Syllabus



Mrs. Jennifer White Room 1103 E-Mail: __jwhite@sd129.org__ Phone: (630) 301-5752 Website: http://languagearts2and3et.wikispaces.com/ //Homework is also updated weekly on the district teacher webpage//

//Elements of Literature, Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar-Grade Eight,// //Glencoe Speech, Basic Drama Projects// __The Outsiders__ by S.E. Hinton and the play, “The Diary of Anne Frank.” //Students may want to purchase their own copy of the novel if they wish to highlight and mark.// Come to class prepared
 * Materials Needed:**
 * Binder or Folder with looseleaf paper
 * Composition book or notebook
 * Pencils, Pens, Highlighters
 * Index Cards-Lined (any size, color)
 * Post-It Notes
 * Textbooks and Novels:**
 * Expectations:**
 * Mentally (plenty of rest, ready to strain your brain, utilize your talents!)
 * Physically (check the materials board before you come in, bring silent reading book, planner, classwork, and a bottle of water if you want.)
 * Emotionally (stay positive, leave the drama at the door, be open to learning and different perspectives)

PLT #12Sentence Structure PLT #16Quotation Marks PLT #5Summaries PLT’s #4 & 6Cause and Effect PLT #10Characterization PLT #11Irony PLT #9Literary Elements PLT #26Elements of Drama PLT #27Acting and Communication Techniques PLT #25Communicating Meaning PLT #26Elements of Drama PLT #27Acting and Communication Techniques PLT #25Communicating Meaning
 * Units of Study:**
 * Quarter 1**
 * Main Focus:** Grammar and Short Stories
 * Quarter 2**
 * Main Focus:** Poetry and __The Outsiders__
 * Quarter 3**
 * Main Focus:** Basics of Speech, Informational Speech, Persuasive Speech/Debate
 * Quarter 4**
 * Main Focus:** Basics of Acting, Script Frenzy, “The Diary of Anne Frank”

Students will be graded via portfolio this year in Language Arts. Portfolio grading is a unique and authentic assessment that is valuable in many ways. First, the student chooses from a selection of their work, between two and six learning samples they believe best represent how they answered the essential question over the quarter. This gives the student ownership of their work and the decision to put in what they feel best represents their performance in the course. Second, the student reflects on each piece of work they have done in a "Product Caption.” This product caption asks them to reflect on what they learned specifically and explain how they felt about it and why it might have been easy or challenging. Each piece of work in their portfolio directly correlates to West Aurora School District's Priority Learning Targets (PLT's), which are aligned to Illinois State Standards for Education. The essential questions were developed alongside the PLT's and are a restatement that the students find easier to understand. Students are "answering" the essential question with their Learning Samples and Product Captions.
 * Assessment of Student Learning:**

80% - 89% =B 70% - 79% =C 60% - 69 % =D 0% - 59% =F Homework must be turned in on time for full credit. Late work will be deducted by 2 pts. per day. Each assignment is worth 10 pts. **Example**: Noun Worksheet that would have earned 10 pts. but is 2 days late would be worth 6 pts. If a student does not have homework ready to go on the due date, they must fill out a "No Assignment Form" for the assignment, even if they are planning to turn it in late. If a student forgets to bring work to class, they can turn it in later that day for 2 pts. off. As a policy and due to the rising costs of paper, I do not make extra copies of assignments but many are available for download on the wikispace. In the case of an excused absence, students will have the equivalent of the time they were absent to complete assignments for full credit. It is the student's responsibility to find out what work was missed by checking the bin for their work. Folders are labeled for each day of the week. Students will have work in there with their name on it.
 * Grading Scale:** 90% - 100 % =A
 * Homework Policy**