Mrs. Heather D.

Sanders
th
8 Grade Language Arts
Survival Guide
Wester Middle School
2008 - 2009

1
Dear Eighth Grade Scholars,

Welcome to eighth grade! You are at the peak of middle school, and
you should enjoy your predominance this year! You may feel like this
middle school thing is a breeze by now. You’ve done one other year of
this already, and so this one ought to be pure icing, right? We’ll see. I
hope you find it that way but, chances are, you’re going to be
challenged by the intensity and scope of your work this year. Of
course, none of it is beyond you, unless you let it become so.

Over the course of the year, you’re going to stretch your mind and
expand your abilities in ways you never thought you could. If you
work with me, you’ll come out of this year more thoughtful, better able
to understand what you read, with a mind that is sharper and with the
confidence to use it well. I want you to find success this year. Most of
all, I want this year in Language Arts to be a milestone, turning point,
or springboard for you. Years from now, I’d love for you to be able to
remember this year and say, “That’s when I stopped just being a
student, and became a Scholar.”

Your scholarship and success this year and into the rest of your life is
my goal. I’m chomping at the bit to start. This handbook will lay the
framework in which we’ll accomplish all the stuff I’ve just mentioned.

I'm glad you're here!

2
 WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

Scholar, our literary study will include (but not

be limited to):
1. Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary!

2. Literature: Novels, Poetry, Short

Stories, Essays, Non-fiction – GREAT
STUFF!!

3. Major Research Project

4. Grammar & Parts of Speech

5. Adventures in Technology! (Podcasting,

Multimedia Projects, and Discussion
Forums, Oh my!)

6. Writing Assignments: Journals, Timed

Writing, Rhetoric

NEED SPECIFICS? NO PROBLEM!

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 Regular Language Arts Syllabus
(Subject to change!)
1st Six Weeks: Procedures
Short Stories/Literary Analysis
Edgar Allan Poe

2nd Six Weeks: Edgar Allan Poe – Poetry & Short Stories
Peter & the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

3rd Six Weeks: “The Diary of Anne Frank” (drama)

World War II/The Holocaust
Tolerance/Major Research Project

4th Six Weeks: Tangerine by Edward Bloor

5th Six Weeks: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

6th Six Weeks: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

****Ongoing – Vocabulary & Grammar Study****

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Pre-AP Language Arts Syllabus (Subject to change!)
1st Six Weeks:
• Reading Strategies – Bloom’s Taxonomy, Three Levels of Reading,
Annotation
• Short Story Analysis – DIDLS (Diction * Imagery * Details * Language
* Syntax)
• Composition – Timed Writing Skills

2nd Six Weeks:

• Short Story Analysis, focusing on poetry & short stories of Edgar
Allan Poe
• Literary Archetypes & The Hero’s Journey
• Novel Study – The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

3rd Six Weeks:

• The Diary of Anne Frank (novel)
• World War II/The Holocaust
• Tolerance/Major Research Project
• Close Reading Strategies in Nonfiction Prose (Annie Dillard, Mark
Twain, etc.)
4th Six Weeks:
• TPCASTT (Poetry Analysis)
• Sentence Structure & Variation
• Literature Circles

5th Six Weeks :

• The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
• Rhetoric Analysis : Sensory & Persuasive Appeals
• Connotation
• Author’s Purpose

6th Six Weeks:

• William Shakespeare’s Sonnets & Plays
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• “Much Ado About Nothing”

***Ongoing: Vocabulary, Timed Writing & Dialectical Journals***

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 WEEKLY VOCABULARY RITUAL
Our FABULOUS vocabulary ritual consists of three parts:

A. At the beginning of each week, you will be assigned a list of FIVE (only five!)
vocabulary words. In fact, I have provided you with a list of words for the
ENTIRE SEMESTER, can you believe it?)

It is YOUR responsibility to STUDY the definition, part of speech, and spelling for
each of the words on that week’s list

B. The FIRST 15 - 20 MINTUES of class on MONDAY and TUESDAY will be

dedicated to completing a WORD MAP for each of that week’s fabulous five words.
You are responsible for locating and writing down valuable information about each word
as well as writing a MEANINGFUL SENTENCE for each word. What you don’t
complete in class must be completed at home, so be responsible with your time!

