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Hello and welcome to 8th Grade Language Arts!
Michelle Maynes
8th Grade Language Arts
Below you will find a description of the course and units that will be taught throughout the school year.
Course Description:
8th Grade LA is a two-hour block that combines language, literature, writing and speaking. It focuses on the expansion of each student’s oral and written communication skills as the development of their reading skills.
The literature expands on the connection between the reader and writer, helping students understand the relationships that shape their literature and their lives. The written emphasis is on the growth of each student’s ability to revise his or her own work and to recognize the quality of that work.
Along with writing, students will read and actively participate in novel discussions, themed-units, and literature circles.
Students should also expect to work collaboratively and individually on a variety of projects and units. These units include but are not limited to:
- We All Need Somebody to Lean On
- From Generation to Generation (You might be asked about family traditions, interesting family stories, your family tree, pictures, etc.)
- Tales of the Strange and Mysterious
- Sneaky Tricks and Whopping Lies
- The American Hero: Myth and Reality (You may be asked for help on this one too!)
- We Shall Overcome: American Struggles and Dreams
- A Holocaust Unit that includes The Diary of Anne Frank
- Outsiders Novel
- The Pigman Novel
- Historical Fiction
- Any many various literature book units and writing projects
Success in my classroom begins with preparation. Students should expect to come with all necessary materials: paper, journal, novel, literature book, and blue or black ink pen.
You should expect your student to spend about 15 minutes per night reading a novel at home.. They should read at least four books or 1,000 pages per quarter. Please encourage your student to check Skyward and my Moodle page if he or she has questions about an assignment.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Michelle Maynes
(913) 592-7325
maynesm@usd230.org
For more information about what's going on in class, click on the link below.
Moodle Your student will be able to use this resource with their username and password.