8

th
Grade English Syllabus
2014-2015
Ms. Beth Kozinsky
Email: bkozinsky@gwa.com
Website: http://8kozinsky.weebly.com/
Texts
Prentice all Literature !or 8
th
gra"e #pro$i"e"%.
olt Elements of Language #pro$i"e"%.
&i!er' (orma' an" (ancy &lowers. Vocabulary from Classical Roots' ) e"ition #*W+
camp,s bookstore%.
olt Elements of Language workbook #*W+ camp,s bookstore%.
-rwell' *eorge. Animal Farm' .ignet classics. /.B(: 0123245613.
*aiman' (eil. The Graveyard Boo' arper )ollins. /.B(: 7880050260712
Supplies
Bl,e or black pens to complete assignments
ighlighters #at least two "i!!erent colors%
9hree:ring bin"er with notebook paper an" s,b;ect "i$i"ers
)ollege:r,le" spiral notebook !or taking notes' making o,tlines' "ra!ting' etc.
<.B !lash "ri$e
Post:it/sticky notes
Class objeti!es
/n this class' the s,ccess!,l st,"ent will:
=ea"' interpret' an" "isc,ss assigne" te>ts in or"er to gain a !amiliarity with important
literary "e$ices an" notable a,thors.
Present analysis o! te>ts in both !ormal #essay% an" in!ormal #rea"er response% writing
assignments.
<n"erstan" an" ,tilize the writing process to brainstorm' o,tline' "ra!t' an" re$ise both
personal an" aca"emic essays that present clear an" well:organize" arg,ments.
?earn' ,n"erstan"' an" master both the technical an" practical elements o! stan"ar"
grammatical English.
<se knowle"ge an" interpretation o! te>ts in accor"ance with appropriate $ocab,lary an"
stan"ar" grammatical English in classroom acti$ities' assignments' an" assessments
#writing assignments' gro,p pro;ects' in"i$i",al presentations' @,izzes' an" e>ams%.
Ae$elop critical thinking an" rea"ing skills that enco,rage ,n"erstan"ing an" in!ormation
retention #as oppose" to simple memorization%.
=esearch s,b;ects an" cite so,rces in accor"ance with M?+ g,i"elines.
Course o!er!ie"
&all .emester
+nalyzing e!!ecti$e plot' setting' an" point o! $iew: selecte" anthologize" short
stories
)lose research o! partic,lar a,thors
*aiman' (eil. The Graveyard Boo
*rammar: parts o! speech' parts o! sentences' correct ,sage' an" stan"ar" con$entions

.pring .emester
)on$entions o! Arama: The !iary of Anne Fran
-rwell' *eorge. Animal Farm
Research "a"er on an assigned author
Elements o! Poetry
*rammar: p,nct,ation' spelling' common errors' writing e!!ecti$e sentences an"
paragraphs
Class re#uire$ents and distribution o% grades
omework: 40B
9his will incl,"e $ocab,lary an" grammar e>ercises as well as rea"ings. .t,"ents will
respon" to o,r assigne" rea"ings thro,gh short writing assignments poste" online. Being
prepare" !or class also !alls ,n"er homeworkC / will occasionally check that e$eryone has
their book/han"o,t/etc. !or a gra"e. Misse" assignments an" han"o,ts can be !o,n" on
o,r class blog http://8kozinsky.weebly.com/ b,t st,"ents sho,l" ne$er ,se this as a
s,bstit,te !or listening in class an" writing "own assignments. / "o not accept late
homework.
D,izzes: 40B
.t,"ents will be @,izze" weekly on $ocab,lary lists' grammar lessons' an" rea"ing
comprehension.
Essays' tests' an" pro;ects: 10B
Each @,arter' st,"ents will write one !,ll:process essay' incl,"ing a research paper on a
partic,lar a,thor in the 4
n"
@,arter. -ther writing assignments an" pro;ects will be
anno,nce" thro,gho,t the year. 9ests will be gi$en separately !or both grammar an"
rea"ing.
&inals: 40B
&inal e>ams are c,m,lati$e an" will occ,r at the en" o! e$ery @,arter. 9hey will test the
st,"entsE ,n"erstan"ing' interpretation' analysis' an" retention o! co,rse
materials/concepts.
&ate "or' and $a'e-up poliy
.t,"ents are e>pecte" to t,rn in both ma;or an" minor class assignments on time. /! a
st,"ent knows he or she will be absent on a partic,lar "ay' it is the student#s res"onsibility
to inform me ahead of time so that we can make appropriate arrangements. You may not
make up quizzes and tests during class; you must instead schedule a time with me. If a
paper or project is turned in late, I will "e",ct 2 points !or e$ery "ay that it is late. / will
not accept assignments that are more than a week late. / will not accept late participation
assignments or blog posts/rea"er responses.
)omp,ter iss,es are ne$er a s,!!icient e>c,se !or an assignmentEs lateness. Between
home an" school comp,ters an" yo,r <.B "ri$es yo, ha$e ample storage space an"
opport,nity a$ailable to yo,. *et into the habit o! backing ,p yo,r work o!ten an" in
more than one place. Please' t,rn in yo,r assignments on time.
(ade$i honesty
Whether intentional or ,nintentional' plagiarism o! so,rces or the work o! !ellow
classmates is strictly prohibite". /! / "isco$er that work has been improperly "oc,mente"
or Fborrowe"G !rom another st,"ent' all st,"ents in$ol$e" will recei$e a zero on that
assignment. Parents an" a"ministration will also be noti!ie" o! the transgression.
Classroo$ rules and beha!ior
Aisrespect!,l beha$ior
.t,"ents who re!,se to treat their peers' work' an"/or teacher with the proper respect will
initially be warne" $erbally. /! $erbal warnings pro$e ins,!!icient to correct inappropriate
beha$ior' st,"ents will be aske" to lea$e the classroom an" m,st complete a""itional
assignments as the instr,ctor "eems appropriate. / will also noti!y parents o! the problem'
an" "etention is also a possible !orm o! repriman".
?ea$ing the classroom
.t,"ents are e>pecte" to take care o! personal b,siness ",ring class breaks. =e@,ests !or
the bathroom sho,l" be a rarity. .t,"ents who are late to class !or any reason are re@,ire"
to get a tar"y slip !rom the o!!ice.
Electronic Ae$ices
9he ,se o! cell phones ",ring class will not be tolerate" !or any reason whatsoe$er. 9o
help yo, a$oi" this temptation' each st,"ent will "eposit his/her phone in an assigne"
pocket on the wall ",ring the class perio". /! / see yo, with a cell phone o,t ",ring class
time' / will con!iscate it an" hol" it ,ntil a parent comes to retrie$e it. .ho,l" this happen
",ring a @,iz or e>am' / will consi"er it cheating an" the st,"ent with the "e$ice will
recei$e a zero on that assignment.
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8
th
Grade )onors English Syllabus
201*-2014
9his syllab,s pro$i"es a general plan !or the co,rseC "e$iation anno,nce" by the instr,ctor in
a"$ance may be necessary. Please sign below an" ret,rn this "etache" portion to Ms. Kozinsky
",ring the !irst week o! class.
/ ha$e rea" an" ,n"erstan" the contents o! this syllab,s.
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#st,"entEs name% #st,"entEs signat,re% #"ate%
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHH
#parentEs name% #parentEs signat,re% #"ate%