SYLLABUS (Silly Bus)

Language Arts 8th Grade Advanced & Gifted

Instructor: Stacey Steig (Pronounced: St-eye-guh)
Email: stacey.steig@sarasotacounty.schools.net
Website: staceysteig.weebly.com
Room: 722 Extension: 61101

Course Description
The 8th Grade Advanced Language Arts curriculum was created to prepare students for
the higher order analysis and depth of knowledge needed in upper-level high school
courses and college, and to enable students to achieve success in the real world. Students
in this course seek to analyze, criticize and interpret higher level literature as well as
bring an extra element of creativity and rigor that would not be found in other classes.

Language Arts is a course that focuses on four elements of

communication including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The
primary goal of the course is help students develop strong critical
thinking skills that will empower them to reach their highest potential,
to become effective problem solvers, and to achieve success in the real
world. Throughout this course, students will read various forms of
fiction and non-fiction, acquire a variety of research and reference
skills, and write for a variety of purposes including academic essay
writing, real world business and letter writing, and expressive writing
including prose, poetry and spoken word. Students are expected to
become proficient in persuasive/argumentative and expository essay
writing in accordance with the new Language Arts Florida Standards
and all students will be given the necessary tools to be able to
effectively communicate and orally present their understandings on a
given topic by using technology, speaking and other independent
skills.

We will be housed in a Classroom of Tomorrow that Mirrors the world

students live in. The mission is to engage all students in a vigorous,
literacy infused, technology-based and arts integrated curriculum that
encourages development of critical thinking skills and cooperative
learning. This innovative and engaging curriculum ramps up rigor with
text complexity, close reading, writing for purpose, differentiated
instruction, and a researched based pedagogy. Additionally, advanced,
gifted and Cambridge students will be given the tools necessary to
compete in Advanced Placement courses in high school.

Grading Distribution Grading Scale

Projects 20% 90-100% = A
Interactive Notebook 20% 80-89% = B
Homework 20% 70-79% = C
Participation 20 % 60-69% = D
Test or Quiz 20% 59% or less = F

Expectations
Be Respectful to self, peers, faculty, and school property
Be Responsible with behavior and academics
Be Punctual in class on time and prepared
Participate share ideas and beliefs without fear
Strive for Success strongest effort put forth every day, in
everything we do
Students are expected to follow B5 Behavior Expectations and be
actively engaged in addition to follow all school rules (including dress
code) outlined in student handbook.

Homework/Project Deadlines
STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO READ 30 MINUTES MONDAY FRIDAY,
NO EXCEPTIONS
This is important! Parent Permission slips MUST be signed for all
classroom library materials to be checked out of my personal
collection. It is understood that your child may check out and read any
material available in our school media center unless we are notified
otherwise.

Homework other than reading should ALWAYS be written down in

student agenda book. I stamp agendas every day after students have
attended class on time, prepared, and after they have written their
homework for that day in their agenda. I only collect work at the
beginning of class, so if a student has written down a homework
assignment in their agenda, they should be able to produce and show
that to you at any time prior to the beginning of class.

Credit is as follows:Work that is completed and turned in on time =

100%
Work that is completed and one day late = 89%
Work that is completed and two days late = 79%
The teacher will use discretion for credit on work that is turned in three
days late or later.

Websites
The class website is staceysteig.weebly.com. This offers a snapshot
of what we are doing in class. Blackboard Learn (link to this on our
class website) will be our main resource for this class containing a
calendar, PDF files, videos, images, practice sheets, quizzes, tests,
homework, bellwork, and many other vital parts of our daily work.
Crosspointe is still used as the grade book for Sarasota County
Schools. Digital access to our online curriculum will be
available and information will be blasted to you as it is
distributed.

Attendance Policy
Students will have an equal amount of day(s) to turn in the work as
they were absent if the absence was excused.
If a student was present on the day an assignment was given, but
absent on the due date, it is expected that the student will present the
work for full credit upon their return. All attendance excuses should be
directed to the front office.

Honor Code/Academic Integrity

The Sarasota County School Board strongly believes that academic
honesty must be practiced by all students. Plagiarism is unacceptable.
You are expected to turn in only your work for any assignment.
Cheating is defined by the inappropriate and deliberate distribution or
use of information, notes, materials, work of another person or the
unauthorized use of technology devices in the completion of an
academic assignment. Violation of this policy may result in an
academic consequence.

Materials & Supplies

Each student will be issued a text book, and will have access to the
digital edition of the text and other resources. Students will be
expected to maintain an interactive notebook that will be kept in the
classroom, and a binder that will be transported between home and
the classroom.

Supplies Students Should Purchase and bring to

class:
One Ream of Copy Paper, 2 composition notebooks, One Duotang Folder (With
Pockets), One Binder with four dividers(Vocabulary, Grammar, Research, Composition),
File Folders, Index Cards, Thumb Drive, pens, and sharpened pencils every day, loose
leaf paper, student handbook to record deadlines (Provided by School, highlighters,
colored pencils, Markers, Magazines.

I look forward to working with you and your student to make this a
successful year! Please sign the appropriate line below acknowledging
that you understand the terms of this syllabus and return to Ms. Steig.
If you would like an additional copy, I will be happy to provide you one
via email. The best way to communicate with me is via email, I
attempt to return all phone calls or emails within 24 hours. Please feel
free to reach me at any time! Together we can make this an awesome
and amazing year!

Stacey Steig
Language Arts Teacher
8th Grade Gifted
Booker Middle School

PLEASE return bottom portion of syllabus only.

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