Welcome to 8th Grade Literacy
with Mrs. Jurczak & Mrs.
Ewoldt
We are the
8A
Alphacats!
Changes This Year
• Students and Teachers placed on
Teams
• New Building Schedules:
9 Periods/No Take 10/ Wildcat Days
• Skyward Report Card
Education:
• B.A. in American Studies from Dominican
University with Concentration in Elem Ed.
• M.Ed. In Reading and Literacy from Benedictine
University/Reading Specialist Certification-IL
Teaching Experience
12 years in South Berwyn District 100
teaching 7th/8th Grade Language Arts
1 year in Maywood District 89
teaching 7th/8th Grade Language Arts
Other Work History:
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Arthur Andersen, S.C.
Sachs and Drake
Fuji Film
First Chicago Bank
Education:
B.S. in Education at Illinois State University
M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction at National Louis
University
Type 75 Certificate from Aurora University
Teaching Experience:
Barrington School District 220
Argo-Summit District 104
East Aurora District 130
Units of Study
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Read Alouds
Independent Reading
Problem Based Learning
Class presentations
Q or Q’s
Socratic Circle
Book talks/reviews
Annotation / Analysis of text
Reflection /Self-assessments
Vocabulary – Daily
Grammar-Daily
E-Portfolios
Formal Papers:
Purpose of Public Education
I-Search
Creative Writing
MLK/Children’s March
This I Believe
Great American Teen Novel
Edgar Allen Poe
Formal Assessments:
MAP
PARCC
Explore Test (GWHS)
Literacy Common Asmt
Weekly Vocab Quiz
Reading Workshop
Independent Reading: To foster the love of
reading; to build their personal vocabulary; to
develop the strategies to think critically; to
strengthen their personal reading identity.
* Almost all of their independent reading will be
choice; done outside of school (at home)
Guided Reading:
• Strategies that will build comprehension
including making connections, synthesizing,
repair strategies, determining what is important,
making inferences, and questioning skills
• Teacher selected materials
• Read Alouds
Reading Workshop
Teacher/student conferencing:
• Student involvement in the
learning process by sharing goals
based on MAP and ISAT data
• Practice reading aloud with
fluency and expression
• Choral Reading
• Book Reviews/Book Talks
Word Study
To build vocabulary through reading, speaking and
direct vocabulary instruction of roots, suffixes and
prefixes.
•Variety of resources: lexicon/quizlet/study guides/in class practice
•Academic vocabulary
•Prefixes, suffixes, and root words
•Strategies: substitution/context clues/ decoding
•Understand meaning
•Parts of speech
•Sadlier-Oxford (ISAT/PARCC vocabulary terms)
Writing
Writing Process and Writing Products
• Narrative
• Expository
• Argumentative
• Poetry
• Reflective
• Six + 1 Traits:Voice, Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence
Fluency, and Presentation
• Self and Peer Editing
• Multiple Drafts
Writing/Listening & Speaking
• Q or Q’s: (Question or Quotation) To
analyze text for meaning; to actively
listen to other points of view; to
critically discuss ideas and
understandings; to practice the
process of rewriting for clarity.
• To learn and practice the
hierarchy of talk.
Speaking and Listening
During class, students are expected to
speak in small and large group activities
and in oral presentations. These are daily
expectations.
Class Structure
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Warm up/ Independent Reading time (5-10 mins)
Vocabulary/Grammar practice (10-20 mins)
Reading Workshop (20-25 mins)
Writing Workshop (20-25 mins)
Brain Breaks (usually 2 per class)
Wrap Up/Review (make sure homework is recorded in assignment
notebook/shutting down and putting computers in cases)
Homework
Mrs. Jurczak’s Website:
http://mrsjurczak.weebly.com
• 30 minutes of independent reading
every night Mon-Thurs – and once
over the weekend
• Q or Q
• Vocabulary review
• Any additional work for essay writing
Assessment
2 Grades: Work Habits and Academic
All Gradebooks are on Skyward = Quarterly grades vs. Trimester
8th Grade Homework Policy:
• (3) Three late or missing assignments = Homework Club
• A “3” Work Habits = Turned in on time & good quality work
A “2” Work Habits = 1 day late but good quality work or not complete
A “1” Work Habits = 1 day late & poor quality or more than one day late
A “0” Work Habits = Assignment not turned in
Hadley Building Specialists
• Literacy Specialist: Judy Heller
• Math Specialist: Amy Irvin
• PBL Coach: Hillary Shumate
The specialists support teachers in the development
and implementation of District #41 curriculum. This
includes co-planning and co-teaching in various
classrooms throughout the building.
Please stop by the LMC tonight if you have any
questions!
An opportunity for you…
• Thank you for joining me in what will be
a wonderful journey of learning for your
child in literacy.
• Before you leave, please fill out the “A
Note From Me/Us” for your student and
turn it in to me.
Thank You for coming this evening!