Curriculum

Mr. Witkov witkov-languageartsexperience.wikispaces.com 8th grade English Language Arts Conference/Planning Period 3: 9:11-10:07 Phone Number: 281-577-8800 E-mail: jwitkov@newcaneyisd.org

    **In eighth grade English Language Arts, I must prepare your child for the realities of high school. To ensure your child’s smooth transition into high school, my Language Arts class is literature based. Your child will analyze and interpret several fiction and nonfiction literary pieces throughout the school year by participating in literary circles and in intensive reading and writing workshops. As he/she studies poems, short stories, novels, non fiction articles, movies, audio CD’s, and appropriate websites, he/she will create vivid oral and written literary products on his/her own including but not limited to personal narratives, poems, short stories, literary analysis essays, and interpretations, and literary art projects.** **  With the time constraints of a 54-minutes class, the student must keep up with his/her assignments. Late work will not be accepted. The student must have his/her assignment on the due date during his/her designated English Language Arts class. His/Her assignment will not be accepted at the end of the school day, and I will not allow the student to look for his/her English Language Arts work in another room or in a locker. H e/She must be able to place his/her Language Arts assignment on his/ her desk at any time during my class. I will circulate around the room to check for folders with brads, three ring binders, and other assignments. I will indicate in my grade book if the student is missing work and materials. If a student is absent, he/she has one day for each day absent to turn in his/her work. Then the same late work policy applies. **

**  In addition, your child must keep up with assigned readings. Quizzes will be given frequently on short stories, novels, and other assorted readings to make sure your child is completing the assigned reading at home. Your child must also be prepared for test day each Monday on vocabulary, proofreading, literature, grammar, and/or writing. Quizzes will be given on any aspect of Language Arts at my discretion. Since compositions are weighed heavily and typically take several days to complete, your child must be very careful not to procrastinate. When he/she works on the composition during my class, he/she can not afford to waste time. At some point, the composition will be due, and if it is not turned in on the due date, the result will be a zero. On occasion, your child may struggle with an assignment. Then he/she should still complete it to the best of his/her ability and turn the assignment in to me on time. If your child has tried his/her best and receives a low grade, then he/she may attend my tutorial after school from 2:30 P.M.-3:15 P.M. or on Saturday from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P. M. in my classroom (Room 118). **

**  Certainly, all students need to hone their academic skills. Students will receive write the day’s objective, the agenda, assignments and their due dates in their three ring binders.. In addition, students are expected to retain all handouts and place them in their three ring binders and/or folders. All materials will be evaluated for a project grade. Students must have their full name, subject (English Language Arts), and period on the all materials. Writing folders remain in class. If students want to take their writing folder home to refine and revise their work, and/or to share their work with their parents, they must sign the writing folder out. If students l ose any of their academic materials ( writing folder, folder with brads, three ring binder) then severe academic consequences will ensue since all of these materials are evaluated daily and weekly for legibility, organization, completeness, form and content, and general attractiveness. It is their responsibility to come prepared to my class with attractive and complete materials. If students are absent, it is their responsibility to make sure they ask me for any missing class work, homework, and handouts. **   //**By Wednesday during the first week of school, students will have selected a challenging and appropriate novel of their choice. A typewritten final, publishable character analysis of the main character of their novel will be due Friday the third week of school. I will expect it to be a novel of substance that the student read over the summer or during the first few weeks of school.**//

**Every child in the United States deserves an excellent education. I will do my best to make sure that your son/daughter leaves my class with the necessary English Language Arts skills to excel in high school and, if possible, beyond. However, to do my job, I must have the full cooperation and support of your child and you. Otherwise, figuratively speaking, my hands are tied, and everyone loses educationally, emotionally, and intellectually. Let us-child, parent, and teacher- forge a triangular, supportive relationship to ensure that your child achieves success and excellence in my English Language Arts class. All sides to a triangle are necessary. If you remove the C-Child; T-Teacher, or P-Parent side, the triangle collapses. Everyone loses. Like you, I want your child to be an educational and behavioral winner in my class.**

//**Mr. J. R. Witkov “Excellence is my only standard.”**//

//**First Semester**//
 * Reading Non Fiction Ongoing
 * Writing Process/Six Traits Ongoing
 * Journal Writing Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Literary Terms Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Vocabulary Workshop Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Grammar Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Parts of Speech
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Phrases
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Usage
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Sentence Structure
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Clauses
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Sentence Combining
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Paragraphing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Punctuation
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Spelling
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Collaborative Learning Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Proofreading/Peer Editing Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Study Skills Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Communication Skills Ongoing


