1. 8 TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS MS. DARNELL

2. EXPECTATIONS Follow all rules in the WCPSS Student Handbook. Follow all NGMS rules and expectations. Follow all team rules. Don’t be late! The tardy policy will be enforced! Use appropriate language and follow the dress code. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Be a buddy, not a bully! Respect your teachers and peers.

3. BE PREPARED You are expected to bring the following to class each day: o One inch, three ring binder with loose leaf paper o Pencil o Agenda o Colored pencils o Glue stick o Book currently being read o Homework/assignments due

4. CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Each day, you will enter the classroom and sit in your assigned seat. You will look at the board under “BELLWORK” to find directions for what to do at the beginning of the class period.

5. CLASSROOM PROCEDURES If any assignments are to be turned in, you will turn them in to the correct bin immediately. If you were absent the previous day, check the “While you were out…” bin for missing assignments. Sharpen your pencil and return to your seat.

6. CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Complete the required bellwork for the day. After the bellwork is completed, you may read quietly or work on another Language Arts assignment while we wait for the transition into our next activity. You may NOT work on assignments from other classes in my Language Arts class!

7. CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Homework is always posted on the side board next to the daily objectives. It is your responsibility to keep track of due dates!

8. CLASSROOM PROCEDURES Basic Dos and Don’ts… Do complete all assignments and study for tests and quizzes. Don’t let me hear you say you weren’t aware of due dates or that you forgot about a quiz, test, or project! Do use your three passes per quarter for bathroom/locker breaks. Don’t ask me to use a pass within the first five minutes of class or while I’m teaching a lesson. Do sharpen pencils and turn in assignments before the bell rings. Don’t get up to sharpen your pencil or turn in assignments while I am teaching a lesson. Do be responsible for your own actions! Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Your success depends on you and no one else!

9. BINDERS You are expected to bring your Language Arts binder to class every single day. Failure to come to my classroom with your Language Arts binder will result in silent lunch. Only Language Arts work is allowed in your Language Arts binder. Do not use your binder for any other class. I will not give you a Table of Contents to help keep your binder organized; organization is your responsibility. However, I will keep an example binder in my classroom to provide a model for how to stay organized. I expect you to keep ALL classroom handouts, notes, tests and quizzes. Do not throw anything away.

10. ABSENCES You are always expected to make up missed work! It is your responsibility to take the initiative and seek out missed notes/assignments. “While You Were Out” bin contains handouts/notebook materials you may have missed while absent. I am happy to help you catch up on missed work, but YOU must take the initiative to make up missed assignments. Absences DO NOT prevent you from taking tests on their assigned date if I feel you are prepared for the test.

11. LATE WORK  Late work = lower grades!  One day late = 85% highest grade possible  Two days late = 70% highest grade possible  More than two days late = work will NOT be accepted  Zeros will be given until an assignment is turned in. If an assignment is never turned in, that grade will remain a zero.

12. GRADING POLICY AssignmentPercentage of grade Tests/Papers/Projects 40% Classwork 30% Quizzes 20% Homework 10%

13. QUARTERLY BOOK PROJECTS You will be required to complete TWO (2) book projects each quarter. Your projects should reflect your understanding of two different fiction novels of an appropriate reading level. Due dates will be provided at the beginning of each quarter. More info to come on these assignments this week. Start reading!

14. READING LOGS  Read 20-30 minutes each night at least five times per week. Our goal is to be consistently reading 100 minutes every week.  Logs will be kept in your notebook and signed by a parent/guardian.  Read what you want!  Those who complete the required number of reading log minutes for the quarter will attend the Reading Log Reward party!

15. BRING BOOKS TO CLASS! It is required that you bring a book you are reading to each class. If you have outstanding library materials or fines from previous years, please turn in your materials or pay your library fines immediately! I have a classroom library that you may use to check out books. The checkout sheet is located beside the bookshelf near my desk.

16. ARTICLE OF THE WEEK  You will receive an article that you are responsible for reading, annotating, and reflecting upon each week.  Articles will be given on Mondays; annotated articles and written reflections will be due on Fridays.  We will go over this procedure in class when the first AOW is assigned.

17. CLASS WEBSITE www.darnellela.wikispaces.com Weekly Email  I will be writing a weekly e-mail to keep your parents/families updated on our 8 th grade Language Arts happenings.  Please let your parents know that I would love for them to be on the list.

18. Questions?