Curriculum Night

Dear 8th Grade Parents:

Welcome to 8th Grade ELA! Here is an overview of important information regarding this class:

Communication:

• Contact me at dgalang@k051.org with any questions or concerns. When students need help with their work, they can email me and/or make an appointment to see me (during lunch or Wednesday mornings 8:05-8:40). 
• If you haven’t done so, please email me at this address and include your child’s full name and class in the subject heading. No need to include a message.
• Parent meetings can be arranged on Tuesdays 8-8:35am. 
• Check my blog for assignments and lessons: msgalangenglish.blogspot.com.
• All students now have an academic email that they can use in all classes; their email addresses follow this formula: 20firstinitiallastname@k051.org. 
• All students will be writing a blog for this class. This has been set up for them. The URL for each blog follows this formula: 20firstinitiallastname.blogspot.com. This is how they will share their reading and writing. 
• Other ways I communicate with students: 1. Google Classroom; 2. Remind app. Students received instructions on how to sign on.

II. Grading:

• Grading policy: 50% assessments; 15% homework; 20% engagement; 15% accountability
• Assignments must be completed on time; if an urgent situation arises, please email me or send a note. Points will be taken off final assignments if submitted late.
• Register at Pupil Path to view your child’s grades: https://pupilpath.skedula.com/register/parent/ (invitations were given out last week)
• Remember your passwords. Only come to me with technical problems that you cannot resolve on your own or through Pupil Path contacts.
• Please be aware that grades based on input of scores and assignments. 1 missing assignment will be marked as a 0; this will bring down the average at least 10 points depending on its worth.
• Grades should be checked after certain assignments have been inputted; I will let students know when I have inputted grades. You can also check every week or 2 weeks or sign up for automatic replies. Please do not obsessively check grades.   
• It is natural for grades to fluctuate; do not be alarmed when grades change. 
• Being able to see your grades helps create transparency and dialogue. Students should keep their assignments and make sure the grades are accurately posted. Email me if I have made a mistake or if you have questions. 
• Note: the math is accurate on the program and does not have to be checked. The percentages are computed automatically.

III. ELA Curriculum 
1. Writing about Identity and Reading and Responding to Fiction (September)
a. Explore identities through writing identity poems
b. Establish reading rituals: choosing books in a creative way,stopping, thinking, and annotating as we read, discussing books, writing thoughtfully about what we read through notebook entries and published reading responses, and independently obtaining books through school and public libraries
c. Take a baseline assessment on “Ashes” by Susan Beth Pfeffer
d. Create identity bookselves to express and share reading identities.
e. Practice close reading skills: notice and analyze important details; focus on analyzing character, structure, and theme; begin to think more critically about social and controversial issues in texts
f. Create blogs for reading responses; teach and model strategies for responding to texts and writing reading responses
g. Discuss banned books and censorship; engage in book clubs to read a banned book

2. Reading and Responding to Nonfiction (October-November)
a. Practice close reading skills: annotate and notice important details; make connections between texts
b. Plan and write a debate and argument essay on whether or not to ban books
c. Read and respond to Upfront magazines

3. Reading and Writing Picture Books for Social Action/Justice (November-December)
a.  Read a variety of texts and genres that expose students to social issues
b.  Read and understand structure of picture book
c.  Write a picture book on a social issue
d.  Learn how to research 
e.  Write research-based foreword on the issue for picture book

4.  Reading and Writing Poetry for Social Action/Justice (January)
a.  Read a variety of poetry on social issues
b.  Write a short anthology and foreword
c.  Learn/review figurative language and other poetic devices

5.  Romeo and Juliet (February-March)
a.  Learn critical reading skills for reading difficult texts including Shakespeare sonnets
b.  Learn/apply drama skills
c.  Prepare for high school English
d.  Write literary essay


6.  Test Prep (March)
a. NYS ELA Test March 25-26, 2020
b. Become familiar with the test structure and how it is evaluated; practice test-taking skills
c. Learn and apply reading and writing skills for test

7.  Coming of Age (April-June)
a. Read texts and watch films that follow journey of characters going through coming of age
b. Write a multi-genre paper around this theme
c. Reading and preparing for high school 
d. Book club comparing contemporary and traditional classics 

8.  Other requirements of the class:

a.  Independent reading – 
i. Students must read at least 2 hours every week – book of student's choice and at appropriate level; they should also log the books on a reading log and submit at the end of every semester.
Ii. Students receive two issues of Upfront magazine every month. They should read and annotate as they read the articles (new words, questions, ideas, feelings).  
iii. Students must be prepared with their independent reading books every day and must read during Project REAL.
iv. Please encourage your children to read nonfiction as well as fiction. Do book clubs together whenever possible. Also, order books from Scholastic catalogs - we get lots of bonus points and free books this way. I have the catalogs though you can also order online. I also have a link to an Amazon book wish list on my blog.

b.  Language Study – 
As part of our writing units, students will learn vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and mechanics; students will have monthly quizzes on the content taught. They will also have class spelling bees to prepare for the school-wide bee in November.

c. Other focuses:
Critical thinking, reading, writing, and speaking
Fostering identity, community, and responsibility 
Preparing for High School English and beyond…

9.  How you can help:
a. Encourage your children to get excited about reading and writing; take them to book stores, libraries, etc. Read your child's blog and have discussions about books. One great motivation is to read a book then watch a movie version together :-)
b. Please volunteer to chaperone on trips! More information to come...

Thank you for coming. I hope you have a better understanding of what your child is learning in my class. Please email me if you have any further questions.  

Sincerely,
Denise Galang


HOMEROOM

Homeroom is a time to get organized for school. It is a time to:

• Take attendance and fill out section sheet
• Go to lockers 
• Communicate important school news and events
• Hand out notices
• Place cell phones in lock box
• Discuss and go over discipline issues and remind students of routines and procedures
• This is not a time to do homework. If students need to print assignments, they must do so during lunch or at afternoon dismissal with my permission only.

Project REAL: 
After lunch, students go straight to their lockers then sit down right away to read. They can read any independent reading book, Upfront magazine, or other magazines/newspapers. They can read on ereaders such as the Kindle but not on their cellular phones. 
This period is part of the student’s accountability grade in ELA.
This is not a time to catch up with other classes or teachers; it is important that students are present and engaged in reading during this time. Visits to the main office or other classrooms must be made during lunch or before or after school. 


8th Grade ELA      Curriculum Night Quiz:

1.     What is the minimum requirement for independent reading per week?


2.     What should students be reading for independent reading?


3.  What is your child’s school email address? 

What is your child’s blog URL? 


4. What is my email address? 


5. How do you check your child’s grades?