1. Welcome to Back to School 2012-2013 Mrs. Alvarez Language Arts/Social Studies

2. Schedule They will be on A or B schedule. Every two weeks we switch. Homeroom: PE/Elective/Per. 1 Elective/PE/Per. 2 PACK/Per. 3 Lang. Arts/Math Per. 4 Social Studies/Sci./ Per. 5 Lunch Math/LA(Sw.)/Per. 6 Science/S.S.(Sw.)/Per. 7 8:00 – 8:10 8:10 – 9:00 9:00 – 9:50 9:50 – 10:30 10:30 – 11:30 11:30 – 12:20 12:20 – 12:50 12:50 – 1:40 1:40 – 2:30

3. Language Arts Books include Holt Literature, Easy Grammar, and novels used in PACK. It includes reading, spelling, Greek and Latin roots, grammar, vocabulary, and writing. For eighth grade they must read 800 pages independently for each trimester. Students will be required to turn in the reading log on p. 23 in their PACK planner twice a trimester, each with 400 pages. This must be initialed by you. This tells me you have seen them read. (Extra credit will be given for an additional 100 pages only.) Students will be expanding their writing skills by writing narratives, response to literature, persuasive essays, and a research report.

4. Social Studies Book: Discovering Our Past The American Journey Curriculum covers United States History from the Age of Exploration to the Progressive Era. We will be reading, taking notes, doing projects, videos, and current events. We have double the amount of chapters that they had to get through in seventh grade. We go through the chapters fast; so they need to study and take notes. Extra credit given when they take a chapter quiz on-line and email me the results or print and bring in the quiz.

5. Attendance Regular attendance is very important. If a test is missed, it is up to the student to reschedule within the next week that they are back. All tests not made up within that time frame will be given a zero.

6. Work/Grades Corrected work/tests will be sent home on Thursday, in a “ Thursday/Life Folder ”. Please sign and return the folder Friday (no later than Monday), papers are yours to keep. Grades will be on line through Espri. You need to give a couple of days for the grades to go in. Writing grades take longer than scantron grades. Progress reports every six weeks, signature page in planner on p. 22 for the six week progress report. On p. 24-26 of the planner they are to write their grades for each week. You initial that you have seen them.

7. Homework Assigned Monday-Thursday for LA/SS and assigned Monday-Friday for Math Occasionally it might extend throughout the weekend for social studies. It allows students to practice skills. It is required through our district as well as the state. Homework is posted on our web sites on http://TeacherWeb.com/CA/DCIS/MrsAlvarez http://TeacherWeb.com/CA/DCIS/MrsAlvarez http://TeacherWeb.com/CA/DCIS/MrsGJ

8. Behavior/Consequences These are listed in our parent letter and on the board. The PACK planner lists all the school rules they need to follow. Mrs. G-J will be discussing all the positive things we have at our school.

9. Textbooks online This information is in their PACK planner on p.8 Language Arts User Name: geighth Password: eighth Social Studies User Name: DSWWCA06 Password: g1Mm8zd1 This web site needs to be added in their PACK planner. It is for the online quizzes: ca.hss.glencoe.com (I will put these in as extra points)

10. PACK PLANNER Must use. (May be easier to keep in one piece if it is put in its own ½ in. binder.) Helpful for the future—to be ”career ready.” There’s not one of us who doesn’t use a calendar to remember important dates/appointments. Areas to fill-in and get signatures: Homework (DAILY) Log grades and track progress (pgs. 24-26) District Benchmark Assessments (pgs. ) Reading logs (pgs. 23-24) On-line Textbooks—usernames/passwords (pg. 8) PE Handbook Detailed information on all school programs, rewards, rules, consequences 1 st page needs to be signed and returned. Promotion requirements (pg. 5)

11. CJSF California Junior Scholarship Federation They are eligible first trimester if they had three A’s and only one B in their core classes last year (third trimester). They have to do five hours of community service each trimester. Some of those hours have to be here at Day Creek. Benefits of being a member: They get to check out different colleges. They can start in CSF as a freshman in high school. They can put it on their resume/application for colleges. They are the students who graduate with honors and wear the white/yellow stole in high school.  Application process—See DCIS website and/or Mrs. Blahut.

12. Promotion Must be eligible academically as well as behaviorally Requirements are clearly stated in the Day Creek PACK Planner on p.5.

13. Closing Eighth grade is a year of increased responsibility for students preparing for high school. Parental involvement is still critically important at this age. We do have a suggested supply list in our packet and if you would like to support our classroom with any other supplies feel free to take one of the cars on the door. If you have any questions or concerns please call me at (909-803-3300) or email me at patricia_alvarez@etiwanda.org.