Please note: This is a general plan for the year, but as teachers and students must all be flexible, the outline below is subject to change.
8th Grade Writing Skills Taught
I have two main goals for 8th grade writers. First, I want them to use the foundations they have had in 6th and 7th grades when writing. Second, students will learn about the 6 Traits of Writing, which, when combined, create more powerful, meaningful writing. These skills will benefit students in high school and beyond. Here are some of the things I would like to work on in our class:
“Write on demand”—students will:
· Learn and practice the required skills for answering a writing prompt
· Demonstrate their ability to write on the spot (they use this skill for standardized test taking and essay tests in college)
· Do this for several days in a row, each day on a different topic
1st Quarter:
· Learning about the “6 Traits of Writing” and incorporate them into writing
2nd Quarter:
· Continuing with “6 Traits”
3rd Quarter:
· Some “write on demand” work
· Research reports—using skills built upon in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades to write a thorough report on a WWI topic
4th Quarter:
· Poetry—exploring the many kinds and famous examples, then create their own
· Opinion writing—restaurant reviews
· Autobiographies for religion class
Grammar and Vocabulary
In addition to writing, I will also teach vocabulary and grammar skills. Students will review parts of speech and sentence mechanics as I relate grammar to their writing. I will often use examples from the books they read in literature class to demonstrate how writers use grammar and mechanics to make writing correct and more interesting.
We will begin vocabulary study during the second quarter with a program called "Building Vocabulary from Root Words", which is a comprehensive program that teaches students to recognize semantic patterns using Greek and Latin roots. When students begin recognizing these patterns, they can often figure out meanings of unknown words on their own. This can also help them on the SAT and ACT.
***Please let me know if you ever have any questions about the syllabus.***
8th Grade Writing Skills Taught
I have two main goals for 8th grade writers. First, I want them to use the foundations they have had in 6th and 7th grades when writing. Second, students will learn about the 6 Traits of Writing, which, when combined, create more powerful, meaningful writing. These skills will benefit students in high school and beyond. Here are some of the things I would like to work on in our class:
“Write on demand”—students will:
· Learn and practice the required skills for answering a writing prompt
· Demonstrate their ability to write on the spot (they use this skill for standardized test taking and essay tests in college)
· Do this for several days in a row, each day on a different topic
1st Quarter:
· Learning about the “6 Traits of Writing” and incorporate them into writing
2nd Quarter:
· Continuing with “6 Traits”
3rd Quarter:
· Some “write on demand” work
· Research reports—using skills built upon in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades to write a thorough report on a WWI topic
4th Quarter:
· Poetry—exploring the many kinds and famous examples, then create their own
· Opinion writing—restaurant reviews
· Autobiographies for religion class
Grammar and Vocabulary
In addition to writing, I will also teach vocabulary and grammar skills. Students will review parts of speech and sentence mechanics as I relate grammar to their writing. I will often use examples from the books they read in literature class to demonstrate how writers use grammar and mechanics to make writing correct and more interesting.
We will begin vocabulary study during the second quarter with a program called "Building Vocabulary from Root Words", which is a comprehensive program that teaches students to recognize semantic patterns using Greek and Latin roots. When students begin recognizing these patterns, they can often figure out meanings of unknown words on their own. This can also help them on the SAT and ACT.
***Please let me know if you ever have any questions about the syllabus.***
