8th Grade English Syllabus

Mrs. Wiggers
2020-2021 School Year
Email: elizabeth.wiggers@hopecharter.org

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to the start of a brand new school year! This year is definitely bringing new challenges to all of us, but along with all the uncertainty, I believe this will be a wonderful year of growth not only in academics, but in flexibilty, patience, and understanding of those around us. I'm looking forward to working with all of you both face to face and virtually.

Supply List

The following supplies must be brought to class daily.

•A notebook or loose-leaf paper in binder for note taking.

•Black/Blue Pens & pencils (colorful pens for students' note-taking and corrections are great as well.)

 •Highlighters

•Colored pencils

•Level appropriate fiction book of student’s choice for SSR (Silent Sustained Reading --more info about this is posted on my website.)

Class Website

Please make sure to check my website and Google Classroom regularly.

 http://www.hopecharter.org/sites/elizabeth-wiggers/ 

Homework Expectations

Regular computer homework will be assigned weekly. This will include two IXL’s, two Reading Plus articles, and Quizlet vocabulary units in preparations for weekly Friday vocabulary tests.

     IXL’s and Reading Plus are assigned on Monday and are due by midnight Saturday. Quizlet is assigned Monday and is due before students come to class on Friday so as to be prepared for the vocabulary test.

     Students are expected to keep track of assignments –computer and otherwise--and have them done/turned in on time.

     SSR reading  requires  a specific number of pages per quarter to be read for book  talks with teacher during the 7th and 8th weeks of the term. An SSR handout will be posted on my website.

     Late work will be accepted at a penalty of 10 points per day unless otherwise specified by the teacher (certain assignments will not be accepted late per teacher’s discretion).

Tracking Grades

•Parents and students alike, please make sure to regularly check posted grades online on Skyward to ensure everyone is up to date with student grades!

•Please check Google Classroom regularly as well.

Grading

Homework: 20%

Classwork: 10%

Quizzes: 20%

Tests: 50% (this category includes larger writing assignments.)

 

Curriculum
 

McDougal Littell Literature

Mechanically Inclined Grammar and Writing

Our students will be immersed in reading and writing at their levels, enabling them to make the greatest gains possible. We will incorporate cooperative learning strategies and other techniques that cater to students’ personal learning styles in order to make students active participants in their learning

 

Code of Ethics

Students are expected to maintain the highest degree of academic ethics. This means putting the utmost effort into all class work and assignments and avoiding the ethical pitfalls of plagiarism and cheating.

Plagiarism and Cheating include:

Taking someone else’s assignment or portion of an assignment and submitting it as your own.

Submitting material written by someone else or rephrasing the ideas of another without giving credit to the original author or source.

Presenting the work of tutors, parents, siblings, or friends as your own

Submitting purchased papers or papers from the internet as your own

Supporting plagiarism by providing your work to other, whether you believe it will be copied or not

Using any form of memory aid during tests or quizzes without the expressed permission of the instructor

Giving or receiving answers during tests or quizzes

Taking credit for group work when you have not contributed an equal or appropriate share to the final result

Accessing a test or quiz for the purpose of determining the questions in advance of its administration

Using summaries/commentaries (Cliff Notes, Spark Notes, etc) in lieu of reading the assigned materials

No student needs to cheat or plagiarize. Legacy High School provides support for students to help them achieve success honorably. Students who seek appropriate help when it’s needed will not need to cheat or plagiarize. Despite this, if a student chooses to plagiarize and cheat, he or she will be given a zero and will be referred to the office for disciplinary action. This is easily a situation to avoid; I am happy and available to give any help when it is needed. Please see me to set up an agreeable time.

(Text adapted from North Hunterdon High School policy on Academic Ethics)

Contact Information

I can be reached by my email: elizabeth.wiggers@hopecharter.org, and by phone at the school: (407) 656-4673. If I am unavailable to come to the phone, please leave a message with the office and I will call you back as soon as I am able.