8th Literature Outline: Year 08-09
Philosophy: Read, read, and read some more.
Novels: We will do a variety of novels, including some historical fiction novels that will correspond somewhat with the History curriculum. For example, The Light in the Forest, is set in the time of Westward expansion. I will assign 2-3 chapters a week, and they will be thoroughly critiqued in our Literature Circles on Monday and Tuesday.
These novels will help your student to fulfill the 10 complete books read in a school year requirement in our literature curriculum.
Literature Circles: These are Monday’s and Tuesday’s small group activity that assigns each member of the group a specific task for each novel reading assignment. Members will change literary jobs each week. Eg. Word Wizard student will take on the Summarizer for next week’s assignment and so on. I will these circles in the next several weeks as we read The Light in the Forest.
Literature Textbook and Workbook: These will drive the curriculum standards and assure that your students are well prepared for any standardized testing and next year’s curriculum. We will do a chapter a week, and most of the work will be done in class and corrected in class. I will assign the chapter on Tuesdays and will work through the questions on Wednesdays. I will occasionally give quizzes over these reading assignments, and they will be based exclusively on the questions from the assigned chapter.
Daybook of critical reading and writing: These books will be used to supplement or reinforce any literature element we are learning. We will use this text on Thursdays and I will assign them on Wednesdays.
Reading Logs: Reading Logs will track your student’s reading habits and bents. I have discovered that most students fall into four areas of interest, and when they are allowed to read in these preferred areas they will excel and even enjoy reading! My number one goal is for your student to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE reading! I accomplish this by setting the bar intentionally high, and that means I will ask your seventh grader to read 320 minutes a week. That works out to be about 5 hours and 20 minutes a week, or about 47 minutes a day. DON’T PANIC! I have placed some safeguards within my madness.
1. They get to read anything they want (comic books, music lyrics,
Newspapers, sports statistics, you name it, they can read it…)
The only things they can’t read are the things you won’t approve.
2. They will be given time to read in my class.
3. When they read the Bible their time is tripled.
4. When they read a Classic their time is doubled.
5. They will get roll over minutes!
6. All reading assignments in all classes (mine included) count!
7. They do not have to journal or critique their reading only record their minutes.
Reading logs will be given each Monday and the finished ones will be collected each Monday.
Friday Share Time: This period will be reserved for telling stories and making up stories and airing our thoughts about life and stories we have read or heard. This is the time for telling jokes (appropriate), riddles, singing songs, reading poetry, acting out dramas, and in general enjoying the benefits of literature.
Grading breakdown:
Tests 35% Quizzes 20% HW 35% Prep 10%
Late homework will result in a 10% reduction of the earned grade each day up to three days, at which point the student will receive a zero.
Discipline: I will follow the handbook guidelines.
