Welcome to Curriculum Night!

8th Grade EnglishHouse A

Please take an Expectations Packet and a Common Core Standards Packet from the

front table!

Ms. Kathleen BronowickiBay Trail Middle School

CurriculumBased upon ELA Common Core Standards

(http://engageny.org/common-core/ for specifics on standards)

Reading: Books/Short Stories that may be read:The Call of the Wild by Jack LondonThe Miracle Worker by William GibsonNo Promises in the Wind by Irene HuntWarriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo BealsThe Diary of Anne FrankImmigration Novels- Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix,

Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch, Journey of the Sparrows by Fran Leeper Buss, The King of Mulberry Street by Donna Jo Napoli, Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse

World War II Novels- Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes, Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer, Gentlehands by M.E. Kerr, and The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins by Walter Dean Myers.

“The Gift of Cochise” by Louis L’Amour “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve“The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel KeyesStrong focus on incorporating both fiction and non-fiction pieces

Writing:Essays in preparation for state exam, short answer responses, graphic organizer usage; strong

focus on organization, text details, and strong vocabulary usage.

Speaking:Group and individual presentations, class discussions, literature circles

Listening:Includes all of the above

Curriculum Continued…Grammar Sequence:-Parts of Speech (nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs,

pronouns)-Sentence Structure (sentence fragments, run-on

sentences)-Topic Sentences/Transition Words-Capitalization/Punctuation-Hyphens (in numbers, separating syllables)-Quotes (dialogue/citation- literature and research)-All grammar is practiced with a connection to writing.

ELA New York State Exam:

April 16th,17th,and 18th,2013 (nysed.gov)

Common Core Standards2012-2013Six Shifts in ELA

1.Balancing Informational and Literary Text (non-fiction and fiction)2.Knowledge in the Disciplines (knowledge of the world through text)3.Staircase of Complexity (close-reads)4.Text-based Answers (evidence-based)5.Writing from Sources (using sources to make an argument)6.Academic Vocabulary (complex vocabulary used in context)

Receive more information about the six shifts in ELA here:http://engageny.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/common-core-shifts.pdf

Textbooks/Workbooks Used

- Prentice Hall Literature (brown textbook)

- Language and Sentence Skills Practice- worksheets taken from HOLT Handbook

Current Unit

We just completed the unit on Immigration. The students had an independent reading novel, participated in

literature circles, completed journal entries and station activities, and completed a summative assessment

(immigration vocabulary/short response test).

*We are starting POETRY! This unit will involve:-students delving into many different types of poems- students choosing 5 poems and typing up reflections

about each poem.- students creating a scrapbook with the poetry that

reflects them.

Grading Policy

Grades are updated on Infinite Campus on a daily basis.

Tests 25%Essays 20%Classwork Activities 20%Quizzes 15 %Homework/Study Guides 15 %Binder Checks/Organization 5 %

Homework Policy

Assignments not completed:

Homework/Study Guides-3 points taken off for every day it is late

Homework is checked and gone over, or collected.

Late to Class Policy

As per school policy, if a student is late to class 3

times, he or she will receive a referral.

Availability/Contact Information

I am available every day:HOME BaseAfter school

I can be contacted at: kbronowicki@penfield.edu

249-8450 ext.8389

My website includes homework assignments, classroom news, and resources that will be available:

www.penfield.edu/webpages/kbronowicki/index.cfm

Thank you and I hope to have a wonderful year with

your children!!

Typical Day(60 minutes)

1.) Check/go over homework2.) Warm-up activity/go over

homework3.) Reading aloud from a text/class

discussion4.) Hands-on Activity (stations, etc.)

5.) Closing- “Ticket out the Door”(vocab. word definition, prediction,

summary, quick share/discussion)

How to reinforce at home what your child is learning in school!- Check agenda books frequently;

encourage your child to go to HOME Base for assistance with their studies.

- Ask questions- Listen to new ideas- Invest in “educational tools” like atlases,

dictionaries, newspapers, and magazines.

- Take note of your child’s vocabulary and use new words in discussion