Welcome to Fall Open House

Welcome Back!

Fall Open House 2013-14

Maria Brittingham Red Team/Grade 8 mbrittingham@methacton.org 8th Grade English Welcome parents! Thank you for joining us on this educational evening. My goal, as an English educator, is to provide my students with the educational opportunity to become life-long readers, writers, and communicators. Please visit my website for all assignments.

Methacton webpage: Select Arcola. Select Teacher Pages. Select Brittingham.

Also: Check the Community Portal Frequently.

Honors 8

2014-15

A little about Mrs. Brittingham…Billy~Junior and Matt~Eighth Grade

Above: Matt Meets

Author Lupica

Tonight? Curriculum OverviewStudent’s Progress? Options below:

• Arcola’s 8th grade Guidance Counselor, Mr. Mueller.

• mmueller@methacton.org• She will assist in

establishing a time to meet so we can help your son/daughter with any academic or social concerns.

• RED Team Communicator• mbrittingham@methacton.org• I can also set up a time to

discuss concerns that may be affecting your son/daughter’s academic progress.

The English/8 curriculum consists of the following:

Literature: This area incorporates authors such as O’Henry, W.W. Jacobs, Daniel Keyes and Edgar Allan Poe, including stories and poetry such as “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “Flowers for Algernon”, and “The Bet.” Students will also read the classic novel, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Literary units will also consist of group and individual assignments, writing activities, quizzes, and tests. Plot development, character analysis, setting, vocabulary, and theme will be discussed.

Grammar: This year’s grammar study is preparing the students for their high school study of writing and grammar. It is essential that the students understand this information---as it will frequently be applied to their writing in eighth grade and at the high school level. Students are expected to have a solid background in the study of their language at the middle school level

This year students are using the Vocabulary Workshop book Level D to enhance the correct use of words in both the oral and written form. Students are encouraged to work carefully through the exercises. Activities include using words correctly in sentences as well as identifying appropriate synonyms and antonyms. This book offers an excellent source of vocabulary since most of the words on the high school level are found on SAT study lists. Page 8 is very beneficial. In addition, your child can enhance his/her knowledge of the words by practicing on the interactive website www.vocabularyworkshop.com at any time.

Special Assignments: This area incorporates a variety of different skills, including writing, independent reading, and researching, and addresses a variety of subject areas and interests. NOTE: DIFFERENT FORMAT TO JOB SHADOWING PROGRAM THIS YEAR

*Job Shadowing: promotes career awareness as part of the eighth grade curriculum. The purpose of this assignment is to put students in contact with the world of work. This project gives the students a firsthand look at careers of interest to them. Observation time should not be scheduled during the school day, but rather on vacations, in service days, or weekends. This year our job shadowing program has been slightly altered. Although the changes have been clearly laid out in our shadowing packet sent home during the first week of school, feel free to contact me with any questions regarding our new format (esp. if you have had children in my classroom and they followed our old format). The final due date is February 21 of this school year. Late projects will be penalized. Please encourage your child to plan ahead with this project as quality work is expected.

Feb. 20th

Independent Reading Assignment: promotes independent reading habits outside the classroom. PLEASE NOTE: SET UP DIFFERENTLY THAN IN THE PAST. Students will read seven books. Students will be tested after completion of the reading. Our guidelines have also changed this year with regard to our requirements. Each marking period there are different types of genre that will be required for the student to read. This allows great opportunity to get exposure to different types of genre and authors. Check the handout from the beginning of school for specifics.

Selection of books can be school library, public library, classroom library, home collection/library, book store purchase, swap with a friend, etc. As you can see, there are many options for your children to find a good book to read.

Due Date (this marking period): October 22, 2013. It is worth 50 points. Students are asked to make a book selection that falls within their ZPD range which results from their STAR reading test taken in September.

November 7

*Research Paper: promotes the research process and is of value for the students as they progress into the high school and later years of schooling/college. Students will be taught the proper method of writing a bibliography, note taking, outlining, and writing a rough draft and final draft of the paper. The teacher will work with the students on each step of the process.

The grading system includes the following: homework, quizzes, tests, essays/compositions, the independent reading assignment, writing activities and prompts in both the areas of reading and writing based on our PA state standards and domain scoring, special assignments, and unit tests. Grades are based upon a total point scale. No assignment is weighted more than another.

Homework: Two types of homework. Grades vary depending on such. For example, next day (immediate) homework and then essay/project (long term) homework. A student can only receive a late grade or lower letter grade for the long term homework and not the next day assignments.

Friendly Reminders: Checking the Agenda as the student enters the classroom and being ready when class

begins is extremely beneficial. Checking the MISSED CLASS/ABSENT folder to find out the day’s agenda and retrieve

any missed handouts from the day(s) before is also beneficial. Participation counts! Quality, not quantity, however.

Checking my website for test/quiz announcements is also beneficial.

Students were told on the first day of school as well as orientation that a 3-ring binder

was a requirement along with plenty of paper, black/blue pens, pencils, a highlighter, etc. Unfortunately, some students have not established this requirement yet. Please check with your child about this classroom procedure.

Text Reminder Alert was established a week or two ago. Ask your child about the paper to set it up for yourself as well. These text reminders are short and simple and help when a student or parent cannot get to the computer to check the website for friendly reminders. They are NOT every night, however.