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Writing Personal Narratives
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Reading Short Stories
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Poetry
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Literary Analysis
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Edgar Allan Poe Stories/Poems
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Reading/Writing Short Stories
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-//(GT)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Anthem-(GT)//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Flowers for Algernon (// AP/GT)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//The Time Machine (// AP/GT)/ //The War of the Worlds (// AP/GT)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//**Second Semester**//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Reading Non Fiction Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Writing Process/Six Traits Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Journal Writing Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Literary Terms Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Vocabulary Workshop Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Grammar-See First Semester Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Collaborative Learning Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Proofreading/Peer Editing Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Study Skills Ongoing
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Communication Skills Ongoing


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Revolutionary and Civil War Interdisciplinary Unit
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Soldier’s Heart//-Novel
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> //My Brother Sam Is Dead-Novel//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Civil War// Short Stories and Poetry
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Civil War Non Fiction
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Civil War Films (age appropriate)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Cross Cultural/Individual Novel Study
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Cultural Novel
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//The Diary of Anne Frank//-Play
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Anne Frank//: The Diary of a Young Girl (GT)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> //Jesse//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> //Petty Crimes//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> //The Pigman//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">//Beyond the Diary//-Non Fiction Historical Background Information for the Play or Nonfiction Book
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Holocaust Poetry
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> Non Fiction Articles on Holocaust

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> *More or less material may be covered, and the order may be changed. This is tentative and subject to change as needed. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> // <span style="font-family: Arial Black,sans-serif;">8th Grade English Language Arts-During the school year, students participate in several writing and reading workshops that focus on vocabulary, grammar usage, compositions and literature. Teachers guide and coach students as they analyze and assemble all the pieces of the Language Arts puzzle to create vivid and poignant oral and written products. // // <span style="font-family: Arial Black,sans-serif;">8th Grade Pre-AP English Language Arts-During the school year, students participate in a myriad of writing and reading workshops that focus on vocabulary, grammar usage, compositions and literature. Teachers guide and coach students as they analyze and assemble all the pieces of the English Language Arts puzzle to create vivid and poignant written and oral products. Students study higher level English Language Arts materials in-depth. In addition, students are required to complete projects that demonstrate creativity and independent thinking. Students are chosen based on teacher recommendation, classroom performance, TAKS scores or GT identification. //

<span style="font-family: Arial Black,sans-serif;"> //GT students will be reading and completing more challenging assignments and literary projects that require in depth and probing analysis and synthesis.//

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">
 * 1)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**RESPECT PEOPLE AND PROPERTY. (pens, pencils, paper, three ring binders, folders with brads)**
 * 2)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**ONCE INSIDE MY CLASS, YOU STAY INSIDE. TAKE CARE OF LOCKER AND BATHROOM NEEDS BETWEEN CLASSES. *EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE IF THE STUDENT HAS A MEDICAL EXCUSE (SIGNED LETTER FROM NURSE OR DOCTOR).**
 * 3)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**STAY SEATED, FOCUSED, AND QUIET. RAISE YOUR HAND FOR PERMISSION TO SPEAK.**
 * 4)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND MATERIALS ON TIME. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.**
 * 5)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**PARTICIPATE APPROPRIATELY IN ALL INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES.**
 * 6)  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS INCLUDING MY EXPECTATIONS, NEW CANEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WHITE OAK MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.**

<span style="font-family: Palace Script,cursive;">**Jeffrey Ritter Witkov** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Palace Script,cursive;">**Jeffrey Ritter Witkov** <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> **Your signature (parent(s)/guardian(s)) and your child’s signature below indicate that your child and you have read, discussed, and agreed to abide by this three page contract. Please return all three pages.**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**STUDENT RECEIVES A DETENTION WITH ME AFTER SCHOOL.**
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**STUDENT RECEIVES A SATURDAY SCHOOL WITH ME. (8:00 A. M. – 12:00 P. M. OR LONGER)**
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">**IN CASE OF REPEATED INFRACTIONS OR SEVERE MISBEHAVIOR SUCH AS FIGHTING, DEFIANCE, VANDALISM, PROFANITY, THREATS, OR ANY OTHER ACTION THAT DISRUPTS THE LEARNING PROCESS IN MY CLASS, THE STUDENT RECEIVES AN APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCE(S) AS OUTLINED IN NEW CANEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WHITE OAK MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. I ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW TO HAVE THE STUDENT REMOVED FROM MY CLASS IF HE/SHE DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO TEACH.**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> **Parent(s)/Guardian’s legible signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> **Parent(s)/Guardian’s legible signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> **Your Child’s legible signature: _______________________________________________________ Date: ______________________**