Course:

LanguageArtsGrade8

Kumu:
LucaBarcenilla
Email:
lbarcenilla@kawaihonapcs.org
Website:kumulucarules.weebly.com
Phone:
(808)6209030

ThisistheQRcodeforourclass
website.YoucanuseanyQRor
barcodescanner.

CourseDescription:
Thiscourseisdesignedtointroduceandstrengthenthestudentsabilitytocriticallyevaluateandanalyzeavarietyofworks
andcreateargumentssupportedbystrongtextualevidencefromavarietyofsourcesincludingfictionandnonfictiontexts.
WewillusetheCommonCoreStateStandardstofocusonskillsandstrategiesintheareasofreading,writing,speakingand
listening.Wewillreadshortstories,poetryandaclassnovel.Studentswillparticipateinnumerouswritingassignments
includingcomparativeessays,persuasiveessays,personalnarratives,technicalwriting,biographies,andblogging.

CourseObjectives:
Studentswillbeexpectedtoconsistentlydemonstrate:
1. Anabilitytoengageinindependentliterarycriticisminamannerwhichrevealsapersonalresponsetotexts.
2. Anabilitytoexpressideaswithclarity,coherence,conciseness,precisionandfluencyinbothwrittenandoral
communications.
3. Acommandofthelanguageappropriateforthestudyoftextsandadiscriminatingappreciationoftheneedforan
effectivechoiceofregisterandstyleinbothwrittenandoralcommunication.
4. Asoundapproachtoliteraturethroughconsiderationoftheworksstudied.
5. Anabilitytostructureideasandarguments,bothorallyandinwriting,inalogical,sustainedandpersuasiveway,
andtosupportthemwithpreciseandrelevanttextualevidence.
6. Anabilitytoorganizeandcomposeessays,articlereviewsandresearchpapersthatutilizethestepsofthewriting
process.

Reading:
Allstudentswillberequiredtoreadselfselectedmaterialsfromourclassroomcollectionand/orschoollibrarybasedontheir
STARreadingZoneofProximalDevelopment(ZPD).Studentsareresponsibleforreadingforatleast30minutesper
day,everydayandmaintainareadinglog.

StudentswillparticipateinLitCircles,takeARQuizzes,andcompletereadingandwritingassignmentsbasedonvarious
textscoveredinclass.ReadingGoalswillbetailoredtomeetthevariouslearningneedsofeachstudent,andeachstudentis
expectedtoworktowardsachievingtheirgoalseachquarter.

GradingPolicy:
Allassignmentswillbeweightedaccordingtothefollowinggradingpolicy:
Projects30%
Tests/FormalAssessments30%
Quizzes10%
ClassWork/Participation20%
Homework10%

LateHomeworkPolicy:
Homeworkisanimportantrequirementthatreinforcesskillslearnedinclassandistobeturnedinbytheassignedduedate.

Latesubmissionswillbeaccepted,butmustbesubmittednolaterthan3:00p.m.ontheThursdayofthesameweekthe
assignmentisdue.Latesubmissionswillbesubjecttoalossof10%.Forexample:ThisIBelieveEssayRoughDraftisdue
onMonday,August4.AstudentmaysubmitthisRoughDraftnolaterthanThursdayAugust6by3:00p.m.,butthehighest
possiblescorewouldbe70%.

Allclassworkmustbeturnedinbytheendofeachperiod.LateHomeworkPolicydoesnotapplytoclasswork.

Projectsareamajorpartofourclass.LateHomeworkPolicydoesnotapplytoanypartofprojects.


MakeUpWork:
Intheeventofanexcusedabsence,itisthestudentskuleanatocheckhisorhersectionofLA7onKumuLucaRulesfor
workmissedduetotheabsence.Thestudentisresponsibleforsubmittingtheassignment(s),ortakethequiz(zes)/test(s)on
thedayofhisorherreturn.SeeParentHandbookregardingexcusedabsences.

Tardiness:
SeetheParentHandbook.

Supplies:
Studentsareresponsibletobringtheirclassroomsupplieswiththemeveryday.
CompositionBook
Pens(blueorblackinkonly)

Technology:
Inanefforttoconserveourbeautifultrees,wewillbeutilizingasmuchofthetechnologywehaveavailableatschool.The
twomostimportantwebsitesthatwewillutilizethisyearwillbeGoogleClassroomandourclasswebsite(QRcodeand
linkcanbefoundatthetopofthefirstpage).Pleasefeelfreetohaveyoursonordaughterlogintotheiraccountandshow
youwhatwearedoing,whatwehavedone,andwhatwearegoingtodo.Also,pleasemonitorTeacherEaseandyouremail
forgradesandannouncements.TeacherEasewillbeupdatedbythefirstandthirdMondaysofeachmonth.Ifnoupdatehas
beenmade,itmayjustbethatthereisnomajorassignmentorgradetoinput.

IunderstandthatnoteveryonehasacomputerandaccesstotheInternetathome,whichiswhyeachofthekumuatschool
fromgrades38haveaclasssetofcomputers,sostudentshaveaccesstocomputersandtheInternetatschoolwherethey
cancompletetheirassignments.Itisthekuleanaofthestudenttoutilizeresourcesnecessarytocompleteandsubmit
assignmentsontime.

ClassroomPoliciesandExpectations:
1. Arrivetoclassontimeandpreparedforclass.
2. RemaininyourseatunlessotherwisedirectedbytheKumu.
3. Refrainfromeatingand/ordrinkinginclass.
4. Respectyourselfandothers.Profanityandanyotherinappropriatelanguageandbehaviorwillnotbetolerated.
5. Academicdishonestyofanynaturewillnotbetolerated.Allacademicdishonesty(cheating,plagiarism,etc.)cases
willresultagradeofFforthatassignmentandparentswillbecontacted.

Consequences:
SeetheParentHandbook.

Tutoring:
Tutoringmaybeapossibility,butwillbetakenonacasebycasebasis.Iftutoringisprovided,thestudentneedstomake
arrangementsaheadoftime(MondaysandWednesdaysonly,2:45pm3:15pm),comepreparedwithspecificquestions,
skillsandstrategiesthattheyneedhelpwith.Ifanappointmentismissed,thestudentmustcreateastrongargumentasto
whyasecondchanceisdeserved.

Keepthiscopy.Thiscopyisforyourrecords.Studentshaveaccesstothissyllabusonourclasswebsite.

Parent(s)/Guardian(s)andstudent,pleasesignanddatetheattachedAcknowledgmentofTheLanguageArts
Syllabus.Studentsaretoreturnthecompletedacknowledgmentatthestartofthenextclass.