8 th
Grade Language Arts
Mr. Chambers
425-746-4220 ext. 129
WillC@stlouiseschool.org
In this class we will be reading and analyzing a variety of texts including short stories, novels, poetry, speeches, letters, songs, and essays. Each student will gain an increased knowledge of the world around them as well as a strengthened ability to comprehend what they read. In addition to our reading, each student will learn how to communicate ideas and express themselves through writing and speaking. We will be writing in various forms including narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive. Each lesson or skill will be taught in class, reinforced in classwork and homework, and assessed through quizzes, tests, projects, papers, and presentations.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Elements of Literature/Second Course
Dragonwings by Lawrence Yep
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
:
Be Prepared - Come to class with a sharpened pencil, pen, textbook, book, notebook, and completed homework.
Be Respectful - Our class is a learning community and we must work together to fully realize our goals.
Participate - Each day students need to come to class ready to positively participate in the day’s activities.
:
Essays/ Formal Writing Assignments : About once a month students will write an essay or formal writing assignment which will go through the entire writing process and become a published piece. Students will keep a portfolio of their writing throughout the year.
Classwork/ Homework : Most days the students will have work to do during class and/or at home to reinforce the material learned during instruction. This work must be completed by the given date and time to receive full credit.
Test/ Projects : At the conclusion of each unit students will have a final test to assess their knowledge of the information in the unit. Periodically, students will have the opportunity to complete a project in place of the test.

Quizzes : There will be reading and grammar quizzes given periodically. In addition, there will be a weekly vocabulary quiz given each Friday.
Writing Journals : Each day students will write in their journals at the beginning of class. The journals will be collected every two to three weeks for grading.
Participation : As stated above, it is important that each student participates in class.
Everybody will benefit from each student’s participation.
Research Paper : During the Spring term, each 8 th
grader will be writing a research paper in MLA format. This is a major assignment and will make up a large portion their grade for that term only. This will take the place of most essays and formal writing assignments for that term only.
Essays/ Formal Writing Assignments- 25%
Class work/ Homework-
Tests/ Projects-
Writing Journals
Quizzes-
Participation-
25%
20%
10%
10%
10%
Last Term :
Essays/ Formal Writing Assignments- 10%
Class work/ Homework-
Tests/ Projects-
Writing Journals
20%
15%
10%
Quizzes-
Participation-
Research Paper-
10%
10%
25%
Grade slips will be sent home every three to four weeks.
Absences : If possible, students must let the teacher know before missing a class and the missing work can be made up during the absence. If the absence can’t be prearranged, the student must see Mr. Chambers before school the day the student arrives back at school.
Test Policy : In order to receive credit for a test and/or project at the end of a unit, students must have all their assignments for that unit turned in. Students who do not have all assignments turned in will take the test, but it will show as a “0” on their grade slip until the assignments are completed and turned in.