C. All five WORD MAPS are due within the first 15 minutes of class on
WEDNESDAY
WEDNE SDAY. At that time, word maps will either be graded & discussed in class or
turned in. LATE WORD MAPS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

D. Each FRIDAY you will take a QUIZ unless you hear otherwise from me. Scholars
who will be absent for school-sponsored activities need to make arrangements to take the
quiz on the day it is given or prior to that day. You are responsible for knowing the part
of speech, the correct spelling and the definition for each word.

E. At the end of each six weeks, you will take a test over ALL of the words
from that six weeks!

*** Warning: Vocabulary quizzes are CUMULATIVE ***

If you don’t keep up, don’t be afraid. Be terrified. You know it’s true.
(then relax and come for help.)

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 S.O.S.
(Steps of Success)
So let’s say you are lost, confused, clueless, or otherwise freaked out about an
assignment we’re working on in class. Maybe you got your vocabulary quiz back
…and the grade? Not so sweet. Have no fear! This is where S.O.S. comes in. Not
only is S.O.S. a distress signal indicating that help is needed, it’s what we call the
Lions’ Language Arts teacher tutorials!

I am available most mornings from 8:00 – 8:40 (and some afternoons from
4:00 – 4:30) to help you in any way I can. During tutorials, skills for the week
can be reviewed and time spent re-teaching any lessons from class as needed.

STEPS OF SUCCESS:

If your grades are slipping, come to S.O.S.!

If you’re confused about vocabulary, come to S.O.S.!

If you don’t have a clue how to do a writing assignment, come to S.O.S.!

If you’re lost in the literature lesson for the week, come to S.O.S.!

S.O.S. is 100% optional – it is there if you need it, but you are not required to
attend. Be sure to sign up with me & obtain a pass if you plan to attend, so that
plans can be made and materials prepared for you.

I also have some great links to Language Arts websites on my blog to help you
with your homework – check it out @ http://koolteecha.edublogs.org!

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 LITERATURE STUFF
Literature is the transfer of information from the author to the reader
by means of some sort of story or written work. That’s all it is, really.
Our task this year will be to read a variety of different literary works
and figure out what the authors thought was so important to
communicate, and what things they did to make it (hopefully)
interesting. Now, some authors are a little better than others in
keeping our attention, or getting us involved in the story, and there are
some who, it seems, cannot write a story to save their lives. We’re
going to decide who’s who and what’s what.

There are a lot of things that go into creating and reading good
literature. We’re going to explore and learn those things, too. The
skills you will gather in this class will serve you well in your high
school courses and beyond in your lives beyond high school. I want
you to be prepared to receive these communications and interpret their
importance for you: Does the message matter to you?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I expect you to read the stories, chapters, essays,
and novels I assign. Most are fairly concise and
interesting. If you find they are not, read them
anyway. My class requires that your brain be
present and prepared – this means you!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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 GRADES:
(the stuff that dreams are made of)
Of the work I give you this year,
some will count for points and some will not;
some I will collect and some I will not;
some we will review and correct; some we will not.
ALL of it will have purpose.
Regardless, your grade in this class consists of the percentage you earn of the points
possible to earn in the work I assign:

Daily work = 25 %
Quizzes = 30 %
Major Tests/projects = 45 %
Total = 100 %

YOU determine your success this year!

Isn’t that exciting? Don’t you feel powerful?

------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEVER EVER FORGET:
FORGET:
Your grades do NOT indicate your intelligence or worth. They indicate the amount of
EFFORT you have put into your classwork.

(Which may only indicate something about your character…)

I’ve seen brilliant scholars do very poorly (even fail) for lack of effort and not-quite-
as-bright scholars work hard and do really, really well. If you want to do well, I will
do most anything to help you work hard, but in the end, it all comes down to what
you are willing to do.
do

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 HOMEWORK
(After all, you shouldn’t have to do all your work at school!)

“Completing homework is important for your success.”

You’ve heard that a hundred times by now, I’ll bet. Still, it remains
true. If you want to do well, or you just don’t want to fail, you
must do the work the class requires. If
you don’t read what I assign, we’ve got nothing to discuss.

(How sad that would be - all of us staring at each other morosely.)

I will make sure that everyone understands the assignment before

class ends. It will then be your scholarly responsibility to complete it
and bring it to class. There WILL be a quiz for nearly every
reading assignment. If you do not read, you will not do well.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help as you need it!

I am ready and willing to assist scholars who seek additional

help with difficult concepts and assignments, and I expect that when
they need my help, they will seek it ACTIVELY.

