BALDWIN SCHOOL OF PUERTO RICO

ENGLISH EIGHTH GRADE

I.       COURSE DESCRIPTION

English 8 is designed to develop and stress the importance of reading and writing skills.  It includes the study of various types of fiction and nonfiction literature—essays, short stories, drama, novels, poetry, and fantasy and folklore.  In addition, students are expected to develop and practice sentence and paragraph structure in conjunction with grammatical structure.

II.      COURSE OBJECTIVES

Writing

A.  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process

            B.  Demonstrates competence in the stylistic rhetorical aspects of writing

C.  Writes with a command of the grammatical and mechanical conventions of composition

            D.  Effectively gathers and uses information for research purposes

Reading

E.  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process

F.  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading literature

G.  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading information

Speaking and Listening

            H.  Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as a tool for learning

            I.  Demonstrates a familiarity with selected literary works of enduring quality

III.    COURSE CONTENT

            A.  First Quarter

                        1.  Literature:  fictional short stories

2.  Grammar:  parts of speech, subjects and predicates, fragments and run-ons

                        3.  Vocabulary:  units 1-4

4.  Writing:  journal writing, paragraph development, three-paragraph expository essay, audience, purpose, and style

                        5.  Summer reading:  The Hobbit

                        6.  Supplementary reading:  The Pearl

B.  Second Quarter

                        1.  Literature:  nonfiction essays, drama (The Diary of Anne Frank)

2.  Grammar:  punctuation, capitalization, prepositional phrases, complements

                        3.  Vocabulary:  units 5-9

4.  Writing:  writing process, introduction to the five paragraph essay (introductions, thesis statements, transitions, support, conclusions), expository essay, critical analysis essay on Night

                        5.  Supplementary reading:  Night

            C.  Third Quarter

1.  Literature:  nonfiction essays and speeches focusing on the Civil Rights Movement

2.  Grammar:  subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, usage

                        3.  Vocabulary:  units 10-12

4.  Writing:  persuasive five paragraph essay

                        5.  Supplementary reading:  The Outsiders

            D.  Fourth Quarter

                        1.  Literature:  poetry, American myths and folktales

                        2.  Grammar:  proofreading, usage, active vs. passive voice

                        3.  Vocabulary:  units 13-15

4.  Writing:  critical analysis essay of poetry, American myths or folktales

                        5.  Supplementary reading:  The Pigman

IV.    EVALUATION CRITERIA

Students will be evaluated using a variety of methods:  homework, quizzes (both announced and unannounced), writing, small groups activities, class participation, tests, and projects.

Quarterly grade are based upon a total point system.  Assignments and point values are as follows:

1.      Homework:  10-20 points

2.      Quizzes:  10-50 points (vocabulary quizzes are always 50 points)

3.      Writing:  20-50 points

4.      Tests/essays/projects:  100-150 points

5.      Major projects (e.g., the research paper) may be worth more than 150 points; however, the student will be notified in advance.

6.        Students will earn a minimum of 400 points per quarter.

V.      TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS

            A.  Elements of Literature, Second Course, Austin: Holt, 2007.

            B.  Write Source, Wilmington, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.

            C.  Vocabulary Workshop, Level C, New York: Sadlier-Oxford, 2002.