GENERAL CLASS POLICIES

Dear Students,

Welcome to the 2011-2012school year! Here are some classroom procedures and reminders that your should keep in mind throughout the school year.  They will help you stay organized and succeed in my Literature/Language Arts classes.

  • When you come to class, write your assignments down first thing.
  • Take out any homework assigned the night before.
  • If you do not have your homework, please fill out an academic accountability form and leave it on my desk.
  • Remember after the first week of school you may not go to your locker, after class has started, to retrieve forgotten books or homework.  Homework in lockers is late homework.
  • Always remove your binder and place it under your desk once class has started.
  • Be sure you have a blue/black pen and a red pen, your notebooks, your novel and any textbooks (you will need which I have posted outside the classroom door), with you each day in class.
  • Be sure you write all homework assignments and all tests in blue or black ink. 
  • NO PENCIL PLEASE!
  • Please do not sit next to anyone you will be tempted to chat with during class as it is distracting to everyone and you will lose the privilege to sit there in the future.
  • If you have questions before, during or after class, please do not hesitate to ask me.
  • If you use any of our supplies during class, please return them to their rightful place.   Please clean up after yourself, do not leave papers on your desk or the floor around you.
  • Be sure you save any work done on laptops to your network folder and to your travel drive.  Be sure you plug your laptop in and return it to its proper shelf before leaving class.
  • When you begin homework at home, if you have any questions, please consult my webpage as I do update/modify the homework page daily: http://www.lz95.org/msn/faculty/fmirza/homework.htm
  • In addition, I often stay at school until 3:30 or 4:00 P.M.  You may catch me still at school if you need to e-mail me a question or suggestion.
  • Get into the habit of checking your grades on e-school weekly.  If your grade has dropped suddenly and you do not know why, please come and ask me, and I will tell you the reason and what you need to do to raise your grade.
  • We will go to the library every three or four weeks to check out new novels.  Book reports and/or literary analysis will follow each independent novel you read.
  • If you lose your library book, inform me immediately.  I will help you locate it and help you obtain another copy so you will not fall behind in your reading.
  • I usually assign homework Monday through Thursday.  I try to assign only light homework or no homework over the weekends and I NEVER assign homework over holiday breaks.
  • I give extra credit for participation in the school musical, school play, drama club, newspaper club, yearbook club, scholastic bowl and literary magazine club.  If you belong to any of these please let me know.
  • For extra credit you may also submit a book report or piece of writing at any time throughout the school year except the week prior to grades closing.
  • Homework passes may be used for all regular assignments only.  They may not be used for take home tests, book reports, projects, “post it” novel notes or writing assignments requiring several drafts.
  • If you lose a classroom novel I have given you or a textbook I have given you, please notify me immediately.  I will help you find it.  If you do not find it, I will tell you how much it costs and you will need to replace it.
  • When you go home, if you become ill and cannot do homework but feel better then next day be sure you bring a note from home explaining the situation.  I will excuse you from homework without penalty only if you bring a note from home.  You will be required to bring the missing homework the next day.
  • Technology failures are not accepted as reasons for late homework or projects.  Use a travel drive.  Come to school early to print out a copy of your work.  Go to the library and use their computer or printer. 
  • For any typed paper in my class, please use size 14 and New Roman Times font.  Always double space!  Put your heading on the left hand side.
  • Please e-mail me if you have problems, questions or if I can be of help to you in any way. fmirza@lz95.org         Mrs. Mirza/Literature and Language Arts-8th Grade

 

Eighth Grade Language Arts

Curriculum Overview

Topics of Study

 

  • Grammar
  • Spelling
  • Writing

 

  • Elements of an Essay/6Traits
  1. Conventions
  2. Word Choice
  3. Organization
  4. Ideas
  5. Sentence Fluency
  6. Voice

 

  • Essay Writing
  1. Planning
  2. Writing
  3. Revising and Editing
  4. Publishing, Sharing, Visually Representing

 

  • Writing

1.      Short Stories

2.      Poems

3.      Advertisements

4.      Skits

5.      Songs

6.      Reports

7.      Letters

8.      Young Author Submissions

9.      Contests

10.  Plays, Screen Plays

·        Skills and Strategies

1.      Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and structure

2.      Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences

3.      Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes

4.      Listen effectively in formal and informal situations

5.      Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience

6.      Locate, organize and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.

7.      Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources

8.      Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats

 

8th Grade Literature

Curriculum Overview

 Topics of Study

  • Fiction
    • Mysteries
    • Historical Fiction
    • Science Fiction
    • Realistic Fiction
    • Folklore and Mythology
    • Classics
  • Nonfiction
    • Biographies
    • Expository Texts
  • Poetry
  • Film
  • Research

Class Novels

  • Tunes for Bears To Dance To
  • The Giver
  • Tom Sawyer
  • December Stillness
  • The Pigman
  • The Westing Game

 

SKILLS AND STRATEGIES

 

  • Read with understanding and fluency

1.      Apply knowledge of word origins to comprehend words used in science, politics. literary works, and math

2.      Analyze the meaning of words in context

3.      Preview, make predictions and relate reading to other sources

4.      Identify text structure and create visual representations to use while reading

5.      Check and clarify for understanding

6.      Use information to form, explain, and support questions

7.      Evaluate author’s use of plot, theme, characters, setting and point of view

8.      Compare contrast, and evaluate ideas and information from various sources and genres.

9.      Summarize

 

  • Read and understand Literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas

1.      Identify and analyze a variety of literary techniques

2.      Describe how the development of theme, character, plot and setting contribute to the overall impact of the piece of literature.

3.      Identify characteristics and authors of various literary forms

4.      Identify ways that an author uses language structure, word choice and style to convey author’s viewpoint

5.      Respond to and discuss grade level literature using interpretive, creative, and evaluative processes

6.      Compare common literary themes across various societies and eras

7.      Analyze how characters in literature deal with conflict, solve problems and relate to real life situations