Welcome to

Ms. Harrigan’s

8th Grade English

22-23

meghanha@fsusd.org

Google voice: (707) 410-0912

Who is she?

• This is my 4th year teaching at Grange Middle School
• This is my 3rd year teaching ALD
• I have taught both 7th and 8th grade
• I hold an English degree and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University
• I am originally from the East Coast
• Your students will hear about my cats a LOT

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Curriculum Overview

• Springboard curriculum with supplemental readings
• Four units broken into two parts
• Each part has a final essay assessment
• Expository writing, argumentative, literary analysis
• Readings
• Excerpts from novels, poetry, informational and argumentative articles, plays, Farewell to Manzanar memoir novel, Maus graphic novel

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What to expect

• Reading and writing everyday.
• Students are not assigned homework, but they are expected to finish classwork that was assigned in class on their own time.
• All assignments are on Google Classroom.
• Guardians have access.
• Not all assignments from Google Classroom will be in Aeries.
• Any Aeries assignments can be re-attempted for a higher grade

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Grading System: Standards Based Grading

Students are graded using rubrics scoring of 1-4 attached to Google Classroom:

• Rubrics are attached to each Google Classroom assignment
• 1 indicates that your student has emerging skills.
• 2 indicates that your student has developed partial skills.
• 3 indicates that your student is proficient in showcasing 8th grade skill and content knowledge.
• 4 indicates that your student is above grade level understanding and execution of 8th grade skill.

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Students are graded based on their proficiency of English Language Arts 8th grade standards in the Common Core State Standards. The idea behind standards based grading is to have a clear picture of your student’s understanding of 8th grade English skills in order to prepare them for 9th grade.

Welcome to Ms. Harrigan’s

8th Grade English

19-20, 21-22

Sign in here!

CC: Hi, I’m Ms. Harrigan and I’m your student’s English teacher. This year in English, we are going to be working through about four units. And within each unit, we are going to be writing two essays. Your student is going to be writing expository essays, literary analysis, a definition essay, and an argumentative essay. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me or call or text me on my Google Voice number.

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Hola, soy la Sra. Harrigan y soy la profesora de inglés de su estudiante. Este año en inglés, vamos a trabajar en unas cuatro unidades. Y dentro de cada unidad, vamos a escribir dos ensayos. Su estudiante va a escribir ensayos expositivos, análisis literario, un ensayo de definición y un ensayo argumentativo. Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud, envíeme un correo electrónico o llámeme o envíeme un mensaje de texto a mi número de Google Voice.

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meghanha@fsusd.org

Google voice: (707) 410-0912

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Class Topics

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In English 8, we use the Springboard curriculum.

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We will be reading excerpts from novels, informational texts, poetry, and a novel. The 8th grade Springboard curriculum focuses on the theme of challenges. We will be reading about the challenges of heroism, the challenges of utopia, the challenge to make a difference, and the challenge of comedy.

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Each unit is broken into two parts. At the end of of each part, students will be writing a five paragraph essay: expository, definition, argumentative, and literary analysis.

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Temas de la clase

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En Inglés 8, usamos el plan de estudios de Springboard.

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Leeremos extractos de novelas, textos informativos, poesía y una novela. El plan de estudios de Springboard de octavo grado se centra en el tema de los desafíos. Leeremos sobre los desafíos del heroísmo, los desafíos de la utopía, el desafío de marcar la diferencia y el desafío de la comedia.

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Cada unidad se divide en dos partes. Al final de cada parte, los estudiantes escribirán un ensayo de cinco párrafos: expositivo, definición, argumentativo y análisis literario.

Grading System: California Common Core State Standards

Students are graded using a rubric score of 1-4:

• A score of 1 indicates that your student has emerging skills.
• A score of 2 indicates that your student has developed partial skills.
• A score of 3 indicates that your student is proficient in showcasing 8th grade skill and content knowledge.
• A score of 4 indicates that your student is above grade level understanding and execution of 8th grade skill.

10

Students are graded based on their proficiency of English Language Arts 8th grade standards in the Common Core State Standards. The idea behind standards based grading is to have a clear picture of your student’s understanding of 8th grade English to prepare them for 9th grade.

Sistema de calificación: Estándares estatales básicos comunes de California

Los estudiantes son calificados usando un puntaje de rúbrica de 1-4:

• Una puntuación de 1 indica que su estudiante tiene habilidades emergentes.
• Una puntuación de 2 indica que su estudiante ha desarrollado habilidades parciales.
• Un puntaje de 3 indica que su estudiante es competente en la demostración de habilidades y conocimiento del contenido del octavo grado.
• Una puntuación de 4 indica que su estudiante está por encima del nivel de grado en la comprensión y ejecución de la habilidad del octavo grado.

11

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Los estudiantes son calificados en base a su dominio de los estándares del octavo grado de Artes del Lenguaje Inglés en los Estándares Estatales Básicos Comunes. La idea detrás de la calificación basada en estándares es tener una idea clara de la comprensión del inglés de octavo grado de su estudiante para prepararlos para el noveno grado.

What parents can expect

• Students are not assigned homework, but they are expected to complete any classwork not completed in class.
• Student’s assignments are posted on Google Classroom.
• Students can redo any assignment from Aeries to improve their grade.

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Que pueden esperar los padres

• A los estudiantes no se les asignan tareas, pero se espera que completen cualquier trabajo de clase que no hayan completado en clase.
• Las tareas de los estudiantes se publican en Google Classroom.
• Los estudiantes pueden rehacer cualquier tarea para mejorar su calificación.

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Google Classroom Tutorial

Google Classroom is our online classroom to communicate and share assignments and school work. In all likelihood, your student will be enrolled in a separate Google Classroom for each of their classes.

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Click on this link for a tutorial on how

Google Classroom works and how your

student interacts with it.

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