2014-2015

8
th
Grade English Language Arts Syllabus
Mrs. Reinhardt and Mrs. Watson

What you need for class every day
A 2 binder with 8 tab dividers. You will have a tab for each unit. You need to keep all graded
assignments, quizzes, and tests for the entire quarter in case of grade errors and retakes. Finished
writing pieces will be kept in folders in the classroom.
2 Composition Books
3 packs of loose leaf Notebook Paper
Pen or Pencil with you at all times during class
If you prefer a pencil, you must carry a personal sharpener
Independent Reading Book You may check books out from our classroom libraries. We also will
check books out from the library, or you may bring books from home or that you check out from
the public library.

What we will be doing this year?
We employ a Readers/Writers Workshop method. Large amounts of class time are spent reading books
that we choose, reading mentor texts, and writing. We will work through 8 units during the school year,
with each ending in two summative assessments: a Reading Test over the Common Core Standards that
were met during that unit and a Writing Piece.
Unit Required Writing Piece
1. Launching Writers Workshop
(Poetry)
2. Independent Reading
3. Argument Paragraph
4. Narrative Reading
5. Writing the Argument
6. Informational Reading
7. Information Essay
8. Literary Essay


1. Poem
2. Critique of Independent
Reading Book
3. Argument Paragraph
4. Historical Journal in
Character
5. Op-Ed (Opinion Editorial)
6. Text Analysis
7. Compare and Contrast
Essay
8. Literary Essay about a
beloved book



Homework
Homework will most often consist of completing assignments not completed in class, to study for tests and
to complete writing assignments, retakes, or work on projects. Students are responsible for writing down
their assignments. It is recommended that you use your agenda provided by the school for this purpose.

Web Page
Assignments, due dates and ALL handouts will be posted on the class website. To access it, go to the Bath
County School District web page at bath.kyschools.us, then choose Bath County Middle School from the
SCHOOLS tab at the top. On the left hand side, please click Teacher Websites, then choose your Language
Arts teacher (Reinhardt, Sasha or Watson, Tonya).
These web pages are updated several times a week and everything we do in class is accessible there.

Note-taking, handouts and returned work
**Taking notes is a very important academic skill and part of this class. All notes taken should remain in
your binder all year as well as all handouts. In addition, assignments should be kept for the entire quarter
once handed back. Organization is necessary! Students needing accommodations will have the option of
having notes printed for them upon request.


Absences
If you are absent you will have the opportunity to make up missed work. However, in order to prepare you
for high school, please know that requesting make-up work is your responsibility.
When you are absent, check the web page!


Grades
Bath County Middle School uses Standards Based Grading. The students will be scored according to
rubrics, and the goal is to have each student master the standards to the best of their ability. Assignments
and Assessments will be listed in the gradebook by standard, under the Writing Pieces and Reading
Assessments categories. Grades are given on a 3 point scale (3=Mastery, 2=Emerging, 1=Beginning).
Students will have the opportunity to do enrichment work, then retake the assessment for that particular
standard. This includes Reading Tests and Writing Pieces.

Your students gradebook will appear as such:
RL 8.3 RL 8.7 RI 8.4 W 8.5 SL 8.2 L 8.1
1.5 3 2 1 2 3

The top row is standard being assessed and the bottom row is the student score.

Your grade will reflect the concepts and standards that you have mastered.
55% -- Writing Pieces (unit assessments and benchmarks)
35% -- Reading Assessments (unit assessments and benchmarks)
10% -- Reading Goals, In class assignments

Each student will be provided with a rubric in advance for the Writing Pieces. This will give the
student ample time to understand what is expected of their finished piece.


What is my grade?
Grades will be updated in Infinite Campus weekly. Instructions for logging into Student/Parent Portal are
available on the district webpage.

Cheating
Any student caught cheating on an assignment or on a self-grading activity will be given an automatic
zero with no opportunity for a retake. This includes papers that are copied and pasted from online
sources, in part or in whole.
Parents will be contacted and the student may be referred to the office for discipline.

Discipline Policy
Each 8
th
grade classroom has a Class Log. If a student chooses to make a bad decision, the procedure
goes as follows:
First Offense Warning
Second Offense Lunch Detention
Third Offense Parent Contact
Fourth Offense Office Referral

However, depending on the severity of the incident, these steps may occur in an order the teacher deems
most appropriate. Each of these steps will be documented.
Class logs start over every 9 weeks.

CELL PHONE USE
Students are not permitted under any circumstances - to have their cell phones or mobile devices out in
the classroom unless it is under the instruction of the teacher for instructional purposes. If the student is
observed not following this rule, the device will be held by the teacher until the end of the class period and
Class Log procedures will be followed.

Student Responsibilities

To treat the teacher and others and oneself with respect
To cooperate and not be disruptive
To study and complete assigned work on time
To attend regularly and on time


Classroom Expectations: The 4 Rs

RESPECT
Respect others and their belongings.
Keep the classroom neat and clean.
Bullying or teasing will NOT be tolerated.
Do not talk when your teachers are speaking. Raise your hand if you have a question or you
have a problem.
Do not get up while the teacher or a classmate is speaking.
Do not put your things away until the teacher directs you to do so.
Wait to throw away papers until the end of class. Please dont even ask.
Wait until doing independent work to ask to use the restroom. Please dont interrupt the
teachers or another student. Emergencies such as throwing up or nosebleeds would be an
exception.
Teacher dismisses class NOT the bell. Warnings will be given for getting up to go before you
are dismissed.

READY
Bring all of the supplies that you will need for classbooks, papers, pens, etc.
Be prepared and be in assigned seat before the bell rings.
Begin working on Bell Work immediately. (This is most usually reading in your self-selected
text.)

RESPONSIBLE
Turn in your work.
Own up to what youve done.
Keep up with your things.

REASON
Think. Use common sense. Imagine the consequences of your action before you act.
Remember that intelligence grows with use.



Questions or concerns? Please feel free to talk to us! You can reach us in the following places:

Sasha Reinhardt:
Email sasha.reinhardt@bath.kyschools.us
Phone 606.674.8165 ext 2114
Website reinhardtreads.weebly.com

Tonya Watson:
Email tonya.watson@bath.kyschools.us
Phone 606.674.8165 ext 2113
Website -

We look forward to a wonderful year of working with you!



Please read this syllabus with a parent or guardian and sign the bottom of this page. This will
be kept in your personal file.


**Parents, we are gladly accepting any donations of much needed classroom supplies. These
include:
Pencils
Pens
Glue Sticks
Sanitizing Wipes
Scissors
Highlighters


____________________________________________________________________________________



Language Arts Signature Page

We have read and discussed the information in this syllabus together. Please return this sheet to your
teacher.


Print Student Name _____________________________________________________

Student Signature ______________________________________________________

Print Parent/Guardian Name ______________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature________________________________________________

Email address for parent contact __________________________________________

Social Media Release Page

Parents, we will be documenting some of our classes work and activities and posting those online to our
class Instagram account ( please follow us @reinhardtreads!) and our BCMS 8
th
Grade English Facebook
page (like us!). We will also occassionally videotape lessons and post them on our class YouTube channel
(ReinhardtReads).

Being parents ourselves, we hope that this will give you a window into your childs time in our classrooms
and a chance to see what theyre learning, reading, and creating.

No names of students will be posted and the accounts will be set so that they will may not be commented
on by the public.
Please sign below to agree to allow your child to be a part of this window into our classroom:

______________________________________
Parent Signature