English8Syllabus

2016-2017

OVERVIEW
WritingandLanguage8Aputswritingatthecenterofteachingandlearning.Thiscoursepreparesstudentsto
communicateinaworldthatischangingsorapidlywemaynotevenbeabletoimaginefuturemeansof
communication.Thecoursefocusesondevelopingtheskillsstudentsneedtocommunicateeffectivelyforavarietyof
purposes,audiences,andmedia.Thewritingclassisaworkshop.LiteratureandLanguage8Blikethefirstsemester
courseparallelsEnglish9.Bothcoursescenteronthestudyoflanguageandliteratureasthevehicleofcreativeand
criticalthoughtthatenablesstudentstothinkaboutandunderstandtheworld.Thefocusshiftsinsecondsemestertoa
carefulstudyofhowprofessionalwriterscreatestoriesanduselanguageinthoughtfulanddeliberateways.Students
readshortstories,novels,nonfiction,drama,andpoetryandexplorehowwritersusethesametechniquesstudents
havepracticedintheirwriting.

UNITSOFSTUDY
Semester Title EnduringUnderstandings

One Writingand Writinghelpsusunderstandwhatwethinkandexpresswhatwe

Language know.
Writingargumentschallengesustoriskchangingourminds.
Writersexplainthingsaudiencesdonotunderstandintermsof
thingstheydounderstand.
Writerstellstoriestosharetheirexperienceofbeinghumanina
worldofotherhumans.
Carefulcraftandthoughtfulrevisionleadtoclearer,moreresonant
writing.

Two Literature Authorsusestylistictechniquestogivelifetotheirstories.

and Thestructureofatextcontributestoitsmeaning.
Language Authorsmakedeliberatechoicestocreatetheeffectstheywant.
Whileliteratureisnothistory,storieshelpreadersunderstandthe
past.
Socialandhistoricalforcesshapeanauthorswork.
Literaturethatengageswiththeissuesofitstimemayleadtosocial
change.
Thelyricordramaticpoetusesincisivelanguagetoexpressideas
andemotions.
Poetryanddramadependonsoundandmetaphortocreate
meaning.
Performanceaddsaninterpretivedimensiontobothpoeticand
dramatictexts.

TYPESOFASSIGNMENTS

PracticeandPreparation Mastery

Opportunityforpracticeandpreparation Opportunitytodemonstratelearning

Givenaccurateandhelpfulfeedback Givenaccurateandhelpfulfeedback

Reportedasalearningskill(assignment Includedingradedbodyofevidence
completion)

Gradedforcompletion Gradedforindividualworkon(group)
assignments

Includeshomeworkandclasswork Includestests,quizzes,projects,homework,
writingassignments,performancesand
classwork


Overall:
GradeswillreflectindividualachievementoftheMCPSStandardsforaspecificmarkingperiod.
Homeworkforpracticeorpreparationforinstructionwillcountfor10%ofthegrade.
QuarterlyAssessmentswillcountfor10%ofthegrade.
Masteryassignmentswillcountas80%ofthegrade.

AbsencePolicy:
Studentsareresponsibletomakeupallassignmentsunlessdirectlyexcusedbytheteacher.Makeupwork
mustbecompletedwithinoneweekoftheabsence.
Itisthestudentsresponsibilitytocheckforwhatworkwasmissed.

Materials:
Studentsareexpectedtobringwiththemtoclass:Binder,spiralnotebookornotebookpaper,studentplanner,
somethingtowritewith(sharpenedpencilandpen),assignednovelorotherwork,andagoodattitude.

LateWork,IncompleteWork,andMissingWork:
Eachassignmentwillhaveaduedate.Thisisthedatebywhichyouareexpectedtosubmittheassignment.
Homeworkisduethefollowingdayunlessnotedotherwise.
Thedeadlineisthelastdayanassignmentwillbeacceptedforagrade.Worknotturnedinbythedeadlinewill
beconsideredazero.ThedeadlineforallEnglishassignmentsis7daysaftertheoriginalduedate.
MissingworkwillberecordedinthegradebookasaZ.AnyassignmentrecordedasaZcanstillbe
submittedbythestudentforpartialcredit.
Iftheteacherdeterminesthatthestudentdidnotattempttomeetthebasicrequirementsofthe
task/assessment,theteachermayassignazero.

ReteachingandReassessment:
ReteachingcanoccurduringCougarTime,atlunch,orafterschool;arrangementsmustbemadewithyour
teacheraheadoftime.
Reteachingmustoccurpriortoreassessment.
Reassessmentopportunitieswillnotbeprovidedforalltasks/assignments.Theteacherwillcommunicatewhen
reassessmentopportunitieswillbeoffered.
Allstudentscanbereassessediftheymeettherequirementsforreassessmentasdeterminedbytheteacher.
Thereassessmentreplacestheoriginalgrade.

ExtraCredit: Communication:
Therewillbenoextracredit.StudentPlanner,Edlineand/orGoogleClassroom,Interims,ReportCards

JenniferStanley(Jennifer_Stanley@mcpsmd.org)

Ihavereadandunderstoodthispolicy.

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