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 The Four Occupations
Adults are expected to work. Little children are not. You are traveling
now from one stage to the other. Adults no longer see you as little
children (which is the good news) and they expect you to start
working (which for some of you is the bad news). If this is all news to
you, then wake up now.

In this class (and in this stage of life in general) you have four jobs to
occupy you:

OBEY your Authorities

1.OBEY
You must do what I ask of you without hesitation or question, unless I
direct you to do something immoral or unethical (which, by the way, I
would never do). You are involved in a course of study that I have
designed for your benefit, and I demand your full cooperation. I will
know that you are responding cooperatively to a request when I hear
you say, “Yes, ma’am.” (or “Yes, sir,” if the situation dictates).
Approach those in authority respectfully and express your opinion in a
mature tone of voice. I have great things planned for your experience
and education, and to realize them we must have a healthy working
relationship.

2.BE KIND to Those Around You.

You must treat your fellow scholars (and your wise, fashionable
teacher, of course) with kindness. This class works best when the
scholars are free to express their thoughts or opinions without fear of
ridicule or derision (go ahead and look it up). Learning and true fun occur
when the class is unified and without “sides,” cliques, or divisions.
Look for opportunities to help each other succeed rather than ways to
wound each other. I will not tolerate any abuse of one scholar by
another. In this class and in life, kindness goes a long way.

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3.LEARN as Much as You Can
The State of Texas provides you a thirteen year span of time in which
the taxpayers (your parents and me, among others...) will pay for your
education. After that, it’s up to your wallet. During that span, teachers
work to help you understand and use the knowledge that humankind
has amassed in the thousands of years before you were born. Sounds
pretty serious, doesn’t it?
Your job is to learn, understand, comprehend, assimilate and master as
much of that stuff as you can before your “free” time is up. Your
chance began several years ago, and continues today. However, no one
can make you learn anything. Some of you may already know this
firsthand. You must do it, if it’s going to be done. Your parents,
relatives, teachers, and I are willing to help you but, in the end, it’s all
YOU. You must decide every day to absorb as much knowledge and
gain as much wisdom as you can lay your hands on.

Be prepared. Be diligent.
Participate.

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4.Have as Much FUN as You Can
There is so much fun to be had, you should be pursuing it with great
abandon, with everything you’ve got. Your job is to enjoy life and this
class to the fullest! Squeeze mirth from every slice of time you have!
Laugh as often as possible! Play to your heart’s content! Follow this rule
whenever you ever can!

(and this is a big but...)

Occupation #4 CANNOT override

Occupations #1-3.

YOU MAY NOT IGNORE THE FIRST THREE

TO FOLLOW THE FOURTH.
That’s how things begin to fall apart, in this class, in your life, and in society.

**************************************************************************************************************

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 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
AKA: THE WAY THINGS WORK AROUND HERE

A. General Class rules

 Be prepared for class when the bell rings.

 Follow all instructions.

 Talk only at appropriate times.

 Respect yourself, others, property, and your school.

B. DISCIPLINE
Behavioral indiscretions will not be tolerated & will result in
consequences. Consequences include:

 Teacher/student conference, change of seating, parental

contact, teacher D-Hall, school D-Hall, office referral

 I may write a morning D-Hall any time student behavior

warrants it; however, serious infractions will be referred to the
office immediately.

C. Entering our classroom

 You are expected to enter the classroom respectfully; it is a

place of learning. Take your seat, and look at the board. Every
15
 day you will find the day’s assignments listed there. You MUST
copy them down into your agenda, planner, calendar, etc. There
is often valuable information there for you: due dates,
reminders, etc. I will take a grade on your agenda entries every
three weeks, so be diligent!
 Once you enter the classroom, stay in the classroom. This s
important because you will often have warm-up activities and
your time is VERY limited.

D. YOUR FABULOUS NOTEBOOK

 Your notebook should include dividers. Sections should be labeled:

1. VOCABULARY 2. LITERATURE 3. GRAMMAR

4. WRITING/JOURNALS 5. GRADED ASSIGNMENTS (OPTIONAL)

 After assignments have been graded and recorded, papers will

be returned to your own personal file folder. Check it often!!!
Some graded assignments can be kept in your notebook while
others will be kept in class. Please do not throw any paperwork
away until the end of the six weeks.

