8th Grade ELA
Mr. Laughlin, Mrs. Whiteside, Mrs. Olsen
Course Overview
Major Units of Study:
Short Stories- "Raymond's Run" "The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
"Flowers for Algernon"Gothic Literature- "The Monkey's Paw," Poe, etc.
The Outsiders
The Giver/ The Hero's Journey
Holocaust Literature- "The Diary of Anne Frank"
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"-Shakespeare
Poetry
Non-fiction/research writing
Classroom Rules: (All rules are in addition to CCS Student Code of Conduct.)
-Do not talk when I am talking.
-Do not talk when others are talking...you may need to hear what is being said/asked!
-Stay awake...I promise I'm not that boring.
-Understand that we all have different opinions/ideas, discussion/debate may arise, but be sure that you are respectful of each other. If there ever any concerns about anything discussed that may make you feel uncomfortable, please let us know after class/school, and I will address this as needed.
2) Be prepared.
-Always be ready to learn.
-Study!
-Bring any/all materials with you to class.
-We don't give homework often, but when we do, please do it because it is important that you do!
3) Be here!
-Come to class on time. We will be assigning tardies as needed. (Please reference the 8th grade discipline plan for consequences due to numerous tardies.)
-COME TO SCHOOL! Unless you are extremely sick (like, throwing up sick), have a family emergency, or any other sort of drastic reason, please come to school. We all have days we don't feel like waking up early, even teachers, but come to school and let us know how we can maybe make it better.
-Participate. We will do a lot of group work. We are not the only teachers in this room. You all will get to teach us at times. For this to happen, you need to participate both in whole-class discussions and small group activities. Failure to do so will affect your grade.
-Most importantly, please behave! We want you in class, even when you don't want to be here. We all have bad days, and we understand that, but please don't do anything to make us send you out of class. We promise we are fun teachers when we do not have to deal with behavior problems. The culture of this class depends on you!
Discipline procedures:
1) Non-verbal warning. (Tap on the desk, the "look," etc.)
2) Verbal warning/Name written on board.
3) Strike.
4) Time-Out Referral.
4) For every strike, there will be a parent contact. The same will be with every time you are sent out. If bad behavior continues to happen, there will be a parent-teacher conference and ISS or OSS assigned as needed.
Classroom procedures:
1) When you arrive to class, you are to grab your binder off your class' shelf and take a seat and begin the warm-up. This means NO walking around my room at other tables. Get your binder and go directly to your assigned seat and begin working. Our time is limited, so there will not be much time after the bell for you to work on your warm-up. There will be a weekly warm-up grade given each Friday (starting next week), so these must be complete and checked by me daily in order for you to get full credit. If you are absent, please be sure to write ABSENT in that warm-up, and I will give you credit for missing that day.
2) You may not bring your book bag to class. This is for our safety and yours. All of your supplies will be in the classroom.
3) LEAVE YOUR CELLPHONE IN YOUR LOCKER. Not in your pockets or purses. I will warn you once before I take your phone and turn it into the office. When your phone is in the office, it can be picked up by a parent after 3 pm that day. I will do this every time I see your phone after I take your phone the first day. Repeat offenses will result in a parent-teacher conference with Mrs. Fulbright present. (Note: Some Fridays, I will do Kahoot! at the end of class (depending on behavior), when we do this, I will allow you to go get your phone as needed. This will be the ONLY time phones will be allowed in class. There are no texts that important. If any emergencies arise, the office will call into my room.
4) NO FIDGET SPINNERS. These are distracting to us and your other classmates. We will follow cell phone policy for these as well.
5) We will be giving you time to work in groups. Please respect this time by staying on task and completing your work. Everyone should participate in your group. We will be walking around and ensuring you are on task. If group work does not go well, we can always assign independent work to be done silently. Again, you determine the culture of the classroom.
6) We will be asking for feedback as the year progresses to make us better teachers. Please be honest (but respectful) during this time. We promise you will enjoy the class if you let us know what you like/don't like.
7) There is never "nothing to do" in this class. If you finish your work, you can always read your AR book, take an AR test, read a book from the class library, study, or even do work for another class if necessary. Do not distract others from completing their work because you work faster than others.
8) I have one bathroom pass for you to use. We will not be allowing students to use the restroom during instructional time. In other words, do not ask to go to the bathroom when we are talking. When there is group/independent work time, you may ask to go to the bathroom and take the pass and go. This will be done one at a time. If this grows to be out-of-hand, we will go bathroom passes.
9) If you forget a writing utensil, we have pencils for you in the "Pencil Parking" on the front board. Ask for permission, then write your name on the board beside it with the number of the pencil that you got from me. At the end of class, put your pencil back and erase your name. If your pencil goes missing, you will not be allowed to get another pencil.
10) Do not interrupt our teaching for asking to sharpen a pencil, grab something, etc. Simply wait until we do group/independent work, raise your hand and ask, and we will let you do whatever it is you need to do at that time. This includes visits to the nurse, restroom, and any need for a hall pass.
11) There will be a bin for you to turn in work with each day as we do it, once you are done with an assignment, please place it in that bin so we can take it up at the end of the day. We will usually grade small assignments within a day or two, but larger assignments may take us as long as a week to grade and return.
12) Class is over when we tell you to put your binder back on the shelf. You may then return to your seat QUIETLY, sit down, and wait on the bell. There will be no lining up at the door.
Emergency Procedures:
1) Fire/Bomb Threat
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the door, and exit down the steps to the left of the classroom to the 6th grade hall.
-You are to then make your way out the door toward the front of the building and head toward the grass. DO NOT GO BETWEEN ANY CARS!
-Stay together.
-We will close the door behind me and will follow you down.
-We will call roll once we are down in the parking lot.
-Stay quiet and calm.
2) Tornado
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the door, and exit down the steps to the left of the classroom to the 6th grade hall.
-You are to start forming a line along the wall, and have a seat.
-If needed, you will "assume the position," and stay there until we are told it is safe.
-Stay together.
-We will close the door behind me and will follow you down.
-We will call roll as needed.
-Stay calm and quiet.
3) Lockdown
-Stop what you are doing.
-Calmly and quietly make your way to the back of the room along the wall away from the windows.
-Have a seat/huddle together tightly.
-We will open the door to check for anyone in the hallway, ensure the door is locked, and close the door. We will then cover the window and turn off the lights.
-Remain calm, think happy thoughts, and most importantly, DO NOT TALK!
-Once we are told it is safe, we may be escorted down the steps and out the building, or we may resume class in the event of a drill. Remember that emergency personnel will take over if we are escorted out. You are to follow their orders and stay together. This will ensure our safety.
4) Medical emergency
-Remain calm.
-We will call the nurse and any emergency numbers as needed.
-You will stay back and allow adults to handle the situation.
-You may be asked to leave the room, and you must cooperate.
-Follow any orders given.
Library Days:
Materials:
3-ring binder (1 1/2-2 inches with pockets is preferred)
Composition bookPens/Pencils
(May need small earbuds for laptops on certain days, but you will be told about this.)
AR
How to make Mr. Laughlin, Mrs. Whiteside, and Mrs. Olsen happy:
2) Do your work to the best of your ability. You may not always "get it," but ask us, and we will help.
3) Apologize as needed.
4) Use good manners. "Yes sir/no ma'am" goes a LONG way in life.
5) Never give up! Remember you are destined for a purpose. You will always do well in life if you set a goal and work for it. We all mess up, but the important thing to remember is successful people get back up and try harder.
Oh, and make sure Mr. Laughlin has his coffee. :)