from more than one perspective integrating primary sources, secondary sources, or visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps.)

I can examine an event, issue, or argument from history using different resources.

Social Studies Policies: Every unit of study has essential questions that have many formative assignments (to form knowledge and skills) with one summative assessment (a summary test of knowledge and skills.) Formative assignments should be completed prior to summative assessments. In 8th

grade Social Studies, there is a strong emphasis on writing, especially in the summative assessment. This history class also includes extension activities, acceleration, and other activities, depending on the needs of the student.

Missing Work and Reassessment: With every absence, it is the student’s responsibility to connect with Mr. Petty and Ms. Mac about his or her missing work the day he or she return to school. Students are strongly encouraged to retake assessments that don’t demonstrate proficiency, or wish to retake to earn a higher grade. To demonstrate proficiency, all students need to pass each assessment with a C or better and will be given opportunities to retake assessments in order to demonstrate proficiency.

Please remove this last page from the packet and return to the Ms. Mac or Mr. Petty.

Please initial that you have read the 8th grade course syllabi and understand the reassessment policy in each of the subject areas:

Student Printed Name______________________________________________________ Date __________________

Student Signature___________________________________________________________ Date __________________

Please initial that you have read the 8th grade course syllabi and understand the reassessment policy in each of the subject areas:

Math 8________ Language Arts__________ Science___________ Social Studies_______________

Parent Printed Name _______________________________________________________ Date __________________

Parent Signature ____________________________________________________________Date __________________