2. Welcome to English Language Arts with Mr. Duyck and maybe Mrs. Fix

3. English Language Arts 8
1st Semester Unit 1 – Narratives (Stories) – 12 weeks
Writing Project: Write a narrative (a story).
Unit Focus: Analyze short stories, including point of view and comparison.
Unit 2 – Conventions – 4 weeks
Unit Focus: Use correct grammar and punctuation.
2nd Semester Unit 3 – Research – 9 weeks
Writing Project: Plan and conduct a research project and create a presentation.
Unit Focus: Research skills
Unit 4 – Argument – 7 weeks
Writing Project: Write an argumentative essay.
Unit Focus: Analyze arguments, considering and comparing different points of view. Present well-supported arguments.
Unit 5 – Informative Writing – 4 weeks
Writing Project: LA 7 – Music Review. LA 8 – Parody News Article
Unit Focus: Explore informative writing and analyze central idea or theme. Summarize a text.

4. About your grade…

5. Just kidding. You will pass this class if you try.

6. Your Grade We will follow the school’s 80/20 grade policy, so…
…quizzes, tests, projects, and essays are 80% of your grade.
…daily assignments, participation, and independent reading are 20%.
Track your grade in Power School.

7. Homework Read independently for 20 minutes every day.
Study vocabulary for weekly quizzes.
Stuff you missed or didn’t finish in class.

8. Come to seminar for help and to make up quizzes and tests.

9. Late and Make-Up Work
Daily assignments may be turned in up to three days after the due date.
Missed tests and quizzes may be taken during seminar anytime before the end of the marking period.
Essays and projects may be completed anytime before the end of the marking period, but up to 10% will be deducted from late essays and projects.
Absent students will receive a reasonable extension of the due date.
It is your responsibility to find out what you are missing and make a plan to finish it.
Check the agenda in Schoology. Look for missing assignments in Power School.

10. Retake Policy Formative tests and quizzes cannot be retaken.
Summative tests and quizzes can be retaken…
within two weeks
if a student earns less than 75% on the original assessment.
Students can earn up to 75% on the retake.
Retakes must be arranged with the teacher during ASC, EAT, or another mutually agreed upon time.
Students may only retake each summative test or quiz one time.
The higher of the scores (up to 75%) will be kept.

12. Check out Schoology Agenda Handouts & Assignments Find Great Books
Quizlet & More
mrduyck.weebly.com (for parents)

13. Class Rules
Be nice.
Do your best.
Don’t be the annoying kid.

14. Some details that we’ll go over later…
Disruptive behavior is annoying. Don’t talk when you should be listening.
Come prepared:
-Pen/pencil, writing notebook, folder/binder, Chromebook, novel on Friday
Come on time. Head to your seat when the bell rings.
See me after class to fix attendance if you come in after I take it.
Stay in your seat when anyone is talking to the class.
At the end of class, stay by your seat until the bell rings. Don’t stand by the door.
Clean up after yourself.
Wait for your turn. Don’t interrupt when I‘m talking to someone else.
Snacks are fine if they don’t interrupt class and if you clean up any mess, but not in the library.
School rule: The only drink allowed is water in a trabsparent container.
If you must use the bathroom during class:
-Sign out, leave your phone, don’t interrupt class.
School rule: Leave your phone in phone jail when you use the bathroom during class.
Be quiet for announcements.

17. Please bring these things to class:
Pens (blue or black ink) or pencils
Your writing notebook
Your binder or folder with pockets and fasteners for paper
Your charged Chromebook
Inexpensive headphones or ear buds to use with audio text
Your novel on Friday
Your novel should be a little above your current reading level.
It can be from the library anywhere else.
We will talk about how to choose and get the right novels.

19. Let’s make a seating chart.
Sit in a spot where you can do well.
Choose wisely. I will move you if your seat isn’t working out.
Write your first and last name neatly in the appropriate box on the seating chart.
On the back of the seating chart, write any questions you want me to answer.