Syllabus and Grading Policy

Dear Parents and Students:

Welcome to our English class at Millikan Middle School. Here is a general overview of our eighth grade language arts program for the year.

 

Curriculum Guide: Our language arts class will be rich with a variety of literature and writing activities, offering a necessary mix of reading and writing skills that include the following:

** Reading based on various genres of literature: short stories, novels, plays, nonfiction / expository articles, and poetry

** Essay writing based on the literature we read

** Writers’ workshop that will focus on narrative writing, emphasizing the process of writing

 

Commonly, each period starts with a literature or language mini-lesson. These exercises include: Editing, revising, grammar, literary terms, selected quick writes, etc.… The students are required to keep these daily exercises and notes in a bound composition book.

*** Please note that throughout the year, numerous mandated district, state, and federal assessments lead to unavoidable interruptions within the curriculum.

 

Required Materials for Class:

~ One two-pocket folder: This folder is kept in the classroom and only used on writer’s workshop days where students will keep their writing in progress from week to week.

~ One bound composition book: Students are required to maintain a clear and organized notebook on all daily mini-lessons. This composition is stored in the classroom.

~ Writing Portfolio: Students will maintain personal portfolios of their various published writing pieces, which will be a part of their final assessment. Portfolios are stored in the classroom and available for parents to see at any time. Students may take it home overnight, but it must be returned to the classroom the following day.   *Parents can expect students to bring this portfolio home toward the end of the school year and be asked to respond to it.

~ Plenty of blue or black ink pens: All writing in class is completed in blue or black ink. Any assignments written in pencil or in any other color will not be accepted.

~ Red, green, turquoise, pink… pens: Students need pens that are not blue or black strictly for the use of editing, revising, and other corrections.

~ Plenty of paper: Please make sure you have plenty of standard 8.5x11 white, lined paper. Any assignment that is completed on nonstandard sized paper, including papers torn out of spiral notebooks will not be accepted.

 

When is homework assigned? Homework assignments are mostly extensions of what we are doing in the classroom. It is usually work that students need to complete or polish. Therefore, there is no fixed schedule for homework.

 

Grading Policy: All grades on the progress reports (5-week, 10-week, 15-week) and the final report cards (20-week) are based on the cumulative grade point average of all essays, narratives, tests, in-class exercises, presentations, participation, and all other assignments that are a part of the English curriculum based on the National Common Core Standards. The general grading scale is as follows:

90% - 100% = A (check+)    80% - 89% = B (check)   70% - 79% = C (check-) 60-69% = D (check - -)     

 

0% - 59% = F (Incomplete)

 

Important factors that will affect a student’s overall grade:

 

~ Late homework policy: All assignments are expected in by the set deadline, which means no later than the time of collection during class. An assignment that is more than two days late will be an automatic “F” - However, please note that turning in an assignment more than two days late is better than having a “missing” assignment.   ** In other cases of late work: For each day that an assignment is late, the grade will be reduced by one letter grade; for example if an assignment merited an A-, it would be downgraded to a B-. *** Please note that throughout the last three weeks of each semester, I will NOT accept any extra credit or late / make up work. There will be no exceptions!

 

~ Extra Credit Work: Please do not ask me for random extra credit work. Throughout the year, I attach some extra credit assignments to specific class projects, and you may choose to do them. Also each month, students are allowed to choose one writing piece from their portfolios and thoroughly revise / edit it first, then rewrite it for extra credit. (You must see me and pick up an extra credit sheet).

 

~ Plagiarized work or incidents of cheating: I have ZERO tolerance for plagiarism. Students are expected to do their best original work at all times. A student will receive an "F" on any assignment that is plagiarized, and there will be no opportunity to make up that assignment.

 

~ In case of excused, long-term absences: Students have up to three days after they return to make up any missed assignments or tests. After the three days, any work that has not been completed will be recorded as missing. **** It is the student’s responsibility to find out what he/she missed while away from class and make sure that they are completed in a timely manner.

 

~ Grades in cooperation (E, S, U): Cooperation grades are strictly based on in-class behavior, cooperation, and preparation. All students are expected to respect all classroom rules and show up with the required materials, prepared to work and participate.

 

~ Tardy policy: Having more than three tardies to class per grading period (every five weeks) will result in an automatic "U" in work habits - YES, students are marked tardy even if they are inside the classroom, but not in their seats when the bell rings. Only TWO notes excusing tardies to class will be accepted per semester. It is the students' and parents' responsibility to make sure that all school bells are respected; they ring for a reason.

 

*** All accommodations for students with special needs will be provided in the classroom as required by their IEP’s and 504’s.

 

Please use Schoology messaging or email me at [email protected] for any school related correspondence.

 

Sincerely,

N. Bedrossian