1. Ms. Christina 8 th Grade LA OPEN HOUSE 2016-2017 School year

2. About Me My name is Rebecca Christina and this is my 6th year of teaching, and my second year at Somerset Academy. I previously taught 7th grade Language Arts for 1 year, and 9th and 10th grade Language Arts for 2 years at Hollywood Christian School. Before moving to Florida, I taught 11th grade English at Colegio Menor in Quito, Ecuador for 1 year. I grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut, but attended college in Atlanta, Georgia and earned my undergraduate degree in English Literature and Secondary Education at Kennesaw State University. I will be teaching advanced and regular 8th grade Language Arts this year. I am very excited to be teaching middle school and can't wait for this to be another great school year!

3. Main Focus and Goals The items to be covered in this course is as follows: 1. Reading Comprehension Skills 2. Vocabulary 3. Essay/Journal Writing 4. Projects 5. Grammar Skills 6. Reading Analysis through a variety of text **I will be constantly updating this page as well as adding additional pages, so be sure to sign up. Visit the "Parent Sign-Up Tutorial“ page for step by step instructions.**

4. Class Expectations – All students are expected to show courtesy and respect to others and the teacher. – All students are expected to complete their class work and home assignments. – All students are expected to have ALL their required materials.

5. Classroom Rules – Follow the Uniform Policy in the classroom and wear your ID’s at all time. – Stay in your assigned seat. – Bring your required materials to class. – No electronics/cellular phones are allowed and absolutely no texting. – Treat borrowed materials as your own and please return library books

6. Students Supplies for Class - black or blue pens and pencils - composition notebook - paper – Interactive Notebooks – The objective of an interactive notebook is to offer the students a place to thoughtfully and creatively interact with texts, as well as, practice specific writing strategies introduced throughout the year. The notebooks will also be a place to take notes. This page will be a great place to find documents that will offer a better understanding of my expectations for the notebook. The table of contents and activities will also be available here. – **See supply list for materials needed for interactive notebook

7. Honors Policy – Middle School students enrolled in High School or in Advanced level courses must earn a final grade of an A or a B in an Advanced and/or High School level class in order to be placed in the subsequent High School Honors course in 9 th grade or Middle School Advanced level course the following school year. Students earning C’s or lower on their final course grade will be placed in a regular course for 9 th grade or the following Middle School grade.

8. Grading Scale – Advanced: – Exams 40% – Quizzes: 25% – CW/HW: 25% – Reading Plus: 10% – 4 th and 5 th period READ: 5% – Regular: – Exams 35% – Quizzes: 20% – CW/HW: 35% – Reading Plus: 10% – 4 th and 5 th period READ: 5%

9. Text – The primary source of instruction will be from the school-adopted Language Arts program by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Florida Collections. Every student will have online access to the text. Students will also read one novel and play, as well as, a variety of short stories and poems. – Required Novels – Students will read 1 novel and 1 Shakespeare play in my class this year. – The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton – A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

10. My Policy on Late Work – Unexcused Late Work- It is imperative that all students exercise responsibility and turn in all assignments on the date that they are due to avoid their grades dropping drastically. – 75% credit for one day late. – Assignments turned into my mailbox by 3:00pm the next school day after the due date will have a maximum possible credit of 75%. – 50% credit for two days late. – Assignment turned into my mailbox by 3:00pm two school days after the due date will have a maximum credit of 50%. – NO credit given after two days late.

11. Ms. Christina’s Website – http://www.somersetacademy.com/apps/pages/index.jsp? uREC_ID=549407&type=u&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=467624 http://www.somersetacademy.com/apps/pages/index.jsp? uREC_ID=549407&type=u&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=467624

12. Conclusion Don’t forget to check my Somerset Academy web page on a weekly basis for homework and Language Arts updates. I look forward to a year full of wonderful learning experiences for my students! Please don’t hesitate to email me at rchristina@somersetacademy.com Go Panthers!

13. Tonight’s schedule will be as follows: 6:00 - 6:25pm 1st period 6:30 - 6:45pm 2nd period 6:50 -7:05pm 3rd period 7:10 - 7:25pm 4th period 7:30 - 7:45pm 5th period 7:50 – 8:05pm 6th period 8:10 - 8:25pm 7th period