Welcome to Grade 8 English!

Ms. McWatters

This class will be...

Equitable & Inclusive � “To improve outcomes for students at risk,

all partners must work to identify and remove barriers and must actively seek to

create the conditions needed for student success. In an increasingly diverse Ontario,

that means ensuring that all of our students are engaged, included, and

respected, and that they see themselves reflected in their learning environment.”-- Ontario Ministry of Education , 

Realizing the Promise of Diversity...Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy

This class will be...• integrated

• balanced

• creative

• (media) critical

Integrating subjects is a great way for students to have a morein-depth understanding of a topic. This class will include integrating his-tory, drama, science, geography, & math .

To ensure all students’ needs are met, this class has a balanced literacy program. There will be an emphasis on fluency, vocabulary, and domain knowledge while including shared reading/writing, guided reading/writing, indep-endent reading/writing, and oral communication.

Students learn best when they are interested in what they are doing. Allowing students the freedom to be creative is very important. In many instances, students will have choice about what to learn and of how to complete an assignment.

Our children are being exposed to media whether we teach them to be critical or not. Many teens are spending hours on the Internet. This classroom will reflect this increasingly online generation through less-ons, assignments, and learning how to be criti-cal in a sea of information.

A Week-at-a-GlanceDay 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Independent Reading (15 min)

Read-Aloud(15 min)

Independent Reading & Small Group Guided Reading(15 min)

Journal Writing(15 min)

Free Writing(15 min)

Lesson(10 min)

Classroom Discussion or Think-Pair-Share(15 min)

Lesson(10 min)

Drama or Media Studies/Exercises(20 min)

Lesson(10 min)

Small Group Conferences & Group or Independent Working Time(35 min)

Small Group Conferences & Group or Independent Working Time(30 min)

Small Group Conferences & Group or Independent Working Time(35 min)

Community Building or Classroom Discussion(25 min)

Small Group Conferences & Independent Working Time(35 min)

The Year-at-a-Glance

September

Week 1 – 4th to 7thIntroduction, Surveys, &

Community Building

Week 2 – 10th to 14th

Unit 1: Short Stories& “Voice”

Week 3 – 17th to 21st

Week 4 – 23rd to 27th

October

Week 1 – 1st to 5th

Week 2 – 8th to 12th

Week 3 – 15th to 19th Unit 2: Novel Study & Literature Circles

** Possibly integrating with history class

Week 4 – 22nd to 26th

Week 5 – 29th to 2nd

November

Week 1 – 5th to 9th

Week 2 – 12th to 16th

Week 3 – 19th to 23rd Unit 3: Film, Media,& Technological Presentations

** Possibly integrating with science class

Week 4 – 26th to 30th

DecemberWeek 1 – 3rd to 7th

Week 2 – 10th to 14th

Week 3 – 17th to 21st

The Year-at-a-Glance

January

Week 1 – 7th to 11th

Unit 3: The Writing Process

Week 2 – 14th to 18th

Week 3 – 21st to 25th

Week 4 – 28th to 1st

Unit 4: Persuasive Writing/Media

February

Week 1 – 4th to 8th

Week 2 – 11th to 15th

Week 3 – 18th to 22nd

Week 4 – 25th to 1st Unit 5: Exploring

Non-Fiction

**Possibly integrating with science class

March

Week 1 – 4th to 8th

Week 2 – 11th to 15th -March Break-

Week 3 – 18th to 22nd (Unit 5 Continued...)

Week 4 – 25th to 29th

The Year-at-a-Glance

April

Week 1 – 1st to 5th

Unit 6: Poetry

** Possibly integrating with French class

Week 2 – 8th to 12th

Week 3 – 15th to 19th

Week 4 – 22nd to 26th

Week 5 – 29th to 3rd

May

Week 1 – 6th to 10th Unit 7: World Stories(Myths, Legends, Oral

History, Graphic Novels, etc...)

** Possibly integrating with geography class

Week 2 – 13th to 17th

Week 3 – 20th to 24th

Week 4 – 27th to 31st

June

Week 1 – 3rd to 7th

Week 2 – 10th to 14th

Unit 8: PortfoliosWeek 3 – 17th to 21st

Week 4 – 24th to 28th

A Unit OverviewAccording to the Ontario Curriculum, there are four strands of language to be covered each year—Reading, Writing, Oral Communication, & Media Literacy.

Here is an illustration how these strands exist in a unit.

Unit 5 – Exploring Non-Fiction

Reading: Learn How to Read Non-Fiction; Shared, Guided, & Independent Reading of Non-Fiction Materials; Analyze & Explore How Materials Were Written; Note Unfamiliar Words in Vocabulary Graphic Organizer

Writing: Generate, Gather, & Organize Ideas; Shared, Guided, & Independent Writing of Non-Fiction Materials; Revise & Edit Own Writing and Others’; Write a Comprehension Non-Fiction Text

Oral Communication: Think-Pair-Share About Non-Fiction Topics; Classroom Discussion About Non-Fiction Topics; Oral Presentation About a Non-Fiction Topic

Media Literacy: Create a Media Piece About a Non-Fiction Topic (Blog, Pamphlet, Poster, Public Service Announcement); Research Online

Assessment & EvaluationAs available on the Ontario Ministry of Education website, here

is a rubric for persuasive letter writing:

Assessment & Evaluation

What’s the Difference Between Assessment & Evaluation, Anyways?

From Duke University,http://web.duke.edu/arc/documents/The%20difference%20between%20assessment%20and%20evaluation.pdf

Feedback given along the way; assessment for, as, & of learning

Final grading & feedback

Assessment & EvaluationIn this class, assessment and

evaluation will be composed of:

• rubrics, like the previous slides (that are given out at the start of the assignment)• part-way-through-unit assessments• conferences• self-assessments & self-evaluations• teacher comments

If there are any questions about the grading, I would be happy to review the assignment with

the student or with you, parents/guardians.

Addressing Students’ NeedsStudents come from a diverse backgrounds and have a

variety of needs and interests. Here are ways these needs will be addressed in this class:• choices will be given when doing projects &

assignments, allowing students to choose the coursework which suits them best• accommodations & modifications to program available on a case-by-case basis (please let me know!)• the units and how they are taught will reflect the diverse student body in the class• extra help is available at lunch and after school on certain days

Parents’/Guardians’ RolesThe support you give your child is invaluable. Here are some

things you can do at home to extend your child’s learning:

• talk to your child! I know the adolescent learner can be reluctant to talk, but discussing the day helps your child consolidate their day’s learning & promotes oral communication skills

•create a quiet and supportive environment for your child to do their homework (even create a homework schedule)• show interest in your child’s work; boost their self-esteem with a compliment• read with your child or discuss a book you both read

Thank you for your time!

Any Questions?