2016-2017Units of Study
Informational TextsLearning: Central Idea, Text Purpose, Text Structure, Textual Evidence, Summary, Transitions
Writing: Informative
Grammar: Verb Mood & Voice
Texts: Whats happening in the world? We may read about it. Examples: Zika & the Olympics, the hidden morality of Beyonc's sweatshops & the proliferation of red candy variety packs.
Drama: The MousetrapLearning: Genre (plays, films, teleplays, whodunits), Plot, Conflict, Setting, Textual Evidence, Inferences, Objective Summary of a Narrative, Accent & Dialect, Context Clues
Writing: Informative & Analytical
Grammar: Shifts in Verb Mood/Voice, Ellipsis
Texts: The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie, Rear Windowdirected by Alfred Hitchcock & an episode of Murder, She Wrote
Short Stories
Argumentative TextsLearning: Argumentative Structure, Rhetorical Devices, Evaluating Evidence (relevance, sufficiency, conflicting), Authors Bias, Diction (denotation & connotation)
Writing: Argumentative + Review
Grammar: Verbals
Texts: Topics where smart people disagree. We will explore: the penny debate, the ethics of dodgeball, the driving age, plus more!
Novel Study: Animal FarmLearning: Allegory, Rhetorical Speech Analysis & Comparison, Theme, Political & Cultural Relevance, Dystopian Texts, Affixes & Roots
Writing: Argumentative & Analytical
Grammar: Review of Verbs & Punctuation
Texts: Patrick Henrys Speech to the Virginia Convention in 1775, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut
PoetryLearning: TP-CASTT, Figures of Speech (simile, metaphor, personification, idiom, hyperbole, verbal irony, pun, maybe more!)
Texts: Herere some highlights: Traveling through the Dark by William Stafford, Willow & Ginkgo by Eve Merriam, Sonnets 18 & 130 by Shakespeare
Historical Fiction: WitnessLearning: Characterization, Historical & Cultural Relevance, Analogies, Lots of Review
Texts: Witness by Karen Hesse, the documentary entitled Prohibition by Ken Burns
English Language Arts 8Mrs. Dawson
[email protected] (865) 986-9944 www.loudoncounty.org
C.L.A.S.S. ExpectationsSo that we may have a successful year, please observe these rules.
Make-Up Work PolicyPlease ask Mrs. Dawson about make up work when you return; most work will be made up during specials. If you do not make arrangements to make up a test or quiz promptly, Mrs. Dawson may give it to you without prior warning if there is time in class or during specials, so be prepared! All make-up work is due two days prior to the end of each grading period. Skyward will classify
uncompleted make up assignments as zeroes until they are made up; this serves as a reminder that you must complete this work.
AUG
JAN
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Mrs. Dawson on Hall Passes
Food & Drinks in ClassPlease eat breakfast at home or at school. Thats quite important. If you do not get the time to eat one morning, please see me during specials; Ill try to get you a healthy snack if Ive got it. However, dont eat or drink in class. Its distracting. Its messy. Water is great, but thats it.
Please use the 4 minutes between each class to go to the restroom and the water fountain. Class time is important. By leaving you will miss important information. However, if you must leave class, wait to ask permission only when appropriate. You MUST leave with a hall pass.
Learning: Point of View, Mood, Tone, Foreshadowing, Irony, Flashback, Moral Dilemma, Narrative Structure, Symbolism, Theme, Allusion
Writing: Informative, Narrative, & Analytical
Grammar: Punctuation
Texts: Buckle up! The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, The Landlady & Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl, The Sniper by Liam OFlaherty, The Necessary Knocking on the Door by Anne Petry, Contents of the Dead Mans Pockets by Jack Finney, Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, & The Catbird Seat by James Thurber
ELA Text Distribution
7.4
9.6
8.59.1
7.88.4
7.6
9.3
Average StudentText Rating
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Come to class everyday, on time, with a
fantastic attitude.
Listen respectfully to others. Dont
speak over others.
Act suitably by following school rules.
Speak in an appropriate voice level
for the situation.
Struggle to learn by
asking for help. You will
succeed!
Mrs. Dawson ALWAYS Needs:
1. pencil/pen
2. comp book
3. positivity
4. paper
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Typical Grade
Distribution
NMS Grading Scale
A=93 B=85-92 C=75-84 D=70-74 F=70
MAY
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do I do when I come into our classroom?
2.What is the deal with these warm up & exit tickets?
3.What classroom procedures do I need to learn now?
4.Mrs. Dawson, what is your grading style?
5.What should I do during emergencies?
B
E
G
I
N
Be here on time. Dont doddle in the hallway.
Every supply you need is on the table. Look on the board, and pick up what you need.
Go to your assigned seat.
Inspect the agenda for today. Notice the learning goal and activities.
Now, warm up. Lets get going!
Mrs. Dawson assigns
new seats
9w e e k s .
New warm up papers are in the box on the blue table. You will need on the first day of every
week or if you lose one.
Where are the blank warm up papers? When do I need to
get one?
What if Im absent for the warm up or exit ticket?
What should I do if I lose my warm up paper?
Get a new one. You WILL lose points for the days you lost, but if you find your old one, staple it to the new one so I can grade them
together.
If you are absent or late, simply write absent in the warm up
and/or exit ticket for the days you missed. They will not count
against you.
On average,
20%of students in our class
e x p l a i nthe warm up aloud
each day.
Tennessee
schoolsmust practice
fire drills10 times
per year.
Getting Your
Attention:Clap once if you can hear me. Clap twice if you can hear me. (Lets never get to
clapping 3 times.)
Passing Back
Papers:Front-facing rows, pass
forward. Side-facing rows, pass to your left. I
will collect from all front row desks.
Forgot Your
Pencil:Please try to come
prepared! Ask around; we have a generous
class. As a last resort, get one from the pencil
cup.
Dismissal From Class:
Yep, Im one of thoseteachers. The bell
doesnt dismiss you, I do. I wont waste your
time.
Lots of Quizzes
Study Island
No Zeroes
We will take frequent, short quizzes in class using technology. These assessments will help you and I understand what youve got & what we need to work on. Need or want to retake one? Come see me.
You will not be issued any textbooks in this class. Thus, in order to practice your ELA skills at home, you will need to complete a Study Island project for homework each 9 weeks. Youll have plenty of time.
I do not accept zeroes on any assignment. If you have missing work, expect to come in during specials. Not finishing Study Island quickly enough? Thats right: Ill pull you in during specials.
You will take a
quizapproximately
1 3days in this class.
FireDrills
LockDowns
Shelter in Place
Not in HR?
1. Line up.2. Walk to designated place.3. Stay quiet the entire time. 4. Listen for roll call.
1. Keep calm; no phones.2. Follow instructions.3. Stay quiet.4. If not in room, find safe place.
1. Be quiet, calm, & speedy.2. Leave the room go to shelter
site in an orderly fashion.3. Sit in protective position.
1. Follow teacher instructions.2. Be ready to switch to HR quickly.3. Notice who is absent for Mrs.
Dawson.
You will only
hear the bell ring
1,581more times at
NMS.