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E. A HEADING FOR YOUR PAPERS

In the top right corner of your paper, neatly write your heading:

Your Name (first and last)

(Your Class Period)
The Day’s Date
Assignment Title

PLEASE NOTE: Assignments without a name on them

WILL BE DISCARDED.

F. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE ABSENT

 When you return to class after being absent, check the
MASTER CALENDAR at the front of the room to see what
assignments you missed. Copy those assignments into your
agenda for the days you were absent. If there was a handout,
it will be in the green folders under the master calendar.
Hopefully this will save a diligent scholar the time it would take
for him/her to come and ask me personally for the work that
was missed!

 You can also check our class calendars online:

• Regular Language Arts: http://www.localendar.com/public/Koolteecha
• Pre-AP Language Arts: http://www.localendar.com/public/KoolteechaPreAP

 If there was a test or quiz, YOU will need to arrange a time to

make the quiz up. I will most likely not remember, and if it comes
time for me to enter grades, you’ll get a zero for the test or
quiz unless you’ve taken the responsibility to make it up.

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G. MAKE-UP WORK and LATE WORK
/
Policies
 Our fabulous district policy allows scholars one day to
complete the work for each day of absence. I won’t remind
you to get your make-up work. I expect you to remember to
do it yourself. Don’t hesitate or procrastinate! The late
work policy applies to make-up work, too!

 The district late work policy is as follows:

1 day past due date – maximum grade of a 70
After one day past due date – ZERO

I am a stickler about this. Be prepared. Be diligent.

Be responsible.

H. CORRECTING A QUIZ OR OTHER

ASSIGNMENT
 Occasionally you will find a red stamp with the words,
“PLEASE CORRECT AND RETURN” on an assignment that has
been returned to your green folder. Beside that stamp will
be a date. This means that you are allowed to make & turn in
corrections to that assignment (be it daily work or a quiz)
until the stamped date. After that date, you’re out of luck.
No corrections will be accepted. Sometimes there will not be
a stamp. That just means corrections are not an option on
that assignment or quiz.
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  Corrections can be made up to a 70 on certain assignments
by coming to S.O.S., but please keep in mind that when
grading corrections to an assignment, I begin grading at a
70, and any deductions for incorrect or incomplete answers
will be made beginning there.

I. EXTRA CREDIT
 Scholars will sometimes approach me and ask if there is any form of
extra credit available. I consider those requests on a “case by case” basis.
Generally, though, I’m hesitant to give extra credit opportunities to
scholars on either end of the grade spectrum.

 If a scholar has an “A,” then he/she has proven his/her effort and skills
without splitting hairs over percentage points.

 Likewise, if a scholar has an “F,” then he/she has let things go

already and his/her request is likely to be too late.

 However, extra credit chances DO crop up from time to time for

the whole class. The scholar on her/his toes may collect
points here or there. Keep your ears pricked, and your eyes
open. (Just so you’re prepared – unless otherwise mentioned, extra
credit is always always due the day after it is assigned.)

J. ACADEMIC HONESTY

• Cheating in any form is unacceptable. It demonstrates a lack of

character and breaks down the trust between a teacher and student.
Cheating includes any of the following:

a. Copying homework – in whole or in part

b. Copying from someone during a quiz or test
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 c. Discussing the questions on a quiz or test with students
during passing period

d. Plagiarism – the theft of an author’s words or ideas

without giving him/her credit
e. Helping someone else cheat

• Consequences for Academic Dishonesty may include a Disciplinary

Referral or a zero earned for the assignment.

K. WHEN YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA

GO
 If you must use the restroom or get a drink, please arrange to do so
between classes or at lunch. However, since nature WILL call unannounced,
your Lions Team professionals have awarded you THREE opportunities
PER SIX WEEKS (Waaaaaay generous, if you ask me) to leave the room
during class.

 These opportunities will come in the form of a pass that your homeroom
teacher will pass out to you at the beginning of each six weeks.

 Please understand that these THREE priceless opportunities are for

your use in ALL of your classes – they are not Language Arts - specific.

 I will NOT let you go (no pun intended) if your three are used up. Be wise.

I reserve the right to deny your request if

if
necessary.

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NOTICE
A lack of planning on your part
does NOT constitute an
emergency
on my part.

In other words,
please feel free to panic if your work
is not complete or on time,
but don't expect me to panic, too.

