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Eighth Grade English is the study of words, their meaning, and their usage. From the daily discussion of vocabulary, to properly punctuating a sentence, to grasping the meaning of a challenging passage, our students develop a healthy respect for the written and spoken word.
Literature is at the core of the course. Eighth graders read more powerful literature than they have ever read before in school. They are challenged to explore and analyze their reading, moving away from plot summaries to a deeper reading of a text. Their readings include novels (Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird), an autobiography (Black Boy), plays (Witness for the Prosecution and Romeo and Juliet), Greek mythology (The Trojan War), and short stories from our anthology (Short Stories: Characters in Conflict). As a result, eighth graders are exposed to a wide range of themes and literary terms (theme, symbol, tone, climax, irony, metaphor, simile, etc.) and are expected to be able to discuss
them in class and in writing.
Writing assignments range from expository to creative writing exercises; students write four to six papers each mark period. Most of the topics arise from the readings in both the short story anthology and the novels and plays. A four-week poetry project highlights mid-year activities; students are exposed to some of the great poets and have an extensive opportunity to explore their own poetic abilities. Students are expected to word process all of their work.
All vocabulary work in done in conjunction with the reading. Students maintain a vocabulary notebook where a log of the “word for the day” is kept. Students are expected to be able to both define a word and to accurately use the word in a sentence. Vocabulary tests are given after every twenty words.
In eighth grade the grammar text becomes more of a reference book, a place to go to seek guidance rather than a source of never ending grammar exercises. As problems arise in their writing (comma usage, for example), the grammar text is always there as back-up. Students keep a “grammar” notebook where terms (i.e. clauses, phrases, subordination, and comma usage rules) are defined, and student generated examples support the terms. Throughout the year, students will be doing grammar word problems to demonstrate their mastery of grammatical terms and usages. To enhance their writing, the students are encouraged continually to explore the use of subordination, using subordinate clauses and verbal phrases.
A student’s final grade is based on the quality of his/her work throughout the trimester. A student’s papers (and corrections), tests, quizzes, written homework, and class participation are averaged together to determine the final grade. Late work is penalized a full grade a day (for example, an A becomes a B) for each day it is not turned in.
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