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 NOTICE
Leave nothing in my room after school if you value it!
I have had issues in the past with students who see my classroom as
their room at home. Therefore, I am not responsible for anything left
in my classroom after 4:00 each day. This list includes (but is not
limited to):
pens, pencils, guyliner, papers, reports, bookbags, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor
Beans, 80’s movies posters, the complete works of William Shakespeare, Manolo
Blahniks, tiaras, stirrup pants, pets, loved ones, Chicken Reds landing strips,
winning lottery tickets, Olympic rings, goldfish crackers (the snack that smiles
back), textbooks, unauthorized biographies, mood rings, folders, three-ring
binders, notes, Will Farrell bobbleheads, hats, lugnuts, toenail clippers, cosmetics,
power tools, toys, LOST theories, Happy Bunny keychains, boots, hybrid cars,
gloves, coats, guitars, posters, mortgage payments, credit cards, glossy photos of
Shia LeBeouf, athletic equipment, cameras, anvils, any fruits and/or vegetables,
carnival supplies, Dippin’ Dots, Purina products of any sort, Britney Spears wigs,
prisms, software, dulcimers, candied yams, Joker cards, seven swans a-
swimming, any Dole canned fruit products, your Patronus, Happy Meal toys,
chinchillas, cassette tapes, Gogurt, comic books, trading cards, weight belts, Vote
for McCain buttons, kazoos, homing pigeons, spare change, toe rings, Geiger
counters, Smurf dolls, herbs & spices, gift certificates, hanging chads, pacifiers,
in-line skates, bowling gloves, Boy Band keychains, magazines, toilet paper,
postage stamps, telephone directories, iPods, autographed pictures of Pete Wentz,
pieces of the Berlin Wall, Kabballah bracelets, model planes, imposter designer
handbags, cereal straws, yoga mats, thumbtacks, maps to the Jonas Brothers’s
house in Westlake, sealing wax, toupees, contestant applications for “Wipeout”,
caramel frappachinos from Starbucks, rented tuxedos, favorite blankies, llamas,
earplugs, beloved childhood stuffed animals, YouTube videos of Selena Gomez &
Demi Lovato, enchiladas, widgets, bags of fertilizer, parsley, sage, rosemary &
thyme, secret decoder rings, Macadamia nuts or any other manner of
paraphernalia…

If it's yours, keep it that way.

Take it with you when you leave, or KISS IT GOOD-
GOOD-BYE.
BYE

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 NOTICE
THE FUTURE IS NOW
It’s astounding.
Time is fleeting.
The things you do (or don’t do) will affect
your satisfaction down the road.

The secret?

If you want to reach a goal

at the end of the week,
the six weeks,
the semester,
the year,
figure out what you can do TODAY
and then do it.

Don’t wait for the perfect starting time.

There isn’t one & there never will be.
Start now and start again tomorrow.

23
 NOTICE
YOUR INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR IN CLASS WILL
SHOW ME HOW MUCH FREEDOM I MAY
GIVE YOU AS A GROUP.

DON'T BE A REBEL.
THERE'S NO CAUSE.

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 THE DAZE OF SCHOOL
Count ‘em up or count ‘em down,
your days in Eighth Grade are now numbered…

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 78 79 80 81 82 83 84
85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97
98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107
108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116
117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125
126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134
135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143
144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152
153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161
162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170
171 172 173 174 175 176 177
How do you want to feel about the year when you finish it?

Decide now.

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 Contact
Information:
Heather D. Sanders

Email:
[email protected]

Phone:
(817) 453 - 7200

Website:
http://koolteecha.edublogs.org

Conference Period:
3rd Block/7th Block
1:05 – 2:30

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JUST FOR THE RECORD......
Yes, I have read this Scholar's Survival Guide and I understand the
policies within it. As a scholar, I agree to abide by these policies in Mrs.
Sanders’s classroom for this school year. Next year, when I'm no longer
in that class, I am no longer bound by these policies, unless I really like
them, in which case I will exercise my American freedom, for which
many brave citizens fought and died to earn and preserve, and carry
on in that manner while promising not to write run-on sentences like
this one.

______________________________________________________
Scholar's Signature Date

------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATTENTION: PARENTS OF 8th GRADE SCHOLARS!!!

PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN BY FRIDAY:

Yes, I have read this Scholar’s Survival Guide and I understand the
policies within it. I will amply support, praise or admonish my scholar
as necessary during the course of this school year.

__________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date

__________________________________________________________
Parent Email Address(es) (please print!)

If you have questions, contact me at 817-453-7200.

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